SUN City Plumbing Buccaneers assistant coach Scott Rubery says any hopes of making the finals rests with results out of their control.

Rubery said they must rely on teams above them on the SBL ladder to drop points, while winning the majority of their remaining nine games.

The Buccs were unable to match their brave victory over defending champions Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers on Saturday.

Rockingham Flames snatched a 88-82 result in game two of last weekend’s three-game road trip and the Geraldton camp was undone 100-85 by the Perth Redbacks on Monday.

Rubery said the players had let bad habits creep into Sunday’s game against the Flames. “We let the Rockingham game get away from us. We regressed with some of our bad habits of not running hard in transition defence,” he said.

He said the fuel was running low against the Redbacks, due to the taxing road trip. He indicated the Buccs would lobby the SBL next year to decide against Geraldton being given three-game encounters on the Foundation Day weekend.

“It was disappointing to come back with only one win, especially with getting the first one against the Tigers,” he said.

“Sunday’s game should not have got away and we ran out of legs against the Redbacks.”

After 11 losses for the season, the odds are stacked against the Buccs, 12th, making the finals.

The side could face their second absence from the finals in 22 seasons.

But Rubery said the team refused to accept the writing was on the wall.

“We’re in a position now where we have to rely on teams like East Perth, the Redbacks and Stirling to lose games,” he said.

“By no stretch have we given up on the season.

“It is tough but we haven’t put the white flag up. We don’t like being where we’re at. At no stage are we going to give up and we’re going to keep working hard to get wins.”

The run home begins against second-placed Cockburn Cougars at Tip Top Stadium on Saturday.

This is followed by away games to South West Slammers (14th), Wanneroo (3rd) and visits from Goldfields (7th) and East Perth (9th). A road double against ladder leaders Lakeside and Perry Lakes (4th) is next in line in round 17, before remaining home games against Stirling (6th) and Kalamunda (10th).

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