Buccs fade outs becoming costly
IT is becoming a recurring pattern for the Sun City Plumbing Geraldton Buccaneers.
Once again the Buccs held the lead at three quarter time against Perry Lakes Hawks at Activewest Stadium on Saturday night.
And once again they froze in the fourth quarter and lost the game, 104-102.
The home side put together a furious rally in the final minute of the game that came up agonisingly short.
Luke Wrensted and Daniel Thomas combined to score seven points in 11 seconds to cut the margin from eight points to one with 50 seconds left.
They were down two points when Jayden Valenti stole the ball from Hawks’ Shane Ross with four seconds on the clock.
He heaved the ball from half court but never looked like scoring.
Buccaneers coach Ray Evans said Saturday’s lost was a tough one to swallow.
“I say it every week, we get the lead in the third quarter then we rest some guys or guys get in foul trouble and we let the other team get a couple of baskets,” he said.
“They get their confidence back and once again it is a dog fight, I keep saying we need to build on that lead and get it out to 15 points.
“That is where the game is won and lost, I know we made a run and probably had a chance to win it in the end but that is where the game is won and lost.”
Ross was outstanding for the Hawks with 40 points and 22 rebounds for the game.
He connected on 16 of his 22 shots and scored all but one of his eight free-throws.
Aaron Ralph scored 34 points for the Buccaneers despite being fouled out on a controversial call in the final quarter while Thomas chimed in with 29 points.
The Hawks outscored the Buccs 30-25 in the fi nal term and sunk Evans’ men to their third consecutive loss at home.
Evans said the Buccs need to make Activewest Stadium a tough place for visiting teams to play.
“The Perth teams love coming here too, they play in front of the biggest crowd they get and they lift,” he said.
“We need to make it a fortress where we do not lose.”
Article by Taylor Courtland (Geraldton Guardian)
Photo by Helen Theoharakis (Hoop Shots)
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