What a round for blowout wins. The average winning margin this week was 24 points. Thank the 36ers for not getting that badly beaten of the average margin would be a whole lot worse.
Johnson provided the only real production in this
game for the team from Adelaide with his huge game of 21pts and 16reb and
showing dominance on the offensive end and on the boards, something he is
becoming more accustomed to while putting himself in front runner standing for
most improved player.
To describe the
Tigers of late we will have to nerd it up a little and use the term coined by
Unicron in the original Transformers cartoon movie “Proceed, on your way to
oblivion”.
Put it this way, the Kings got more blocks (6) than the 36ers, the
Breakers had 2 players get 5 assists, Myron Allen got 6 assists for the Tigers,
and Brad Robbins got 5 steals against the Crocs a few nights later.
Crocs take
out the 36ers, 79 - 69
The season for the 36ers seems to have hit a
plateau, only problem is that plateau is on the level of mediocrity.
With the loss of their inspirational leader and
their most potent offensive weapon Adam Ballinger for most of the season bar a
few comeback trials, the 36ers outlook wasn’t good early on in the season, the
arrival of Diamon Simpson changed that view and the outstanding play of young
big man Daniel Johnson gave 36ers fans some form of hope for more than another wooden
spoon.
 |
| The 36ers season has been full of disappointment |
Only problem for Johnson was the rest of his team
couldn’t lift to the level of his play with only Chris Warren and Nathan
Herbert bothering to show up to help out, Warren with 13pts 3reb but also committing
5 turnovers and Herbert with 11pts and 5reb.
Adelaide had a total of 5 assists for the whole
game as a team, something that doesn’t show a good sign for any team on the
offensive end and an issue that needs to be addressed if they are to pass on the
wooden spoon award to another team this year.
The Crocs were a little more balanced on both
ends of the floor which showed the results in the final score.
Even though Luke Schenscher was having trouble
controlling Daniel Johnson on the defensive end his presence and return to the
Crocs line up provided some form of size in the paint to change shots and
provide a target on the low block on offence, Big Luke is playing himself back
into game shape and had a reasonable 10pts and 7reb, his return will definitely
be a big boost for the Crocs going into the latter half of the season.
Import Eddie Gill lead the way with his 17pts
7reb, the veteran point guard steers the ship for the Crocs and provides a cool
head and tremendous ability to control the offence, Jacob Holmes, who
deservedly signed a long term deal with the Crocs had another double double
with 10pts 10reb, Peter Crawford continuing his productivity with 14pts and
Michael Cedar seems to be finding some resemblance of form with 13pts.
The Crocs needed this win to have any hope of
staying in the race for the playoffs, but with a follow up game in this round
against the in form Wildcats in the Jungle, they will need to raise it to
another level in a short space of time to keep that dream alive.
Breakers smash the Kings, 93 - 64
The Kings recently had been running on
adrenaline after the loss of Aaron Bruce and showed a lot of heart against the
league leading Wildcats last round, unfortunately that spark wore off against
the other top team in the league and the Kings got a right royal spanking from
the form team of the competition in the Breakers.
Julian Khazzouh did what he usually
does and dominated the game for the Kings, having a low post scoring threat
like JK keeps the Kings able to at least be competitive, his 20pts 8reb is
close to his season averages and his consistency on both ends of the floor the
only real positive sign the Kings have to grab onto.
Anatoly Bose was the only other double
figure scorer in this game for the Kings with 13pts 7reb 3ast, his production
has undeniably put him in the driver’s seat for Rookie of the Year honours,
knowing he will be part of the Kings roster for the foreseeable future gives
Kings fans some hope of a revival in the harbour city.
The Breakers on the other hand are
without a doubt the form team of the competition right now and a 29 point
victory shows they are more than just a potent offensive team, they have also
become much tougher defensively.
While there were only 3 double digit
scorers for the Breakers, the entire team apart from development player Dion
Prewster scored and had points against their name in the box score.
Gary Wilkinson again lead the way and
has been one of the league’s most consistently productive players this season
with 18pts 5reb, while not the greatest rebounder, Wilkinson does play good
defence and is a great help defender which could be a reason why, helping on a
defensive assignment leaves other players to rebound when he helps.
Thomas Abercrombie is showing signs of
improvement with more consistency week after week, while his athleticism is
what is most often talked about, his consistency and production this year are
proving he is becoming a smarter and more reliable player more than just a
highlight reel.
Cedric Jackson was the other double
figure scorer with his 10pts but it is his rebounding ad assist numbers that
are the best parts of his game, a great rebounder for a guard he would more
than likely be second only to Damian Martin of the Wildcats for rebounding
numbers for a point guard and his assists and constant bordering on triple
doubles week after week that proves he is a very versatile player who needs to
be scouted well.
The Breakers are in a fantastic battle
with the Wildcats for top spot on the Ladder, when these 2 teams meet for the
first time this season, it’s going to be an epic blockbuster game to be watched
by all.
Hawks back on the rise, defeat Tigers, 90 - 68
 |
| Walker arguable looks better in a mask |
After the highly
reported shenanigans of owner Seamus McPeake and what is now being referred to
as Ubakagate after the sensational firing of the Tigers import, the Tigers just
seemed to have lost all momentum and sense of team harmony and chemistry, this
game reinforced that fact as they came up against a desperate Hawks team and
matchup with their former import.
Even the introduction
of new import Myron Allen fresh off the plane to play against the Hawks and a
near triple double while dealing with jetlag with 17pts 9reb 6ast, the Tigers
were just in a complete shambles.
League leading scorer
Cam Tragardh was nowhere to be found with just 4pts and 2reb, only Liam Rush
with 18pts 6reb and Ron Dorsey with 12pts and 3ast showed any semblance of the
team that were the Tigers for most of the season.
The major question
hampering the Tigers and their fans is their rotation, why is Matt Burston
playing only 16 minutes a game when the Tigers are being outsized most nights
in the paint, why is Trigger playing most of his minutes at the 5 spot, when is
Daniel Dillon going to be the player the Tigers hoped they had signed?
The Hawks had been
down of late, but there is fight in the old dog left, and it was the old dogs
of the Hawks who lead the way, Matt Campbell leading the way with 17pts and the
Glen Saville of old with 13pts 9reb providing the driving force of a Hawk
resurgence.
Former Tiger Ayinde
Ubaka played his first game as a Hawk against his old team and had a 15pt 4reb
3ast outing to give his old boss a little “how ya like me now” flavour. Oscar Forman with
10pts 3reb and Joevan Catron with 12pts 5reb rounded out the scorers for the
Hawks. This win had been a
long time coming and was a much needed morale booster for the Hawks, with any
luck it could just change their season and at least provide some positive signs
that can be built on.
Perth
destroy Townsville, 87-55
An unenthused Townsville unit dried off their rain soaked clothes
a trekked West to enjoy the summer sun. A clumsy start by the Wildcats and some
streaky shooting kept the Crocs in the game; but not for long. The Crocs own
mistakes were the beginning of their undoing, looking inside to Luke Schenscher
who was being frustrated by the equally tall Luke Nevill. The Crocs also failed
to look after the ball; at times looking unlikely to even get it past their
back court. The tone of the night was eventually set when Peter Crawford gave
up after having the ball stolen by Brad Robbins who went on to an uncontested
layup.
