WRIGHT GETS UNDER SKIN

HOBART has proved untouchable at the Derwent Entertainment Centre this season, but former captain Tom Wright has fired an early shot ahead of tonight’s clash.

Wright, who moved to Nunawading alongside partner Izzy Chilcott at the end of 2016, returns to town for the first time in opposition colours for the Spectres’ showdown with the Chargers.

The Chargers have dismantled every visiting side through the first part of this SEABL campaign — their average winning margin at the DEC is 30.6 points — but Wright has sent a message to his former teammates that Nunawading is a step above what has previously entered the cauldron.

The clash pits the South Conference leader Hobart (8-2) against the second-placed East Conference powerhouse (10-2) as Wright looks to make his return a memorable one.

“It looks like everything that is happening off the court that Hobart is flying, but I think this will be a really good test for those guys,” Wright said. “I don’t think they have played a team as strong as us so far.

“We think we should be 11-1, we dropped one against Bendigo we really shouldn’t have, we didn’t play very well on Sunday. Hopefully we can back up against Hobart and play the style of basketball we are good at.

“From Hobart’s view, they play a run-and-gun style, they have a lot of scorers, they don’t have many big men though so I don’t think they are going to be able to compete with us there.

“It will be two different styles of basketball on show.”

Since linking up with SEABL stalwarts Simon Conn and Shane McDonald, Wright has take his game to another level at Nunawading.

He is averaging career highs in points (17.8), assists (four) and field goal percentage (52.6), having only once been held to single digits.

“I have a lot of mates down there on the team, there has already been a bit of banter which is pretty fun.

“There are no bad feelings from me to the club, I had a couple of really good years there. I think it is just going to be a healthy competitive rivalry.

“Izzy and I had been there for a couple of years and really enjoyed our time in Hobart but moving on . . . didn’t have too much to do with basketball.”

Tip-off for the men is 8pm.