Buccaneers focusing on their defensive efforts but enjoy additions of Klasztorny and import Braun this week

The Buccs are picking up wins while they iron out kinks but will enjoy the inclusion of US import Josh Braun in the side this week against Lakeside Lightning.

In their road trip last weekend, the Geraldton side picked up back-to-back wins over the South West Slammers and Mandurah Magic, with both games coming down to the wire.

While they were rapt to come away with two wins, coach Dayle Joseph is the first to admit the side still aren’t playing their best ball.

“Happy to win, there’s still a lot of things we did do great so was good when you’re not playing well to still get wins,” he said.

One piece that fitted well at the weekend was import Josh Keyes, who looked a lot more comfortable in the side than in game one.

“He’s fitting in really, really well. He’s a just can-do sort of player. He’ll do whatever the team needs,” Joseph said.

“Not only prove that he can score but do other things for us, and he had a couple of tough defensive jobs as well along the way.”

With the side back home this week they will enjoy the additions of Fletcher Klasztorny, coming in for his first game, and import Josh Braun, arriving in town this week and suiting up on Saturday.

“(Braun) will probably play a very limited amount, but we’ll try and get him into the system as much as we can on Saturday,” Joseph said.

“He’s done a bit of work back home and he’s ready to play . . . we’ll go by feel once he’s here. Don’t want to throw him in the deep end.”

Braun arrives in Geraldton on Thursday and won’t have much bonding time with the team before his first game.

Joseph said the early part of the season was about ironing out the kinks and getting everyone comfortable playing together.

“Nothing’s expected of him,” he said.

“It’ll be a matter of getting him in a Buccs singlet and getting him in the system and getting a feel for what’s going on.

“I think we’ve got enough around us to be able to bring these guys in and blend them in, let them play their roles . . . hopefully by mid-season and towards the end of the season they’re right into it and helping us win games.”

With the match-up against Lakeside this week, the Buccs won’t be focusing on a special game plan and will just be working on the basics.

After allowing 104 points to Mandurah, Joseph said he wanted to drive home basics with a side that prided themselves on defence.

“We did a bit of work on that during the week,” he said. “Hopefully we can limit the Lakeside scoring power and try and take advantage of that for us at the other end.

“Not letting them get early baskets, they have to come down and run their plays and get sets against us to be able to score.

“Certainly want to be slowing down and make them have to play offence for 20-odd seconds to wear them down.”

The clash against Lakeside Lightning is on Saturday, April 20 at Activewest Stadium, with tip-off set for 7pm.