Lady Wolfpack eye off strong finish to guarantee top spot

THE difference between finishing first and second might not be huge but Joondalup Wolves coach Craig Friday would like his team to win the last two games to claim the Women's SBL minor premiership as he is enjoying being at the helm in 2016.

Friday has taken over as coach of the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves in 2016 with the Lady Wolfpack having not finished the regular season lower than third in the previous four seasons and winning the 2013 championship.

But Friday saw some things that could be tinkered with coming into 2016 to get the group perhaps playing a more team-orientated style and that has worked a treat. Combined with the addition of Klara Wischer and they are on target to finish the regular season in first place.

Week 18 Tuesday night SBL wrap

Following Tuesday night's 22-point win at Joondalup Basketball Stadium over the Kalamunda Eastern Suns, the Wolves improved to a 17-3 record on the season and they just need to beat the Perth Redbacks and Cockburn Cougars and they will claim the minor premiership.

While Friday would be delighted to see his group finish in first place while knowing how talented teams like the Rockingham Flames, Willetton Tigers and Perry Lakes Hawks are just behind, he is more concerned with making sure they head into the playoffs in peak form and fitness.

"We know we've got to win the last couple to stay on top so hopefully we can take care of business the last couple of weeks," Friday said.

"I think you can feel the atmosphere of the girls starting to get a bit of nervous as well as the energy starting to lift. We've made a concerted effort to back off a little in the last week or so after a fairly heavy schedule leading into now so we feel we are ready to go and I can't wait for the finals to start.

"We know that Rockingham, Willetton and Perry Lakes are sitting there second, third and fourth but I think for us it would be a good achievement to finish on top for where we were.

"I think a lot of people wrote us off at the start of the year but I think we've played some pretty good basketball. We're not playing the basketball we want to be still but finishing on top does mean a lot to us."

Wischer has been an outstanding addition to the Wolves team in 2016 and her season should have her in MVP calculations given she is averaging 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists a game.

She had a big night in Tuesday's win over the Eastern Suns as well with 31 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three steals shooting 11-of-26 from the field, 4-of-7 from long range and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.

While Friday was glad to see her regain some shooting tough and hopes her form continues, with the likes of Amy Kidner, Shani Amos, Ellyce Ironmonger, Nikita-Lee Martin and company that the Wolves are far from a one-woman team.

"She found some shooting touch again. She hasn’t been shooting that well but she actually didn’t train last week having a week off which was good for and she looked a lot fresher as a result. Fingers crossed she can maintain that form now through to the playoffs and into the playoffs," he said.

"The key is that if we can score what we want to score as a team then we are in good shape. We don't rely on Klara having to get it even though she's obviously a nice piece of the puzzle, but we've got other people who contribute."

With Ellyce Ironmonger likely the best big in the competition, Amos doing a tremendous job running the point, Wischer and Martin on the wings, Kidner in career-best form in the four spot and then the depth provided by Chelsea Belcher, Abbie Ironmonger, Sherelle Knight and Briana Chambers, it is an impressive and deep Wolves squad that Friday has to work with.

While Wischer has put up some outstanding numbers this season for the Wolves, Friday has no doubt that the key to the team's success is exactly that – that they play as a team.

"We promote team basketball and we don’t think we have a superstar here even though people might say Klara is, but she fits our system. Hopefully our system and the ability to play as a team can keep getting us over the line," Friday said.

"Maybe they had too many weapons last year and we've defined roles this year pretty clearly, we know what people can do.

"If we can continue to get people to score where we want to score from, we'll stand ourselves in good shape. It's no secret, we know how good the other teams are but we just want to give ourselves a chance."

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Serene-Elise Photography




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