TAMWORTH Thunderbolts will be hoping for winning Waratah State League home finales when they tip off against Newcastle Hunters (men) and Coffs Harbour Suns (women) at the Sports Dome tonight.
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It will be the last home game for the Thunderbolt women and possibly the men although depending on the result tonight, and other results, they could host a finals game.
The Hunters sit on top of their pool just ahead of the Thunderbolts.
“Tonight will determine who finishes first or second in the pool,” Thunderbolts coach John Ireland said.
They need to win and by more than 18 to finish on top.
That was the margin when the two met earlier in the season.
The Hunters took the honours then but Ireland wasn’t taking too much out of that.
“It was very early in the season,” he said.
“It was our second game of the year.
“We didn’t have a couple of guys there either.”
They are coming off a bit of a slip-up against Central Coast last week and defensively will have to make sure they’re on their game and contain the Hunters’ scoring opportunities as much as possible.
“Rebounds will be a massive component,” Ireland said.
It’s something they’ve been improving over the past few weeks.
“Offensively it will be about showing poise and control under the defensive pressure Newcastle will bring,” he said.
“They’re a very strong defensive, and experienced side.”
Preceding them, the women will take on Coffs Harbour for what will be a bit of a double header.
They play them again next week over at Coffs.
“We’re going to give it our best shot,” coach Chris Tudman said.
“We believe we can put it to Coffs.
“Our girls are playing really good basketball at the moment.”
So are the Suns from what he’s seen.
The Thunderbolts are sitting seventh, just outside the finals cut-off but with a chance of proceeding to the finals.
But to do that, they will have to beat Coffs tonight and again next week.
“It will be won on our defence,” Tudman said.
“If the girls play defensively like they did against Newcastle last week they will be right there at the end, like they were against Newcastle.”
They led at every change but couldn’t quite hold on.
With many of the girls having played against the Suns players through their junior days, Tudman said they would have to take in a bit of a different game plan.
“We’ve got to take a smart approach to the game.”
They play at 4pm with the men following at 6pm with McCarthy band Candence providing half-time entertainment.
