Can the Centre of Excellence upset their more experienced Canberra Rivals?
By Grant Richardson
The Gunners will be playing their third match in five days as they host the Centre of Excellence in a mid-week clash to kick off Round 3.
After starting the year with three road trips to Albury-Wodonga, Mt. Gambier and Dandenong, Canberra are finally back at home. It was beginning to look like a horror start for the Gunners when they lost to the Pioneers on Friday night but a come from behind win over the Rangers the following day has shown the league how capable they are.
Trailing by 11 at three-quarter time, Canberra put together a 31-18 final term to snatch the 88-86 victory. Daniel Joyce was the hero with 21 points and 6 assists while Nnaebuka Anyaorah’s floater won the game with just nine seconds remaining.
Despite having the strength advantage against their younger opponents, the fatigue of a tough road-double last round will give the Centre of Excellence hope.
Jack McVeigh, Tanner Krebs and Dejan Vasiljevic are all exciting players and averaged double figures in their debut SEABL season. At 216cm, Jock Perry will be thrown into the deep end against the experienced Canberra forwards but he has the body to compete.
The CoE’s main objective will be to improve upon their two victories from 2014 but the Gunners will be wary of a young side determined to prove themselves.
In the spirit of reconciliation Basketball Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.