The stir-crazy Perth Wildcats have resorted to playing hide-and-seek in their hotel rooms, but coach Trevor Gleeson is hopeful the NBL club's quarantine will end on Saturday morning
The defending champions were ordered to quarantine for two weeks in their hotel after arriving in Victoria on Wednesday, with the team only let out to practice and for games.
But with Western Australia recording no cases of COVID-19 during its five-day hard lockdown, Victoria has taken down its hard border restriction with the State.
The Wildcats are hopeful that means their quarantine period will be ended by Saturday morning, instead of having to wait another 10 days.
Gleeson said an early end to the quarantine would be important as his team prepare for Sunday's hdeavyweight clash with Melbourne United in Bendigo.
"The biggest thing for us is if we're under quarantine, we'll have to drive to Bendigo before tip-off and drive back home," Gleeson said.
"That's a concern. We want to travel the day before so the guys aren't crammed in the car.
"We've got four cars for 20 people and equipment. Hopefully fingers crossed we can travel (on Saturday instead of Sunday).
"Otherwise we have to do like what we did when we were kids - travel two hours, jump out of the car and play a game of basketball, which is not ideal."
Gleeson said his players have been doing their best to stay upbeat under trying conditions.
"Last night all the power went off in the hotel," Gleeson said.
"So the guys got together, and everyone had to open their door and play a game of hide and seek.
"I don't know of too many professional sporting teams playing a game of hide and seek in a hotel while the power was out.
"We've put a team joke every day to keep the mood light. It's pretty easy to get negative. We're trying to lighten things up."
Veteran Jesse Wagstaff copped plenty of heat on social media after missing a simple lay-up on the buzzer in last week's one-point loss to South East Melbourne Phoenix.
But after having a week to reflect on it, even he can see the lighter side.
"Yesterday at practice one of the guys was going for a lay-up and he's said, 'Don't do a Wagstaff'," Gleeson said.
"So he's even named his shot.
"Jesse's a pretty quiet achiever, but he's a fierce competitor, and you can bet you he's going to have a good couple of games coming up."
