Basketball On The Internet.

SERIOUSLY now. The NBL is going to say nothing about Perth Wildcats CEO Nick Marvin’s comments in the WA press ahead of last week’s Cairns fixture?

So it seems because I have asked the league office for a quote in response and received nothing in reply.

For those of you who came in late (with apologies to Lee Falk for again misappropriating his line from The Phantom), if any coach or player had commented publicly in the manner Marvin did, he would have suffered a fine or a reprimand at the very least.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a big fan of Marvin’s, one of the league’s innovators and best CEOs. His off-season work during the demerger also was priceless in keeping the NBL afloat.

And again, as a proponent of free speech, I applaud he said what he did, even though I could not agree with most of it.

What I am saying is how can there be one rule for coaches and players and another for CEOs?

Marvin reiterated one of the reasons the league lost 2012 MVP Kevin Lisch was because of how he was mistreated on court and said he believed the competition was at risk of losing or failing to attract marquee players.

“These imports are getting beat up and targeted, and if we don't change the way we referee the game we will never see another James Ennis in this league again,” Marvin said.

“Word's going to get around and no one's going to bother coming to play for us. We've got to at some stage call a foul a foul so that these guys aren't targeted.”

The passionate CEO then also challenged a late call in Perth’s home loss to Melbourne which he believed contributed to the loss.

Ennis was called for an offensive foul clashing with Chris Goulding contesting a loose ball.

“That call defined the game and changed the result,” Marvin said.

Now here’s the thing. Put the same words in coach Trevor Gleeson’s mouth or in Damo’s or Shawn Redhage or Ennis and you could reasonably anticipate an NBL “please explain” and a fine, or reprimand for a first offender.

For mine, any club which was built on a wall which started with James Crawford, Tiny Pinder and then included Steve Davis and Pete Hansen, needs some sort of historical recall before bleating.

The Crawford-Andrew Vlahov-Scott Fisher wall was pretty damn tough too. And Martin Cattalini was no shrinking violet coming off the bench there, either.

I mean, truly, any club which had Vlahov playing his entire career there would be considered among the toughest (meanest?) of all time. Remember, Vlahov was prepared to go toe-to-toe with Karl Malone ahead of the 1996 Olympics and, frankly, would have ripped the NBA  star apart if he hadn’t backed off.

And this is all BEFORE Rob Beveridge arrived with his own brand of hard-a$$ moneyball.

Yes, Lisch was lost to the NBL. But was that truly just because that noted hardman of the hardwood Daryl Corletto roughed him up or did Euro-dollars play some role in his departure? I mean, we all know an elite athlete only has a relatively brief earning window.

I would have thought Perth should be the last to have a whinge considering the bruises the Wildcats have handed out across the ages and the next club which should stay “mum” should be New Zealand.

(Before you know it, someone will start spouting conspiracy theories if you give them half a chance!)

My point remains the same. How can a CEO or GM escape any kind of official NBL sanction for public criticism of that nature, when coaches and players have to be very careful in their public commentary?

 

PLAYERS from our two leading WNBL clubs this week past achieved vastly varying career milestones worthy of note and congratulations.

Dandenong stalwart Alison Downie racked up her 300th WNBL game and has remained a Rangers constant amid 14 seasons of player reshuffling.

The 2002 Betty Watson WNBL Rookie of the Year, Downie is a three-time Rangers’ Championship winner with titles in 2004-05-12.

Life membership for the veteran is recognition of great service and all at the same club.

Meanwhile Bendigo’s star import Kelsey Griffin last week shot back to the USA to return to Nebraska where the university retired her #23 uniform.

The Spirit’s 2012-13 Grand Final MVP and in the conversation for this season's league MVP, Griffin only arrived back in Australia 12 hours before Bendigo played Sydney but still produced her fourth straight double-double.

“She wasn't feeling real good when we were coming to the game,” Bendigo coach Bernie Harrower said of his star import who he brought off the bench.

“But if she plays like that every week I'll send her to Nebraska every week.”

Great achievements by two unassuming basketballers who are excellent examples of role models.

 

Basketball On The Internet's Player of the Week

SOME rounds it’s a nightmare picking the BOTI Player of the Week and this is one of them. I mean, The Menace had 32 points as Perth lost at home but a less-imposing 16 as the Wildcats won on the road.

