RAMS
OUT TO AVENGE NARROW FIRST UP LOSS
27 JUNE 2001
by Corey Brown and Piet Van HasseltThe WestpacTrust
Canterbury Rams will not only be looking for
their sixth win in the 2001 National Basketball
League this afternoon against the high-flying
Property Brokers Jets, but will also be out to
avenge their narrow round one loss.
The Rams took on the Jets in the first week of
the 2001 competition in Palmerston North and went
down in a cliff-hanger finish 93-92. It was a
case of bitter disappointment for the Rams, as
they had held the lead for most of the match and
looked certain to take it out.
Both teams come into this weekend’s
important match off inspiring wins in the last
round. The Jets upset the highly fancied Saints
95-87 in overtime to take home the Burger King
Cup, while the Rams had a comfortable 83-73 win
over the Kings. Today’s match is a must-win
for
both teams if they want to maintain a good chance
of making the playoffs.
The Rams inspirational captain Dave Langrell was
in stellar shooting form in the third quarter of
last week’s game. He compiled 14 points
including four straight three pointers and an
athletic 360 jump spin move to celebrate with the
Rams Fans!
Canterbury will undoubtedly look to the ‘old
guard’ of Craig Farrant and Andrew Gardiner
to continue their recent form that has helped the
Rams advance to outright third on the NBL points
table. Gardiner notched up a double-double versus
the Kings, and is averaging 12.5 points and 6.3
rebounds in his last four outings.
Rams’ regulars lightning-quick Carlo
Varricchio, hardworking Jon Disher and Luke
“Skywalker” Ruscoe will also be out on
centre court on Sunday to prove a point.
Varricchio will again play through an ankle
injury despite the pain and is a crucial cog in
the Rams offensive machine.
Disher is one of the Rams key players coming off
the bench, injecting intensity and completing the
“blue-collar work” including rebounding
and setting screens for team-mates. Ruscoe had 15
points last weekend including a slicing base-line
drive for an emphatic power dunk.
As always the battle of the big men will be
crucial to how the sides will fare. John “Pope”
Whorton had his way in the first encounter
against Jets towering 2.11m centre Ed Book,
exploding for 31 points and 10 rebounds. However,
Book is no push over and the battle in the middle
will be decided by mental as much as by physical
skills.
Book is averaging a double-double with 14.4
points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Recent Tall
Black trialist forward Newbold is perhaps one of
the best defenders in the league and is scoring
10.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
The Jets have a talented guard-line, consisting
of former Tall Black Kent Mori, sharp-shooter
Stacey Lambert, playmaker Jonathon Southey and
Slam Dunk contestant Shane Penfold. Mori leads
the team in scoring with 15 points per game and
is shooting 87% from the free throw line. Penfold
is leading the league in three point percentage
at a 42.3% success rate.
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