Coach Woolpert is a very boring coach to watch when he isn’t
telling the referees what he really thinks. The Cats defence had the Crocs in a
death grip and barrel roll. A rare let down in letdown in defensive pressure
saw Todd Blanchfield with a dunk, As Todd back down the court you could see the
shocked look on his face that get got the basket so easy. The other highlight
for the Crocs was PC forcing Greg Hire to commit the foul on the three point
shot leading to a four point play, the second for the league in 2 weeks.
When things were looking dark for the Crocs the Wildcats came out
and went on a 14-0 run before a set of Blanchfield free throws stopped the run.
From there both teams treaded water and the Crocs found themselves on the wrong
side of a 32 point shellacking.
With the referees allowing a greater than usual level of contact
the Wildcats could do what they do best, body up and play tight. Instead of
playing the game the same way Townsville opted the shrug the shoulders and
complain to the referee tactics. It isn’t so much that Townsville turned their
attentions to complaining but more so that their heads were never in the game.
Never at one stage did they look interested. Perth ran rings around Townsville because
Townsville let them.
Townsville have a busy schedule over the next few rounds and can’t
afford to dwell on this. Yes they got waxed but it’s time to move on and put themselves
in a position to play finals basketball. 10 turnovers from their starting back
court is a cause for concern. The Crocs need to bring the ball up the court as
a team and not try to beat the press singlehandedly. Jacob Holmes was the pick
of a stock exchange bunch. Holmes finished with 14 points and 11 boards.
Perth showed that the team that plays together wins together. Luke
Nevill playing the ultimate teammate role dishing out 6 assists and added 11
points and 2 blocks to the teams tally. Shawn Redhage top scored with 16 points
and grabbed 6 boards whilst Jesse Wagstaff continues his red hot form finished with
13 points, 4 boards and 4 dimes. Kevin Lisch added another 15 points.
Blaze dominate Taipans, 76-49
In a round with blowout victories the Blaze handed the
Cairns Taipans a good old fashion ass whupping. Much like their neighbouring
Crocs the Snakes never looked like part of the game, their minds distant in
some sort of alternate universe where where they play crips fast pace high
scoring basketball.
In the lowest score for the season the Taipans were just
horrible, being caught half a step behind all night. Cairns
 |
| The only thing uglier than this sweater is the Taipans |
This does not mean that the Blaze weren’t without their
flaws. The team that likes to run and gun still got caught in Cairn’s slow
paced style and shot an unimpressive 41% from the floor including 4/19 from
outside. To the Blaze’s credit they did rebound well, winning the battle of the
boards 42-27, offensive rebounds 17-8.
Gold Coast had this game wrapped up by three quarter time,
if not half time. Mark Worthington almost scored more than the Taipans. Wortho
finished with a game high 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Anthony Petrie,
Adam Gibson and Adris Deleon all finished with 10 points each but Deleon’s 7
boards (4 of them offensive) put him higher in the pecking order. With the
right combination of teams losing this week the Blaze have found themselves in
the top four; are the Blaze ready to surge? It would be a great time in the
season to find some form.
Alex Loughton scored 12 points at an efficient 6/7 from the
field whilst Jamar Wilson had a game he would rather forget going 2/11 from the
field.
(Box Score)
Can’t Buy
a Damn Thing Award
One would think that the Crocs should get this one for the ‘effort’
against the Wildcats but they weren’t really playing basketball that night. It
is their Thursday night opponents that take this metaphoric cake this week.
The 36ers managed a terrible 5 assists as a team against the Crocs
on Thursday night. When comparing it to the 20 turnovers they racked up it
leave a hardly impressive assist/turnover ratio of 0.25. Yuck!
Put it this way, the Kings got more blocks (6) than the 36ers, the
Breakers had 2 players get 5 assists, Myron Allen got 6 assists for the Tigers,
and Brad Robbins got 5 steals against the Crocs a few nights later.
Gimme my
Change Award
Ayinde Ubaka got the last laugh this week. A fortnight after being
kicked to the curb by Melbourne Tiger’s honcho Seamus McPeake Ubaka found
himself suiting up against his old comrades and not only got the huge win but
finished the game with 15 points, 4 boards, 3 assists and three steals. Not bad
stats in 21 minutes on the floor.
Keep smiling Ayinde, don’t let the man who wears the “big pants”
get you down.
Hey champs, please take the time to swing by our Facebook page and like us the old fashioned 'Like'. We plan on having some exclusive news/ stories soon and maybe the odd giveaway.
Breakers add to Tigers woes and defeat them, 91 – 77
Breakers add to Tigers woes and defeat them, 91 – 77
 |
| Artist impression of McPeake striking down Ubaka |
With Daniel
Dillon now having to take on the ball handling and playmaking the Tigers the
Tigers were short handed in the back court with their new import not suiting
up.
Dillon and Liam
Rush picked up the slack and both player scoring a team high 18pts, Dillon did
also have 5reb 4ast and 2st but also committed 6 turnovers which cost the
Tigers dearly, Rush also added 6reb and 3ast.
Probably the
most positive sign for the Tigers was the return of big man Matt Burston to
relieve some pressure of Cam Tragardh, while Trigger probably enjoyed not
having to play the pivot, he did have a mediocre game both offensively and on
the boards by his standards with 12pts 5reb and 4ast, with extra help on the
low block you would think those numbers would have gone up and not down.
Matt Burston
was the only other player in double figures but was nowhere to be found on the
boards, you can expect that from a player returning from injury and not being
in game shape, but if the Tigers are to go anywhere except down the ladder,
that really needs to change.
The Breakers on
the other hand were once again in outstanding form and were lead by the red
headed wonder Gary Wilkinson who was again leading the way for the Breakers
with his consistent level of productivity with a 21pt 7reb effort.
Import Cedric
Jackson who is a consistent tripe double threat week in and week out again had
solid numbers notching up 13ast to go with his 10pts and 5reb, Mika Vukona,
Alex Pledger and Darryl Corletto all scored 12pts for the game, Pledger
including a huge dunk over Lucas Walker and Vukona adding 7reb to go with his
scoring.
Thomas
Abercrombie had a slightly less impressive game than his usual scoring night
but his 13pts added to the great work done by Wilkinson to comfortably lead the
Breakers to a convincing victory over the struggling Tigers.
So with the
Breakers now on top of the table and looking to stay there with the Wildcats,
who possibly can say they are not the current form team of the competition,
more than likely nobody.
The Tigers on
the other hand do not have such a great outlook, unless their new import is a
volume scorer and half decent defender, their lack of size is going to be their
downfall, quite a different problem than last season where their overabundance
of size was the issue, a seemingly unstable or unprofessional dictator of an
owner who expects results now rather than building a Tigers team of old and
with that a reputation of mistreating players.
Pray Tigers
fans, pray really hard.
Wollongong Break Streak, beat Taipans 74-80
Yes, you read
correct. Wollongong have broken their losing streak. In what seems like their
first victory since the 1991 season the Hawks withstood a late game Taipan charge
to hold out for the six point victory.
After plastering
on 20 third quarter points and containing the Taipans to 9, Wollongong were
almost scared of winning as they watched a 14 point lead slip to 4. Cairns had
the momentum but the Hawks were ice cold at the line.
