Craig Bradshaw will have to be fired up for tonight's clash, says Blaze coach Joey Wright. Photo / Dean Purcell
BRISBANE - Gold Coast coach Joey Wright is hoping Kiwi international Craig Bradshaw finds some pride and fire against Perth in tonight's all-or-nothing NBL play-off clash.
With star guard import Avinde Ubaka ruled out after failing to train again, Wright needs Bradshaw and point guard Adam Gibson to rebound from
disappointing performances in the first semifinal against the Wildcats last week.
The signs were there at training yesterday but unless Bradshaw picks up his game and Gibson handles the heat better than he did in the west, it could be all over for the Blaze.
Bradshaw could not get into the game last week which Perth won 81-68, finishing with two points and one rebound.
"He had a bad game, he never really got going," said Wright.
"I'm hoping he wants to fire up. You'd think a little personal pride would come into play and he would want to play better for the team first and himself second."
Wright will start 210cm, 110kg Bradshaw again tonight.
"But he won't get out there if someone is playing better," he said.
"He's got game but he has to learn to bring it all and play defence and rebound when he's not scoring points."
Wright won a championship with Gibson at the Brisbane Bullets but did not spare him from criticism either.
"We were a little tight for a new group in a hostile environment in Perth in the first game," he said.
"Gibbo was rattled, you could see that and I can tell you right now, if your point guard is rattled, the rest of your team is rattled.
"He's a championship guard, but he didn't have a lot of help in the back court and they pressed him the entire game and he was a bit fatigued."
Wright, who confirmed Ubaka would not suit up against the Wildcats, said the training session was one of the best in a long time.
"The intensity was great, balanced with some thinking ... we usually don't do both," he quipped.
Perth can book their place in the grand final with a win but also have the advantage of knowing the third game decider, if needed, is at their home court.
- AAP
