Vic: Titans should have won but didn t, coach says

AAP General News (Australia)
04-18-2001
Vic: Titans should have won but didn t, coach says

MELBOURNE, April 18 AAP - Victoria Titans coach Brian Goorjian said he was going back
to the drawing board after his national basketball league club's horror finals run in
the past failed to inspire a grand final berth.

For the last four seasons, Goorjian has been coach of the losing grand finalist - twice
with the now defunct South East Melbourne and the last two with the Titans.

But Goorjian said he would have to look elsewhere for motivation after Victoria crashed
out in the semi-finals 2-1 to Townsville this week.

"I have the group of guys who are really motivated to win the championship and that
feeling of using that (losing finals) to motivate you (for next year) is how I felt last
year," Goorjian told AAP.

"And I am going to have to ponder that for the next month.

"I am still in shock, I'm devastated. To get knocked out with a team that was going
to win it, that's going to be a test for us for next year."

Goorjian would not blame the absence of injured key players Chris Anstey (ankle) and
Jason Smith (knee) for the Titans' premature finals departure.

"We won the pre-season, we finished on top after the season when we had our main group
together ... but what would have happened if we had that same group you never know," he
said.

"There have been times when you did really well to get into the grand final but going
in to this campaign I felt I had the championship team.

"But instead of winning the championship we are beaten in the semis."

Goorjian was full of praise for back-up players Brad Sheridan, Darren Smith and Kiwi
import Mark Dickel who all stepped up in the third and deciding semi-final in Townsville
last night.

"I got to see these guys under heat and I was impressed," he said.

"We have got another group of really talented young Australian players coming through
and they are the plusses you get out of the negatives."

Dickel, who hit a game-high 33 points, joined the Titans this year after four years
of college basketball in Las Vegas and represented New Zealand at the Sydney Olympics.

With New Zealanders no longer counting as imports from next season, Goorjian said clubs
should look across the Tasman for greater depth.

Cairns has already snapped up Kiwi Tony Rampton.

"Letting these guys come in from New Zealand rather than allowing a New Zealand team
in is a better avenue and great for the league," Goorjian said.

Townsville will meet the Wollongong Hawks in the best-of-three grand final series,
starting on Sunday.

AAP ac/lc

KEYWORD: NBL TITANS

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