South Adelaide Men break 16 Match Losing Streak
South Adelaide’s Men hosted the Eastern Mavericks at Marion on Saturday night, with both teams entering the match without a win to their name this season.
Although both were equally hungry to snare their first win of the 2013 season, South Adelaide were especially ravenous with a 16 match losing streak hanging over their heads. The vocal home crowd was looking for a reason to celebrate and the game did not disappoint. Their prayers were answered as the Panthers ran out 21-point victors.
Shane Boal starred for the home side, scoring a double-double with 26 points and ten rebounds, leading his team’s onslaught of the Mavericks, who could not catch up after a slow start.
South’s movement, pace and passing, allowed them to create, and make the most of, good scoring opportunities. South maintained the lead throughout the game despite some beautiful 3-point shooting from Maverick Haydn Barns and attack of the key by Curtis Scipio.
South Adelaide Coach Phil Smyth was happy that his team began to show their true potential, putting into practice what they’ve done at training.
“For the first time we started to show some intensity on defence, which we’ve been working on for about six months,” he said.
“It is starting to come together.”
South Adelaide’s Thomas McKenzie joined Boal with a double-double (20 points and 12 rebounds) and Jamie MacGillivray showed great leadership on court with his contribution of 13 points.
Symth added that although there are still improvements to be made, his team is definitely progressing.
“We just need to get better at what we are doing,” he said.
“I’m sure we are on the right track. We just need to get better and better.
“We haven’t got an import, we lost some players at the start of the season, we’re understaffed but we’re working really bloody hard.”
Although the Mavericks fought to get back, only being 10 points down for the majority, and the game within reach, South were too good in the end and ran out extending the margin.
Under 23 player Brad Pfitzner also did well for the Panthers, collecting 12 points and 8 rebounds and providing a sneak-peek of what’s to come in the club’s future.
The performance is a glimmer of hope for South players and fans igniting the possibility for more wins in coming games.
South Adelaide Panthers 88 (Shane Boal 26, Thomas McKenzie 20, Jordan Robertson 14)
Eastern Mavericks 67 (Curtis Scipio 14, Shane Breheny 10, Haydn Barns 10)
Post-Game Interview with Phil Smyth
By Georgina Hore
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