Opening Onslaught Sets Up Three In A Row For Rollers

Australia continued its perfect start in men’s wheelchair basketball at Tokyo 2020 with a 64-53 win over Germany at Ariake Arena on Saturday.

The Rollers set up the victory with a 21-11 first quarter onslaught and are now 3-0 in Group B ahead of games against reigning Paralympic champions USA and current World champions Great Britain.

Coach Craig Friday was delighted with the intensity from the tip-off.

“Yeah it was a really good start. I think we got our detail right at the beginning and then it was a bit of a dogfight for the rest of the game,” he said.

Unlike the rest of the team, Bill Latham was a little quiet early, but again showed his experience and class with 17 points and 11 rebounds in a classy second half haul.

“It was a good hit out for us. They challenged us in some different ways so it was a good learning curve for us and a positive step forward,” Friday said.

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While Latham was again prominent of the scoresheet the coach gave special praise to Darwin’s Tom O’Neill-Thorne, who pulled in seven defensive rebounds.

“I thought Tommy, defensively, was outstanding and his poise and purpose in offence was really good,” Friday said.

“And then Bill Latham’s second half, I think he had none at the half and ended up with 17 (points) in the second.”

Attention after the game very quickly turned to the Rollers next assignment against Rio 2016 gold medallists the USA on Sunday.

Coach Friday says the squad is still hurting after 84-59 loss to the Americans in the semi-final of the 2018 World Championships in Germany.

“We lost to them in Hamburg pretty convincingly, so we’ve got a bit of a point to prove,” he said

“They are still the team to beat, I think. Although they didn’t win it (the World Championships) they continue to bring players in that play roles for them and execute a game plan.”

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The schedule has looked kindly on the Rollers to get some confidence early in the group phase, but the quality of the Americans and the Brits will ensure they are thoroughly tested before the quarter-finals.

“There are a couple of players that need to step up, but overall I think our fitness is good, we haven’t spent a lot of tickets yet, and we are halfway through the compulsory round so I think we’re in good shape,” Friday said.

AUSTRALIA 64 (Latham 17 points, 11 rebounds; Norris 14 points, 10 assists) d GERMANY 53

NEXT GAME: Sunday August 29 v USA at Musashino Forest Sport Plaza 1445 local time (1545 AEST)

By: Paralympics Australia
Posted: 28 August 2021