Big V: Warrnambool Mermaids' lessons against Warrandyte Venom

Mia Mills and Molly McLaren were tasked with guarding experienced Warrandyte Venom basketballer Monique Stevens at the Arc on Saturday night.

Stevens had 28 points as the Venom stung the home side.

The Mermaids, without leader Amy Wormald (unavailable), lost 77-58 despite an "outstanding" performance from the emerging Grace Rodgers and Matilda Sewell's debut.

Rodgers, who is still only 18, recorded a double-double with 26 points and 22 rebounds.

Mermaids coach Lee Primmer, whose side now has a 2-2 win-loss record, said Mills and McLaren took lessons from Stevens.

"We knew who their scorers would be and they shoot a lot of threes," Primmer said.

"Stevens had 28 points. We really struggled to contain her off the dribble. She has a lightning crossover and once she got a step in front of our defenders, she made it hard because the next person would step up to stop her and she'd just find the open player.

"It was a learning curve for Mia and Molly, two of our 14 year olds, who probably played on her for most of the game.

"This girl is the same size (in height) as Mia. She might have been 27 or 28 years of age so she's played at a good level...as opposed to a 14-year-old.

"It is a two-sided sword coaching because we have so much natural talent but sometimes that natural talent gets beaten by experience and smarts of playing 100 or move Big V games as opposed to lining up in your third or fourth game."

Rodgers, who has strong family ties to Warrnambool basketball, did her best to inspire the Mermaids into action.

"We won on the boards and that was many due to Grace's outstanding game. It was something to go and watch, she was absolutely sensational," Primmer said.

"To do it at both ends, rebound and play defence on a girl who was six inches taller than her and Grace isn't small, she's about six-foot-three, and this girl was about six-foot-six."

The Mermaids were six points down at quarter-time and fell further back after a 20-8 second term.

They responded in the third, winning the quarter by five to trim the deficit to 13 but the Venom finished stronger.

"We had 19 turnovers and they scored 17 points off those turnovers and we got beaten by 19, so there's the basketball game there," Primmer said.

"That's just a rookie young team not taking care of the basketball as well as the experienced older heads. They only had six turnovers."

The Mermaids have a double-header next weekend.

They play Craigieburn Eagles at the Arc on Saturday night and Pakenham away on Anzac Day.

Marli Blackney-Noter hurt her knee against Warrandyte while Kat Aitken didn't suit up after injuring her knee working on the farm earlier in the day.

Riley Nicolson was the shining light for Warrnambool Seahawks in their gallant 76-62 road loss to Warrandyte Venom on Sunday.

The impressive teenager was the only Seahawk to score double figures.

He dropped 21 points and also reeled in 13 rebounds.

Seahawks coach Alex Gynes was rapt with Nicolson's contribution.

"Riley did a great job. He was very aggressive in and around the ring and battled all night," he said.

"He got into foul trouble early but came out in the second half and lifted our energy. He did a great job battling their bigger players who are seasoned and have been in the game for a long time."

Ben Walters (five minutes) and Hayden Rhook (12 minutes) also delighted Gynes from their limited game time.

"Ben got his first points for the Seahawks so that was great to see and Hayden, who has been one of our really good juniors over the years, came out and had a really good run," Gynes said.

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