Melbourne United still has plenty of upside, says coach Dean Demopoulos

MELBOURNE United coach Dean Demopoulos has warned his side has plenty of upside as it hunts a fifth consecutive NBL win.

Dean Demopoulos, Coach of Melbourne during the Sydney Kings v Melbourne United NBL game at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre, pic Mark Evans

MELBOURNE United coach Dean Demopoulos has warned his side has plenty of upside as it hunts a fifth consecutive NBL win on Friday night.

Ladder-leading United will be looking for its second victory over Cairns in three days when the two sides meet at the State Netball and Hockey Centre.

Melbourne’s confidence will be sky-high after it scored a convincing 83-65 thumping of the Taipans in Cairns on Wednesday night to spoil former United star Mark Worthington’s 300-game celebrations.

It was arguably United’s most complete team performance of the season with five players scoring double figures.

Demopoulos, who has shown restraint after many of his side’s wins this season, heaped praise on his players after Wednesday night’s convincing victory.

“It was a really big win for us,” Demopoulos said.

“Any time you win on the road against a well-coached team that’s hot, it’s a good accomplishment and it’s something you can build on.”

The United coach said he believed there was still plenty of room for improvement as the finals series draws closer.

Torrey Craig tries to push his way through Todd Blanchfield. Picture: STEWART McLEAN

“It’s getting towards the stretch run; I think there are six games left.

“(Our) preparation has been good for a while now, but sometimes you don’t get the fruits of your labour when you want it all the time.

“This is just the start; I think we are nowhere near where we could be.”

Expect Cairns to come out breathing fire after its players copped a spray from coach Aaron Fearne after Wednesday night’s heavy loss.

“Some of the threes we gave up were just embarrassing,” Fearne said after the defeat.

“It just came back to the lack of commitment to the game plan and the executing of the rules and what we wanted to do.

“That (lack of intent) pisses me off, to be honest.

“We have been pretty good and improving, then to come out and not have that edge that you need … you’ve only got to be off a little bit in this league.”

Friday night will be Melbourne’s final home game until the final round of the season, when it will face New Zealand at Hisense Arena.

Its next four games will be on the road, all against top-four teams.

Originally published as Melbourne United still has plenty of upside, says coach Dean Demopoulos