Fisher Starting to Swim in Hot Water

With the Wildcats starting in a slump Hamish Thomson suggests that Scott Fisher must turn it around before he starts to find himself under pressure.

Wildcats coach Scott Fisher could feel the heat if his team keeps losing. Photo © Eleven11 Photography

Since Alan Black’s departure at the end of the 2002-03 season following the Wildcats loss in the Grand Final the coaching spot has been a revolving door with former great Mike Ellis acting as cannon fodder for a transitional season being quickly replaced the following year by Scott Fisher.

Last season amongst the turmoil of the shock sacking of star Rashard Tucker, a hobbled Matt Burston, and an aging Ricky Grace, Fisher held the team together to maintain their playoff appearance record finishing just two wins behind third spot in seventh.

The people of Perth expect more than playoffs and first round exits. The faithful few that continue to roll into Challenge Stadium cling to memories of four titles between 1990 till 2000 remembering the superstars who made the playoffs but finished the job. James Crawford, Ricky Grace, Tiny Pinder, Mike Ellis, Eric Watterson and the current coach Fisher and C.E.O Andrew Vlahov. However, the Wildcats have been plunged into mediocrity.

Chief Executive Andrew Vlahov saw the current season as the time to set the team back on the right track by undertaking the biggest recruiting drive in years. Gone was Rashard Tucker who held a maximum share of the salary cap space along with retiring legend Ricky Grace. Vlahov moved to dump contracts releasing imports Lett and Ellis, as well as Adrian Majstrovich and Braith Cox.

Retaining just five players, Vlahov bought back former MVP Paul Rogers from Europe, added import Shawn Redhage who had dominated the SEABL, New Zealand international Dillon Boucher and the late signing of pocket sized David Bailey based on the reference from friend and former part-owner Luc Longley.

With added depth to the team across the board (most importantly to the big man stocks), perhaps the departure of Ricky Grace has had more impact than expected. The most isolated team in the league began the campaign with a 3 game road trip and after the loss to Townsville on their return to Perth, their record stands at just one and three.

Things could get worse quickly with the Wildcats hosting an undefeated and rampaging Melbourne Tigers then traveling to Newcastle for a clash with the Hunter Pirates. At home, the pirates are a force which convincingly beat the reigning champs Sydney. The Wildcats could easily find themselves at one and five and in need of some very strong runs to reach playoffs.

With the financial situation of the club straining and hopes of gaining interest from Asian markets, led by the Andrew Vlahov brainchild of the ‘Singapore Spectacular’, success is a must, in a city infatuated with the promise of two premiership contending football teams and a new born Rugby side.

Where does the blame of failure go? A team made largely of new players needs time to gel. If this is the case for the disappointing start, the pressure will amount to nothing if the Wildcats can manage to find the form expected of them.

But the ‘what ifs?’ of the matter would quickly draw attention to the two men pulling the strings on and off the court. Some may say Fisher has the squad to win games but perhaps Vlahov will receive some attention for his personnel choice.

The signing of David Bailey signified two things. The Wildcats wanted to continue the focus on the starting point guard as the on-court leader but also as a penetrating scorer with the off-load to the big man option, in the mould of Ricky Grace. However, Bailey’s signing also meant that the Wildcats did not have the trust in Matt Shanahan to take the starting role.

Bailey’s early season form has had impressive numbers with over 15 points, six rebounds and assists per game, as well as an assist to turnover ratio in the positive margin. But with Peter Crawford’s numbers down from 16 ppg last year to 10ppg from the opening four and neither Rogers or Burston averaging over 10 ppg, some questions have to be raised regarding how well Bailey involves his team-mates.

Argument could be made that it was time to cut Shanahan loose, after being a solid contributor coming off the bench behind Ricky Grace last season. With his pre-season dominance in the State Basketball League for the Stirling Senators and in matches against Lithuania, he should have a been given the chance to run the point.

Giving greater strength to criticism regarding the decision made by Vlahov on signing Bailey is that the Wildcats still lack the scoring prowess at shooting guard previously held by the Razorback’s James Harvey and Rashard Tucker. The strain is far too large for Peter Crawford whose scoring responsibilities out of the back court have resulted in a high turnover ratio for a player who excels when accompanied by other high quality players that allow him to run the floor with his aggressive style. Evidence of this comes from his good showings with the Boomers in the recent four Nations Tournament.

However, it has become in-built to Australian basketball’s psyche that the point guard does more than bring the ball up the floor, get play in motion and hit the open shots. Point Guards such as Ricky Grace and Derek Rucker who are point guards that look to penetrate and create opportunities, by breaking down the opposition teams’ defensive help rotation. Yet the man who was introduced to media in the presence of a red Ferrari to signify the speed of the 5’8’’ import, hasn’t fit the bill for the Wildcats as yet.

A further question must be asked about the decision to bring back an aging Paul Rogers, a past MVP with the club, as age has seemingly slown the big man down. Although another big man was needed to support the seemingly always injury troubled Matt Burston, the decision to play Rogers in front of Burston seems like a lack of faith in a player where only inexperience is stopping him from becoming a premier centre in the league.

Burston’s big frame matched with his surprising agility and speed make the home grown talent a hot prospect for the future of the club, but a year spent sitting behind Rogers (much like Matt Shanahan behind Bailey), will only mean another year where the opportunities to grow into the players they could become, is wasted.

The fact is, that Vlahov isn’t going to be sacking himself from the club which he owns. His credibility remains intact with the signings of players such as Peter Crawford, who after his move from Townsville last season was awarded the Most Improved Player. He followed it this season by Shawn Redhage, who after being released from the New Zealand Breakers was plucked from the East Coast’s SEABL league, and is now leading the team in scoring and rebounds.

Fisher has depth and a wide range of personnel to work with, but his creativity to manipulate this has seemed lacking. Fisher has a solid 5 with the most logical line up forming; Bailey and Crawford in the back court and Redhage, Ronaldson and Rogers/Burston.

Fisher has failed to show the willingness to create mismatches by unleashing either a big man team or a run’n’gun offence. A line-up including both Burston and Rogers, as well as the physical Redhage, would cause size issues that many lineups couldn’t match especially if Bailey were able to create through penetration.

Likewise, removing the twin towers and playing Ronaldson and Redhage as the big men would allow a high scoring and highly entertaining lineup to run a fast break style of offence with the likes of Crawford and slam dunk runner-up, Liam Rush, to get out and run the floor in transition.

The most notable aspect from the weekend’s game against Townsville was a lack of defence. The Crocs put up 124 points with 61 coming from the back court combo of Newley and Rillie which included 12 three-pointers from the pair and 18 for the team.

Fisher needs to tighten up the perimeter defence as the Crocs performance was a reoccurring theme following Melbourne’s Rashard Tucker putting up 36 points in their round two clash. Although Peter Crawford lead the league in steal’s last year, and with David Bailey leading this year, it can be said that the Wildcats back court are too aggressive in defence and have been caught out attempting turnovers rather than ensuring their opposition don’t control the scoreboard.

At one and three, there is till time to turn it around with the remaining 28 games and with eight of the eleven teams making finals, you’re always in with a chance. However, things must turn around or Scott Fisher will hear the rising discontent from the high expectations of the Perth fans and the sound of financial clamps. Although having won championships together, Vlahov knows it is a matter of business and may find himself having to show his old pal the door, like the former greats before him.

•  Have a view on this story? Send us your feedback!