Basketball: Ramming point home

Hawks Kareem Johnson spies a gap between Canterbury Rams players Gareth Dawson (left) and Marques Whippy. Photo / Paul Taylor

The mental fortitude of the Canterbury Rams in the face of caustic words from their coach, Mark Dickel, showed the character and strength of the players in their victory yesterday in Napier.

"I guess we're more scared of Mark [Dickel] than we are of losing but, no, he did what he did to make us win so the boys stepped up," said Rams skipper Marques Whippy of former feisty Tall Black Dickel who didn't spare any of his troops when things went awry on the court at the PG Arena in the Southerners' come-from-behind 99-96 overtime win.

"That's the strength of our boys, the mental toughness - taking the coach's words, whether they be good or bad and using it to get the win," said a grinning Whippy who relished coming back from an 18-point deficit in the first quarter to prevail.

The Fijian lauded double-double merchant Marcel Jones and guard Ethan Rusbatch for their prowess but put it down to a concerted effort.

"Next week another person will have to step up so it takes a team effort."

Whippy said adopting their "2-3 zone" meant they knew where Southland shooters were in their previous game and took out Alex Pledger.

"We just pushed the ball to make them run and eventually wear them down. That's our strength as the Rams."

He said the fans yesterday had created a great atmosphere at the PG Arena "when they came alive at the end".

"It was good to see a couple of Guam boys who I played against in the South Pacific Games," said the forward of Hawks guards William Stinnett and Joseph Blas, who didn't get on the court.