Gloucester City Queens begin challenging week with clash against Oaklands Wolves in the WBBL

Gloucester City Queens take on Oaklands Wolves, Cardiff Met Archers and Newcastle Falcons in a crucial run of games in the WBBL this week.

All the teams, including the Queens, currently sit in the bottom five in the Championship, meaning it could be a decisive week for all involved.

The Queens are on a seven game losing streak following their most recent loss last weekend at the hands of league leaders, Sheffield Hatters.

Not the result we hoped for, but thank you Queens fans for your support! 🏀👑#WBBL #BritishBasketball pic.twitter.com/pdz8ZVawRD

— Gloucester City Queens (@GlosCityQueens) March 20, 2022

Their opposition for this Sunday, the Wolves are also in a rut and have failed to win a game since they last defeated the Queens on the eighth of January.

This game was a scrappy affair in which the Queens lost out by just two points, Marriott shared his views on that match and what his side need to do to improve:

“I think we have just got to execute from the start, I do not think we played very well in the first half and we had just come back from the Christmas break”.

“We had to claw ourselves back into the game and expanded so much energy that towards the end our execution was not there to help us go on and win the game”.

Coming up this weekend! 👇 https://t.co/e3Vgn0oz5y

— Gloucester City Queens (@GlosCityQueens) March 23, 2022

An ever present problem the Queens have had to contend with this season is injuries and Marriott mentioned how difficult it has been to deal with:

“We are a lot of players down on the team that was able to get that experience, (the last game against the Wolves) meaning we have to manage things differently.”

“We have to question where are our points going to be coming from and more importantly how we set up to defensively to make sure we stop the game they want to play”.

“You cannot really afford to get down about it, you have just got to get on with the pieces that you have at your disposal”.

As it’s #stpatricksday let’s take time to say how much we miss our 🇮🇪 international @maurafitzz and wish her a speedy recovery 👑🏀
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📸 @jssportphoto
.#britishbasketball #alwaysaqueen pic.twitter.com/fADYmWNVMm

— Gloucester City Queens (@GlosCityQueens) March 17, 2022

It is far from an ideal situation for the Queens, but Marriott stated that it creates an opportunity for all the players to prove themselves:

“I kind of like it, it is a bit of adversity, it shows us who is on the boat, who wants to fight, who wants to be here, who cares, I could not of asked more of them in practice at the moment”.

Essex Rebels pick up a comfortable victory on the road, beating Gloucester City Queens 91-42 👏#BritishBasketball pic.twitter.com/JMxCh4eNhW

— WBBL (@WBBLofficial) March 13, 2022

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The team has clearly been putting in an enormous amount of effort, the results may not be there at the moment, but over time it will come:

“I think we have done the best that we can, if anybody else had the injury count we have got, I would expect them to be struggling as we are”.

“We need to be a little bit patient with the girls and the moment they are going through, you have just got to keep fighting through.”

Laser focus: the mental ability to give 100 percent of your attention to the task. 👑

We host @Oaklandsball this Sunday!

🎫https://t.co/ykUdVPLv88#WBBL #BritishBasketball pic.twitter.com/XQQQMUOTuB

— Gloucester City Queens (@GlosCityQueens) March 22, 2022

Another factor that Marriott spoke about was how much the team have learnt from the teams at the top end of the league:

“It gives you an idea of levels, they show their professionalism, their class”.

“They are just great to watch, London, Sevenoaks, Sheffield, they really set the tone for the rest of the league”

“That is where we want to be as a team, we have got to get more competitive and start closing that gap”.

🏆2022 WBBL Trophy Champions🏆

Congratulations! @LondonLions 👏#BritishBasketball #WBBLTrophy pic.twitter.com/danTSFpk84

— WBBL (@WBBLofficial) March 20, 2022

If the Queens want to get to that level, they have a long way to go, but they are certainly approaching it the right way.

The pathway they are laying out is one for the future and it is one Marriott is heavily invested in:

“The key is to embrace the challenge and I know that the girls will always give the best they can”.

“We have more than enough players that can compete at a high level, we know where we want to be and how we need to go about our business”.