“Soft” Wildcats keen to bounce back on home floor

Four-time NBL championship winner Trevor Gleeson branded his players efforts “soft” and demanded more aggression ahead of the third and deciding game of the NBL series.

Mitch Norton of the Perth Wildcats during the second NBL Semi-Final match between the Cairns Taipans and the Perth Wildcats at the Cairns Convention Centre in Cairns, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AAP Image/Marc McCormack)

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Four-time NBL championship winner Trevor Gleeson branded his players’ efforts “soft” and demanded more aggression ahead of the third and deciding game of the NBL series.

The experienced Perth mentor was happy with the way his side bounced back after quarter-time on Sunday, but trailing by 14 points at the opening break was too much of a deficit to fight back from.

Gleeson says his Wildcats need to take it to Cairns from the opening moments on Thursday night.

Taipans have each others back before tip off. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN.

“We just have to be more aggressive. I thought they were more aggressive at the start of the game,” Gleeson said.

“They had a bit of an edge on them that is from the elimination aspect, if they lose they are gone. I thought we were pretty soft. It was only the second half that we played aggressive, Wildcats basketball.

Scott Machado and Nate Jawai of the Cairns Taipans with Damian Martin and Majok Majok of the Perth Wildcats during the second NBL Semi-Final match between the Cairns Taipans and the Perth Wildcats at the Cairns Convention Centre in Cairns, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AAP Image/Marc McCormack)

“The scoreboard takes care of itself and you’ve got to play at the right level. We didn’t play at that level in the first half.”

Veteran Wildcats skipper Damian Martin pointed to Taipans forward Cameron Oliver’s huge rebounding haul as an area where his club can improve come Thursday.

“You don’t ever want to be called soft, in particular in a finals setting,” Martin said.

“The reality is, Oliver alone had 19 rebounds. It’s about playing for the guy alongside you. All those little things add up especially in finals basketball and especially in an elimination game.

“If you take one short cut … then you get punished by good teams.”

ALL ON THE LINE

GAME 3 SEMI-FINAL

Thursday, March 5, 8:30pm

Cairns Taipans V Perth Wildcats at RAC Arena, Perth.

Watch: ESPN on Kayo Sports and SBS Viceland.

THE SERIES SO FAR

Game I: Wildcats 108 def Taipans 107 in overtime.

Game II: Taipans 85 def Wildcats 74

Originally published as “Soft” Wildcats keen to bounce back on home floor