Wagga Heat have settled the grudge with arch rivals Sutherland Sharks, knocking the defending premiers out of the competition in the elimination final with a five-point win on Saturday night.
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The chips were down for Heat at half-time, trailing Sharks by four points at Bolton Park.
I visited my mum before the game and she said, ‘just do your best, Al.' That's what we did
- Heat coach Allan Mullins
But point guard Gage Daye fired up and Zac Maloney hit a couple of three-pointers in a row, turning the tables in the third quarter, setting the tone for the 90 to 85 win.
A couple of minutes into the third quarter, Heat coach Allan Mullins called a time out to strategise, and ensure Daye had the freedom to score.
“He takes the lion’s share of our scoring shots, we want the ball in his hands,” Mullins said.
“They were double-teaming him when he was coming over the halfway line.
“We put another player in a passing lane, so Gage passed the ball, and that opened up Zac Maloney.
“Because we were scoring off that, they were then dropping off Gage.”
Daye had a field-day, top-scoring with 38 points, well above Sutherland’s top-scorers Reece Craigie and Benjamin White on 19 points each.
Wagga’s Scott Hare was also impressive scoring on the basket, with 23 points.
Wagga won the third quarter by five points, and the fourth quarter by four.
“I visited my mum before the game and she said, ‘just do your best, Al,’” Mullins said.
“That’s what we did.
“Everybody that I put on the court did their job.
“It was a struggle, we were behind at half time, but we turned that around.”
Heat will head to Sydney for the next round of finals on Saturday.
