Marlins to feel Heat
A NORTHERN rumble and a finals showdown rolled into one.
That is the mission facing Townsville Heat in tomorrow’s night’s Queensland Basketball League semi- final against the Cairns Marlins at Townsville Basketball Stadium.
The Heat made it through last weekend’s quarterfinal with a nerve- racking 92- 89 win over South West Metro, with Metro stripping away a 21- point deficit in the final quarter.
Cairns could travel to Townsville with some tired legs, given that Taipans players Damon Heuir, Jarrad Weeks, Stephen Weigh and Kuany Kuany play NBL practice games against US colleges today.
But the Marlins are in good form, as demonstrated by last weekend’s 93- 76 dismantling of the Sunshine Coast.
Heat import Jamell Anderson played in July’s 86- 72 win over the Marlins, but got a taste of how talented the Far Northern outfit can be in Round 1 when the Marlins ran way with a 88- 70 victory.
“We’re in great shape and I think if they come here with tired legs we can definitely take advantage of that, but at the same time they’re a really talented team,” Anderson said.
“We have to come in, focus and be ready to do our game plan.
“They have a lot of offensive scorers, but I think we can take advantage of how quick we are.
“They do have players like Weeks who are pretty fast in transition, but with myself I can kind of slow him down along with everybody locking him on defence.”
Anderson took a knock to the knee last weekend but is sure to play after being rested from training on Monday.
“I think a bit more ice and I’ve rested it up, and I’ll be ready to go,” he said.
Heat coach Rodney Anderson said his British import would be able to handle any extra traffic the Marlins send his way.
“They’ll probably go after him a little bit, but Jamell is a gamer, so he’ll be ready to go,” he said.
“He was pretty unhappy last weekend when he had to sit out that second half, especially when South West started to coming back.”
Heuir and Weigh scored 23 points apiece for the Marlins last weekend and will be among the danger men tomorrow, and Anderson knows the Marlins cannot be given the same wiggle room as Metro.
“You can’t give these guys any extra opportunities, so we’ve talked about it all year but it’s just about putting your foot on the throat with teams, and not giving them second or third opportunities to get back into games,” he said.
“We have to make every catch, every shot, every rebound a contested one so that there’s no comfort level for these guys.”
Anderson is itching for the big game after last weekend’s enforced withdrawal.
“I’d say my better games are usually in the finals. I don’t know what it is, I guess it’s just the adrenaline, but I seem to enjoy it a lot more than just the regular season and I get pumped up for the big games,” he said.
“I’ve got a nice little place at home where that trophy can go, so I’m excited to get one and I think we definitely have the talent to do it.”
Tomorrow’s tip- off is 6pm.