Villanova College has unleashed one of the strongest offensive displays in AIC basketball’s First V history to edge closer to the 2019 premiership.

Villanova rattled up 111 points last Saturday as they surged to their fourth consecutive victory, keeping a one-win break ahead of a congested points table.

The First V season has been entertaining and Villanova’s 111-47 win over St Peter’s Lutheran College was another bright point.

The Villanova offensive load was shared among Harry Rouhliadeff (22 points), Lucas Boylan (21), Peter Klaassen (20), Will Mahoney (nine assists) and Declan Ries (nine assists).

Villanova face a stern test through the final three rounds of the season as they meet reigning premiers Marist College Ashgrove, St Patrick’s College and St Laurence’s College.

Villanova can expect to play in front of a boisterous Ashgrove crowd this weekend hoping that their team can make up the two-win gap on the leaders to share their fourth consecutive First V title.

St Edmund’s College sits one win behind Villanova, showcasing its skills with a 62-52 home win over Marist Ashgrove last Saturday.

This was a treasured win for St Edmund’s, which had fallen to Marist Ashgrove last year in the tightest of finishes.

Merrick Small returned from Queensland schools representative duty to claim 15 points on 50 per cent shooting for St Edmund’s while Logan Atkin (16 and six rebounds) secured an important steal late in the match as Marist Ashgrove fought back.

St Edmund’s will travel to St Peter’s this weekend while St Patrick’s travels to Padua College for an important match.

St Patrick’s added the talented Iona team to their list of wins this season following their impressive win over Marist Ashgrove in round two.

The 68-57 win has kept St Patrick’s premiership hopes alive in a season that has been anything but certain.

Padua provided one of those upsets with a 56-47 win over St Laurence’s last Saturday.

St Laurence’s had opened the season with a win over St Patrick’s and they will be determined to post their second win when they host Iona on Saturday.