Week #3 recap - Game #4 vs Willetton Tigers (102 - 113 win)

Well after a very tough second week and having every reason to drop their heads, instead the team has taken a major step forward. Some very pleasing signs with lots of work still to go.

Perhaps one of the biggest things this weekend was that both the players and myself seemed to take a step forward. The players came out with intensity and desire, focused on the defense and rebounding, and executed the game plan well for four quarters. Sounds a little cliched, but we haven't managed to perform for four quarters this season.

Myself, I felt a lot more controlled and confident and learnt a very important lesson about the makeup of the team.

In past seasons it has been a major effort to get teams motivated. They always wanted to play, but keeping them focused and getting them ready to play with the required intensity was tough. I’m not exactly sure whether it’s the influx of younger players, a couple of key additions, or something entirely different…but this team actually needs to be calmed down as a group rather than fired up. When we focused on the task at hand, played as a team and didn’t get into “ra ra” speeches it seemed to have a much better outcome.

Willetton to their credit were their usual efficient selves. The starting lineup of Sleeman, Hunt, Epps, Kunkel and Read is enough to give any team fits. At one stage Ben Hunt was hitting threes from a good 2 meters outside the three point line which is a tough defensive assignment. Also the size advantage that the Tigers enjoyed needed to be countered, at one stage we had rookie guard Nathan Freind guarding Kyle Kunkel and both he and his team mates did a great job.

Some positives from the game:

• 6 players in double figures scoring (Moon and Balcombe 25, Kruge 16, Friend 15, Taylor 14, Stack 10)
• Outrebounding a bigger team (Tigers O19 D35 T54, Eagles O22 D36 T58)
• The individual effort of Jon Moon, who’s overall game is coming together nicely (25pts on 8/15, 5reb, 7ast, 5to in 44:33mins...and he didn't foul out!!!)
• The repeated solid performance of our rookie squad (Balcombe 25pts on 11/21, 11rbs, 2bs and Freind 15pts, 2reb)

Some areas for further improvement:

• Our low 3pt field goal percentage (5/22 for 22.7%…in particular Freind 0/7)
• Occasional defensive rotational lapses, forgiven for this game given the overall defensive focus but something to work on.
• Our low free throw percentage (18/29 for 62.1%…in particular Kruge 0/6)

We have been lifting the intensity at training as the new playing group becomes more comfortable with each other. We need to keep that up and continue our defensive focus if we are to be a true finals contender this season. We still anticipate Mike Jones and Ty Alabakis being another week away, which will only serve to strengthen the team and lift the intensity and competition further at training.