Stephen Dennis drives to the basket during the 2013/14 Pre-season Blitz match against the Wollongong Hawks. Source: Getty Images
MELBOURNE Tigers are "gutted" with the season-ending injury to popular new import Stephen Dennis but coach Chris Anstey says the club's NBL campaign is far from over.
"We have a real strong group," Anstey said of the cast the Tigers assembled for their quest to return to NBL prominence after a few years in the wilderness.
"The difference between this year's group and last year's is we're very together as a unit.
"The group is really tight, and still is despite the setbacks."
The setbacks have been substantial though with the Tigers experiencing nine days from hell since star off-guard and club MVP Chris Goulding seriously injured his ankle at the Blitz tournament in Sydney.
Last night at Melbourne's practice, Dennis snapped an Achilles tendon, ruling him out for the season.
And that followed team cap
Tigers duo Nate Tomlinson and Tommy Greer battle with Todd Blanchfield of Townsville. Source: Getty Images
In just nine days, Melbourne has lost three starters, point guard Dennis, off-guard Goulding and small forward Greer.
It is reminiscent of Wollongong Hawks last season, losing their point guard Rhys Martin, off-guard import Lance Hurdle and small forward Glen Saville - three starters in a matter of weeks.
But the Hawks still reached the playoffs.
The Tigers are now back to the drawing board, with pre-season matches this week against Adelaide 36ers in Millicent and Mount Gambier before their season-opener against the Kings in Sydney on Sunday-week.
"It's not a lot of time and frankly, we will be pushing it uphill to get a guy signed and registered before that," Anstey said.
"I really like the balance of our team so we want another Steve Dennis.
"He is rare though. He is a hell of a player but he's also a hell of a person.
"He fit in so well, it felt as if he'd been part of the group for a long time.
"I was enjoying him as a person and so were his teammates and looking forward to getting to know him better.
"We knew we had a special one."
In the aftermath of the pre-season Blitz tournament in Sydney, many pundits were tipping Dennis as a league MVP candidate, his silky skills, athleticism and length as a player turning heads.
"It would be a shame for the NBL if it didn't see him play (in it)," Anstey said, the Tigers keen to retain Dennis next season after he has surgery to repair the tendon today.
"It (the freak injury) was just one of those things. It was at practice last night and there were 2.9 seconds left on the clock for training.
Chris Goulding hurts his ankle. Source: Getty Images
"We just wanted to work on a baseline out of bounds play to finish up and Steve was: 'Who just kicked me?'
"I couldn't believe it."
Greer's training accident will keep him out for the best part of three months.
"We don't expect him back before Christmas," Anstey said.
"Chris Goulding is still in a moon boot so we're hoping he might be right by round four or five."
Anstey and his coaching staff worked deep into the night considering options for replacement players.
"I felt sick when Chris went down," Anstey said of watching his star rolling in agony after landing awkwardly after a three-point shot in Sydney.
"Tommy was like: 'You're kidding me.'
"And then Steve ... it was like someone had died.
"That's what he means to the group already.
"I'm devastated for them."
While it means the Tigers are hastily back at the drawing-board, Anstey remained confident Lucas Walker (osteitis pubis) would be an impact player this year and could slot into Greer's spot.
"Lucas is not 100 per cent but was having a great build-up," Anstey said.
"We can also swing Wortho (Mark Worthington) into the three (small forward) if we need.
"And when Chris comes back, he can create his own shot."
Melbourne is looking for the best available player to fill Greer's absence.
Anstey said NBL free agents such as Aaron Bruce, Mick Cedar, Rhys Carter, Nathan Herbert and Everard Bartlett were being assessed to find the "best possible fit", along with a few young prospects from Sydney and Kilsyth.
Goulding is helped off the court. Source: Getty Images
"You also consider do we throw our development players in at the deep end but I think with the way the officiating is going, we will need depth," Anstey said.
Replacing Dennis was going to be very challenging.
"The guys we were looking at before we signed Steve have all now signed somewhere else," Anstey said.
"We are looking at guys recently released from NBA rosters, summer league, we're talking with our contacts."
Anstey said Melbourne would not be able to do as exhaustive a background check on an incumbent because it was no longer about replacing a player in a few days or weeks, but closer to "seconds and minutes".
"I couldn't have been happier with the process we went through to get the two (imports) we got," he said of Dennis and Canadian centre Scott Morrison.
"We'll work on it through Saturday and by Monday should have a clear idea of what we will look like."
Anstey had praise for Greer through the club's sudden key-player crisis.
"Tommy has been outstanding as a captain," Anstey said.
"He's been great for me. Apparently, I didn't look real well yesterday.
"It was a pretty emotional session."
Anstey said the Tigers would be light-handed for their pre-season hit-outs against the 36ers.
"But we have training today, we'll all go in and get straight back to work," he said.
