Rebula backed to fill Baker’s shoes
CORIO Bay Stingrays coach Tim O’Leary has likened the loss of Cam Baker to the departure of Gary Ablett Sr.
But O’Leary is backing captain Michael Rebula to step into the void and become the side’s No.1 player.
Baker was released from his contract on Monday before he flew back to the US to be by the bedside of his dying uncle.
O’Leary said his side would find it hard to replace the import.
“Cam’s a different kettle of fish because he can actually create his own shot whereas we haven’t got a lot of guys who create their own shot,” he said.
“It’s like Gary Ablett Sr, he could do whatever he wanted. We have to execute our offence so much better without Cam Baker. We have to go back to running plans, coming off screens.”
It’s been a rough season for O’Leary in his first campaign at the helm.
In the preseason, the Stingrays lost Ma’alo Hicks to the Geelong Supercats, before Jason Reardon walked out after the 0-3 season start.
“It’s a challenge; I think we’ve met the challenges so far this season and I think we can keep meeting them,” O’Leary said.
“Obviously we’re not going win last year’s best-of-seven series in a winner-take-all showdown.
He became the first player to lead an NBA Finals in every major statistical category with 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 blocked shots a game last year.
This season, at 32, James averaged 26.4 points plus career highs of 8.6 rebounds to be in finals, but against the other teams in the bottom six spots we’re going to be competitive. We’re not going to lie down dying. We’re going to probably fight even harder to get a few more wins before the end of the season.”
Baker’s departure could not leave the side any thinner, but O’Leary will turn to Rebula to lead the side.
“He’ll love it (being the No.1 player),” he said.
“Michael Rebula was living in the shadows of the two imports, Ma’alo (Hicks) and Jason Reardon over the last two years and he’s been an absolute sensation.
“He was a player at the Supercats who never got on the court for three years. He’s been with us now for four, and he’s just maturing into a terrific leader and terrific basketballer and he’s a great bloke.”
Baker was averaging more than 25 points a game, but O’Leary said Reardon and Joel McFall, who returns from injury this weekend, could steer the ship.
“Michael has improved out of sight with his leadership and his scoring, and he can defend — that’s the great thing about Joel (McFall) and Michael, they can defend small and they can defend big,” he said.
“Michael’s been fantastic in that area. He’s been having to guard their best import most of the time and he’s still been shooting 20 to 28 points at 60 per cent.” and 8.7 assists as well as a league-high 37.8 minutes on the court a game.
As dangerous a scorer as he is from outside or driving to the hoop, James also threatens by being able to find teammates such as Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love with passes when defenders focus too much on him.
“You can’t stop LeBron,” said Mike Brown, the Golden State assistant coach guiding the team while head coach Steve Kerr recovers from complications after back surgery.
“He’s going to score. He’s going to get other players involved in the scoring by passing the ball off.
“So you’ve got to make him work as hard as he can. He can’t have an easy game.”