Brassard demands action on unforced turnovers
TURNOVERS will be the critical focus for the Townsville Fire in Adelaide tonight as they look to reignite their WNBL championship defence against the Lightning.
The Fire are giving up a whopping 18 turnovers per game which is the worst in the league and almost double that of leaders the Perth Lynx ( 11.14).
Coach Claudia Brassard said it has been the killer stat from the Fire’s inconsistent 2- 4 start to the season and she challenged her players to take better care of the ball.
“What’s really killed us in all of our games that we’ve lost is the amount of possessions that we’re giving up with unforced turnovers,” she said.
“Some of them are unacceptable and sometimes it’s just about working that little bit harder to get open and making sure you’re making good leads and shortening the passes.
“Really those turnovers have got to come out of our game.”
The Fire can wrap up the series against Adelaide tonight after claiming a 75- 65 win last month, but the Lightning have bolstered their line- up with import Kayla Alexander return- ing from a knee injury. Adelaide sorely missed the 193cm centre’s defensive presence last time as the Fire’s bigs combined for 58 points.
But Brassard didn’t expect Alexander’s return to change their game plan too much.
“I don’t think she’s quite hit her straps offensively yet. She’s good finishing around the rim, but it just gives them one more body inside which I think they needed,” Brassard said.
“The first time they played us they were real skinny inside so that gives them that extra depth, but it doesn’t really change the game plan for us.
“We still want to play from the inside out and make sure that we’re getting the right people the ball at the right times.”
The Fire are still sweating on the fitness of captain Suzy Batkovic as she battles a niggling neck injury.
Batkovic didn’t train yesterday after a long day of travel to Adelaide, but Brassard said they would not hesitate to play the veteran centre tonight if she declared herself fit.
“She’s smart enough to understand her body … if she’s ready to go by the first one then that’s certainly where we’d try to play her,” Brassard said.