Tara Murray
In a dangerous sign for opposition sides, the Altona Gators have found their shooting range in the Big V men’s division 2 competition.
The Gators have lost just two games for the season, but it has only been the last month that the shots have started to fall.
Coach Josh Turton said they had been happy with how they have played throughout the season, but knew they had more to come.
“I’m a big believer that everything happens for a reason,” he said. “We didn’t shoot the ball well for a couple of months.
“Everyone was sluggish and thinking we should have been winning by more. I was still really happy, we were playing the right way and still finding ways to win.
“In June, they started dropping and it was a domino effect. I’m really happy with where we are at.”
The Gators had the bye on the weekend.
Their last match before that, they inflicted the Whittlesea Pacers first loss of the season, winning by one point.
Turton missed the match as he was overseas, but made sure that he was keeping up to date with what was happening.
“I was in Hawaii in an Australian sports bar,” he said. “I was on my phone watching the stats, it felt like I was still there.
“They did a really good job, I’m over the moon.”
Turton said they used the bye weekend to get together as a group and help the side gel. He said it was about getting together and having some fun.
“The group is really good,” he said. “We had a couple of guys leave, mutually parted ways.
“It wasn’t right for our system and group and it has given us some more freedom.”
Turton said they would look to return to the court this week and get back into finals mode.
He said the biggest focus for them was making sure that they finish in the top two come the season end.
“We’ll finish where we are meant to be,” he said. “I’m not too concerned about first.
“You get the week off and I’m a big hater of that. I want to play the first game and if you’re going to lose your second chance, you can work out the issues earlier.
“Second spot it best for us, we don’t want to travel to Mildura in that first week.”
The Gators this week face the Surf Coast, one of only two teams to beat them this year.
He said the chance to face them again had come at a perfect time.
“We want to conquer our demons,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Gators women’s side celebrated Pink Round, defeating Melbourne University, 88-56.
The Gators sit sixth on the ladder.
