Gorris’ journey not over
CANBERRA coach Paul Gorris has reflected on his humble beginnings as a junior coach in Townsville as he prepares to guide the Capitals to their first WNBL championship in almost a decade.
The Capitals have been the most consistent team all season and will have the home court advantage tonight when they host the Adelaide Lightning in the first match of the three-game grand final series.
Canberra is the most successful club in WNBL history with seven championships, but it has been a lean run since they lost the 2010/11 decider to Melbourne, which was also their last finals appearance.
Gorris has rebuilt the Capitals over his three seasons at the helm and that coaching journey all started when he took charge of his younger brother Brent’s under-14 team with Whirlwinds.
“That kind of got me into coaching a little bit and then the more and more I did the more and more I enjoyed it,” Gorris said.
“It’s become a job and I’m very fortunate to be able to be a full-time coach and work in basketball for a long time.
“I look back on those Townsville days and coaching the Queensland state teams and they were all great building blocks for me and my future ahead in coaching.
“You don’t take anything for granted in the sporting world and it takes a little bit of luck and hard work to make it through to a grand final.” Canberra’s resurgence after seven years without making the playoffs has been driven by Gorris’s recruitment, bringing in the likes of Opals stars Marianna Tolo, Kelsey Griffin, and Leilani Mitchell along with WNBL veteran Kelly Wilson.
Gorris isn’t the only Townsville connection at the Capitals with Keely Froling a born and bred North Queenslander while Wilson was key cog in the Fire’s championship last season.
The Capitals took a calculated gamble with Tolo and Mitchell – who are world class players but started the season recovering from injuries – but Gorris said it had paid off.
“In my first season we were one win off making the top four and being in the finals so it’s been a long road for the club,” he said.
“I think people thought we were all a bit crazy taking on Tolo and Kristy Wallace and with Kelsey’s injury history and Lei was injured.
“We knew that if they all got healthy and with time and being patient with their rehab that we could have the calibre of team that would push for a top-four spot.
“We’re all really excited and grateful for the opportunity and I guess all the hard work has paid off. We’re in with a chance to be a championship team.”
The Capitals are riding an 11-game winning streak, but the Lightning have also been in top form to win 12 of their past 14 while they beat Canberra twice during the regular season.
The grand final will be a showdown between the two best offences in the league – with Canberra averaging 85.9 points and Adelaide 82.9 points per game.