What is happening to the NBL? five games played this round, 5 teams scored well into the 90s. Are the teams beginning to find the best way to handle a 40 minute game?
Perth Annihilate Melbourne, 96 - 72
If social media was the only gauge measuring the buzz and
anticipation in the lead up to a basketball game this this one was certain off
the Richter. After Perth Wildcats owner Jack Bendat proclaimed Whos Patty? [sic]
fans and comrades alike took to social media to release their thoughts to the
masses. Whether you actually cared about this game or not (there was a derby
going on in North Queensland) you certainly wondered how the NBL’s Round 1
player of the week would fair against arguably the best defensive backcourt in
the league.
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The Tigers got off to a comparable start thanks largely to
the role players who made plays to keep the Tigers in the game early. The
Wildcats looked good when their starters were on the court but appeared to
struggle with the benchies on leading in to half time.
By the third period the Wildcats had ironed out their kinks
and established the game as their own and despite some Tiger bursts in the
final term the game never really looked in doubt, the Wildcats holding out for
an 18 point victory.
Tiger stars Patty Mills and Ayinde Ubaka we obviously
frustrated by the intensity of the Wildcats guards. And although Patty Mills
ended up leading the team in points (19) he did take a lot of shots to get here
(7/19) including 3/10 from outside. Ayinde Ubaka completed a horror night for
the Tigers back court going 0/9 from the field and turning over the ball five
times. Cam Tragardh finished with 18 and Liam Rush’s return to Perth saw him
with 12.
For the second week in a row Perth stood behind Kevin Lisch
and Shawn Redhage. Lischy scored a game high 22 points at 9/13 from the field
and Red-Dawg completing a fantastic homecoming netted another 21 at 9/14 from the floor. A definite
‘Welcome to the Jungle’ For Patty Mills.
Crocs destroy
Taipans, 95-67
Before we get stuck into this game, why was Jamar Wilson
putting his short on half way through the first quarter? Does anyone remember
him wearing shorts prior to the footage of hi putting them on? I don’t. Being
new to the country Australian basketball haves have wanted to see more of Wilson,
but not like this.
Cairns looked lethargic from the opening tip, it can’t be
jet lag as they didn’t have far to travel. Although 22 points isn’t a bad effort for a
first quarter catch it was the Crocs that couldn’t be caught firing for 29.
Things didn’t get better for Cairns, losing every quarter
eventually going down by 28 points to the terriers of the salt water. Granted that Wilson and Andrew Warren are
players who look to run the Taipans should be looking at last year’s book for
inspiration. Cairns were more effective when slowing the game down. Maybe
things will change when Loughton re-joins the team. Wilson showed he has
nothing to hide with this 11 points but it was Warren that led his team with 16
points and 7 boards.
The injury depleted Crocs managed to snap up this ‘Sunshine
Swing’ with ease. Eddie Gill stamped his mark on the NBL with 21 points and 4
assists whilst Jacob Holmes had 14 points to go with his 8 boards. Peter
Crawford had 15 albeit it a terrible clip (5/14). The Crocs weren’t looking too
bad without their starting bigs. One would think that Ben Allen would be
relishing the opportunity that has been given to him but the big fella has failed
to show any life so far this season.
Breakers decimate the
Kings, 98-61
What do you call a group of Kiwi basketballers? A
collective. The Breakers collectively served the Kings behinds on a platter and
although the Breakers are yet to play at home but they made themselves feel at
home in Sydney against the Kings handing the Kings their biggest home loss
ever.
With six players in double figures (Pledger & Corletto
16, Jackson 14, Wilkinson & Abercrombie 12 and Bruton 10) the Breakers always
looked in control against a disorganised Kings unit. Cedric Jackson also found
time to drop 8 dimes, Abercrombie swatted 4 shots and Pledger hauled in 12
boards to boot.
Sydney who scored a disgraceful 7 points as a team in the
second period, currently find themselves at the same end of the table they did
last season. Aaron Bruce is showing himself to be a good pickup and with time I
believe the Kings will develop, it is a long season and things can change. From
memory the Wildcats dropped their first few last season and they went on to
become semi-finalists.
Jerai Grant is an active player who needs to start doing
the things that matter on the scoreboard and not those little things that go
unnoticed. Bruce shot 5/13 for 13 points, Julian Khazzouh 3/13 for 12 points,
in fact the quiet Magden was the only royalty to shoot higher than 50%. Boys
get your suits out, this performance is the first stock exchange of the season.
