Rnd 9: Panthers Men too good for Mavericks
By Connor Rice
South Adelaide 86 | Eastern Mavericks 60
Two teams struggling in the regular season, currently positioned at ninth and tenth faced up on Saturday night as both were determined to add a win to their season tally. The Panthers came out very energetic and determined from the jump. The home side had been struggling defensively against the league’s better teams but they seemed to be more engaged on that end and were able to get many steals and stops to initiate their offense.
A huge positive for the Panthers was the injection of Adrien Coleman as he went off for 26 points. Seeming to be everywhere, Coleman was working the ball on the fast break and finishing strongly around the rim.
Unusual for the Panthers this week, they did more of their work from around the rim and mid-range as they Mavericks big’s couldn’t come across and help defensively at the rim. This was in no small part attributed to the athletic guard set the Panthers utilise. Fresh off a monster 38 point performance versus the Lions last week, Madit Daniel was doing some great work getting to the line (finished with 8 FTMs) and attacking the Mavericks interior defence.
With the absence of usual starting big, Steve Pilkington, Thomas Mckenzie was also great defensively and on the boards for the Panthers starting at the 5. While a smaller unit than they typically run with, the Panthers didn’t have any defensive lapses and still managed to hold strong against the Mavs inside.
As a bright note for the Mavericks, Devon McGee was also great for their frontcourt as he used his length to finish around the rim and get second chance points. Despite his youth he gave some solid production and will likely be a big focal point as the Mavs look to improve going forward.
It was a mismatch from the jump as the Panthers came out significantly more involved. Both defensively and offensively they were at an advantage and ultimately used their athleticism to get the win.
Round 10: Saturday, 21 May at 8.15pm
Eastern Mavericks v Forestville Eagles @ Wayville
South Adelaide v Sturt Sabres @ Pasadena
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