Chargers working to recapture their run

SURFCOAST Chargers men’s team were staring down the barrel of their third-straight loss when they clicked into gear.

The Chargers had a huge last quarter, outscoring fourth-placed Collingwood 34-19, to take an 87-82 Big V Division 2 away win last weekend.

“Our defence actually started to get the stops we needed and we were converting after a sluggish first three quarters,” coach Dan Riches said, noting the Chargers scored about 20 points in the opening five minutes of the fourth term.

Key players Jason Reardon (heel) and Nathan Gronbeck (ankle) returned from lengthy stints on the sidelines, while Aaron Ruiz unexpectedly got himself up for the clash after nursing a back issue.

The win came after losses to fellow top three sides Sherbrooke (94-77) and Mildura (102-78).

Riches said the Chargers became a slower team in those games.

“We became a half-court team, which you need to be good at, but we’re a running team.

“So the biggest issue was that our offensive transition, it went down to about 10 per cent, and Reardon is a great trigger for that for us.

“But that was the thing we’ve been pushing for in those two losses, was our run had stopped.

“But it’s also if you haven’t got two starters, it affects what you’ve been used to up to that point.”

Riches said he saw glimpses of the Chargers getting their run back now they had their full squad available.

“It’s the biggest area that we’re going to focus on the next month is to bring that back and I’m confident we can.”

Surfcoast, who are second on the ladder with a 9-2 record, play Melton away in Round 12 this Sunday, June 22 at 2pm.

The Chargers women lost their Division 2 game 69-59 to Blackburn in Round 11 and they play Gippsland United next on June 28.