Wagga Blaze coach Peter O’Leary maintains there are still some serious challenges that lay ahead despite his team claiming another significant scalp.
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The Blaze produced some of their best basketball of the season to score a 66-40 win over the third-placed Newcastle Hunters at Bolton Park Stadium on Saturday night.
It came just a week after the Blaze convincingly downed Maitland Mustangs, who were ladder leaders at the time.
“It certainly gives the girls a lot more confidence, that’s for sure, and a little bit more faith in what we’re doing,” O’Leary said.
“You have to weigh that in with those teams were on road trips coming to us and now we’ve got to get on the road.
“The pleasing thing that we take out of it though is that we’re winning by significant margins, it’s not just one or two points or anything like that.”
The win maintained the Blaze’s position in fifth place on the ladder, but they now sit just one win off top spot.
However, the unusual nature of the Waratah League draw will put them on the sidelines again for another three weeks.
They will then make one of the toughest road trips of the season on the weekend of May 26-27. They will travel to Coffs Harbour to take on the Suns on Saturday afternoon, before heading to Tamworth to play the Thunderbolts on Sunday morning.
The Blaze also have the Newcastle-Maitland trip to come shortly after that.
But for now, the Blaze’s momentum is high and O’Leary could not be happier with his team.
“I think it’s just been more time for the girls to gel and get together,” he said.
“We had a very disjointed start to the season...over time we’re learning to play with each other a bit better.
“People are starting to step up now too.”
Steph Male led from the front on Saturday night with 20 points in a performance that O’Leary described as ‘incredible’.
Jess Sommerfield played her best game of the year to land 15 points, while Shakera Barnes (10 points) and Maddie Clyne (eight points) were others to shine.
The Blaze will be boosted by the return of Abbey Morton for the road trip.
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