Mountain Airs know they need to make amends
Last weekend, the Taranaki Mountain Airs treated their home fans to their worst half of basketball of the season against the Wellington Saints at the TSB Stadium.
When the Hawke’s Bay Hawks enter the building today, it’ll be a different story.
‘‘There’s no excuses. It was a poor showing and we’re looking to make amends this weekend,’’ Mountain Airs captain Aaron Bailey-Nowell said.
The last time the sides met, the Augusta Mountain Airs were able to come away with a one-point win in Napier.
However, the Hawks have been steady improvers this season and are not the sure result they might have been a year ago.
Both sides have three wins to their name this season and occupy the bottom two spots on the ladder.
While the Mountain Airs might have come away with the win the last time they met, Bailey-Nowell knows they have to play better today.
‘‘Every training this week I’ve challenged the boys. It’s one of those things you can’t teach though,’’ he said.
After last weekend’s loss to the Saints, coach Trent Adam said the Taranaki side didn’t come into the game ready to play.
Bailey-Nowell said that was obvious, because when they came out of the half time break they gave the Saints a real challenge. ‘‘It’s a mindset,’’ he said. ‘‘You can do as much preparation for a game but if you’re not giving it your all you wont get what you want out of it.
‘‘That’s been the main focus this week - to get back to where we were at the start of the season.’’
The Mountain Airs began the season with three wins in the opening two weeks of competition, before losing Daniel Gomis to an injury.
With Gomis down, there was a hole in defence during the games, and Bailey-Nowell said it has been good for the team to have their cen- tre back on deck not just in games but training too.
‘‘With Daniel back and our full squad training that intensity and physicality has come back. We’ve worked really hard and this weekend is a real chance for us to show what we’re capable of.’’
While an important fixture for the team, who are looking to avoid the wooden spoon, it might hold extra importance for back up centre Xavier Shaw, with the match being hist 50th in the league. Taranaki Mountain Airs v Hawke’s Bay Hawks. Saturday May 27, TSB Stadium, New Plymouth. 7pm tipoff.