Basketball
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
THEY didn’t give the game plan away, but the Wollongong Hawks might change tactics and resort to a fast-paced attack in Thursday night’s road meeting with Adelaide.
Held to just 59 points in last Friday’s loss to titleholders Perth, the Hawks poured in 89 in Sunday’s narrow home loss to unbeaten leaders Cairns.
Maybe it was just coincidence, but Wollongong were at their best when they used an up-tempo game in the first and fourth quarters against the Taipans.
The Hawks racked up a collective 55 points in those quarters, as opposed to 34 points in the middle two periods.
‘‘Before the Cairns game we spoke as a group about how we haven’t run,’’ Wollongong captain Oscar Forman said.
‘‘In Perth everything was walk-ups and we were always on the back foot worrying about defensive transition.
‘‘Last year it took us two-thirds of the season before we really started clicking as a playing group and knowing we needed to push the ball. With the quickness we’ve got, we need to use it. We need to be scoring a lot out of transition.’’
Wollongong coach Gordie McLeod wants the Hawks to be efficient and confident in their half-court offence, yet it’s not as though he discourages them to run.
McLeod agreed with Forman that there were positive offensive signs against Cairns.
‘‘The pleasing thing is that we got into a bit of a running game, and that was good for us,."
- Gordie McLeod
‘‘The pleasing thing is that we got into a bit of a running game, and that was good for us,’’ he said.
After starting the season with a home win over Townsville, last-placed Wollongong have dropped three straight.
Adelaide (1-2) have been similarly inconsistent. The 36ers lost at home to Cairns, beat Townsville on the road and were thrashed by the Breakers last week in Auckland.
The Hawks lost two games by three and two points and feel they could’ve easily been 3-1.
‘‘We’ve had some tough games but we’ve been there in all of them,’’ Forman said.
‘‘We’ve seen where we’ve let games slip. Every year we keep saying the league gets closer and closer. If you don’t bring it every single night you’re getting beat.’’
The Hawks are hoping to play in front of a big crowd when they host New Zealand on Sunday at 2pm.
Sunday’s clash will be the sixth of seven games for Wollongong in October.