Jets take off fastest, leaving Sharks trailing in Invercargill
Slow starts don’t win you basketball games.
That’s something the Southland Sharks need to address quickly if they want to return to winning ways.
For the second straight game, slow disjointed starts have cost the team, and that was evident at ILT Stadium Southland on Wednesday night, their first home game of the season, as they fell to a 83-70 loss to the Manawatū Jets.
Although, the Sharks did show a glimmer of hope as they reeled in an 18-point deficit at halftime to lead in the final stages of the third quarter.
Adding to the disappointment was the side also lost captain Alonzo Burton inside the first five minutes to injury, and import Josh Turner left the court in the second quarter and never returned, although Connor Coll was set to return this Sunday.
While the two losses were less than ideal and not how the side wanted to start, new recruit Scott Telfer said it was far from panic stations yet.
“It’s a largely new Sharks squad from last year and it will take us a bit of time to gel. We showed how well we can play in that third quarter and once everything sticks we’ll be away, but we can’t afford to keep having slow starts,” he said.
It was a big night on the court for Invercargill-born Telfer, who was playing his first home game in a Sharks jumper, and was part of the new Rapid League game played before the main event, however the injuries to his team-mates saw him forced into bigger minutes.
“It was good, Rapid League included. It was great. For me personally, it was great to just get out there and really get used to playing with the team.
“I had only really been down here playing against the Sharks, so it was nice to play in front of the crowd cheering you on rather than booing you like I had been getting the past four years I had been playing in the NBL. I enjoyed it out there.”
T el fer said there were parts of their game the Sharks would be pleased with including the ability to comeback from a large deficit.
“It was a shame we couldn’t give the crowd here more to cheer for but I think that will come later in the season,” Telfer said.
“We started terribly and dug ourselves a hole. We can’t rely on ourselves to get out of those holes every game.
“We need to bring the energy from the third quarter to the whole game and then I’m confident we will have a few wins.”
American import Marcale Lotts topscored for the home side with 20 points, while the impressive Telfer netted 16. Fellow American LaGerald Vick showed touches of class with 14 points, while Matariki Kapea was impressive in limited minutes with 10 points.
“We’ve shown that when we play together and play Sharks basketball, it’s hard to touch us.
“It’s still early in the season. There’s lots more growing to do.”
The Hawke’s Bay Hawks awaited this Sunday in Napier, and Telfer said he was confident the guys could head up there and get the victory.
“The goal is to go up there and get a win. They are a new group like us but it will be great to go up there and get our first win.”
Sunday’s game would start at 6.30pm. Meanwhile, the Rapid League side made it two straight wins with an impressive 43-26 victory.