Women’s National Basketball League: Melbourne Boomers coach Guy Molloy confident his side will gather momentum

The Melbourne Boomers may be going through a slow start to the WNBL season, but the team is confident a turnaround is on the way.

The Melbourne Boomers may be going through a slow start to the WNBL season, but the team is confident a turnaround is on the way.

Having endured an interrupted pre-season, not helped by the absence of four key players on international duty with the Opals at the World Cup, the Boomers are still getting to know each other while learning the system coach Guy Molloy has implemented for the season.

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Melbourne Boomers’ Ezi Magbegor on her way to the basket on Friday night. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Rustiness again thwarted the Boomers early on Friday night in Geelong and another slow start cost them dearly by the final buzzer, the vastly improved Capitals holding on to win 72-65 despite a late Melbourne charge.

Ezi Magbegor (19 points) was a leading light for the Boomers while Cayla George (13 points) continually put pressure on the visitors under the basket.

Turnovers (21) proved costly for the Boomers, particularly early in the game when Canberra jumped to a 21-12 lead, that advantage stretching to 22 points before Melbourne fought back.

Though long-range shooting, just three from 27, was a low spot for the Boomers, Molloy will keep encouraging his stars to shoot the ball in the hope the ball will start to fall the right way.

Melbourne Boomers’ rising star Monique Conti. Picture: Mike Dugdale

“It’s been a slow start for us, but the group is coming together the more they spend time together,” he said. “Our shooting let us down a bit tonight, but we feel that will come on in the coming weeks as we start to get to the right spots and have confidence in each other.”

The Boomers didn’t have time to dwell on the loss, heading to Sydney for a crucial clash with the Flames on Sunday. And, the Boomers are on the board after overturning a 13-point quarter-time deficit on the way to an 87-75 win.

Next is a trip to Canberra on Friday night where they will square-up against the Capitals in a return bout.

Melbourne’s next home game will be the big Melbourne Cup Eve clash, this season against Bendigo, with as many as 3000 supporters expected for the annual blockbuster.

“Cup Eve is just a spectacular event for the whole family,” Boomers general manager Justin Nelson said. “If you’re going to attend one WNBL game for the season, this is the one. Outside of our grand final game last season, the Cup Eve Derby drew the league’s biggest crowd. It will be big again for sure.”

Boomers coach Guy Molloy Picture: Ian Hitchcock (Getty Images)