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SBL: Joondalup Wolves fans to give former captain Greg Hire a rowdy reception with Rockingham Flames

Staff WriterJoondalup Times

A ROWDY reception is expected for Joondalup Wolves championship captain Greg Hire when he returns to Joondalup for the first time on Saturday since defecting to the Rockingham Flames in the State Basketball League.

The Wolves are hoping for a big turnout at HBF Arena in their final regular season home game.

It’s been a long wait for fans to see the Perth Wildcats vice-captain in enemy colours on a Joondalup court: 19 rounds, to be exact.

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The Wolves faced Rockingham away from home earlier in the year in an 83-81 victory.

Hire scored seven points and took 10 rebounds on that occasion.

He said in January that he hoped Wolves fans would “give it to him” when he played at HBF Arena for the Flames.

Wolves captain Seb Salinas, speaking in May, said he was expecting a “raucous” reception for his good mate when they faced each other in the north.

Salinas described it as “surreal” when they first came face to face on opposing sides in Rockingham.

The Flames (eighth) will be fired up for the challenge given they need to win to keep hold of a finals spot.

The second-placed Wolves have experienced a bit of a lull in recent weeks, losing two of the last three games.

Their most recent defeat came against fourth-placed Perry Lakes 106-104 at home on Friday.

But they recovered after back-to-back losses with an 88-87 triumph over the Lakeside Lightning on Saturday.