Championship Women (1^st 11-2): Bye

The Geelong Lady Cats enter the Queen’s birthday break with four wins more than anybody else and favourites to finish as State Championship minor premiers for the first time after rolling cellar-dweller Eltham 61-44. “(It was) an important and a hard-fought win. It was just what we needed and we got contributions from everyone,” coach Grantley Bernard said. “Candice Rogers (17 points, 16 rebounds) was dominant on the boards and Sarah De Grandi's seven blocked shots were big factors for us and showed they are probably the competition's best inside tandem." The Lady Cats will go into the second half of the season just three wins short of Bernard’s target of 14 to secure a playoff berth. “The players are on the same page as a team most of the time and that is pleasing. While we have some excellent individuals, we are achieving as a team."

Division One Men (1^st 10-2): Bye

The Cats are well placed to win their first Big V Division One title since 2001 after capping an impressive first half of the season with a 77-66 victory over fellow championship contenders Melbourne University. Coach Shayne Bow was pleased with the performance against the Black Angels. The Cats were able to fend off Uni without former Supercat Jason Reardon thanks to Paul Hutchison’s 33 points and fellow veteran Marty De Lange’s 19 points and 11 rebounds. “It was a really good win under pressure as a lot of people might have been saying, `no Reardon, no Geelong,” coach Shayne Bow said. Unbeaten at home in 2010, the Cats have five of their final eight matches at The Arena Annexe. However Bow knows it will be tough as they’re yet to play second-placed Altona and also have a trip to Warrnambool to negotiate. “We’re happy to be where we are now but know there is still a lot of work to do. Every week is a hard week with the competition being so close.”

Youth League Women (6^th 7-6): Bye

To say the mid-season break has come at the right time for the Young Lady Cats would be an understatement. After starting their inaugural season in a blaze of glory, Sunday’s 83-62 loss to Hume City has seen the rookie squad fall out of the top four for the first time this season. “Consistency over four quarters is the only difference between a win and a loss lately,” coach Kat Clancy said. “Coming out and winning the first quarter by 10 points then letting the opposition score 34 points the next quarter is not going to win you any games.” Despite having five of their final seven games at home, they include clashes with five of the teams who share the top six spots on the ladder. Despite their recent form, coach Clancy isn’t too disappointed by the 7-6 record. “If somebody had said we’d win seven matches in the first half of the season I would have taken that.”

Youth League Men (11^th 4-7): Bye

Coach Dave Brown is disappointed to go into the break with the weekend’s 119-93 loss to Ringwood after three straight wins had put the Young Cats back in the play-off picture. “(We were) out-classed, out-hustled and out-gunned,” Brown said of the loss to the Hawks. “Our senior players need to step up to the line and be counted in tough games against teams like Ringwood. We did score well but defence was weak and individually we gave away far too many points.” The Young Cats sit two games outside of the top four with seven games remaining, and will need to win at least five of those to steal a playoff berth in their first season in Youth League 1. The double header following the break includes a trip to struggling Eltham and a home meeting with fellow finals aspirants Waverley.