Basketball On The Internet.

WHAT an amazing run of milestones for the NBL to close out 2013 on, starting with Wollongong Hawks mentor Gordie McLeod's 650th appearance as either a player or coach, or both!

When his Hawks hit the court against Melbourne, Gordie will move one game behind former Melbourne Tigers coach Lindsay Gaze (651 games) in sixth place on the all-time NBL games involvement ladder.

Gordie chalked up 258 games as a player, 390 as a coach and one as a player-coach to be on 649.

Brian Goorjian leads the way with 759 games (player & coach), Alan Black 741 (player & coach), Brendan Joyce 722 (player & coach), Phil Smyth 721 (player & coach), Tony Ronaldson 665 (player), Lindsay Gaze 651 (coach).

In the same game, Hawks playmaker Rhys Martin will run out for his 150th NBL game.

 

WHEN the Breakers run out to face the Kings, it will mark the 300th NBL game for the home team at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

They played their first game there on March 31, 1990 but lost three games before Adelaide wandered in and became Sydney's first win at the venue.

Kings coach Shane Heal will be in his 200th game with the club as well, with 152 as a player and 47 so far as coach.

Breakers swingman Tom Abercrombie will be playing his 150th game also.

 

OBVIOUSLY you're already ahead of me in figuring out Gordie McLeod will match Lindsay Gaze's 651 games when the Hawks host, appropriately, Melbourne.

When Perth hits Cairns, it will mark the 50th game between the two clubs, the Wildcats leading 29-20.

And finally in Townsville, Adelaide coach Joey Wright will coach is 300th NBL game, his win loss record at 175-124, or 58.5 per cent.

 

CONGRATULATIONS to The Batgirl on her second WNBL Player of the Week award after having her way with West Coast and Adelaide in twin road wins for Townsville.

Suzy averaged 25.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the weekend double but it was her 17-point third quarter against Lightning which devastated Adelaide. She finished with a 30-15 points-boards double in that game.

 

 

RELIABLY informed Adrian Preposterous, er, Adrian Proszenko, the "chief rugby league writer" for Fairfax Media, who recently magnanimously dubbed Kings' import Sam Young as "the best basketballer to step foot on to an Australian court" agrees with the ABC's Darren Boyd that Phil Brown is one of the greatest coaches in Australian history.

Brown's tracking work after the Cowra breakout was absolutely first rate.

 

NBL Rankings

This Wk - Prev

8 (8) BREAKERS - Yeah, you scoffed when I had them here last round. But now?

7 (3) CROCODILES - It doesn't take much to tumble but a 0-2 round will do that to you.

6 (7) TAIPANS - Took a step forward. Don't read too much into the 24-point loss to 36ers.

5 (4) KINGS - Lost again to Hawks but now get that Cody Ellis injection.

4 (6) HAWKS - Here they come. Gordie's got the mojo going and Big Laz is back.

3 (5) TIGERS - Very important road win but the upcoming double will be telling.

2 (2) 36ERS - Made a bold statement last round and still have improvement in them.

1 (1) WILDCATS - 13th game wasn't unlucky after all. Omens are all good.

 

WNBL Rankings

This Wk - Prev

9 (9) WAVES - Break will refresh but what will be different in 2014?

8 (6) CAPITALS - Couldn't get it done twice against Logan. Post-season? Nope.

7 (8) THUNDER - Have Canberra's number but won't threaten top teams.

6 (7) LIGHTNING - Have the makings of a very good spoiler but not much more.

5 (5) FLAMES - This is about where Sydney will finish, under-achieving as usual.

4 (4) BOOMERS - Once Rachel Jarry is back and healthy, will be a tough match-up.

3 (3) FIRE - Road performance more like it. Townsville is the only threat to Vics.

2 (2) RANGERS - Eight straight losses to Bendigo. Yeah. It means nothing Mark.

1 (1) SPIRIT - 13 wins on the trot with no end in sight. Will not go quietly.

 

THIS WEEK'S TIPS

THE break will have done every team some good but Melbourne would be a big beneficiary reintegrating Tommy Greer into the crew. Wollongong is ready to spring a surprise and this game could go either way. I'm tipping the Hawks this time because they are settled.

SYDNEY may be the break's biggest beneficiary with Cody Ellis now into the team. Sharing the ball among the Kings' bigs needs to be addressed but there is not much to underpin thoughts of a New Zealand upset, beyond blind faith at some point the talent must shine through. Not yet.

NEW Year's Eve in Wollongong will have the locals in party mode and this is where I expect Melbourne to square up for losing at home four nights earlier. It's just a theory, of course. But as long as we're talking theories, let me put it this way - expect a 1-1 split from the two Hawks-Tigers trysts.

CAIRNS will still be bummed it let Perth off the hook in overtime in Cairns previously and will want to celebrate the end of 2013 with a launch-pad victory into 2014. Problem is, that chance to beat the Wildcats in regulation was the one the Taipans had to seize. They didn't. Perth will be vulnerable but still will have enough in the tank.

ADELAIDE has lost 14 straight games to the Crocs in Townsville and you can add the recent 94-98 defeat to that list. It did take a 31-point show from The Marksman to get that win though and he won't be hitting 8-of-11 threes this time, surely. This should be the 36ers' drought-breaker at The Swamp.

 

DEAR Dr Phil,

There's only room for one fake doctor in the world and I was here first.

Sincerely,

Dr J