They were gallant, but ultimately their inexperience again cost them dearly in a 94-70 defeat to Central Coast on Saturday night.

Coach Mark Champion was pleased with his team’s performance for half the match although he conceded it was the other half that still needed work.

“Our first quarter and our last quarter were not good and our second and third were very good,” he said.

“It was a game of runs, but when they had their run we let them score too easily.

“Sometimes in state league basketball you have to earn the right to have those runs and it wasn’t that they were really hot, we just went really cold.”

The Dolphins conceded most of their points (60) for the match in the first and last quarters.

“Ultimately we had two quarters where we let them score too easily and that’s what killed us,” Champion said.

“In saying that, we were down by 11 going into the final quarter and the boys genuinely thought they had a chance to be in a game and maybe even win it.”

Champion admitted a lack of confidence remained the Dolphins’ biggest hurdle to clear.

“It was one of our better performances for the year, but you put it down to a lack of confidence and inexperience which only comes with time,” he said.

“We let it go at the end again.”