It is no secret
that Cairns struggle to put points on the board and rely on a slower, scrappier
game to get the job done. Averaging a league low 72 points per game it took the
Taipans a 26 point final quarter to eclipse that mark, and that was only just.
Joevan Catron
was more Joevan ‘Can’tron’. Joevan unable to get into the swing of things
mustering a paltry 5 points and 3 boards in a foul plagues 15 minutes of
action. Maybe the Hawks are embarrassed by Catron’s season as it progresses
given that Catron still doesn’t have a profile page on the Hawks website.
Not only did the ‘Gong spread the love, they
spread the workload with six players scoring double figures. Oscar Forman 13,
Tim Coenrad 12, ‘David Larryson’ 11 and guards Glen Saville, Mat Campbell and
Tyson Demos with 10 apiece.
Jamar Wilson,
as usual led the way and the charge for the Snakes scoring 18 points and
grabbing 8 rebounds. No doubt Wilson will be alarmed by his 5 turnovers. Wilson’s
partner in crime, Andrew Warren was the only other Snake to shed its restrictive
skin. Warren scored an inefficient 17 points and grabbed three steals.
Wildcats steal one against the Kings, 76-75
Word going
around was that the Kings were going to get more than 8,000 through the gate
against the top of the ladder Perth Wildcats. Much like the anticipated crowd
attendance the Kings came in to the game optimistically, but it was Graeme Dann’s
two botched free throws that left them misty optically. Losing by a point Dann
found himself on the free throw line with 0.4 of a second left. Not one to take
his time at the line the Kings folk could only look on as both shots clanged
off the rim and the Wildcats walk away winning by the narrowest of margins.
The Kings looked
sketchy at times and brilliant at times. Shooting a crummy 3/16 (19%) from the
land of plenty you could argue the Kings slat out sucked from outside; but it
wasn’t the 13 they missed, it was the three they hit at the right parts in the
context of the game. It was just their free throws that they couldn’t hit at
all, collectively shooting a little north of 50% (18/34). In stark contrast the
Wildcats shot 5/6 for a lot better percent but a lot smaller amount.
Anatoly Bose
pump faked himself to the free throw line for a lousy 8/15 (53%) but did finish
with 16 points and 10 boards whilst Jerai Grant finished with 17 and Ben Magden
16. Sydney hero and Gilette endorsee Julian Khazzouh couldn’t get going against
Luke Nevill but that didn’t stop the Kings putting up a fight.
Perth may
wonder why they barely got the charity stripe, or they will just put it behind
them as they charge the court 100 miles per hour.
Luke Nevill has
shown he has found his spot within the team led the way with 19 points whilst
Shawn Redhage was much in the clutch and Jesse ‘I should really wear a headband’
Wagstaff both finished with 15 points. Kevin Lisch had an uncharacteristically
off night and I fear those who man up against him in his next game. The kid is
going to look to rebound.
Blaze add salt to
Tigers Wounds: 92-78
With the leagues losing a Showron the Tigers took it upon
themselves to add a Myron. Yes, Myron Allen had only just touched down in
Australia before being require to ‘suit up’ and lace up his hi-tops. Luckily
for Allen the Tigers remembered to bring a spare outfit for him otherwise he would
have been playing in his birthday suit.
It was possible to think that it was the whole Melbourne
team that had just flown in and experiencing jet lag as the Blaze ran off to a
quick 8-0 lead before Gleeson called on of his timeouts. Dorsey was the only
person who took any notice to Gleeson as he almost singlehandedly put the
points on the board.
No doubt a lot has changed in Tigerland in a week and this
has certainly changed the Tigers mojo and affected their collective efforts on
the court. An owner allegedly coming in to the changeroom after the game to
blast and berate the players before firing an import is hardly going to
increase team morale and despite this it was good to see the Tigers knuckle
down in the third quarter and cut the lead from 18 to 10. The Tigers run capped
off with a steal and lovely Daniel Dillon fast break dunk.
The Blaze clearly had the Tigers number and this game never
looked in dispute. The Blaze owned their home court tonight delighting
themselves if not the crowd. After beating the Tigers twice in a week the Gold Coast
are ready to make their charge at the final four. It’s going to take a lot of
smiling and high-fiving to get there. Adam Gibson put his name in serious
boomer consideration after a beautiful 23 points and showed that he can rebound
like Damian Martin collecting 7 rebounds. Mark Worthington easily piled on
another 19 points and 9 boards whilst his hi mentee Anthony Petrie added 12
points.
Cameron Tragardh capped of a week he is hoping to forget
going an almost Graeme Dann Free-throw like 5/16 from the floor for 10 points.
Myron Allen provided some hope for Melbourne fans with 13 points and 8 assists
playing for a team whose system he doesn’t know. It was Ron Dorsey who carried
the hopes of the Tigers. Last year’s dunker and this year’s three point jacker,
Dorsey scored a game high 24 points whilst going 4/5 from outside. Shane McDonald
who the Tigers were proud to announce that they signed didn’t get any game
time.
Crocs hold out on
charging Hawks, 65-63
Hot off their victory against the Taipans they Hawks though
they were all that and ventured to the swamp to get their feet dirty.
After eradicating a nine point deficit at the final break
the Hawks levelled the game with a Larry Davidson field goal with a little more
than a minute to play. After both teams ran the shot clock fown and missed
clutch shots Eddie Gill who wasn’t able to hit the side of barn managed to nail
a 2 pointer with 4 seconds to go. Time promptly ran out for the Hawks and they
could only look at each other stunned, disbelieved that they didn’t win this
one too.
Firstly, 65 points should never be enough to win a game and
it is a shame that the Hawks couldn’t capitilise on the Crocs scoring woes and
take this one from out of their hands. Townsville, count yourself lucky that
you weren’t going up against any other team as you would have been buried, by a
lot, after all the Hawks had played the night before on the road and could be
excused for being a little worn out.
Todd Blanchfield was red hot going 6/7 (3/4 from outside) on
his way to 15 points and pulled in 8 boards, Elvin Mims added 12 and Eddie Gill
shit 5/13 for his 11 points. Jacob Holmes, Peter Crawford and Luke Schenscher
although dressed, had the night off from contributing.
In what is becoming a typical affair Joevan Catron failed to
impress. Mat Campbell’s old legs weren’t up to the stresses of a double head
and Tyson Demos put in a stock exchange effort leaving Tim Coenraad (16 points
9 rebounds), Oscar Forman (16 points, 6 boards) and Rhys Martin (11 points)
were left to pick up the slack.
Gimme my Change Award
Adelaide thought they would sort this game out in the first
10 minutes blowing out to a 12 point quarter time lead. Cairns took advantage
of the 36ers shutting up shop early and pounced in the second quarter scoring
27 points to the 36ers 12.
Nothing is more frustrating for a coach than blowing a good
start. The NBL is a very strong competitive league and if you want to win games
you need to show up for 40 minutes. Then again it took the Taipans 12 minutes
to turn this game into the slowed down rugged-fest that suits their tastes.
Tempo is major factor in the success of a team and more often than not the
Taipans know how to set the tempo.
The fans who until last week were considered the league’s ‘most
knowledgeable’ were treated to a rarity in professional basketball. Andrew
Warren nailed a four point play, much to the dismay of the crowd.
