RAY Evans has challenged his players to raise their standards after the Sun City Plumbing Buccaneers’ topsy-turvy season hit another lull on Saturday.

The Buccs coach criticised the team for squandering a 16-point second quarter lead to lose 87-85 to Perry Lakes Hawks — their fifth loss in nine games.

“The game was lost when we had that 16-point lead and we had control of the game in the second quarter,” Evans said.

“You let teams like this in at the end — and good players hit big shots — you find yourself losing the game.”

Evans said the Buccs, ninth on the SBL ladder, needed to show more consistency and belief to push into the top eight.

“It’s about bridging the gap and playing more of that higher level,” he said.

“It’s a confidence thing. When we’re down we drop our heads and that reflects in our defence.”

Hawks’ star import Anthony Lee blew the candles out on Buccs’ Aaron Ralph’s 150th appearance cake with two three-pointers and a basket in the final quarter to hand his team the points.

In desperate need of a three, Michael Lay (20 points) put up a shot with 37 seconds remaining but was unsuccessful.

With the ball in their possession the Hawks stood firm, holding off the Buccs ragged attempts to snatch the lead.

The visitors called a time-out with 0.5 second remaining, but were already patting themselves on the back for a job well done as the home side hung their heads.

Up 34-20 at the first change, the Buccs made an energetic start.

Ralph (17 points) got off to a flier with three triples and Todd Brown (20 points) started well.

But unable to maintain the lead the Buccs stepped off the pedal after the first re-start.

The Hawks upped their dominance off the boards and got within a basket of the lead when game high-scorer Andy Burns (24 points) netted two from the charity stripe.

Burns tied the scores at 50 apiece 10 minutes into the third quarter, before Rory Pekin gave the visitors the lead for the first time.

Chasing a one-point deficit at the start of the fourth term, a Ben Pepper (19 points) double and a three from Ralph gave the Buccs a seven-point lead.

With Lee returning to the floor after early foul trouble, the Hawks quickly rallied in the open space surrounding the perimeter.

Pepper got the Buccs within two points, at 87-85, but couldn’t make the awarded free throw and the Hawks hung on to continue their march up the table.

Article by Thomas Davis (Geraldton Guardian)
Photo by Geraldton Guardian