Knuckling down at the defensive end of the floor will be critical to the Hoop City Geelong United Supercats women advancing to the NBL1 South Conference Final, according to coach Matthew Paton.
The Supercats host Waverley at Geelong Arena on Saturday night, with the Falcons full of confidence following a 23-point semi-final win over Eltham.
Maddi Utti paced Waverley’s scoring with 18 points on 58 per cent shooting, Carley Ernst contributed 16 points, and Sophia Locandro provided 15 points off the bench.
Rebecca Cole had an off afternoon, with her 10 points coming 24 per cent. However, she leads the Falcons’ scoring at 20.4 points per game.
“They boast quite a potent offensive lineup with Cole, Ernst and Utti, and a very savvy point guard in (Amelia) Todhunter to be their floor general,” Coach Paton said.
“They have scoring coming off the bench – Sophia Locandro would be in discussions for sixth-man of the year honours.
“The defensive end will be where it starts for us. Sticking to our defensive scout and gameplan throughout will be crucial.”
Coach Paton doesn’t need to back too far when scouting Waverley, with Geelong United claiming a 75-66 overtime road win on the final day of the regular season.
That victory ensured the Supercats snatched the double chance, laying the foundation for a home preliminary final.
“That was very much a finals-like game in there was quite a lot on the line,” Paton said.
“We played with some adversity, foul trouble.
“Best versus best, we measured up really well and showed an ability to elevate our level of play in overtime.
“That finals-like experience against that team on the road means we take a lot of confidence in.”
After four consecutive doubleheaders to end the regular season into a five-day turnaround to play Mt Gambier in the victorious qualifying final, Coach Paton says his players have enjoyed both a physical and mental break.
“With a shorter rotation, it’s been great to rest some bodies and minds,” he said.
“It’s been noticeable that the players are sharper and fresh from having the week off.
“They came back keen to hit the floor and resume work heading towards the weekend.”
Coach Paton hopes the hard-earned home-court advantage will also play a role in the Supercats booking a berth in the decider.
“It’s no secret that we boast the most parochial fanbase in the South,” he said.
“We’ll definitely be drawing on that energy throughout the contest to create not only a boost for us as the home team but a hostile environment for Waverley.”
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