Chargers rise to challenge
THE Hobart Chargers are a heartbeat away from settling a deal with US college team St Mary’s — which includes Tasmanians Tanner Krebs and Kyle Clark — to play them at the Derwent Entertainment Centre on August 12.
The deal would see the college that developed Aussie NBA stars Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova take on the Chargers in the middle of the SEABL finals series, the day after the preliminary final and a week before the grand final, should Hobart make it.
It would be a chance for local fans to see the development of Krebs, of Hobart, who is tipped as a strong chance to be selected in the NBA draft in two years, and Clark, of Launceston. Krebs’ father Dan, a former Hobart Devils stalwart, is ready to travel from Cooktown to see him play in Hobart.
St Mary’s will also play Sydney Kings, New Zealand Breakers and Melbourne United in Australia.
The Chargers are on a hot streak as they prepare to take on Frankston at the DEC tomorrow night.
They came from behind to beat Geelong at home last weekend, and coach Anthony Stewart wants more of the style of basketball that dug them out of a hole in the closing five minutes.
“We addressed a few issues at half-time and in the second half, particularly the last five minutes, we couldn’t do anything wrong,” Stewart said.
“That’s exactly the way we need to be playing — 14 points down with five minutes to go and to get a victory, it’s not often you see any team do that.
“If that’s the way we play for three quarters of a game, like we did in the last five minutes, no one will get near us. We have a quality group who can win games at the drop of a hat.
“They’re probably the most prolific scorers we’ve ever had. It’s just that we’ve got to lock in defensively, and that’s something I thought we would improve on with the personnel we’ve recruited. But there are still some holes we need to fill.”
The Chargers have a “massive schedule” over the next four weeks.
“We’ve got Mt Gambier at home next week. They’re a bit backs to the wall but they are three times reigning champions and who knows what they are going to bring down here,” Stewart said.
“Then we’ve got Ballarat and Nunawading, who are 6-0 sitting on top of the ladder, and then Nunawading again after that at home. The next fourgame stretch will tell us where we are at.”