Rollers revival starting

GOLD Coast coach Mick Conlon believes the Rollers have turned the corner despite an agonising last-minute Queensland Basketball League loss to Mackay.

The Rollers went down 93-89 to the Meteors in Mackay on Saturday night, with a defensive error in the final minute sealing their fate.

The loss came on the back of Friday night’s 130-86 thrashing of the Rockets in Rockhampton.

Few teams have won the gruelling Rockhampon-Mackay road double in the past decade and Conlon said the Rollers’ efforts showed they had finally clicked.

“We were one defensive breakdown and one free throw away from (winning the double),” Conlon said.

“I thikn we showed what we can do on the weekend and are finally playing to our potential.

“I just hope we haven’t left it too late but there’s still a long way to go in the season.”

After jettisoning import Akeem Marsh and signing former NBL guard Rhys Martin, the Rollers have shuffled their starting line-up and are playing with speed.

“We actually played like we train (at the weekend). We train the house down but we haven’t been performing on the court and we finally put it together,” Conlon said.

“We’ve got a better balance in the team with Rhys (Martin) there.

“It was unfortunate we had to let Akeem go but the team’s got a better balance and Rhys just gives us that veteran leadership and frees Deon (Mitchell) up to play a bit more of his natural position.

“He had (52) points across the two games.”

The Rollers women lost both games to stay locked in a battle for the wooden spoon.

North Gold Coast men also lost but the Seahawks women remain in the top eight after beating Brisbane Capitals 75-56 at Auchenflower.