Auckland need a big step up from their younger players when they face the Wellington Saints tonight without two stars on duty with the Breakers and two others nursing injuries.
The Stars will nervously await tip-off at Waitakere's Trusts Stadium hoping captain and top-scorer Casey Frank has recovered from a
turned ankle that took him out of the game against Waikato in midweek.
Perhaps even more crucial are the fortunes of point guard Glen Joe, who is filling in for Lindsay Tait while he and shooting guard Aaron Olson are with the Aussie NBL team in China. Joe played out the full 40 minutes of the loss to the Titans despite a hamstring strain. Saints' big doubt is American import Russell Thompson, who missed the loss to Taranaki on Wednesday with a rolled ankle.
Stars coach Kenny Stone's reply when asked who would run the game if Joe is out: "Dunno". Then he mentioned junior Stan Bidois. Frank has been averaging 18.5 points and 9.8 rebounds and would be sorely missed if he is not fit to start. And then you would have to think the Saints' Ben Knight, Troy McLean, David Hopoi and Terrence Lewis would win it with their experience.
Stone has been concerned with Auckland's slow starts all season and they again started slowly against the Titans in Hamilton. By the time they got into the game it was too late against an in-form Pero Cameron and American Greg Lewis.
"We weren't aggressive and didn't take into the game the things we had practised," Stone said.
"We need to play a lot better defensively to give ourselves a chance," he said after the 98-83 loss to Waikato. "We need to win."
The Saints won round one between the sides, 83-81, in Wellington and will be feeling desperate for a win after dropping 91-80 to Taranaki, Airs guard Brad Davidson making six steals and Tony Rampton playing strongly for them.
They back up against North Harbour at North Shore Events Centre tomorrow, with Harbour establishing themselves as the best defenders in the league.
Coach Steve Done, conceding a height advantage to most sides, said: "We have to take the ball away from them, keep things simple, put lots of pressure on the ball all the time. We have to force turnovers or we'll get in a bit of trouble."
The Heat have been taking 25 to 28 turnovers a game and giving only 10 to 12. They have kept four sides under 60 points this season.
Done doesn't expect any help from a fatigue factor as a result of the Saints playing Auckland first.
Prem Krishna, with a hamstring strain, and Mark Bracewell, with an ankle injury, are not 100 per cent but will play.
Auckland need a big step up from their younger players when they face the Wellington Saints tonight without two stars on duty with the Breakers and two others nursing injuries.
The Stars will nervously await tip-off at Waitakere's Trusts Stadium hoping captain and top-scorer Casey Frank has recovered from a
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