SKILLED Goldfields Giants coach Wayne Creek has labelled Saturday’s 100-94 loss to State Basketball League rivals Lakeside as a major reality check for his players.

Lakeside’s American import Luke Payne again emerged as the Giants’ nemesis with a game-high 27 points, the Lightning showing they have no fear of Kalgoorlie’s Neils Hansen Basketball Stadium with their second win in as many years in the gold capital.

Payne – who scored 30 points in last season’s Kalgoorlie road win – was a standout in the final period with 11 points, including back-to-back three-pointers which virtually put the result beyond doubt.

It was the first time Giants recruit Lordan Franich had played against his former teammates since switching from Lakeside during the off-season and the 201cm forward did his reputation no harm in posting 19 points and 17 rebounds.

Giants import Michael Haney scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half, while captain Ryan Hulme and Matt Leske both added 16 points.

The loss snapped the Giants’ five-game winning streak as they slipped one rung down the SBL ladder to fourth position at 8-4. “It’s a bit of a wake-up call which brings us back down to earth,” Creek said. “We need to get out on the training track this week and work on a few things and be better for it.”

The Giants were without American import John Vaudreuil for much of the game after the 203cm forward got into early foul trouble. Vaudreuil, who was scoreless in the first half, looked like sparking a second-half revival by the Giants before he was fouled out early in the final period.

“The foul count was a bit lop-sided (26-16) and I think John was taken out of the game by getting some of those soft fouls,” Creek said. “He ended up playing 20 minutes but the whole time he was concerned about the fouls, so he couldn’t play his natural game as he has the past few weeks. “Other guys stepped up, but it’s a big void to fill with your primary big guy off the court.”

The Lightning stormed to a 15-6 lead inside the opening six minutes, with 200cm American Ben Beran scoring nine of his 21 points in the first period. Giants forward Todd Earle underlined the Giants’ wayward start, which made the easy look hard and vice versa, when he missed the easiest of layups only to make amends seconds later with a tough shot from beyond the three-point arc. Franich’s buzzer-beating three-pointer made it 24-all at quarter-time, but Lakeside went into the main break leading 46-40.

“We were probably a bit flat at the start and slow out of the blocks, it obviously took a bit of time for the guys to get going,” Creek said. “We were down 46-40 at half-time and we had to fight to get to that spot. “We’ve managed to get up there on level pegging and stuck with them for a bit, but in the end when you have to fight for it, it’s hard to maintain that pressure when you haven’t done it in the first half.”

Lakeside guard Ryan Sofoulis, averaging 13.4 points per game, was one who slipped under the Giants’ guard in the second half to finish with 24 points.

The Lightning turned for home 73-64 in front and with Payne in superb touch, were never seriously threatened, although the Giants did edge within three points in the final 12 seconds. “We’ve struggled to slow him (Payne) down in as many games as I can remember,” Creek said. “I don’t think we did a bad job on him – Matt Leske worked his tail off. “The guy stops on a two-cent piece and puts up shots which bobble around and somehow go in – what can you do? “He’s rolled the dice for his side. We’ve thrown different guys at him, he loves playing us and he’s determined.”

The Giants face a tough road double-header next weekend against Mandurah Magic, who they defeated 100-99 in double overtime last month, followed by last season’s losing grand finalists Perry Lakes Hawks. “We’ve got our work cut out as we do every time we go on the road,” Creek said.

Article by Jarrod Lucas (Kalgoorlie Miner)
Photo by Travis Anderson (Andmedia/Sportsvision)

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