No taking Tigers easy

The NBL1 South women’s ladder shows a significant disparity between the records of the Hoop City Geelong United Supercats and the Melbourne Tigers.

Geelong United sits playoff bound in fifth spot with an 11-5 record, while the Tigers are languishing in 16th spot with just four wins for the season.

However, United coach Matthew Paton is taking nothing for granted in the first game of a home-road double that concludes in Frankston (4th, 12-5) on Friday night.

“Melbourne and Frankston played each other on Sunday, and Melbourne led for three-quarters of the game,” Paton.

“In this league, there have been bottom eight beating top eight on a regular basis, so there are no such things as easy wins.

“We need to maintain momentum; it can be so fickle.”

NBL1 MEN | LITTLE MARGIN FOR ERROR FOR UNITED

With Chantel Horvat on Asia Cup duties with Australia and Monica Okoye helping Japan to a spot in the semi-finals, Paton was able to get extended minutes into Macey Bowie and Georgia Cox last weekend.

“The development we’ve been able to get into some of our other bodies has been great, and it’s only going to hold us in good stead when we do get our Asia Cup participants back,” Paton said.

“But, we definitely don’t look past this weekend because if we feel if we play like we did against Eltham, we’re a chance to get two wins and really build some momentum towards the post-season.”

Nyidier Riak (ankle) is likely to be sidelined for another week.

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