“Having ‘Aussie’ and Micah back in the side from the first time we played them just changes our structure. We’re a lot harder to guard,” Benbow said.
“I think we’re used to each other now. We train hard and we’re connecting better, whereas in the first game it definitely looked like it was the first time we’d played all year.
“Now that we’ve been together for a few weeks it’s really starting to click, and the culture of the team is as good as I’ve ever seen it. I think that really helps – it’s got a good feel about it, this team.”
The Hornets’ improvement was clear from the opening tip, as the team led by six points at quarter time and 22 at half time thanks to a stifling defensive effort in the second term.
McKenzie led all scorers with 26 points, Livingstone had 19 and Mitch Martin scored 16 in the eventual 94-55 rout in front of a home crowd Benbow estimated at more than 300.
Sunday’s road game in Colac proved testing for the Hornets, with McKenzie unavailable due to work commitments and Freddy Frew also out of the line-up.
“Micah had a tough game because he got their best defender. He fouled out halfway through the third quarter, so we played the last quarter and a half without him,” Benbow said.
“One player doesn’t make a team, but we had to structure ourselves a bit differently and it was just a grind.”
But with Livingstone in foul trouble and McKenzie out, recruit Charlie Campbell played his best game since joining the Hornets, scoring 17 points in the 74-57 win.
Benbow was full of praise for the defensive efforts of forward Cody Bryan – a two-time south-west division defensive player of the year – across the weekend.
“We’ve got the best defender in the league in Cody Bryan. He played on Millicent’s Jackson Bowden and kept him to 16, but I reckon Jackson got four or six of those points in the last couple of minutes when we put Cody on the bench,” he said.
“Then on Sunday, Cody played on Jordan Lingard, Colac’s best player, and kept him to six.
“He put on a masterclass. You just marvel at him really.”
Benbow said the Horsham Junior Classic basketball tournament this weekend was always well attended and he hoped it would translate into a large crowd for the Hornets’ home game against Hamilton at 7.30pm on Saturday.
“We normally get about 400 or 420 people there to watch us play when the junior tournament is on, so we’re looking forward to playing in front of a crowd like that,” he said.
“Hamilton is obviously our neighbour too, so they’re going to be up for it. They haven’t had a win yet, but they’re pushing teams, so we can’t take them lightly.
“We’re thankful for the great support. I’ve already had people messaging asking when they can buy tickets.”
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