This week Rebound’s Chris Hughes provides the lowdown on the featured preview for GW2: Kestrels v Worthing as voted by you…
How we run the feature preview :
We get the ball and give you an Intro. We step back “The last 5 games” pass it on to “Last time they met” and then we dribble on a bit about some Analysis before leaving it to the stars to slam dunk or sink a 3 to get you ready for the big game with some Player insights.
Intro:
The two sides dominated the 18-19 campaign. In seasons gone by there have always been players who have switched between these South coast sides. This summer was no exception. Solent signed a key piece of Worthing’s puzzle from last season in the form of their captain Brendan Okoronkwo. Okoronkwo came 13th in our inaugural ‘Rebound top 32 players’.
Last 5 games:
Worthing:
GW1 v Barking Abbey Crusaders (H) 103.75
Play off final v Team Solent Kestrels (N) 100.81 (Lost)
Play off Semi Final v Loughborough Riders (H) 86.77
Play off QF v Essex Leopards (H) 107.85
D1 v Thames Valley Cavs (A) 87.99
Team Solent Kestrels:
GW 1 v Essex Leopards (H) 122.61
Play off final v Worthing Thunder (N) 100.81
Play off Semi Final v Thames Valley cavaliers (H) 104.64
Play off QF v Leicester Warriors (H) 100.71
D1 v Essex Leopards (A) 67.85
Last time they met:
The play off final. The end of season spectacle ended in a win for Solent. The teams faced each other four times last season with both teams getting two wins each. The sole game at the Thunderdome was the closest game out of the four – Worthing won by a single point.
Analysis:
The season is in its infancy but already both teams have shown us in preseason and in game 1 what to expect. Both teams have an abundance of attacking talent with both surpassing the 100 point barrier with relative ease in game 1. This weekend will be a tough test for both sides.
Both seem to favour contrasting styles from the back of game 1. Worthing shooting more 3’s than 2’s and mainly favouring their starting 5, whereas the Solent were the opposite.
Worthing Thunder have a star in Cameron Hildreth and his 30/11 double double debut was testament to this. Worthing’s chances of winning may well hinge on Alex Owumi’s shoulders. He played all 40 minutes last week. In game 1 only Zaire took more shots (19 to Owumi’s 18. Owumi will also likely be charged in defending the rim from Charles and co as 10/11 rebounds were defensive.
Worthing kept turnovers to a minimum (7) and Barking only got 3 points from them. Kestrels will need to keep turnovers down as Worthing made Barking make a lot of turnovers (22) and Worthing gained 34 points from these turnovers.
Meanwhile Kestrels started the new season shooting well. All 5 starters had a greater than 60 2P%. Team shot 81% of FT’s and 4 players had a greater or equal to 61FG%. Compare that to Worthing; 3 starters had greater than 60 2P%, 81 FT% and only 1 player had greater than 60 FG% .
Defensively, Kestrels are strong. Last season in 12/26 games, sides failed to get 71 or more points. The Kestrels also have a roughly 50% record in 2019 of getting 100 plus points.
Player insight:
Chris Hughes checked in with Solent’s Elliott Sentance and Travis Charles, as well as Worthing’s Josh Goddard an Kayne King for their views ahead of this weekend’s game.
Great start to the season Elliott, do you think you can replicate such large wining margins?
ES: “I hope so. We are working hard in practice. Gotta (sic) put that last one behind us and focus on next week though. Worthing will come to play!”
Travis, how does this side compare to last season’s team?
TC: “I feel like this side are hungry and we are willing to play together, like last year’s team. We may be more offensively versatile than last year, but other than that it’s pretty much a similar team with different faces and weapons.”
Kayne, where do you think the game could be won or lost against the Kestrels?
KK: “The game vs Solent will for sure come down to the defensive end, both teams have proved in preseason and season openers that we can put points on the board.”
How did the move to the Thunder come about?
KK: “I had been at Derby for 11 years; it was time for a change. So when Zaire and I spoke about the possibility of coming down to Worthing in the summer, I was immediately interested.”
Next up we spoke to Worthing’s Josh Goddard if any team has impressed him outside of Worthing and Kestrels:
JG: “No team has jumped out at me. However the talent bought into the league this season whether it’s via imports or home grown players making the jump from juniors to seniors will make it an interesting season for sure!”
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