GLOYD STARS IN DOLPHINS LOSS
THE Cairns Dolphins must now win twice or go home.
The Dolphins’ 64-75 loss to the Ipswich Thunder in Round 14 on Friday evening at the Fish Tank has made their finals equation difficult, but not impossible, with two games to play in the 2017 regular season.
The Dolphins 7-8 record leaves them in ninth place on the QBL ladder with a tough away road trip to Gladstone Port City Power and Rockhampton Cyclones this weekend.
If they can turn around their five-game losing sequence with two away wins, they will have done enough to qualify for the post-season for the first time in almost a decade.
A different result on Friday evening against the Thunder would have gone a long way to booking their finals spot but the visitors started and finished well to consolidate second spot on the QBL ladder.
Skipper Myra Donkin had arguably her best game of the season as she added 20 points, six assists and five rebounds in over 38 minutes on the court.
The inside presence of Alli Gloyd and Rachel Pryor battled hard for the Dolphins but Thunder stars Kate Gaze and Miela Goodchild produced the goods on the road.
In what will work in the Dolphins’ favour, the Cyclones, Saturday’s opponents, are out of finals contention and will be only playing for pride while the Power, who beat the Dolphins last Saturday at home, look to be locked into fourth spot with the Round 15 result not likely to change their position.
The Dolphins are hopeful of regaining forward Jade Kennedy, who has not played since early June through injury.
Kennedy trained last week in a bid to play and would be a vital inclusion for their finals hopes.