Basketball On The Internet.

THERE was a time when the NBL was full of great shooters.

And even before that, Australian basketball consistently produced players with spectacular shooting prowess from range and off the screen for the jumpshot.

Whether it was a Werner Linde banging in 50 in a club fixture in SA, or Eddie Ceplitis hitting 52, or Eddie Palubinskas leading the scoring at the 1976 Olympics after finishing second in 1972, or Kenny Cole cleaning up the VBA, Australia consistently produced great shooters before the NBL was even conceived.

There were the overlap players such as Tony Barnett and Andris Blicavs before the new breed of fill-it-up shooters such as Michael Johnson and Darryl Pearce hit the scene.

That’s even before the Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal era. So it begs the question.

What’s happened to all our great shooters?

With the utmost respect to Chris Goulding and his phenomenal 50-point game yesterday, we used to see a lot more of those in days gone by.

OK. First up, a lot of people with no idea of shooters of bygone eras will trot out how much defence has improved, or even the ridiculous “no-one played defence in the NBL” early years.

Yeah. Right. Try telling Ray Wood, or Phil Smyth, or Leroy Loggins, or Terry Dozier or Peter Ali or a dozen others that “no-one played defence” in the NBL.

That is such utter BS.

As offensive skills have evolved, so too have defensive, no question. In fact, defences had to resort to holding, bumping, scragging and wrestling to keep abreast of the offensive explosion – a tendency which makes a lot of today’s viewers believe “defence was so much better”.

Understand this. Defence had to be good. Or A. Gaze would get one of his 13 50-plus games on you. Or Al Green would carve you up.

So again, what’s happened to all the great shooters?

When you see a Rotnei Clarke or even a Mirko Djeric, it’s as if they are throwbacks to a different time.

Chatting last week with Townsville coach Shawn Dennis, his theory is the disappearance of the great mid-range scorers and jumpshooters has to do with the greater ability in this modern era for players to work off the dribble.

“Guys will try and get to the basket now,” he said. “When I was playing, we had a lot of great shooters who could catch and get it off in very quick time.

“Now guys will take it to the rack.”

For the record, the most points in a 40-minute NBL game still belongs to Reggie Biddings. The Forestville Eagles import struck 63 points on April 12 in 1981.

Sir Reg led the Eagles to a 98-90 win over Bankstown Bruins in Bankstown.

Al Green’s 71 points on May 25, 1984 is still the NBL record almost a full 30 years later. Though that was in a 48-minute game.

Chris Goulding’s sensational shooting exhibition yesterday just reminded us all it can still be done.

It all starts on the practice court.

 

WHAT a WNBL Grand Final that was yesterday.

Who believed anything could top Goulding’s 50-point assault as the story of the day but Bendigo Spirit going back-to-back against a talented Townsville Fire was something very special.

The third quarter, in particular, was basketball at its finest – be it women’s or men’s.

It was a hell of a contest with the final 94-83 scoreline a little blown out by late desperation Fire fouling.

How many 83-point losing scores have we had in a WNBL Grand Final?

It was a great day for the game and Townsville can go home knowing it played its part in one of the most memorable finals of recent times.

For Bendigo, in front of the faithful – and the very loud – it was an epic conclusion to a wonderful follow-up season to last year’s extraordinary breakthrough.

BA needs to start looking at how to get Kelsey Griffin naturalised. Just sayin’

 

Basketball On The Internet's Player of the Week

THIS was the easiest BOTI Player of the Week of the season.

Despite exortations out of Perth for another Damian Martin accolade (18 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) or Cam Gliddon giving it a nudge with 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting in Cairns’ terrific road win, Chris Goulding easily was the PotW.

I mean, 17 of his 25 points in the last quarter to help Melbourne go on a 44-17 tear to beat New Zealand at Vector Arena was pretty noteworthy in itself.

But to back it up in the win over Sydney with the first 50-point game in a 40-minute match since pre-1984 and to become just the fifth Aussie to do it was as breath-taking as it was outstanding.

(And the others - Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Martin Cattalini and Michael Johnson – all did it in 48-minute games.)

Toupees off to The Unicorn. He is one of a kind.

