Coast rivals on collision course for spot in finals

THE Coomera Cubs and Surfers Paradise are entering a dogfight for an all-important finals berth as the Greater Brisbane League baseball competition roars towards its conclusion.

Little over one month remains before the league’s final games on March 8 and the two

Gold Coast sides are neck and neck.

Surfers Paradise have their noses ahead with 17 wins and 14 losses from 31 games while the Cubs are 16-14 from 30.

Pine Hills Lightning have built a commanding lead at the top of the ladder with 23 wins and seven losses.

Redcliffe Padres are the closest of the chasing pack with 20 wins while Redlands Rays have secured 18.

The Cubs tonight travel to play Narangba, who were defeated 18-3 by Pine Hills last weekend.

Surfers Paradise will host the dangerous Ipswich Musketeers

at Beenleigh’s Hammel Park at 7.30pm.

The Gold Coast sides are on a collision course for the fourth finals berth.

Every win between now and March 8 increases in significance as their playoff ambitions hang in the balance.

THE North Gold Coast Seahawks have swung a late coaching change ahead of the 2020 basketball season.

Adam Tyrus, who was set to serve as the club’s Queensland State League head coach this season, has decided to step away from coaching due to an increased career workload.

Tyrus mentored the Seahawks during their step up to the now defunct Queensland Basketball League but will relinquish his role as QSL head coach to instead pursue the opportunity to expand the basketball program at Saint Stephen’s College.

“It was a tough call to make to the general manager, Dwayne Vale, to notify him of my decision to walk away from the head coaching position,” Tyrus said.

“I needed to weigh up my options, both within work, personal life and basketball and unfortunately one had to give, and it was the head coaching position.

“I won’t be lost to the Seahawks as I will be in the background growing our basketball program at Saint Stephen’s.

“Our goal is to grow the number of teams we are having coming out of our school population, making the Seahawks junior competition stronger than it already is.

“I bleed teal and blue and I will still be at all of the games supporting both the men’s and women’s programs to success during season 2020.”

Tyrus will be replaced by former Gold Coast Rollers Southern Basketball League coach Tom Haupt.

Haupt boasts 37 years of coaching experience, beginning in America and the public school system before more recently founding the Be Elite Basketball Academy.

“I have great respect for the outstanding job Adam has done as head coach of the Seahawks these past couple of seasons and look to carry on what he brought to the program,” Haupt said.

“You can see the buy-in from the guys and the winning culture he instilled is strong.

“I want to be a part of something bigger within this club so when we look back in five to seven years, we can see additional championship banners hanging from the rafters.”

The Seahawks thanked Tyrus for his contribution to the men’s program.