A horror show in the first quarter at home to Manchester Mystics proved decisive as Oaklands Wolves lost 82-61 in the WBBL.
The home side ended up 17 points adrift after those opening 10 minutes.
And the frustrations for head coach Lee Ryan will be that bar that spell, the new-look Wolves side showed they were more than a match for one of the league’s in-form teams.
He said: “I’ve seen a difference in recent weeks but it goes without saying that we have to start better.
“The team have fight and ability but we have to stop giving ourselves such a mountain to climb.
“When we do that consistently we can then start to take some victories.”
And as if to prove how tough the league is, Wolves face another tough road game on Saturday when they go to Sheffield Hatters.
They are back at Oaklands Sportszone on December 15 when they host Essex Rebels.
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