 

PotW Winners

Rd 1 Daniel Johnson

Rd 2 Shawn Redhage

Rd 3 Chris Goulding

Rd 4 Charles Carmouche

Rd 5 Brian Conklin

Rd 6 Gary Ervin

Rd 7 Damian Martin

Rd 8 Mika Vukona

Rd 9 James Ennis

Rd 10 Mark Worthington

Rd 11 Rotnei Clarke

Rd 12 Adam Ballinger

Rd 13 AJ Ogilvy

Rd 14 Adam Gibson

Rd 15 Tom Garlepp

Rd 16 Steve Markovic

Rd 17 Steve Markovic

Rd 18 Rotnei Clarke

Rd 19 Sam Young

Rd 20 Jamar Wilson

Rd 21 Chris Goulding

 

Reviews

Breakers V Tigers (M)

IN the end, this was all about the end – the last quarter. Leading by 14, the Breakers looked home. But they only mustered 17 points in the final period, which was the same as Chris Goulding, the Tigers rampaging with a 44-point last quarter rally.

It gave Melbourne its 13th win 97-84 and means the Breakers become the first defending champion since Launceston Casino City in 1982 to miss the playoffs in the following year. Quite the blow to the 6,808 at Vector Arena.

 

Wildcats V Crocodiles (M)

DOWN Brian Conklin (hamstring), Mitch Norton (Achilles) hardly 100 per cent, then Steve Markovic injured in-game, Townsville did a superb job to keep this game as tight as it was until Perth clinched the regular season crown 81-69.

Damian Martin went close to a triple-double and his second period inspired as Jermaine Beal and James Ennis threw down big dunks to delight the 11,528 at The Jungle.

 

Hawks V Taipans (M)

CAIRNS and Wollongong just love each other’s venues and the Taipans made it 2-2 in the other guys’ lounge-room with their 82-79 win, upsetting for the Hawks in their milestone 250th game at The Sandpit.

Jamar Wilson got the Taipans firing in front of the 3,082 home faithful, and when he was hurt in the third, Cam Gliddon took over to deliver 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting, with 5-of-6 threes. This was the result which most likely will keep the Hawks on the couch during the playoffs.

 

36ers V Crocodiles (M)

A GARY Ervin slam, three by Big Red, and the 36ers ran Townsville off its legs. Coming in off the game in Perth and adding Greg Vanderjagt to the ill or injured list (food poisoning – gotta stay away from the flake in WA) the Crocs had no answer after quarter-time.

In front of 5,722 roaring fans, Adelaide ran away to win 102-70 - and that’s with only scoring 10 in the last quarter - as Joey Wright cleared his bench and Townsville turned its focus to Russell Hinder’s last home game.

 

Tigers V Kings (M)

CHRIS Goulding obviously was the story of this game as Melbourne finally triumphed 92-82 and the off-guard shot 50 points at 61 per cent, including 9-of-14 triples.

Melbourne’s 19-9 third quarter broke it open after a tight first half, despite Sam Young and Ben Madgen’s best efforts. For the crowd of 7,532 at Hisense Arena, it was a treat to see the Tigers finally win there and also to have a story to tell the grandchildren.

 

BEEF of the WEEK

WHY can’t ONE-TEN do it as well as ABC-TV?

Coverage by the national broadcaster of the WNBL Grand Final yesterday was excellent and showed Ten up badly.

No cut-aways to cheerleaders or dancing girls. Just focus on the action.

Enthusiastic, insightful commentary. It was a delight.

Look and learn Channel 10.

 

Online

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/nbl-rebound-with-boti-nagy/story-fnii09gt-1226850617448

 

BIGGEST WINNERS/LOSERS

MELBOURNE was the round’s biggest winner, not only producing a record-setting last quarter road win in NZ but also winning a vital fixture at Hisense Arena in front of a big crowd and with one of the league’s outstanding individual performances of all time.

WOLLONGONG, after five wins on the trot and a chance to sneak into the four if Sydney lost (which it did), instead again had no answer for Cairns despite being at home and with everything to play for. The Hawsks were the round’s big loser.

OBVIOUSLY in the WNBL, reigning and repeat champion Bendigo was the big winner, taking out one of the great Grand Finals. And while Townsville lost, their effort was so good, they hardly go away as a “loser”. Just the only club able this season to (twice) beat the Spirit, who are building a modern-day dynasty under Bernie Harrower and his committed crew. Congratulations for a great day, great final and great season.

 

PS

Sydney Kings coach Shane Heal is on the record saying of import Jesse Sanders: “I think Jesse rebounds and defends like Damian Martin.” Did he maybe mean Anne Sanders?