Mentally weak Buccs struck by Lightning
The Geraldton Sun City Plumbing Buccaneers coach said his team paid the price for complacency after squandering a 10-point third-quarter lead.
Luke Payne thrust Lightning into control by a point with a three-point buzzer ball at the final change.
Evans said the Buccs were unable to produce the belief to regain their momentum in the final quarter.
"It really cost us when we sat back and let them regain the lead," he said.
"We were mentally weak, we didn't hustle up enough in offence."
It was the fourth time in two seasons the Buccs have fallen short against Lakeside after the champions edged them out of the semi finals last year.
Evans said Lakeside would continue to hold the wood over the Buccs unless his players showed more faith.
"We need to show more mental toughness if we don't do that we'll never beat them," he said.
"We didn't work hard enough on our rebounds that ultimately allowed them to dictate the play."
The game had all the elements of a showdown between two unbeaten sides. Both were keen to enforce their presence on the scoreboard early. The Buccs were eager to build on their three-game winning run and they took a one-point lead into the first break.
Import Ryan Zamroz (34 points) spearheaded most of the Buccs' offencive plays before the main break.
Benjamin Beran and Ryan Sofoulis posed dangers for the visitors but the home team maintained the ascendancy to take a six-point lead into the break.
In the third quarter the Buccs were highlighted at their best and worst.
Brian Connelly hooked in basket and bagged two more as the Buccs skipped away to a 69-59 lead. Daniel Thomas secured a triple from the free-throw line and Lakeside appeared to be on the back foot -until Payne stepped in.
With time closing out in the third quarter, the American turned the tables to wrestle back the lead.
The Buccs' dropped their guard and Lakeside landed all their combination punches. Rebound giant Jarrad Prue dominated under Lakeside's hoop. Zamroz's clean shooting from the charity stripe was not enough to save his team and the visitors walked away with the chips after cruising past the ton mark.
Article by Thomas Davis (Geraldton Guardian)
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