LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Rohan Robinson (left) wants to get Slayers back on track today. - FILE

AFTER A solid 72-50 whipping at the hands of Urban Knights on Thursday in the KFC National Basketball League, St George's Slayers are vowing a better performance when they face Majesty Gardens this afternoon at 5:00 at the National Stadium court.

The 2005 and 2006 champs committed 35 turnovers, shot poorly and managed only seven points in the final quarter as they were thrashed handily. But with the return of several players, team captain Rohan Robinson is promising a better showing.

prepare for challenge

"We are going to get it together for Majesty Gardens on Sunday," said Robinson. "Our main problem is that we don't have a true point guard. We know that's a weakness of the team and we are working on it," he said.

Robinson, who is set to play on Sunday after missing Thursday's game with a knee injury, added that veteran Clifton Shaw would be returning to shore up the point guard spot.

"We will be activating Clifton for Sunday's game," he said.

Slayers were also short of big men on Thursday with Robinson injured and a void left by the absence of Sean Jeffries and Gary Cummings, who are no longer playing.

team has new faces

Slayers have gone through a major personnel change from their championship team two years ago. New faces include Marlon Millis, formerly of Police, and former Rae Town Raptor Byron Dixon. Robinson admitted that his new squad panicked in the final quarter against Knights on Thursday.

"We failed to take care of the ball, we panicked, then tried to play too much one-on-one ball and took bad shots," he said.

If Slayers are to get their fourth win in six outings, they must have a more efficient game against a dangerous Majesty Gardens (4-1) side which has two of the best scorers in the league - MVP Kemar McLeish and Baldon Todd. The third-year team did hit a snag earlier in the season when one player showed his disgust with some of the coach's decision by throwing an igloo on the court. Coach Ludlow Barker said, however, his team had gotten over the incident.

"That hasn't been an interruption. The team is now past that," he said.

Barker said his team would be ready for a fierce game today, bearing in mind Slayers' recent loss.

"I expect them to be in a militant mood but we're playing pretty good right now. Our first goal is to get to the mid-season final and we have to win every game from here on, to ensure that. So every game is like a final to us," said Barker.

"On defence we have to make sure there are no lapses. Offence will take care of itself with Kemar and Baldon on the court."