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Monash basketballers are Big winners

21 September 2005

The Monash men's basketball team has won division two of the Big V competition in a gripping three-game final series.

The Monash men's basketball team celebrates its win.

The Monash Uni Giants defeated the Warragul Warriors in the series, which started with a Warriors' home game in Drouin in which they beat the Giants for the first time in the 2005 season.

The second game was at the Clayton campus stadium, with Monash securing a win to stay in the competition.

The deciding match was also played at the Clayton campus, in front of 400 spectators, with the Giants claiming a nine-point victory.

Giants' assistant coach Mr Andrew Knell said it was a fantastic result for the team, which comprised Monash students, alumni and members of the broader community.

"The team worked hard all season, so they really deserved to take out the title," Mr Knell said.

"Current student and Most Valuable Player of the league nominee Andrew Oliver was one of our stars. He was a major player for us throughout the finals series, as a leader in both scoring and rebounds."

Mr Knell said Monash alumni Mr Adam Harris and Mr Simon Murphy had also put in great performances. Both players announced their retirement after the game, having been with the club for more than 10 years.

"Solid contributions also came from Darryl McDonald, Courtney Patterson and Michael Hubbard," Mr Knell said.

The Big V is one of the largest semi-professional basketball league structures in the world, with 91 teams playing across nine competitions.

In 2004, the member clubs of the league -- the Country Victorian Invitation Basketball League, the Victorian Basketball League and the Women's Victorian Basketball League -- voted to re-brand the league as the Big V.

The Monash women's basketball team finished fifth.