BASKETBALL: Weeks of "close, but no cigar" came to an end with the Yowies convincing 21-point win over the Rams in Dubbo, and coach Garry Ball said it could not come quick enough.
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"The boys got to the point where they had to put some motion into our game and get the job done," he said.
"From here on in it's getting towards a must-win period.
"There are a few things we need to work on, but we're doing so much better."
Ball said the boys "put the foot down from the start and didn't let up", leading by 14 at the first break and an almost unattainable 26 at halftime.
Queanbeyan let Dubbo have a wiff of a comeback in the third quarter, reducing the lead to 20 at three-quarter time.
But the momentum was all with the Yowies and the visitors travelled home with a 46 to 67 victory and a great deal of confidence, Ball said.
"Something was missing and it was a really good feeling to get the win," he said.
"We're doing so much better blocking out on offensive and defensive boards.
"And we're playing through situations that aren't going our way, keeping our heads up."
Jeff Dowdell top scored for the Yowies with 17 points, Joshua Rowcliffe and Jono Miller kept the pressure on the Rams win 14 points each.
The Yowies travel to Wagga on Saturday to take on the Heat and will face off against Canberra at home on Sunday.
Ball said both will be tough matches, but the Yowies will be looking to rectify losses in both games that could have easily been one, particularly the one point loss to the Gunners earlier in the season.
"We're confident because we know the things we need to work on," Ball said.
"I think the boys are feeling more mentally ready, there's a better feeling about the group- we're bringing our emotion and ability to play."
