The Dubbo Rams were handed arguably the hardest draw of any side in the Waratah League but coach Bart Sykes isn’t making excuses after a second successive defeat.
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After a narrow loss to the Canberra Gunners in round one, the Rams were blown out of the water by a red-hot Sutherland Sharks on Saturday evening.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Rams either, as they return home this weekend to take on the Bankstown Bruins.
“Playing the top three in the first three weeks isn’t ideal for a new side that’s come together,” Sykes said, the Rams going down 93-59 at Sutherland.
“We’d much rather face them midway through or at the back end of the season but we probably haven’t gelled as well as I was hoping and we’re relying on Will (Howell) and that’s not ideal.
“But I’m still confident and it’s not panic stations at all. I’ve got confidence in the side.”
Sykes stated Howell “set the house on fire” again on Saturday and he dropped 28 points to follow-up a strong showing against Canberra.
It’s not panic stations at all. I’ve got confidence in the side.
- Rams coach Bart Sykes
But there was little support for the young gun as big man Martin Iti struggled to get involved, American import Adam Ward fouled out early in the third quarter and Steve Hall also had little influence on the match.
“But they definitely weren’t 30 points better than us,” Sykes said.
The Rams return to the Woolshed this weekend and while Bankstown is another of the league top side, Sykes feels his side is a far better chance to cause an upset in that match.
“It’s a much better match-up,” he said.
“Canberra and Sutherland were young and played really up-tempo and Bankstown won’t be like that.
“It’s going to be much better for us.”
Another thing which may help Dubbo next weekend and in the coming weeks and months is the fact players off the bench performed well at Sutherland.
With the match all but over by three-quarter time, the Sharks led 83-46 at that stage, Sykes turned to the bench.
“Zac Mills, our back-up point guard, was really good and Shane Brown played well too,” he said.
“I said to the boys before the fourth quarter we had to finish well and take something from the game and I gave the back-up five the minutes and we won the fourth.
“It was good to finish that way.”
The Sharks led 25-14 after the first quarter and then 53-30 at the main break.
That lead grew in the third quarter before the Rams rallied late on and won the fourth quarter, 13-10.