Boomers confident of handling MVP Nurse

“It didn’t go to plan” says Deakin Melbourne Boomers head coach Guy Molloy of his team’s semi-final loss against the Canberra Capitals at the weekend, terse recognition that a game within reach inexplicably fell away in the second half.

The Boomers are now left needing to win this Sunday to level up the series or see their WNBL campaign end at the semi-final stage.

Critical to success will be finding a way to stop the Canadian juggernaut that is Kia Nurse, who made history this year by becoming the first import to pick up the WNBL’s MVP award.

Nurse’s consecutive three-pointers in the third quarter and game-high 25 points will have haunted the Boomers this week, but Molloy is confident his side won’t make the same mistakes this time around.

“We lost our focus, we payed the price for that”, he said.

“It was fully expected that she would come through and have a big game, she made us pay.

“We’ve stopped her before. We were doing a pretty good job against her until we had some brain fades and stopped doing what we were doing”.

Molloy is only just over the worst of a stomach bug that forced Toni Farnworth’s late withdrawal on Sunday and hit several other players in the squad.

But a fully-fit team is expected to turn out at the State Basketball Centre (SBC) on Sunday where Molloy hopes raucous home support can make the difference.

“It (virus) didn’t help but it is what it is. Some things don’t go to plan, it’s the Finals, you’ve got to get on with it.

“We had Canberra at 44 points with a couple minutes to go in the third quarter, which was a very beatable score and then we let them go from 44 to 84 in short period of time. Everyone’s resolved, we’ll be good.

“We’ve got a great crowd, we’ve got great fans, they’re a huge support. They make a huge difference”.

“I think the crowd certainly lifted Canberra when it got late into the game. Both teams were feeling it and they got a significant lift from that. We’re hoping to get the same.” Tip-off at the State Basketball Centre on Sunday is at 6pm, tickets can be purchased here.