Perth Lynx Coach Urges Maley to Back Her Skills Amid Opponent's Unusual Tactics
Perth Lynx coach Ryan Petrik is encouraging co-captain Anneli Maley to trust in her abilities and disregard opposition strategies following a perplexing shooting downturn in recent WNBL matches.
Opponents Daring Maley to Shoot from Beyond the Arc
In a surprising tactical move, Bendigo, Townsville, and Sydney have all opted not to defend Maley on the three-point line over the last three games, despite her strong shooting form earlier this season. Maley was shooting at an impressive 37 percent from beyond the arc this season, including making nine of her last fifteen attempts leading into the HoopsFest clash against Bendigo.
However, since opponents began ignoring her on the perimeter and daring her to shoot, Maley's performance has significantly declined. She missed all five long-range shots against Bendigo, converted only two of ten attempts against Townsville, and then missed ten of eleven shots against Sydney.
Petrik Expresses Confidence in Maley's Shooting Ability
Petrik noted that there was a period earlier in Maley's career when teams would leave her unguarded, but he expressed astonishment that opponents are employing this tactic now that she has developed into a legitimate scoring threat. He acknowledged that the strategy has clearly affected Maley's confidence.
"It's something she's seen in patches. Not as bad as this," Petrik stated. "When we saw Townsville do it we thought it was a gutsy strategy that paid off in spades. Until we can fix it, teams will keep doing it. But it's a much riskier strategy than it was six years ago because she is legitimately a decent shooter these days. She's just had a really bad three-game sample size."
All Eyes on Upcoming Match Against Southside Melbourne Flyers
Attention will be focused on Maley during Tuesday night's crucial match against Southside Melbourne Flyers at Victoria's State Basketball Centre, where observers will watch to see what defensive approach the Flyers adopt against her. The Flyers, currently clinging to fourth position on the ladder, will have undoubtedly studied how Maley has been defended in recent games.
Despite the recent struggles, Petrik emphasized that the Lynx want the ball in Maley's hands and remain confident she will make opponents regret their defensive choices.
"We want her to keep shooting it," Petrik affirmed. "They're good shots for us. The shot will come back. We've got a few players right now who are not playing at 1000 percent. That will happen in a season. You will ebb in and out of form. We are positive she will be fine come finals time."