Daniel Johnson has a slow game but eventually changed gear
in the final stanza and finished with 13 points and 9 rebounds whilst Stephen
Weigh (that is a name that hasn’t popped up much this season) was hot,
finishing with 21 points but with 5 disappointing turnovers. The rest of the
36ers failed to get into the swing of things instead taking their talents to
the stock exchange.
Jamar Wilson finished his week with another 25 points whilst
Alex Loughton pounded away for 18 points and 7 boards. Ian Crosswhite and Aaron Grabau both chipped
in with 11 points each. Although the Snakes walk out with the win, perhaps what
is most disappointing was Andrew Warren’s 6 points, 1 steal and nothing else in
31 minutes running aimlessly around the court. Warren couldn’t even manage a
foul in that time, something most players manage to do on an off night.
Can’t Buy a Damn Thing Award
A special mention goes to the whole Seamus McPeake and Ayinde Ubakalaka circus. We have paid visual homage to it earlier in this piece and we would love to hear from you guys in the comments section below.
Gimme my Change Award
Arguably there is no better saying in the world than ‘it is
better to give than to receive’; and this phrase rings true for Cedric Jackson
and the Breakers. Whilst Jackson took 6 shot attempts, the electric import
dropped 13 assists against the Tigers on Thursday night.
A point guard loves to see his team hit their shots and when
the Breakers are shotting the ball at 50% from the field a man like Jackson is
going to have a field day distributing the ball to his men in good position to
make a shot.
Trevor Gleeson stripped back his team’s offence that enabled Myron Allen to get 8 assists in
his first game on his first day in Australia and Bread Robbins dished 7 assists
against the Kings, what makes this impressive is that it was in only 19 and a
half minutes of action.
This was a bad week for injuries in the NBL. Matty Knight was ruled out early with a strained calf, Kings guard Aaron Bruce will miss the rest of the season with a fractured leg, James Harvey has been penciled in ac 'out indefinitely' and Chris Goulding fell to the floor clutching his knee. Did we miss anyone?
Wildcats
make short work of Blaze, 92 - 80
If recent history was anything to go by, the
Blaze have been one of the bogey teams for the Wildcats and coming into the
Jungle, the Blaze wanted to solidify that fact even further. Early on in the game it was looking as though the
hoodoo for the Cats was going to continue, but just as it seemed the Blaze were
going to make it a long night for the Cats, the league renowned defence kicked
in and the Cats started to gain control.
Adris “2Hard2Guard” Deleon was finding it too
hard to score and even though he ended up with a team high of 18pts to go with
his 7reb and 5turnovers he was given a lesson in lockdown defence from Damian
Martin who was instrumental in holding Deleon to 6/17 from the field.
 |
| These soldiers have lost their sea-legs |
Chris Goulding looked like he was primed for a
big game but a horrible knee injury saw him taken out of the game early with a
suspected MCL injury, we can only hope this is not to serious for the Blaze
with the injury cloud hanging over James Harvey which may potentially rule him
out for the rest of the season.
With the Cats defence in top form, the rest of
the Blaze struggled for all of their offence, Adam Gibson shooting poorly on
6/15 for his 15pts 6reb 4ast which also saw him have a high turnover number (6)
to go along with his running mate Deleon to have 11 turnovers between them.
Will Hudson played as good as can be expected
against the Wildcats frontcourt, even with the absence of Matt Knight he was
hounded by Luke Nevill and Jesse Wagstaff most of the night, Hudson had10pts
8reb and was also involved in the highlight of the night when he had a dunk
attempt blocked at the rim by big Luke Nevill.
The Wildcats of late have been having minor
issues offensively, being inconsistent and stagnant at times, they have managed
to stay in it by defence and hustle, but winning despite of inefficiency
offensively is a problem most coaches would be more than happy with, this game
saw a little more fluidity but the Cats have room for improvement, scary for
other teams considering they could do a whole lot better but are still
dominating opponents.
In the absence of Matt Knight, Jesse Wagstaff
knew he was going to see more minutes and he used them very wisely and went to
lead the team in scoring with his 25pt output to go with 5reb and a steal going
8/13 from the field including 3/7 from 3pt range.
Shawn Redhage is still finding his game legs
after last season’s horrific injury and is gradually playing himself into
better form and regaining his shooting touch, Redhage had 15pts on the night
but didn’t have the best shooting performance and will start hitting those open
looks as we get further into the season towards the playoffs.
Cam Tovey while not shooting to well recently
seems to be highly under rated for the way he controls the tempo of a game on
both ends of the floor, being such a great defensive rebounder who pushes the
break every chance he gets changes the Wildcats defensive efforts into fast
break offence, not many do it quite like Cam and while his stat line may not be
something to marvel at (8pts 7reb 3ast 3st) statistically, his control of the
game and the ability to instigate the offence or push a break is something most
dedicated Cats fans don’t take for granted and greatly appreciate.
Ever reliable Kevin Lisch did what Kevin Lisch
does, score points, play lockdown defence and just generally hustle, even
though he too also had an off shooting night and had 4 turnovers, which
considering how reliable he is with the ball is unusual for him, he still ended
up with 21pts 3reb 4ast and 3st.
So is the fact that the Cats are the highest
ranked team who seem to be not yet playing their best basketball a scary
thought, well it was for the Blaze this round and may well be for many teams in
the rounds to come, be afraid, be very afraid.
Breakers shut down 36ers, 80 - 63
The 36ers it seemed were a team on the
rise recently, but with every rise there is always an occasional fall, this was
one of those games when they faced the Breakers who seem to be in great form.
The 36ers struggled mightily in this
game with only 2 players even managing to score in double figures and only
managing a total score of 63 points, they seemed to be like a bottle of soft
drink that had been shook and opened too many times as they seemed to lose all
of their recent schweppervesence and were all fizzed out.
 |
| Daniel Johnson went missing |
Recent player on the rise Daniel
Johnson struggled like no other time he has this season and had a terrible game
with only 7pts 1reb and 4turnovers and even his front court running mate Diamon
Simpson couldn’t produce in his usual way with his 8pts 6reb and 3blk which is
well below his season averages in points and rebounds. The 36ers shot a combined 36% from the
field for the game which in any language is bad enough, in hoop talk, that’s just
a long night on the pine and one you hope never to see.
The Lone Ranger in this game was Chris
Warren who had a team high 14pts 4reb 2ast and 4turnovers, playing Tonto to
Lone Ranger Warren was Stephen Weigh who was the only other player in double
figures with 10 but who also had 3 turnovers. This was one of the 36ers off weeks,
and after having a few seasons of that, hopefully this is just a slight fall
for a club with a bright outlook to once again become a team feared by most in
the league.
The Breakers are playing Breakers
style ball and are just rolling over everyone, with such a balanced team on
offence, defence and on the boards they would have to be considered as one of
the deepest teams in the league with players who are able to play all types of
roles and do what needs to be done.
Cedric Jackson seems to teeter on the
brink of a triple double every round and again showed his versatility with his
12pts 6reb and 7ast, he is bound to register at least one trip dub this season,
the question now is when and against who will it come, not since Rashad Tucker
played in Perth has there been a player who has been so close so often to one
of the holy grails of basketball stat lines.
CJ Bruton saw his return from injury
and barely seemed to miss a beat, the wily veteran may be getting older and
entering the twilight of his career but he still knows how to get his shots and
when his team needs them most, he had a 10pt output including 4reb.
