The Waratah Basketball League finals are three weeks away but Newcastle Hunters are preparing for the intensity of the play-offs when they play Sutherland Sharks at Sutherland tomorrow.
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Despite suffering their first loss of the season last Sunday, going down 76-69 to second-placed Illawarra (9-4) in Wollongong, the Hunters (14-1) are assured of finishing on top of the women’s ladder regardless of their result against the third-placed Sharks (9-5) at 7pm.
Newcastle (14-5) have won six straight and will finish second on the men’s ladder no matter how they fare against seventh-placed Sutherland (8-10), who are trying to sneak into the top six.
Both Hunters teams have a bye in the last round of the regular season next weekend, and because they are guaranteed of a top-two finish they have already qualified for the semi-finals at Terrigal on August 13 so will miss the first round of the play-offs in a fortnight.
The Hunters will be without several players for the men’s game, starting at 5pm, and coach Larry Davidson expects Sutherland to be desperate.
“At this stage I believe we only have seven players available. Steve Davis has injured his back, Jon Howe has an ankle issue and Jacob Ranch is required to work,” Davidson said.
“Our State League team play in Port Macquarie so we’re unable to call on any players from there, but if we don’t get into foul trouble we should be OK.
“Sutherland must win to keep their hopes alive so we know they will be ready to play and this will be our last game until the finals so we want to maintain our standards of the past few weeks.”
Hunters women’s coach Mark Gledson said his players felt a sense of relief after dropping their first game last Sunday and had reacted well at training during the week.
“Some famous politician once said something about ‘the recession we had to have’ and it’s a bit like that with our first loss,” Gledson said.
“Everyone has to lose at some point and we’re glad it’s happened now and not in the play-offs, and we now know how it feels to lose.
“I think deep down everyone in the team are glad the loss is out of the way.
“This week it’s one versus three so it will be like a play-off game, and Sutherland has Lauren Nicholson playing for them again after playing four years of US college at Saint Mary's Gaels.
“I believe Lauren has just signed with the Sydney Flames and her presence has helped put Sutherland back in the top four.”
Ninth-placed Maitland Mustangs (6-11) play fourth-placed Central Coast Crusaders (10-7) in a Waratah men’s game at Maitland Federation Centre at 1pm on Sunday.
