Sharks take a bite out of hornets

The Sharks came to our stadium with the intention to take the fight right to us... and they did.

We needed a kick in the pants after a couple of games where we seemed to be coasting. By the end of the Sutherland game the Sharks had been given us a real shake. We now recognise we have a genuine competitor that could give us real trouble in the post season if we don't get down low and wide and defend at the top of our defensive set.

We started tough and managed through some good help-defence under the basket to keep the score tight. We stayed in touch with the Sharks on the back of a three pointer from Jay and a two from Arran that came from a deep catch after a sharp pass by Addam.

The problem was that our bigs were carrying the defence as the Sharks kept coming through the top of the key.

It was only a matter of time before some of these close shots dropped and in the second part of the first quarter the ball started getting into Sutherland's big man who nailed some easy baskets.

The Sharks then poured it on, penetrating with easy weak-side cuts and drives, taking 11 shots in the first quarter right under our basket. In that entire first quarter the Sharks only took one shot outside the key and that was a wide open three-pointer. Everything else was inside and close.

By contrast we were jacking up deep twos and threes and ignoring our big men in the offensive set. 

We slumped to the benches down 17-8 in the worst opening quarter of the regular season.

We came back from those same benches much stronger - stepping up our defence to where it should have been when we finally started to treat the Sharks as serious contenders.

It made a huge difference. Now the Sharks couldn't get inside and the steals and fast breaks started to come.  Sutherland sunk just two shots from the edge of the key, scoring just four points in the second quarter, whereas we started to get inside more often.

Meanwhile we started to up the defensive pressure which led to Arran, Mark and Mitch doing some serious damage off the back of steals with four uncontested baskets right underneath. Jayden almost made it five with a great steal and full length of the court run but the ball just tipped off the edge of the ring.

It was the beginning of the fight back and we finished the half ahead 24-21.

We continued inside in the third quarter and with Will getting a nice put-back after a strong offensive rebound and running the floor well. We also started to hit from long range with Luke and Jay dropping three pointers. Even Arran got into the three-point act in the fourth quarter.

By the end of the third we were up 41-29 and we finished it in the fourth with a final scoreline of 58-43.

This game was a great match-up and the boys who are looking forward to meeting the Sharks again in the post season.

Personal Bests:
Mark: 3 assists
Arran: 4 deflections (equal personal best)
Addam: 2 blocks (equal personal best)