But the main culprits again were Gary
Wilkinson and Thomas Abercrombie, Wilkinson again putting up consistent numbers
of 17pts and 5reb and would have to be one of the most consistent players in
the league as far as week to week production is concerned, the Big Red Rocket
is full of fuel and ready to blast off.
Abercrombie is starting to solidify
himself as an elite player in the league and has also started to become more of
a consistent player himself which was one of his downfalls in previous seasons
and his 22pts 4reb 2ast 2st 2blk showed just that, were it not for the rebounding
of Mika Vukona and Alex Pledger who each had 9, his numbers would have more
than likely been much higher.
The Breakers are in scintillating
form, but with a tough schedule still to come we will have to see if they
really are as good as people think they are and if they still have that special
something to make them a legit title contender once again.
Taipans steal one against the Hawks, 61 - 59
Things just seem to be going from bad
to worse for the Hawks which is a shame considering how much history this
franchise has throughout the years of the league and even though being in a
small market who have been renowned for being giant killers and a team to be
reckoned with.
It seemed as if the recent bad fortune
would change for the Hawks on their home court in this game and fans were
thanking their stars when the Hawks, after an average first quarter held a
double digit lead late in the 2nd quarter and into the 3rd but
alas for the Hawks, it just wasn’t meant to be.
In one of the lowest scoring affairs
of the season both teams only managed to put up 120 points in total which
represented well the struggles of both teams in this game.
The Hawks were once again lead by
Oscar Forman who seems to be the only shining light in the dark season the
Hawks are having, Forman had 19pts 7reb to lead his team and was joined by Rhys
Martin who chimed in with 16pts of his own, but no other player even had more
than 6pts which highlights the Hawks struggles.
The Taipans statistically weren’t much
better but did manage more than 2 players in double figure scoring with 4. Imports Jamar Wilson and Andrew Warren
lead the way, Wilson with 10pts 5reb and Warren with a team high 17pts to go
with his 4reb and Alex Loughton, who is still struggling offensively at least
did a great job on the boards with 9reb. Ian Crosswhite and Brad Hill rounded
out the scorers with 10pts and 12pts respectively.
There isn’t much to write about with
this game that can be given a positive spin, both teams struggled, both teams
need to find a spark somewhere if they have any playoff aspirations, we can
only hope for them that somewhere somehow fortunes can be turned around. In
saying that, watching the final minutes of the game was intense, everyone’s
heart stopped beating when Rhys Martin had a good look to win the game but the
ball clanged off the rim.
Crocs edge out Kings, 118 - 114
On the other end of the spectrum,
there was this game, which had a combined 232pts scored, almost double of the
Taipans V Hawks game, to say this game was an offensive explosion would be a
huge understatement.
The Kings were playing with some fire
in the belly after losing in form player and starting point guard Aaron Bruce
for the season with an unfortunate injury just as the team seemed to be on the
way up.
Julian Khazzouh was unbelievably
matched on the boards by team mate Graeme Dann, both players had 13reb and
Khazzouh adding 17pts to that for what seems to be an endless number of double
doubles in the season.
5 players had double figure scoring
outputs for the Kings had had 21, yes 21 more rebounds than the Crocs which is
just an unbelievable stat considering that control of the boards is usually a
recipe for victory.
Young guns Anatoly Bose and Ben Madgen
brought the highlights to their coming out party, Bose having a team high 25pts
to go with his 7reb including a monstrous dunk that wowed the crowd and Madgen
having 24pts including 4/6 from 3pt range.
Kevin Ratzsch was workmanlike and put
in a 14pt 7reb 4ast game and Luke Martin with his 18pt 4reb 4ast game wanted to
show that there is still some hope in the kings back court even after the loss
of Bruce for the season.
The Crocs however just willed themself
to win and had 6 players in double figures including another double double from
Jacob Holmes who had 20pts 10reb 4ast, not bad for a guy who before the season
ending injury to Russell Hinder was in hoop purgatory with nobody having
interest in signing him.
lazeImports Elvin Mims and Eddie Gill were
instrumental in the Croc victory, Mims with 14pts 5reb 2st and 2blk was only
overshadowed slightly by Gill who had 20pts 9ast, who even though shot poorly
still managed to rack up those 20pts mostly from the free throw line where he went
12/13.
Michael Cedar had one of those types
of games Crocs fans know he is capable of, leading the team in scoring with
22pts 4reb and 4ast and usual suspect Peter Crawford with his 13pts 5reb 3ast
game and Todd Blanchfield who had one of his better scoring games of the season
with 15pts rounded out the stat sheet for the Crocs.
The fact that this game went into
overtime proved that both teams season fortunes were on the line, the Crocs
looking to solidify themselves as a playoff team and the Kings hoping to put a
more positive spin on the loss of their starting point guard.
Unfortunately for the Kings the
experience of the Crocs seemed to do them well and saw them to victory, but the
Kings can take some positive signs moving forward that they are a team to be
reckoned with and will not just be easy beats.
We wish Aaron Bruce a speedy recovery
and a return to the Kings next season.
Blaze defeat Tigers,
73-60
The Gold Coast will be happy enough to come out of this week
splitting their two game road trip. After a schooling at the hands of the Cats
the Blaze resettled and regrouped to come out against a fired up Tigers unit.
With James Harvey and Chris Goulding M.I.A the underdone
Blaze didn’t let a depleted roster deplete their spirit, shooting out to a
seven point lead in the first quarter before the Tigers bought it back to three
at the first break. After talking about things the Blaze took control of the
situation and let their natural game flow though the league’s excitement machine
Adris Deleon and his more rugged cohort in Adam Gibson.
Ayinde Ubaka appears to be a figment of the man who tore up
the league a few seasons back. Although he shows glimpses of yesteryear he largely
looks like a man not wanting to take control of the game. Cam Tragardh was
finding it tough inside against the Blaze’s not so big bigs. But then again if
14 points equates to a quiet night (at a lousy clip mind you) that shows the
sort of season you are having.
In a week for uneven rebound counts the Blaze owned the
boards 50 to 26, effectively creating an extra 9 second chance points (14-5).
Then again the Tigers aren’t renowned for their rebounding abilities therefore
the Tigers being outrebounded is hardly an earthshattering stat.
The Blaze although with more inside prowess than the Tigers decided
to win this game form the outside. Going 9/22 (41%) as a team the Blaze were led
by Adris Deleon who finished with a game high 21 points (4/8 from outside) and
an impressive 8 boards for the little man, Adam Gibson added 16 points (4/7
from deep) whilst it was Mark Worthington’s 1/5 from outside that bought the
Blazes long percentage down. None the less Wortho added 15 points, 8 boards and
5 assists. Good Boy Mark, we all like a team player.
Cam Tragardh just can’t do it all for the Tigers, Tragardh
shot 5/13 to finish with 14 points and 6 boards. Support was provided by Ron Dorsey
(13 points, little else), Daniel Dillon, Liam Rush and Ayinde Ubaka added 10
points each. Hmmm, wait a minute these 5 guys are responsible for 57 of the
Tigers 60 points. That means Luke Walker, Tommy Greer, Benny Lewis and Matt
Burston are sponsible for 3 points in a collective 41 minutes on the floor.
Very ‘Stock Exchange’ indeed..
