Goulburn Bears elated after three wins from three matches

In the first four games of the year, the Bears went 2-2 with some gritty wins intermingled with disappointing losses.

Head coach Jack Channells maintained that Goulburn could push towards the top of the ladder if they found the right headspace, and the message seemed to have sunk in by Saturday.

After the Newcastle Hunters forfeited the opening match due to COVID-19 concerns, the Bears faced the Inner West Bulls White at the Minto Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday evening.

"Mentally we were much more switched on, and we proved that last night with a 37-point first quarter which was phenomenal," Channells said.

Their barnstorming first quarter led to a 94-72 victory over the Bulls, which Goulburn then followed this morning with an 87-61 win over the Hawkesbury Jets.

The results left Channells thrilled, and he said they came from the team's commitment to improving each week.

"We were just running the floor, playing our game rather than letting the other team get a good lead on us," he said.

"We set the precedent and made them catch up. It's hard to play good basketball when we're behind. It's good to see we've learned from our mistakes and came out firing."

In 2019, the Bears were easily the youngest side in the Waratah Youth Men's Division Two competition, and struggled to keep pace with their older and more experienced opponents.

This year, Channells said, there is a real chance the team can make a run for the finals having entered the top four following today's victory.

"It's a good feeling, to come from a learning curve last year to being in the top four," he said.

"Hopefully we can hold our ground and make the finals this year, which is our goal.

"There's plenty of potential there, but there's always things to take out of the game to work on as well. We need to take the negatives with the positives and keep improving."

So far, the team has improved out of sight over the course of the competition. The next issue on which they will focus, Channells said, is their passing.

"Our passing is a big thing," he said. "We do make some good passes, but consistently it's something we need to work on."

The Bears will have the home-ground advantage in their next match, set to be played at the Goulburn Basketball Arena on Saturday.

Coming off two strong wins, Channells said, will give the team a huge boost leading into their home clash.

"It's always good to have a couple of wins and boost everyone's confidence. Hopefully they'll be pumped up and ready to go," he said.

The Goulburn Bears will take on the Norths Bears from 6pm on Saturday, August 15.

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