Creon gets tough on Heat
01 November 2011
Guildford Heat Head Coach, Creon Raftopoulos, promised fans there would be changes following his side’s latest frustrating pair of defeats at the weekend.
In recent weeks he has been demanding that his players step up and he hasn't been shy in telling them that there will be changes if they don't. Following back-to-back losses against the Wolves and the Jets, he explained that the time had come.
"We had a late start this year and didn’t really have a pre-season. Until recently I felt we’d been slowly improving, but we now don’t seem to be making the progress we need to. We’re competitive, but we lack the individual who can get us over the hump and to the finish line.
"The new players I brought in at the start of the season haven’t adjusted as quickly as they need to. The BBL’s a tough league and I’m sure they’ll go on to be good players, but right now they’re not delivering the goods. In this league you’re often judged by your opposite number. Against the Jets, their point guard (Adam Brown) had 27 points and controlled the game, while we’re just not scoring enough points in that area. I was really pleased with the energy that Albert Margai brought off the bench and he’s going to be a future star in this league, but he can’t do it on his own.
"Martelle McLemore showed flashes of his old self against the Jets and I’m hoping he’ll come good in the next few games because he’s been a shadow of his former self this season.
"Mike Martin has been phenomenal for us over the seasons and his play this season has been excellent, but he’s reached the point where he can’t do it for 40 minutes a game every game. Mike needs help and we need greater depth on the bench, so I'm in the process of bringing in someone at the power-forward position and also looking at someone else.
"Unfortunately, bringing in new players is time-consuming, especially where imports are concerned, but I can assure the fans that I and the admin staff will be putting in the hours over the next few days. We’ll be working around the clock to bring in the players we need.
"I've got the owner's full backing to make the changes I need, but we have to stay within budget and so it's inevitable that we'll need to release players to make room for the newcomers. As part of that process, I have today released Kandi Mukole from his contract with the Heat. Kandi's got great potential and I hate to see him go, but by his own admission, he's not performed as well as he can and we don't have the luxury to carry players on the bench if they aren't contributing to the team."
Everyone involved with the Heat wishes Kandi well in his future career. Keep your eyes on the Heat website for further announcements regarding Kandi's replacement and future team changes.