Can’t Buy a Damn
Thing Award
The Breakers v 36ers game wasn’t the prettiest game, not
only did the 36ers get out-rebounded 50-24 (which if worthy of this award),
both teams show in the low 60% from the line and the game was a blowout.
Given that there were 37 turnovers in the whole game not one
team managed to capitalise on that and score a basket off a turnover.
Points off turnovers count: 0-0.
Gimme my Change Award
Sticking right on the theme of turnovers, the Perth Wildcats
win this weeks ‘Gimme my Change Award’. Their hardnosed, in your face and on
your toes defense managed to force 22Blaze turnovers, but what is more
surprising is that the uptempo Wildcats managed to keep their own turnovers in
check, losing the ball only 7 times in the game.
When a team forces you to lose the ball 22 times it makes it
harder to win, when that team loses the ball only seven times it is near
impossible
The NBL Release their Player Choice Awards, lets have a look at them and give our initial thoughts.
Who is the best shooter in the league?
Darren Ng (21%), Andrew Warren (16%), Kevin Lisch (14%)
The Doctor with the precision hands. It’s a shame the best shooter is only getting 4 shots a game
Who is the best PG in the league?
Damian Martin (30%), Patty Mills (19%), Adam Gibson & Jamar Wilson (tied 13%)
With the Olympics coming up I wonder if Brett Brown will see like this… Doubt it.
Who is the best defender in the league?
Damian Martin (63%), Adam Gibson (11%), Mika Vukona (9%)
Explains why Lemanis uses Vukona on the full court press
Who is the best passer in the league?
Cedric Jackson (16%), Nathan Crosswell & Eddie Gill (12%)
With Gill shooting at 35% you would hope he was a good passer
Who is the best rebounder in the league?
Mika Vukona (48%), Jacob Holmes (29%), Julian Khazzouh (10%)
Ladies, take note. When your man gives you the chop, Vukona is your rebound guy
Who is the best sixth man in the league?
Dillon Boucher (16%), Daniel Dillon & Dusty Rychart & Adam Ballinger (Tied 13%)
Look at the ‘D’ our sixth men give. Dillon, Daniel and Dusty, even without ‘Balls’
Who has the deepest bench?
Perth (41%), Melbourne (32%), New Zealand (16%)
Read our comment to the Which player constantly improves themselves question. Now that is deep!
Who is the best athlete in the league?
Tom Abercrombie (44%), Lucas Walker (21%)
Let’s ask the players who the best Mathlete is next season
Who is the best dunker in the league?
Tom Abercrombie (49%), Lucas Walker (23%)
Hmmm, this might be better suited as a list of all the players who have dunked more than once
Who is the best hustler in the league?
Mika Vukona (35%), Damian Martin (32%), Dillon Boucher (13%)
Vukona hustled me out of $100 once
Who most likely will be Rookie of the Year?
Anatoly Bose (57%), Patty Mills (29%)
Wonder if Mills went through the usual ‘Rookie Hazing’ rituals?
Who is the toughest player to guard in the paint?
Julian Khazzouh (62%), Luke Schenscher & Diamon Simpson (Tied 7%)
This one wasn’t the ‘toughest’ to decide. The first 2 might also be tougher if they lifted some weights
Who is the toughest player to guard on the perimeter?
Kevin Lisch (31%), Patty Mills & Chris Warren (Tied 12%)
One of these players no longer is in the league. For that reason he is tough to guard
Which player is the most intimidating to play against?
Brad Robbins (22%), Mark Worthington (13%), Matt Knight (11%)
Wortho’s beard actually got the nod, Wortho was just attached to it
Which player is the best sportsman (fairest) in the league?
Damian Martin (26%), Mat Campbell & Stephen Hoare (Tied 11%)
Butter wouldn’t melt in these guys mouthes. To the rest of you, maybe if you didn’t use so many cuss words you might make the list. Is anyone else surprised that Robbo, and Vukona were omitted?
Which player talks the most trash of any player?
CJ Bruton (21%), Mark Worthington (11%)
Bruton must have done a lot of trash talking from the sideline this season
Which current coach (other than your own) would you most like to play for?
Gordie McLeod (44%), Joey Wright (20%), Andrej Lemanis (10%)
It’s cute to see the players think they can fix the Hawks.
Who is the most versatile player in the NBL (talented in multiple positions)?
Mark Worthington (19%), Cam Tovey (17%), Stephen Weigh (14%),
Wortho wins because he has done the beard, the moustache and the cleanly shaven look this season. Very versatile indeed.
Which current player constantly improves themselves the most, year in year out?
Daniel Johnson (10%), Cam Tovey & Mika Vukona (8%)
If time is a constant and time is the essence, then these guys are the essence of the NBL
Which is the toughest venue to play in (other than your own)?
Perth (69%), Cairns (12%), New Zealand (10%)
Wow, a one horse race. Must be a combination of the loudest and most knowledgeable fans.
Which is the best venue to play in (other than your own)?
Sydney Entertainment Centre (30%), Challenge Stadium - Perth (28%), State Netball Hockey Centre - Melbourne (15%)
I would have thought the ‘Gong would be up there given it’s the away venue you are most likely to have a win in
Which team has the most vocal fans in the league (other than your own)?
Perth (74%), Cairns (14%)
Sydney a noticeable absence where cheering or jeering isn’t the ‘Sydney’ thing to do, then again those Perth fans will complain if the beer isn’t cold enough
Which team has the most knowledgeable fans in the league (other than your own)?
Perth (34%), Adelaide (30%), Melbourne (19%)
Being Perth fans we always knew this ;) Wonder is Carfino is going to run with this gem night in night out when calling a game.
Who is the favourite to win the championship this season?
New Zealand & Perth (tied 43%), Melbourne (10%)
Can the players vote for your own team in this one?
Who is the best referee in the league?
Michael Aylen & Scott Butler (Tied 35%)
It must be safe to assume that Paul Woolpert isn’t part of this 35%
Which team has the best mascot in the league (other than your own)?
Cairns (28%), Townsville (24%), Sydney (19%)
Sydney where included because they have a suburb called ‘Mascot’
Who is the best shooter in the league?
Darren Ng (21%), Andrew Warren (16%), Kevin Lisch (14%)
The Doctor with the precision hands. It’s a shame the best shooter is only getting 4 shots a game
Who is the best PG in the league?
Damian Martin (30%), Patty Mills (19%), Adam Gibson & Jamar Wilson (tied 13%)
With the Olympics coming up I wonder if Brett Brown will see like this… Doubt it.
Who is the best defender in the league?
Damian Martin (63%), Adam Gibson (11%), Mika Vukona (9%)
Explains why Lemanis uses Vukona on the full court press
Who is the best passer in the league?
Cedric Jackson (16%), Nathan Crosswell & Eddie Gill (12%)
With Gill shooting at 35% you would hope he was a good passer
Who is the best rebounder in the league?
Mika Vukona (48%), Jacob Holmes (29%), Julian Khazzouh (10%)
Ladies, take note. When your man gives you the chop, Vukona is your rebound guy
Who is the best sixth man in the league?
Dillon Boucher (16%), Daniel Dillon & Dusty Rychart & Adam Ballinger (Tied 13%)
Look at the ‘D’ our sixth men give. Dillon, Daniel and Dusty, even without ‘Balls’
Who has the deepest bench?
Perth (41%), Melbourne (32%), New Zealand (16%)
Read our comment to the Which player constantly improves themselves question. Now that is deep!
