Despite their undefeated start to the season, Bullets’ star Nathan Sobey remains unmoved, striving for more. Even the prospect of clinching their third consecutive win against Cairns Taipans at Nissan Arena on Saturday night hasn’t dampened Sobey’s drive for self-improvement and team excellence.
The Brisbane camp is brimming with confidence following their unexpected 89-84 triumph over the New Zealand Breakers in Auckland on Thursday night. The 33-year-old Sobey was the standout in that win, delivering a top-of-the-game 24 points, securing eight rebounds and contributing five assists.
Still, Sobey remains commendably restive, desirous of more from himself and his team. “Accepting victories and building upon them is one thing. However, given the potential this team has, mere satisfaction isn’t on the cards,” he commented. “Starting the season 2-0 feels great, but it’s about forward momentum from here.”
On reflection, Sobey attributes this year’s refreshing difference within the Bullets to new coach Justin Schueller’s approach, especially when contrasted against the prior year’s less-than-impressive campaign. Schueller, according to Sobey, encourages a daily eagerness for improvement among the players.
“We are eager to learn. We will review our strategies against the Breakers and that will give us an edge as we head into Saturday’s game. We will approach that game as a fresh challenge,” Sobey added.
Schueller, on his part, reassured that the Bullets would not underestimate the Taipans, who themselves recently recorded an 87-80 victory over South-East Melbourne Phoenix at the Cairns Convention Centre. “There simply aren’t any easy games in this league,” observed Schueller.
“We aim to learn and grow from whatever we can improve on. Our focus isn’t just on playing these brilliant teams – it’s about our own progress,” he further concluded.
Echoing the sentiment was Taipans’ rising star Bobi Klintman. Despite an impressive double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds against the Phoenix, Klintman, too, seeks more. Adam Forde, the coach of the Taipans, emphasized the importance of continued improvement stating, “We are like an eager lion cub that’s caught its prey, but doesn’t yet know how to finish the job. That’s the knowledge we need to nurture and grow.”
