From NBL1.com.au
Dave Biwer isn’t letting his Nunawading Spectres off the hook. The coach has one thing in mind and that’s the NBL1 championship – nothing more, nothing less.
To achieve that goal, the Spectres need to navigate past top seeded Ballarat Miners in Saturday night’s Preliminary Final.
It’s an almighty task, going on the road to take down the team that has held top spot for majority of the season, but Biwer is ready to tackle it head on.
“I’ve heard a lot about people playing without expectations and how much it easier it is to play,” Biwer said.
“I think it’s important that people can play with expectation in my team. I haven’t shied away from that. We are going for one thing and that’s the championship. We will put that pressure on the players because we know what makes us good.
“We think if we do what we can do, we can come away with the W.”
The Miners have been the benchmark this season, with a stacked roster consisting of NBL players Deng Acuoth, Kuany Kuany and Sam Short, alongside former NBL player Jerry Evans Jr.
Biwer is aware of the challenge they present, while also noting the ability of Ballarat coach Brendan Joyce.
“They have been on top and on top for a reason,” Biwer said.
“They’ve got a good group of guys, individually talented and seem to play well. It’s going to be a great game, a tough game. We are going to need to play our best to get the win in Ballarat.
“It’s a unique situation in the fact that they are individually talented, but their coach has got a lot of structure to him and a lot of discipline to him.
“We have to contain their athleticism and their individual game but also we need to look at tactically what Joyce is going to do against us. They’re the number one team because of that combination.”
After stressing the importance of a quick start last week, the Spectres were jumped early yet again last weekend in the Semi-Final against Geelong Supercats.
Biwer says there is nothing else to talk about in regard to getting off to a fast start, declaring his team simply needs to do it.
“We got jumped again,” Biwer said.
“The fightback was there, the same as it was against Frankston. It’s good to see we got that kind of heart and desire. It’s always nice to know that we are never going to give up.
“It’s a mental thing, so it’s already been discussed. It’s not something any coach will keep talking about. It’s definitely not for me, once it’s addressed and the guys know it is there, it’s their job to fix it.”
Tip off between Ballarat and Nunawading is scheduled for 7:30pm on Saturday night. The other NBL1 men’s Preliminary Final between Frankston Blues and Bendigo Braves is also scheduled for 7:30pm on Saturday night.