“Our identity travels” Harms ready for Nationals challenge

The celebrations have barely settled, but the Frankston Blues are already preparing to take their championship winning formula to the national stage.

Frankston secured its first NBL1 South title with a thrilling 78 to 75 victory over the Eltham Wildcats at the State Basketball Centre on Saturday night.

After surrendering an early 14 point advantage and falling behind during the second half, the Blues responded when the championship was on the line.

A crucial offensive rebound from Kynan Philippe and the defensive efforts of Dibaji Walker helped Frankston withstand Eltham’s final challenge and complete a historic victory.

Grand Final MVP Jeremy Combs led the Blues with 21 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Jack Stanwix added 16 points and seven rebounds.

The victory delivered Frankston its first men’s championship since winning the SEABL South Conference title in 2009 and secured the club a place at this weekend’s NBL1 National Finals in Adelaide.

For Harms, the days following the breakthrough have been about seeing what the achievement means to the entire Frankston community.

“Pretty special. To see the enjoyment on the players’ faces, our staff, families, supporters and particularly the people who have been around this program for a long time, that’s probably been the best part for us as a collective group,” Harms said.

“We talk a lot about being a club, and that championship belongs to a lot more people than the guys who were holding the trophy on Saturday night.

“There have been a lot of people who have invested in getting Frankston back to this point, so we have really enjoyed seeing what it means to them.”

While Harms wants his players to embrace an achievement that has been years in the making, the attention of the group has quickly begun shifting towards its next opportunity.

“Probably a bit of both. You have to allow yourself to enjoy winning a championship because they’re incredibly difficult to win,” he said.

“We talk throughout the year about ‘deep wins and shallow losses’. We’ve worked bloody hard for it, and I want our players to enjoy that achievement.

“But competitors are wired a certain way. Pretty quickly the conversation has become, ‘Alright, what’s next?’

“What’s next is an opportunity to represent Frankston and the NBL1 South on the national stage.”

Frankston’s path to the South championship provided the type of preparation Harms believes will serve his team well against the best from around the country.

The Blues defeated the Knox Raiders and regular season champion Melbourne Tigers to reach the Grand Final before surviving Eltham’s second half charge in the decider.

“That you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Finals basketball exposes you,” Harms said.

“Momentum changes, teams make runs, things don’t always go according to the scout, and there are moments where you simply have to compete and find a way.

“I thought our group showed tremendous resilience throughout the Finals. We didn’t need everything to be perfect to win.

“That’s probably the biggest lesson we take with us. At Nationals there will be unfamiliar opponents, different styles and very little time to adjust.

“Our ability to stay connected, defend, compete and solve problems in real time will be incredibly important.

“That’s what ‘Hard to Kill’ has really meant for us. It isn’t a slogan about never losing; it’s about the intangibles that keep you in the fight when talent, tactics and execution ebb and flow.”

This weekend will mark Frankston’s second appearance at the NBL1 National Finals after finishing as runners up at the inaugural tournament in 2022.

Harms coached the Blues during that campaign alongside assistants Adam Jackson, Duncan Berg and Warren Brown. Current captain Lucas Barker was part of the playing group that season, along with Henry Peirce, Thomas Garrett and Daniel Trist.

That experience highlighted how quickly a national tournament unfolds and the importance of keeping the preparation simple.

“The biggest thing I remember is how quickly everything happens,” Harms said.

“You don’t have the normal preparation time that you have during an NBL1 South season. You’re playing quality opposition, potentially backing up quickly, and you have to be able to identify what matters without overwhelming the players with information.

“Having experienced it before, our focus will be clarity over complexity.”

The challenge of preparing for several unfamiliar opponents also provides a significant contrast to the weekly routine of an NBL1 South season.

“During the South season, there’s a lot of familiarity. You know the personnel, coaches, systems and tendencies, and you’re usually able to go fairly deep into preparation,” Harms said.

“This weekend we need to be really disciplined about identifying the things that actually matter and recognising that, for us, our identity travels, our competitiveness travels and our defence travels.

“That’s what we’ll lean in on, that ‘Hard to Kill’ mindset.”

Whether watching from Adelaide or supporting from home, Harms wants the Frankston community to embrace the opportunity alongside the team.

“Enjoy it with us,” he said.

“One of the things we are most proud of about what we’ve built at Frankston is that it genuinely feels bigger than an NBL1 team.

“Our players understand they’re representing our juniors, families, past players, volunteers, supporters and everyone who has helped build the Blues.

“So, whether you’re making the trip to Adelaide or watching from home, know that you’re part of it and your support is incredibly valuable to our group.”