Undersized and understrength Chargers dig deep to bury Miners
The Hobart Chargers men’s team has produced a gutsy performance to bury the Miners, while it was a case of so close but so far for the women who fell in heartbreaking fashion.
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HOBART has produced one of the gutsiest victories in the Anthony Stewart era to stun Ballarat and score its first victory of the NBL1 season.
Undersized and understrength with big man Zac White still sidelined, the youthful Chargers dug deep and scrapped their way to an 81-77 victory to defy the odds against a playoff-calibre team.
Despite giving away height across the board – the Miners won the rebound count 44-32 – and committing 24 fouls to 13, the hosts refused to wilt even when star guard Koen Sapwell fouled out with two minutes left in the contest.
Sapwell (26 points, 6-10 three pointers) and Jonathan Mines (25, 5-8 from deep) provided the bulk of the scoring but it was some of the unheralded youngsters who also stood out.
In White’s absence, Jordan Hargrave was asked to man Deng Acouth, and his doggedness and willingness to put his body on the line highlighted the efforts Stewart was after following a tough opening-round loss to rivals North West Thunder.
“We have won a lot of games in the past three years with the Chargers and we’ve had a hell of a lot of squads, but that is one of the gutsiest wins I’ve seen,” Stewart.
“For such a young group to step up. We had blokes with sore calves, and sore knees, because they’re not used to playing and they fought through and got it done.
“We’re desperate for bigs… he [Hargrave] got my votes tonight, he was huge for us. Our biggest challenge now is to compete on the boards and hustle.
“I could not be prouder, now we have to sustain it.”
Chargers’ fightback ends agonisingly short
THE Hobart Chargers women have come up agonisingly short of opening their NBL1 account after going down to Ballarat in heartbreaking fashion at Kingborough Sports Centre.
Having recovered from a nine-point deficit midway through the third quarter, the Chargers eventually fell 62-61 to the Rush after Maddie Garrick’s game-winning three-point attempt on the buzzer hit the front of the rim.
Garrick, who scored 14 of her match-high 19 points in the second half and added 10 rebounds, had on two occasions already put the hosts ahead, the second inside the last minute when she connected on her fifth long bomb.
However, a defensive breakdown with just 21.9 seconds left on the clock left Kasey Burton wide open at the edge of the key to put Ballarat back in front before Garrick’s last attempt failed to connect.
Tayla Roberts and Ellie Collins chimed in with 16 points apiece and had 24 rebounds between them, but after a hot start in which the Chargers led by as many as nine themselves, coach Mark Nash was left lamenting a too heavy reliance from beyond the arc.
“It’s a vast improvement from last week where we really struggled but tonight we came out with a different level of intensity,” Nash said.
“The first quarter we went to our strengths, giving Tayla some great inside touches but the second and third quarter we were just living on the three-point line.
“We ended up 25 per cent from the three, I’ve talked to players about knowing their role when they come into the game.
“We can’t get caught with five, six possessions with no inside presence.”
Alicia Froling – twin sister of Launceston’s Keely who monstered Hobart last week – dominated the glass for Ballarat with 20 rebounds.
Injuries open up chances for Hobart’s rising stars
CHARGERS coach Anthony Stewart has not hidden from tempering expectations for the 2021 NBL1 season — but there remains some non negotiables for his developing squad.
Opportunities for some of Hobart’s emerging talent will be available as the year progresses and while inexperienced, Stewart still expects his group to bring energy and intent every night.
Following a tight loss to North West Thunder in their season opener, the Chargers face a stern test Friday night against Ballarat, an outfit Stewart tips to be in the top four by the end of the campaign.
And with several first choice starters in Zac White (finger) and Jack Stanwix (knee) still working their way back from injuries, Hobart will again be undermanned and undersized.
“Right now we just don’t have the cavalry to be able to get those w’s [wins] down the stretch, we were one up with three minutes to go but it was a great learning experience for everyone,” Stewart said of the defeat to his intrastate rivals.
“It is no secret, we have to try and win the rebound count every week, that’s the energy area and we are a bit undermanned on the boards and we got absolutely smashed against the Thunder.
“Not hard the ingredients we need to win, rebounding and not turning the ball over and good things will happen.
“I think we had one offensive board outside the first play of the game last week, that’s an energy and work rate thing. We got very lazy.”
Controlling the boards doesn’t get any easier against the Miners, who last week had three players — Deng Acuoth (22 points, 18 rebounds), William Hickey (24 and 10) and Matt Kenyon (17 and 12) register double-doubles.
Throw in the potential addition of US college big man Jock Perry and Melbourne United listed player Sam Short and it’s hard to argue at Stewart’s prediction of the visitors being among the championship favourites.
“There might be a few scouts there tomorrow if he [Perry] comes, he’s an NBL calibre player,” Stewart said.
“They are a very good team across the board. Rebounding is going to be another challenge for us but we just have to compete.”
A sense of deja vu: Chargers face double trouble
A WEEK after being torched by Keely Froling in their NBL1 season opener, the Chargers are now planning how to curtail her twin sister this Friday night.
An understrength Hobart was no match for Keely Froling, who poured in 42 points to go with 22 rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block in a monster performance to lead Launceston to a 91-61 victory.
Ballarat, which brushed aside Albury-Wodonga by 32 points last weekend, visits Kingborough Sports Centre in round two — armed with another star product of the Froling family in Alicia.
It has left Chargers coach Mark Nash feeling a sense of deja vu.
“Keely Froling put on an amazing individual performance, and the challenge when you let a player get hot like that, it is very hard to stop them,” Nash said.
“I started watching the [Albury-Ballarat] game and thought I had accidentally put the Launceston game on with Alicia Froling having a run.
“It is Froling version two, but Alicia is a different player than Keely. She probably plays more the traditional five, centre spot, runs really hard basket to basket, is a great target and is very physical.
“It’s another big challenge for us.”
Blown out of the water in the first half against the Tornadoes after managing just 26 points and trailing by 28, Hobart responded in the third period in a pleasing sign for Nash.
Reinforcements are also on the way, with young gun Zoe Banks headlining several state under-18 players who will rejoin the squad while sharp shooter Sharna Thompson is ahead of schedule on her recovery from a quad tear.
However doubt remains on whether popular import Kathleen Scheer, who remains stuck in America, will be able to fly to Tasmania to take a meaningful part in the campaign.
“Sharna was on the court today which was fantastic … the plan is, all going well, she will be on the first road trip for us [May 1 and 2].
“That would be a couple of weeks ahead of schedule, which is really pleasing.
“Sharna is absolutely raring to go, it’s been a challenge for her sitting on the sidelines.
“At this stage there is no date for a flight, which means there is no clarity around when we can get Kathleen on the court.
“Best case would be four to six weeks, so at some point in time we would need to make a decision in partnership with Kathleen, if it’s looking like months away or not possible at all.”
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