Taipans
strike at the Blaze, 91 - 82
Basketball came back to the home
that the Brisbane Bullets once patrolled, if only for one game and to only once
again get shot down.
Last season’s grand finalists
came up against a team many thought would make a noise in this year’s finals.
In a game that had no more than a
3 pt margin between the first 3 quarters, this match up seemed to be one that
would get the blood flowing back in the hoops lovers in the biggest city in
Queensland and hopefully once again raise the profile for the re-launch of one
of the stalwart teams of the NBL.
The Blaze, lead by Will Hudson
with 16pts 8reb and having 4 other players in double figures looked to be the
team everyone thought they were going to be this year, and on any other day, it
would have more than likely been enough.
Wortho was his normal self with a
solid 13pts 9reb, Gibbo had 15pts 7ast, Tom Garlepp had 13pts but only 2reb,
which for a big man is hopefully just and off night and youngster Jason Cadee
had a solid 12 pt outing.
The Taipans bounced back after a
shocking loss at the hand of their Northern Queensland rival Crocs on Friday
night and gave the Blaze all they could handle.
Lead by import Andrew Warren who
was out to prove the nay sayers wrong after his horrible performance in Friday night’s
clash and bounced back with a game high 28pts to go with his 4reb and 4ast.
Fellow import Jamar Wilson also
gave some much needed help with 13pts 6reb and 4ast, old faithful Dusty Rychart
was his usual workmanlike 14pts and 3reb and Brad Hill relishing his new role
with 13pts and 7ast.
Play like this is not uncommon
for the Taipans, on any given night they can flat out light you up or flat out
stink, you just never know which version of the team is going to turn up.
The Blaze got the version they
weren’t hoping for this night, and the Taipans doing it all without star
forward Alex Loughton, can the Taipans keep up this form, or will they be
flipping the coin to see which version turns up in round
3..............................heads or tails?
(Box Score)
Hawks swoop on
Adelaide, 97 - 89
In a milestone game for one of
the favourite sons of The Sandpit, they wanted to get a win for the guy who has
been around since there literally was only sand in the pit.
The 36ers came into the Hawks
home court wanting to get a win on the special night of favourite son Mat
Campbell who celebrated his 500th game for the Hawks.
Renewed by their new off season
additions and having a game under their belt (albeit at the hands of the red
hot Wildcats) the 36ers are starting to gain team chemistry and believe the
addition of Stevie Weigh, new signing Diamon Simpson and Chris Warren give them
the firepower they have so sorely lacked in previous seasons.
Warren lead the way with 25pts
including 4/8 from 3pt range, he was helped by Mitch Creek with 18 who was also
efficient with 7/9 shooting from the field and Stevie Weigh who had 12pts and 6
rebounds.
New import and St Mary’s alum
with Patty Mills was Diamon Simpson, who in his first game for his new club
showed his potential once settled in with 15pts and 6reb in only 20 minutes,
looks like the 36ers have found a Diamon in the Rough.
This night though belonged to the
Hawks and their legion of loyal fans welcoming the milestone of their hometown
hero.
And a fitting spectacle it was with
Campbell as one of the 3 top scorers for the Hawks with 16pts, joining him was
Rhys Martin and Oscar Forman, who seems to have picked up where he left off
last year in the rebounding stakes and had a game high 11 for the game.
We will have to see how the Hawks
do against some of the stronger opposition in the league, but as we have seen
in years before, never under estimate a team coached by Geordie McLeod.
(Box Score)
Can’t Buy a Damn
Thing Award
People like Ayinde Ubaka and Ben Allen are spared from the
shame of this award this week. This wee the award goes to the bright spark
scheduler who thought it was a good idea to give last year’s champs a four game
away game start to the season. The good news is that the Breakers haven’t dropped
a game yet despite not playing one at home yet. The bad news is that local
punters need to wait one more round before the get to watch their heroes in the
flesh.
If the Breakers have been this good away then how good are
they going to be at home?
Gimme my Change
Award.
Players come and players go, that the way of competitive
sport, but Mat Campbell has been around since the dawn of time. Playing his 500th
game this week, all for the Hawks the man known as “Soup” joins the likes of
Brett Maher, Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, Ray Borner and James
Crawford to become the 11th player to reach the 500 game mark (a
feat that will take just over 6 full seasons in the NBA… if that was running, but a feat that takes eternity in the NBL).
Can you name any more of the NBL’s 500 gamers?
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