Hawks relegated from NBL
Published:Thursday | July 12, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Paul Clarke, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Sav Hawks of the Western Conference were bounced from the National Basketball League (NBL) after a disappointing season that saw them finishing last of the six teams in the standings.
The Westmoreland-based club will make a return to Division One circles.
This is in total contrast to the fortunes of finalists, defending western champions Catherine Hall All-Stars (11-4) and Granville Jaguars (15-0), after completing the regular season fixture.
The Savanna-la-Mar-based club, playing their first season back in the top basketball league in the west after relegation in 2009, started well, turning back Lucea Flames 65-58 in their opening league game on Saturday, May 12 in impressive fashion.
The Hawks strolled past Railway Lane Tigers for back-to-back wins before running into the red-hot Jaguars in a 66-78 loss, made worse by the injury to key forward Kenneth Blackwood. They never recovered.
"We just suffered an unfortunate season because after winning our first two games, we lost (Kenneth) Blackwood in the next game and we just never recovered from that," Hawks player/coach Maurice Rodriguez said.
Hawks lost 13 of their 15 games in the NBL season, but according to Rodriguez, some of the losses could easily have been wins had it not been for his inexperienced group of players and niggling injuries to key players, including himself.
The Hawks had their worst loss of the season, a 37-point blowout to fellow promoted team Lucea Flames. By that point the Hawks had lost six straight games and with it went their season.
"We really lost the season because of a number of things, including inexperience and injuries sustained by senior players, including myself. I had to play with a bad knee and that resulted in us not being able to contest on the level we know we could otherwise," Rodriguez reasoned.
But with the likes of point guard Richard Russell, shooting guard Terrence Tate, along with forward Richard Chambers, Sav Hawks could easily win Division One and bounce back into contention for a spot in the NBL next season.