Southland Sharks cut import mid-season
“It is a people’s first organisation and this comes to a true testing point for I suppose where high-performance meets that, because it’s never nice to let anyone go."
The Southland Sharks have made the bold call to axe one of its imports midseason as they look to bolster the roster for a shot at the 2023 NZ Basketball League playoffs.
The Sharks announced on Tuesday it was parting ways with 2.18m big man Romaro Gill.
Southland has a replacement import identified with an announcement expected soon.
Sharks coach Guy Molloy said it was a tough day on Tuesday letting a player go. Although he felt it was in the best interests of the team, in terms of pushing for results during the second half of the season.
“We have not really been effective in combating the best and biggest frontlines in the league and we felt that ultimately would be the barrier to progression on our season at some point.
“Hence, we are making the changes we need to make, obviously with full empathy and sympathy for a terrific bloke in Ro.”
Molloy approached Sharks club officials about the prospect and acknowledged it was a tough call for the club which prides itself on a “people’s first” type approach.
The Sharks have previously cut players midseason but it has been somewhat of a rarity compared to some other high-flying teams in the league.
Molloy said it was a balancing act between that people-first approach and operating in a high-performance environment where results were also paramount.
“It is a people’s first organisation and this comes to a true testing point I suppose, where high-performance meets that.
“Because it’s never nice to let anyone go, we want to have the high-standards around high performance as well.”
“Credit to the club, they’ve helped support what is a difficult day, but one that we hope will be the right decision for the club.”
Molloy conceded it was a difficult conversation to have advising Gill they would be cutting him for the remainder of the season.
“It has been very rare that this club has been in that position, but also myself as a coach as well. You just want to get it right at the point of the initial recruitment.”
When Southland signed Gill for the 2023 season, after he played out the 2022 season with the Sharks, there was a plan that the Jamaican would probably share some of the workload with Alex Pledger this season.
However, the timing of that, for various reasons, hasn’t come about and probably to Gill’s detriment left him singled out a lot, Molloy said.
Pledger is rejoining the Sharks for the second half of the season but Molloy says his biggest impact in the group will probably be through his experience in and around the group.
The former Tall Black is returning from a lengthy stint on the sidelines following his cancer battle.
The new import will be a direct replacement for Gill and will need to carry a significant amount of the workload.
“We certainly have a player in mind,” Molloy said.
Southland currently has a four-win five-loss record through the first half of the season sitting fifth in the 10-team Sal’s NZ National Basketball League.
The Southland Sharks’ next assignment is against Hawke’s Bay in Invercargill on Saturday night.