Who is the best athlete in the league?
Tom Abercrombie (44%), Lucas Walker (21%)
Let’s ask the players who the best Mathlete is next season
Who is the best dunker in the league?
Tom Abercrombie (49%), Lucas Walker (23%)
Hmmm, this might be better suited as a list of all the players who have dunked more than once
Who is the best hustler in the league?
Mika Vukona (35%), Damian Martin (32%), Dillon Boucher (13%)
Vukona hustled me out of $100 once
Who most likely will be Rookie of the Year?
Anatoly Bose (57%), Patty Mills (29%)
Wonder if Mills went through the usual ‘Rookie Hazing’ rituals?
Who is the toughest player to guard in the paint?
Julian Khazzouh (62%), Luke Schenscher & Diamon Simpson (Tied 7%)
This one wasn’t the ‘toughest’ to decide. The first 2 might also be tougher if they lifted some weights
Who is the toughest player to guard on the perimeter?
Kevin Lisch (31%), Patty Mills & Chris Warren (Tied 12%)
One of these players no longer is in the league. For that reason he is tough to guard
Which player is the most intimidating to play against?
Brad Robbins (22%), Mark Worthington (13%), Matt Knight (11%)
Wortho’s beard actually got the nod, Wortho was just attached to it
Which player is the best sportsman (fairest) in the league?
Damian Martin (26%), Mat Campbell & Stephen Hoare (Tied 11%)
Butter wouldn’t melt in these guys mouthes. To the rest of you, maybe if you didn’t use so many cuss words you might make the list. Is anyone else surprised that Robbo, and Vukona were omitted?
Which player talks the most trash of any player?
CJ Bruton (21%), Mark Worthington (11%)
Bruton must have done a lot of trash talking from the sideline this season
Which current coach (other than your own) would you most like to play for?
Gordie McLeod (44%), Joey Wright (20%), Andrej Lemanis (10%)
It’s cute to see the players think they can fix the Hawks.
Who is the most versatile player in the NBL (talented in multiple positions)?
Mark Worthington (19%), Cam Tovey (17%), Stephen Weigh (14%),
Wortho wins because he has done the beard, the moustache and the cleanly shaven look this season. Very versatile indeed.
Which current player constantly improves themselves the most, year in year out?
Daniel Johnson (10%), Cam Tovey & Mika Vukona (8%)
If time is a constant and time is the essence, then these guys are the essence of the NBL
Which is the toughest venue to play in (other than your own)?
Perth (69%), Cairns (12%), New Zealand (10%)
Wow, a one horse race. Must be a combination of the loudest and most knowledgeable fans.
Which is the best venue to play in (other than your own)?
Sydney Entertainment Centre (30%), Challenge Stadium - Perth (28%), State Netball Hockey Centre - Melbourne (15%)
I would have thought the ‘Gong would be up there given it’s the away venue you are most likely to have a win in
Which team has the most vocal fans in the league (other than your own)?
Perth (74%), Cairns (14%)
Sydney a noticeable absence where cheering or jeering isn’t the ‘Sydney’ thing to do, then again those Perth fans will complain if the beer isn’t cold enough
Which team has the most knowledgeable fans in the league (other than your own)?
Perth (34%), Adelaide (30%), Melbourne (19%)
Being Perth fans we always knew this ;) Wonder is Carfino is going to run with this gem night in night out when calling a game.
Who is the favourite to win the championship this season?
New Zealand & Perth (tied 43%), Melbourne (10%)
Can the players vote for your own team in this one?
Who is the best referee in the league?
Michael Aylen & Scott Butler (Tied 35%)
It must be safe to assume that Paul Woolpert isn’t part of this 35%
Which team has the best mascot in the league (other than your own)?
Cairns (28%), Townsville (24%), Sydney (19%)
Sydney where included because they have a suburb called ‘Mascot’
What made Townsville Crocodile's coach Paul Woolpert morph into the Incredible Sulk? More importantly, will it be enough to win one of our weekly awards?
Perth Wildcats 72 – Melbourne Tigers 67
Complacency is a word that has been used in the Wildcats camp this week and Beveridge was worried about the Cats being complacent going against an undermanned Tigers team at home. The average punter might confuse the Wildcats with being complacent in the first quarter but they we just ordinary not complacent, the Tigers made the most of their opportunities and shot out to a 12 point lead.
The Perth offence didn’t get any better, they tightened the strings on their defence at times totally stymieing the Melbourne Tigers. After conceding the lead the Tigers, through Liam Rush and Cam Tragardh kept Melbourne within a shot at this one but it was a Kevin Lisch 2 and a Shawn Redhage three pointer that ultimately sealed the game for the Cats.
This game was scrappy and although the referees got ‘creative’ at times with the whistle they largely let the teams play and this did make it an enjoyable game to watch. Ayinde Ubaka seems like he is just out there to collect a pay cheque. Rush and Tragardh did most of the scoring with 17 a piece butit was Daniel Dillon that injected some life into his team and his game, don’t let the 7 turnovers fool you, Dillon was everywhere scrapping for everything.
Drew Williamson seems to have fallen out of favour with the Wildcats coaching staff, the Sniper only getting a run for one and a half minutes in the second quarter. Shawn Redhage had the sort of game he expects to have every night. Red Dawg finished with 19 points but it was a pleasure seeing Redhage run the court at full speed after the outlet pass hopefully putting memories of his hip injury behind him. Lisch also provided valuable input adding another 16 to the total including 7 points in two minutes to open the third stanza whilst Damian Martin finished with 10 boards, 5 points and five steals.
Taipans beat 36ers, 72-67
If you thought the Tigers v Cats game was low scoring, well, this one had exactly the same scoreline but a slightly different story. Much like the abovementioned game this game was anyone’s however it was Taipan sensation Andrew Warren who went on a tear late in the game to give Cairns the edge.
The NBL sometimes misses the X-factor in the way that it is largely a team game, fans aren’t usually treated to one guy bringing his team home. Big props to the Adelaide punters who turned up in numbers, 6194 of them to be exact. It is great to hear that good sized crowds are turning up to ball games.
For Adelaide, Daniel Johnson just couldn’t get it going. Though Johnson finished with 15 points and 11 boards he won’t be happy with his 5/13 from the floor. Diamon Simpson added 16 points and 12 boards (7 of those offensive), the rest of the 36ers quite stock exchange, that included Chris Warren’s 2/13 from the field including 1/9 from deep.
Celebrity impersonator and Cairns Taipans import, Andrew Warren carried his team to victory. Warren’s 11 point fourth quarter took him to a game high 25 points and proved to be the spark that won the game. Jamar Wilson added 16 points and Andrew Crosswhite scored 14. Hmm, it seems to be these three in this write up just about every week (with the exception of Alex Loughton playing a good game)
Crocs annihilate Hawks, 72-57
It isn’t so much a case of will the Hawks win the next game, it’s more a case of how much are they going to lose by. This Hawks team has shown us that they sometimes go down by a matter of a few points but more often than not they get blown out.
Things were close before Paul Woolpert got his knickers in a knot and got shown the nearest exit but somehow that inspired his team and the Crocs went on a 17-0 run from there to blow this game out, from there the Hawks found scoring hard and would never be part this game.
