Basketball: Bay side eager to heap more misery on Saints

Paora Winitana sees the situation as an opportune time for the Hawks to take advantage. Photo / Duncan Brown

The Hawks' game tonight could not have come at a worse time as the Wellington Saints are like "wounded dogs" after a massive loss to the Southland Sharks, according to player/coach Paora Winitana.

But Winitana also sees it as an opportune time for them to take advantage of the Pero Cameron-coached Saints in their 7pm tip-off in Wellington.

The third-placed hosts have conceded three consecutive defeats and on Monday had the ignominy of tasting their worst loss in 15 years in the 32-point trouncing at the hands of Paul Henare's Sharks.

Conversely the Hawks will need a miracle to make the playoffs after just four wins from a dozen matches. The visitors have the most inferior scoring record in the NBL (79.5) while the Saints have the best (96.1).

History favours the Saints tonight (14 wins from the last 18 games) but Winitana argued the absence of someone with the offensive prowess of Bay-born Everard Bartlett was not an issue.

"Many teams have won championships in the league but they haven't necessarily had success."

Adhering to the adage of the best form of attack is defence, he said the Hawks had talent on paper in the form of shooting guards Luke Aston and Alonzo Burton to replicate Australia-based Bartlett but for some reason the team had yet to find cohesiveness.

His preoccupation is not with winning right now but about a sense of belonging to a common cause.

"I've been to a lot of meetings in my career and you know quickly when the spirit touches you," Winitana said.

"Everyone wants us to win but I believe if we focus on our mental toughness then everything else will flow from there."

Winitana, who has missed Sunday games because of his religious beliefs, said he was not 100 per cent fit but said every other player in the NBL was in the same boat as him.