The two-game road trip in week two went swimmingly for the Auckland Tuatara as they recorded wins in Nelson and Christchurch to jump to the top of the Sal’s NBL table.
Aaron Young’s side have become arguably the talk of the league after racing out to a 3-0 record over the first couple of weekends of action and playing some impressive basketball in the process.
Their win over the Rams in Christchurch saw the Tuatara have to knuckle down and grind out a win over a good defensive outfit – something that made Young particularly happy.
“The guys they brought in – they want to be a defensive-minded team,” he said. “Even their import point guard they brought in is a very good defender.
“It was a great challenge for us. We knew they had three guys coming in and we just had to limit their touches and make the other guys try to beat us.
“Just the weekend in general has been really good – getting away together as a group and everything has gone well.”
The front court combination of twin big men in Rob Loe and Chris Johnson has proved a handful for the Airs, Giants and Rams to combat and they have dominated proceedings so far.
But Young said that was always the plan.
“When we put the team together this is what we envisioned. They just keep getting better,” he said.
“It makes it so hard for teams to score over us having two guys that big that are that experienced and have such good basketball IQ.”
The Tuatara now have a week to recover from the tough road trip before heading south to the Capital next Monday for a game against the defending champion Wellington Saints.
The Saints are at the other end of the spectrum having dropped their first two games of the season but a talented roster and more help arriving, Young thinks they will be a huge test for his side.
“They will be hungry especially with it being their first game at home. They will want to get their season back on track.
“They have quality players across the floor and we will embrace that challenge.”