Jacob Holmes had no competition on the boards, hauling in 16 for the game whilst adding 13 points which included the flattest looking transition three pointer I have ever seen. Chris Cedar did nothing other than shoot the ball, 0 boards, 0 assists to go with his team high 15 points and Schencher was required for only 16 minutes of action but managed 11 points and 5 boards in that time.
Things quickly went stock exchange for the Hawks, only Larry Davidson managed double figures and that was only just with 11 points. The Hawks season is really at cross roads, they have now lost six on the trot, their playing core is getting ancient their role players haven’t been playing their roles and their imports haven’t impressed but for us the saddest thing is that the loyal fans of the ‘Gong deserve a win, they have stuck with the team through the thick and thin, C’mon boys, give your fans a win.
Kings defeat Blazers, 102 - 96
Most teams would be happy to score 96 points on any given night, and usually a score that high would mean almost a lock for a victory, that is unless you’re the Blaze.
Possessing one of the most potent offensive teams in the NBL this is the kind of scoring output you would expect, 6 players in double figure scoring, Wortho with his usual cleanup of anything that strays off the rim, any coach in the league would take that on any game night.
Coach Wright is known for his defensive schemes from Brisbane that won a title, but he must have left his defensive coaching book in Brisbane rather than bring it on his trip up the coast to his next coaching gig.
The Blaze shot 51% from the field and 44% from beyond 3, Wortho was Wortho-esque with 18pts 10reb but an unusual 6 turnovers, Gibson had 15pts 4ast, Adris Deleon had 14pts, Hudson and Cadee had 11pts a piece and Harvey had 10pts, so with that kind of output, where did it go wrong for the Blaze? You’ve heard our comments on the Blaze before, do we really need to say it again, is the lack of size on the frontline also now showing to be the way to beat them consistently?
Well Jerai Grant and Julian Khazzouh proved that to be the case, if you are going to beat the Blaze, exploit their weakness in the paint and the lack of size and rebounding.
Grant is starting to show that some of his potential can match that supreme athleticism of his with his 23pts 12reb 4ast effort in this game, Khazzouh was a little less productive than his usual standards but still managed 14pts 11reb and 4ast, 23 of the teams 36 rebounds came from these 2 players, are you starting believe us yet?
Anatoly Bose has not done any harm to his rookie of the year candidacy and continues to be fairly consistent, his 12pts 3reb 3ast was the kind of numbers you can only hope for out of a rookie, Luke Cooper and Ben Madgen providing double figure scoring off the bench in the back court would make just about any NBL coach happy, they had 10 and 11 respectively.
But the Kings greatest weapon this year seems to be the amazing play of starting point guard Aaron Bruce who after a less than mediocre season with the 36ers when he came back from the NCAA system has proven to be a stand out NBL point guard, his 21 pts being a bonus from any point guard in this league, if his assist numbers were higher we would probably be ranking him among the top guards in the league.
So the Kings are on the rise and hitting tremendous form going into the latter half of the season, can they keep it up is the question, if they can we could see them slip into playoff contention, the Blaze however, well we have said it many times before, great team, sensational offensively, defensively we will say nothing not to get on the wrong side of anyone, but again the lack of consistency has become their bugbear, and as they say, never cross the bear.
Tigers go down at home to the Breakers, 79 – 90
This was not the type of round the Tigers had hoped for going 0-2 against the 2 top teams in the NBL in one weekend, even having the league leading scorer wasn’t enough to see them to victory over the Wildcats on Friday night and now the Breakers on Sunday.
In both games Cam Tragardh did what Cam Tragardh does, score points and rebound, in the 2 games this weekend he averaged 19.5ppg and 8rpg, having 17pts 9reb against the Cats and 22pts 7reb against the Breakers, with those types of numbers the league leading scorer either needs help in the paint, the return of Matt Burston to help patrol it and limit Triggers defensive matchup problems against most of the leagues big men or have his team mates to learn how to play some defence.
Offensively the Tigers are as proficient as any team in the league, Ayinde Ubaka, Liam Rush, Daniel Dillon and Liam Rush can put numbers on the board, in this game Ubaka had 17pts 5ast, Rush had 16pts and even young up and comer Bennie Lewis dropped 10 of his own.
Apart from those scorers, the rest of the team did practically nothing, that is where the Tigers lack depth, while they do have some good young rookies such as Lucas Walker who has athleticism that rivals that of Tom Abercrombie, it’s the inconsistency of the bench that seems to be letting them down when it really counts.
The Breakers with this win will now once again sit in equal first place with the Wildcats and seem to be in great form, with 6 players scoring in double figures and import Cedric Jackson once again messing around and almost getting a triple double, the other player known as CJ is doing it all on the court and had 11pts 9reb 11ast and 3st, the NBL’s original CJ had 14pts in his return from injury.
Tom Abercrombie is starting to show he can take over the team since the departure of Kirk Penney and the rest of the team is chipping in just as much, Abercrombie had a team high 18pts, Alex Pledger and Gary Wilkinson had 11pts a piece with 8 and 7reb respectively.
But this game once again was about the return of former Tiger Darryl Corletto who seems to create nightmares for his former team whenever they play each other, Corletto had 15pts including 3 made shots from beyond the arc, Corletto rightfully got a cheer from the crowd when announced in the Breakers starting line up but will probably never see that again at The Cage after being instrumental in sinking the home team.
So the Breakers are up again and the Tigers are down, with some teams below them on the ladder having played a few less the games maybe now is a good time for the Tigers to start praying and praying hard.
Can’t Buy a Damn Thing Award
Easy winner this week, Townsville coach Paul Woolpert clearly gets the nod.
 |
| Woolpert the Grouch |
Looking like a prisoner on day release Woolpert took issue with last year’s referee of the year and got tee’d up for yelling at him across the court from there Woolpert blew his stack and unleashed a barrage of ‘phat’ lyrical accostment whilst jiggling his body in some sort of half assed ‘Dougie’ to which he was subsequently told to go and take a long cold shower.
Now there is a difference between making a point and squealing like a banshee and Woolpert decided to take the banshee route on this occasion. Mind you, he learned from the best sitting under Trevor Gleeson last season.
Assistant coach Liam Flynn should of just picked Woolpert up carried him away from this one way heated exchange however to Flynn’s credit, Crocs lead when Flynn took the reins, 7, Cross lead at the end of the game, 15.
Now the Crocs have to decide whether Woolpert needs to get his best suit dry-cleaned for the tribunal hearing. Though Woolpert lost it and acted out of line we would hate any further penalty imposed, it was done and dusted on the spot anything else is overkill.
Gimme My Change Award
This week’s award has a Sesame Street type theme to it and is brought to you by the letter T and the number 72.
The letter T was demonstrated as mentioned earlier in the wrap by Croc Coach Paul Woolpert who managed to get T’d up and ejected from the game.
But it was the recurring theme and use of the number 72 this round that was worth the mention for this week’s award, out of the 5 games for the round, 3 of the games had the winners score being 72 points.
Maybe the 2012 prophecy of the end of the world is starting to come true, who would have thought that a 72 point scoreline would be a reasonable winning score, who would have thought you would see 3 teams in the same round winning with the same score, maybe someone missed the NBL section on the Mayan calendar, if they predicted the end of the world, surely there would be somewhere on it that could have predicted these score lines.
Can you tell us how to get.....................how to get to Technical Street?
