Sport

Shepparton Gators record round one losses, but with plenty of positive takeaways

By Callum Farquhar

Mar 23, 2026

Shepparton Gators' Taine Wattie scored 17 points in the round one loss. Photo by Megan Fisher

While both the Shepparton Gators Big V outfits suffered defeat in round one of the Big V basketball season, the men’s and women’s sides impressed in patches to demonstrate they belong in their respective divisions this season.

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The men made a four-hour trip on the team bus to Somerville Recreation Centre to take on Western Port, as the fresh-look division one side unveiled a suite of new faces in Gators uniforms.

The Gators debuted six new faces, five of which playing senior Big V basketball for the first time, and for a half, Shepparton’s youthful side played with an infectious energy.

Trailing by just one point at the main break, newly appointed captain Josh Kooiman led the scoring alongside Taine Wattie, but fatigue and inexperience caused a second half breakdown, according to coach Sam Gebauer.

“There were a fair amount of lead changes in the first half, but we just saw (Western Port’s) experience shine through,” Gebauer said.

“We’re comfortably the youngest team in the division, our average age is probably about 20 years old.

“They were just able to keep up the intensity for longer... our three point shooting was fantastic, but as fatigue set in a little bit we fell away.”

Gebauer assured there were many positives out of the defeat though, as the Gators look to build an identity with its young squad.

“The takeaway was just getting some of these younger guys’ feet wet in senior basketball,” he said.

“It’s important we continue to try build an identity as a young team.”

Meanwhile in the women’s game, the Gators were overrun by a fast-finishing RMIT University.

Shepparton led at every buzzer, albeit narrowly, as the travelling Gators stunned the home Redbacks unit.

However, RMIT University heated up in the final quarter, shooting at 70 per cent from the field to unearth a lead into double digits, bursting the Gators’ defensive wall until full-time to finish 13-point winners.

The women’s Gators side will play Wallan in round two while the men’s will take on Craigieburn, two sides that won big in round one.

“It’s an exciting challenge,” Gebauer said on the Craigieburn match-up.

“We think they’re a top four team on paper, but they’re closely matched to us size-wise so that will make for an interesting match-up.

“Craigieburn’s always a hostile environment, so we’ll look to embrace the challenge.”

Both teams will travel on Saturday, with a home game double-header at Shepparton Sports Stadium scheduled for round three.