Bellarine Storm leaders Georgia Varley and Jaimee Crombie excel from beyond the arc in a 78-44 defeat of Mildura Heat

Two Bellarine Storm leaders’ precision beyond the arc – and a half time rev up – has inspired their surge towards a qualifying final this weekend.

A half time rev up from two Bellarine Storm leaders proved instrumental in their second half destruction of Mildura Heat, taking them a step further towards a debut Big V grand final berth.

The Storm will now take on Warrnambool in a Division 1 qualifying final this Saturday at The Arc Sports Stadium, with a win ensuring a place in the big dance and just as importantly, a weekend off to rest some weary bodies.

To get this far, Bellarine, who finished second last in 2022, belted the Mildura Heat, 78-44 last Saturday at home after a 13-5 home and away season.

There was just one point in it at the first break (18-17) in the Storm’s favour at Bellarine Secondary College, before the home team piled on the points over the next three quarters, 60-27, to blow the Heat off the court.

Jaimee Crombie shooting for the Bellarine Storm. Picture: Big V.

However, 22-year-old vice-captain and guard Jaimee Crombie told the Geelong Advertiser the circuit breaker for success came during the long break with the Storm leading by nine but far from happy with their performance.

“We were missing a couple of shots outside the three point line in the first half,” Crombie said.

“We got into the changerooms and I remember ... we all had our heads down.

“I remember looking at Georgia (Varley), we both went: ‘Guys, we’re up at the moment, this is a really important game, we need to keep our heads up’.

“We went out there with a ‘stuff this’ attitude and played 150 per cent.”

Captain Varley would run hot in the third, nailing three consecutive three-pointers in just a minute, and 14 points all up in just over 90 seconds.

In fact Crombie and Varley would nail 10 from 18 attempts from beyond the arc for the game.

“The energy changes when you start hitting those shots,” she said, admitting her precision was off early in the season.

However, Crombie says defensive efforts has been more the focus in 2023, with clear metrics required by coach Tim Sanderson.

Georgia Varley has been a standout for Bellarine in Big V. Picture: Lawrence Surgers.

“Our main focus has been defensive efforts,” Crombie said, a disability support worker.

“We try to keep track of any kind of effort during the whole game, we try to stay around the 120ish (mark) for the entire game.”

Crombie, who was snapped up Sanderson within a week of returning from the US after a stint playing college ball in Miami, said the season had been built upon mutual respect.

“The best thing about this team is that we all respect each other,” she said.

“I’m really happy at Bellarine.”

Meanwhile, she said US import B’hrea Griffin, who has been struggling with an ankle injury since the Chelsea game in round 14, had a cortisone shot on Monday and will train this week.

But there’s no guarantee she’ll play against Warnambool.

“She’s hungry and determined to get back onto the court,” she said.

Jaimee Crombie produced some important points in Bellarine’s opening win of their finals campaign. Picture: Big V.

The Storm will next face ladder leaders Warrnambool, who have only dropped four games this year, with two of those against the Storm in rounds one and three.

Sanderson will need to keep an eye on Amy Wormald (third in the competition for boards) who pulled down 15 when they last met, a six-point win to the Mermaids in June.

However, Chantelle Hall and Charlotte Armstrong pulled down an incredible 32 combined boards against the Heat, belting the visitors 64-43 in that statistic.

Crombie said the Storm were in a defensive slump when they last lost to Warrnambool in round 11.

And after crushing a pre-season goal of making finals, their aspirations have shifted somewhat.

“Now it’s winning the whole thing,” she said.

“I think the thing that will get us over the line (against Warrnambool) will be defence.”

Originally published as Bellarine Storm leaders Georgia Varley and Jaimee Crombie excel from beyond the arc in a 78-44 defeat of Mildura Heat