Hawks Learn The Hard Way
It has been a rare event over the last nine months, but the Noel Jones Ringwood Hawks found out on Saturday night that they will lose if they are not at their best. The Hawks dropped their first game of the season falling to the McKinnon Cougars by 3 points.
After a good start, the Hawks built an early lead but at times looked lethargic. Foul issues started to become a huge factor as import Jacob Gibson was sent to the bench with 3 unlucky fouls and Matt Fennell with two. The Cougars clawed their way back and at the half it was the Hawks will just a 3 point lead.
The Hawks third quarter may have been their worst of the season and their shooting going ice cold and decision making became questionable at best. Too many turnovers turned in to easy baskets for McKinnon and the Hawks looked like a team that was just not switched on.
Just when it looked like the game was out of reach, Matt Snowball (13 points and 7 assists), Fennell (14 points and 10 rebounds) and Mike McCahey (25 points) found a way to get their team re-focused and the Hawks stormed back in to the game. Jacob Gibson (7 points), who could only play 15 minutes then fouled out and the Hawks but they still managed to grab the lead with 3 minutes left.
For the second week in a row it looked like the Hawks would again get themselves out of jail. But then they missed foul shots and were on the wrong end of a few contentious calls and before they knew it, the game was gone.
“We just were not switched on and ready to battle. “ Hawks Assistant Coach Willie Weimer said after the game.
“We just played hard in the last quarter, you can’t cruise for three quarters and expect to beat good teams.”
The loss is a timely wake up call for the Hawks who are now 4 wins and one loss as the BigV takes a week’s break over Easter. The next test for the Hawks will be a good one, traveling to the State Basketball Centre to battle the Knox Raiders on Saturday the 22nd April at 8pm.
RINGWOOD 83 (McCahey 25, Fennell 14, Snowball 13, Latham 10 ) Lost to MCKINNON 86 (Stith 25) at the McKinnon.
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