Big V Preview Finals Week 4
Division One Men (1st 15-5): vs. Warrnambool (2nd 14-6) @ The Arena Annexe, Saturday 7.30pm and Sunday 12.00pm (if required)
Motivated by the unsavoury off-court incident to finish last week’s Grand Final series opener against Warrnambool, Geelong will be hoping for a change of history if it is to win its first Big V Division One title in 10 years.
In both the unsuccessful 2008 and 2010 grand final series the Cats dropped game one the road.
In 2008 they were able to win game two against Sunbury before being beaten in the deciding third match by the Jets.
Last year they were clean swept by Melbourne University.
They find themselves in a similar situation in 2011 after the 99-89 loss to Warrnambool on Saturday night.
“(It was) a disappointing loss in such a big game,” coach Shayne Bow said.
Making the Cats’ task of winning both games at home to lift the title a little bit easier will be the absence of star Warrnambool youngster Nathan Sobey.
Sobey, who had 20 points in game one, has returned to the USA for his sophomore year at Cochise College in Arizona.
Despite his absence, Bow is well aware the Seahawks still have enough offensive clout to worry Geelong.
Import Cameron Mitchell produced arguably his best performance of the season with a 34 point, 14 rebound effort.
Veteran Bobby Cunningham was also important, with 18 points including four three-pointers at a solid clip of 44.4 per cent from beyond the arc.
Like Warrnambool, the Cats will be relying on a key trio for its scoring.
Jason Reardon, Paul Hutchison and Marty De Lange will again carry the offensive load for Geelong.
It’s the scoring outside of both team’s “big three” that will prove the difference between the two teams.
If Patty Phillips, Chris Brown and Steve Wiasak can make meaningful contributions the Cats will give themselves every chance of winning both games.
“(We are) looking forward to the weekend ahead,” Bow said.
“We will make a few adjustments to try and get the job done.”
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