Coach keen on sticking with Sharks

Coach Rob Beveridge is keen to extend his time with the Southland Sharks, believing the 2021 roster can win a NBL championship in 2022.

The Sharks’ 2021 National Basketball League campaign come to an end on Thursday night when they were beaten 98-91 by Hawke’s Bay in Thursday night’s semifinal in Porirua.

Southland led 53-49 at halftime before Devondrick Walker almost single-handedly propelled Hawke’s Bay to victory with his 33-point haul.

Beveridge has been conducting player reviews in the days after the semifinal loss and said everyone had indicated there was unfinished business, and there was a desire to return in 2022. He felt the same way.

The veteran Australian coach told Stuff the Southland community and the Sharks organisation had helped him regain his love of the game, and he was keen at a shot at coaching the team again next year.

There is little doubt the Sharks management will want him back, given Beveridge has made a positive impression not just on those close to the Sharks but also the wider Southland community.

The only sticking point could be the Covid-19 situation.

Beveridge works as a consultant in Australia which includes helping universities with basketball programmes.

However, given the Covid-19 situation in Australia, that work has been halted and is not expected to restart until at least September or October.

With the Sharks role not likely to start up again until February, Beveridge could find himself without work for a while.

If a suitable international job opportunity came up in the meantime, he may need to look at it.

‘‘I’m like everyone, I’ve got a mortgage to pay,’’ he said.

However, Beveridge’s hope was that he would return next year to Southland and link back up with the Sharks.

Although the team were bundled out in the semifinal, he believed the Sharks had a championship-winning roster and the key would be to retain that group for next season.

Their 2021 campaign was marked by adversity starting with the shock cancer diagnosis of big man Alex Pledger before the season start.

Pledger played almost no part on the court this season which meant the Sharks were undersized without their seven-footer.

The Sharks also lost start shooter Alonzo Burton with a broken finger before the semifinals, while Brayden Inger spent the best part of four days in the lead-up to the semifinal away from the team with illness.

Beveridge felt that with Burton back, and if Pledger could continue his recovery, they had a championship-winning team.

He also said other players would be better with this year’s season under their belt.

‘‘We are a young team, you look at Brayden Inger, Toby Gillgooly, Tom Cowie, they are all still young.’’