Villanova College is within reach of an historic win for the proud basketball school as the AIC competition comes to an end on Saturday.
Villanova is already assured of a share of the First V premiership but it can win the title outright and complete a perfect season if it can overcome St Laurence’s College at Goold Hall.
Villanova has never gone through a First V season undefeated yet it has been a standout basketball school with a fifth consecutive AIC aggregate title likely this year.
Of 13 aggregate eligible sides for Villanova, nine have secured or are in with chance of silverware in the final round.
Villanova ensured its first open basketball title in five years when its combination of four players standing at least 200cm defeated the strong St Patrick’s College 77-63.
In 2012, Villanova won its first standalone trophy but lost to St Edmund’s College by a single point in their regular-season match. They were champions again in 2013 but a loss to St Laurence’s thwarted their perfect season.
St Edmund’s remains a chance to share the title after overcoming Iona College 66-54 last Saturday. St Edmund’s must defeat Padua College in Ipswich this weekend and hope that St Laurence’s can defeat Villanova to gain a share of the First V title.
St Laurence’s began the season in excellent form with victory of St Patrick’s and they were again strong in a 45-31 win over St Peter’s Lutheran College last weekend.
St Peter’s travels to Shorncliffe to play St Patrick’s this weekend hoping to end their encouraging season on a high. St Peter’s hasn’t won a game in 2019 but has displayed patches of promise in their matches.
St Patrick’s is primed to finish the season well in front of its loud supporters in the Christian Brothers Building as they aim to take second place in the basketball aggregate.
Marist College Ashgrove will end its season at Iona after overcoming Padua 79-63 last weekend.
Marist Ashgrove and Iona are set for a fascinating contest with both schools sharing identical records with wins and losses against the same teams.