Drummo Dragons sweep aside Phoenix in A Men Preliminary

Drummo Dragons have overcome Phoenix in a fast paced high scoring A Grade Preliminary at the Mars Minerdome to advance to the A Men grand final.

The game started with a three to Sam Byron and both teams went end to end with ease but it was Phoenix’s Brad Henderson explosiveness on the break getting to the basket that was influential in gaining early pressure.

Jack Sullivan got hot from the three point arc early in the first half to add back to back three’s and stretched Drummo’s early first half advantage.

The game saw two of A Men’s quality big men going head to head in Drummo Dragons powerhouse forward Chris Smith and equally lively Phoenix’s Sam Byron. Chris Smith used his strength well to overwhelm Byron on back to back plays giving his side an 11 point lead after ten minutes of play.

With Sam Byron and Chris Smith’s substitution brought about a quicker based and that suited the classy Tyler Constable as he was unstoppable getting down the court and making Phoenix’s pay for the lack of attention putting up 14 first half points.

An even spread of scoring for Drummo Dragons saw them gradually stretch the lead, heading into the half time break  leading comfortably 32 to 18 and the second half continued in the same manner as the first with quick play from both sides.

However it was again Drummo’s efficiency in scoring that stretched the lead further with their ability to make their opportunities count and Phoenix not being able to return fire except for the resilient Zack Fiegert who knocked down back to back three point shots to add some respectability to the scoreboard.

Cameron Slattery tried a different tactic to rattle Drummo with a clumsy unsportsmanlike foul half way through the last half threatening to heat the game up with a noticeably angry Drummo leaping to the defence of league leading scorer Tyler Constable.

There was little that could be done to stop the Drummo Dragons storming into next Monday night’s A Men Grand Final against the Wildcats who only narrowly edged them out in the semi-final.

With only percentage separating the two sides in the regular season and Wildcats leading 4-1 in the head to head battles throughout the year. Can the Drummo Dragons overturn the Wildcats dominance and take out the A Men Grand Final?