It enabled them to claim a 71-48 win over the students, remaining unbeaten two weeks into their first men’s club basketball title defence on Saturday.
The Bombers held a 46-39 lead at the end of the third quarter, before blowing the game open with a 12-0 run to begin the fourth quarter.
A mini-run within that, ending in a three-pointer to Patrick Tipene to make it 52-39, was the beginning of it.
Varsity called time-out, at which point the Bombers came out in a half-court press.
While Varsity often beat the first trap, they struggled to keep the ball secure behind it, gifting the Bombers easy transition baskets in the process.
And that was essentially how it went.
Varsity called another time-out when the score reached 58-39, at which point the Bombers changed their press, continuing their dominance and holding Varsity to just nine fourth-quarter points.
Bombers guard Ben Hoskin had nine of his game-high 20 points in that run, while Harry Townsend (13 points) and Hamish Robertson (12) were also key for the Bombers.
Jack Hollingworth carried most of the load for Varsity, notching 17 points to be the only player to reach double figures for the students.
Yet for most of the game, early-season rust was evident, and Varsity were very much in the contest.
They led for most of the early stages, as a clunky Bombers offence struggled to get going and Hollingworth showed his class in getting to the hoop.
It enabled Varsity to take a 16-10 advantage to the first break and maintain a 22-17 upper hand midway through the second quarter.
However, the Bombers fought back and a Hoskin triple capped a 12-3 run to give them a 29-25 halftime lead.
The Bombers held that for the third quarter, before moving into their press to pull away late.
In the early game a very understrength St Kilda Saints thrashed the Andy Bay Falcons 89-43.
Ben Foote led the Saints with 20 points, while Dan Cook had 14 points for the Falcons.
In the late game the Mid City Magic took a 106-74 win over the Mid City Lions, remaining the league’s only other unbeaten team.
Otago Nuggets forward Mac Stoddart had 29 points in his league debut, showing his versatility with a pair of savage dunks, as well as being able to step out and shoot the three-pointer.
Guard Harry Bezett, a year 13 student at Otago Boys’ High School, had 23 points for the Lions.
A round of games is scheduled to be played on Thursday this week, with games to be played at 6.15pm and 7.45pm.
Another round is scheduled on Saturday.
