COACH’S WAIT

ROLLERS BOSS ENDS VICTORY HUNT

AFTER two honourable losses last week in round one of the QBL season, the Gold Coast Rollers got themselves on the board on Saturday with an impressive 76-61 win over the Brisbane Capitals in Brisbane.

The win marks first-year QBL coach Cassie Dover’s first win at the helm after playing and coaching locally for years.

“We’re all a bit relieved,” she said. “We’re happy to finally get a win because we feel like we played well last week.

“I’m happy for the girls because a win always gives you more momentum unlike last year when we kept losing which was a bit of a buzz kill.”

The Rollers worked hard all game and managed to carve out a 15-point lead heading into the three-quarter-time huddle.

“Our defence was outstanding again this week and we also were running harder and wider than them so heading into the last quarter we just had to keep that lead,” Dover said.

After only managing three wins last year, the Rollers are already on track to eclipse their 2018 effort and Dover believes her side’s best is yet to come.

“Before round one, we didn’t have a training session where we were all together as a team,” she said.

“We only got Jacqueline Luna-Castro (Rollers American import) in late so we were running things through with her. After last week, we focused on the things we didn’t

do well which was transitioning into offence because we defended really well.

“We still don’t have Ariana Moorer (Rollers second US import who is still playing in Greece) here yet either so to be playing as well as we are without her is pleasing because it means she can come straight in and have an impact.”

Moorer is expected to return in time for this Sunday’s home game against the Rockhampton Cyclones who are yet to be defeated so far in 2019.

“We’ll watch a lot of their videos this week and see what their players are doing,” Dover said.

“Their point guard Shyla Heal (daughter of former boomer Shane) is averaging 28 points so we’ll have to come up with some sort of strategy to lock her down.”

The Rollers men lost 87-110.

DOUBLE DRIBBLE: Friday