PORTLAND’S Country Basketball League representative teams returned from the holiday period in emphatic fashion on Saturday night, with the men’s and women’s sides defeating Warrnambool.

It was an impressive showing from the two teams with the women claiming a six-point victory while the men got the job done by seven points.

It was a huge performance from the women’s side who delivered a 31-point turnaround from their previous game against Warrnambool where they lost by 25 points in round 11.

Defence was the difference on Saturday night with Portland’s one-on-one pressure proving unsettling for Warrnambool’s offence and creating plenty of turnovers.

“Defence was where it needed to be and we were able to do that,” Portland coach Ellen Zeunert said.

“We had a lot of up and under pressure on the ball carrier and were getting in the passing lanes which made them have to second guess their offence.

“Last time we played them we allowed them to shoot 87 points so we talked about defensive intensity and our full court man (defence) really made a difference.”

Warrnambool shifted their defence in the second quarter to shut down the Coasters’ perimeter shooting which Zeunert said forced them to make some changes in their game play.

“The played man to start with and then shifted into a zone in the second quarter and we got caught out a bit,” she said.

“At half time we chatted about getting the ball into the paint a bit more to Tyleah (Barr) and Tanielle (Knight), which isn’t usually how we run our offence but it helped change up our game and feeding it inside.”

It was a solid effort across the board with multiple players contributing offensively with Millie Jennings top scoring with 22 points.

While Jennings led from the front Zeunert said it was a game that showcased the depth of players coming from the bench and playing their role.

“We could make changes and it didn’t affect the game, everyone stepped up,” she said.

“Millie (Jennings) and Tanielle had great games but also Millie Ferguson and Summer Millard, two of our younger players, really showed a lot of maturity especially late in the game.

“Warrnambool threw everything they had at us in the last quarter and they really stepped up and did some important work late.”

Knight finished the game with 14 points while Ferguson hit 10 for the match.

Saturday’s win puts Portland in third place on the ladder with just two games remaining before finals.

Coasters deliver 18-point turn around

Portland followed up with another win in the men’s game where they trailed in the final quarter to eventually claim a 71-64 win against Warrnambool, an 18-point turnaround from their round 11 match up.

It was a monumental scoring performance from Hayden Annett who hit 29 points for the game to help lead his side on the scoreboard alongside Jackson Dunlop who slotted 17.

The Coasters were missing some height on the court but added forward Brad Clark to the line up to help inside the paint.

The margin remained close for majority of the match with Portland taking advantage of some disruptions to Warrnambool’s game late and showing some impressive finish in the final quarter.

It was an important win for Portland who now sit in third spot on the ladder with their four remaining matches crucial to cementing a position in finals.