Jesse “The Stuart” Wagstaff had 13 and 18 for the ‘Cats – not that it’s only about points. If it was, Daniel Johnson’s career-high 33 surely would put him to the top of the list, and Sam Young’s 29 not far behind.

Helping your team win is a big component, which is why this round’s BOTI PotW is Townsville’s playmaker Steve Markovic. The Marksman had 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, along with eight assists  to be extremely active in the Crocs’ ending an 8-game skid while also sealing Wollongong’s fate.

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
Rd16 Steve Markovic

THE WNBL will reveal its PotW winner within hours but before it does, let me just quietly remind PLOCH the Pounder to take ALL weekend performances into consideration.

Laura Hodges had a 14-26 points double in Adelaide’s road split. Leilani Mitchell had 10 rebounds with 13 points in Perth, then backed that with 25 points and six assists against Canberra.

But my PotW goes to Abby Bishop, Canberra’s do-it-all power forward who paired 29 points with 9 boards in a win over Melbourne, then 26 and 17 against Dandenong. That means she averaged 27.5 points and 13 rebounds in two games. Those aren’t just PotW numbers. They are MVP figures.


Reviews

Breakers V Kings (M)

MORE than 6000 at Vector saw New Zealand clinch another important win, slapping Sydney 105-87 to make it 2-0 in their season-series, with a +34 points spread.

Sam Young went off for 29 points and Ben Madgen’s 20 was tidy for the Kings, who arrived in Auckland as the “in-form” team of the league and left knowing this week’s game against the Breakers now is a “must-win”. Tom Abercrombie was back to something like his best and the imports played like it.

Waves V Rangers (W)

WHAT? You were expecting an upset? The only thing upsetting for Dandenong fans is their star team did not crack 100, “only” beating a gallant West Coast 99-61.

Darcee Garbin had a career-game for West Coast with 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting and the Waves scored in double digits in all four quarters. (Who says I can’t find something positive?) Alice and Jenna both scored more though and Leilani had a 13-10 points-boards double-double. And she is tiny.

Wildcats V Taipans (M)

THE Wildcats losing at home twice in succession after going 8-0 at The Jungle? Few would have picked it but precious little separates these two teams and Cairns once again found a way to win 99-94 after squandering a big lead in regulation.

Seal-the-Deal Beal tied it at 90-90 to send the game into overtime in front of almost 12,000 Wildcatatonics. They went four up in the extension too before Demetri McCamey iced a three and a 9-0 run to the finish was unfurled by the Taipans, Stevie weighing in with 21 points.

 

Boomers V Capitals (W)

THEY fought out a thriller in Canberra last round but Abby Bishop (29 points at 69 per cent, 9 rebounds) stamped her authority over this bout and the Caps were 88-74 winners.

Jessica Bibby – who better not be contemplating retirement - added 19 points as Canberra exposed just how much Melbourne will miss centre Chelsea Poppens (knee) when the post-season gets underway.

Crocodiles V Hawks (M)

YOU can almost count on Wollongong dropping the games it needs to make any sort of finals run, though that should take nothing from Townsville which made its 8-game losing skid look like nothing in its 80-67 home win.

The Marksman was deadly for 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting (Darcee Garbin was impressed) and also dished 8 assists as the Crocs showed greater desperation, pretty much from the tip-off.

Flames V Spirit (W)

LOCKING up consecutive regular season championships wasn’t as easy as it seemed for Bendigo which had a real battle on its hands before dousing the Flames 79-70.

Kelsey Griffin came off the bench for 20 points and 12 boards as Bendigo kept Sydney to 35 per cent shooting and also won the rebounding 39-30 to get out of town with the W.

36ers V Taipans (M)

IT was “black-out” night for the 36ers, wearing black uniforms and enjoying a night in the black with Daniel Johnson delivering a career-high 33 points to underpin the 89-87 win.

Jamar Wilson, Clint Steindl and Alex Loughton were big for the visitors but Gary Ervin drove hard to the hoop to break the 87-87 deadlock, stamping a black mark on Cairns’ final four aspirations.

Thunder v Lightning (W)

ADELAIDE desperately needed this to keep alive any faint hope of making it into the post-season and scored a vital 77-71 victory made more impressive by the absences of injured shooter Jess Foley (cheekbone) and Amy Lewis (ankle).

There was never much in it, Sarah Graham stroking 26 points but in the end, Lightning needed this more and got the job done.
 

Tigers V Wildcats (M)

ANYONE in any doubt Perth had lost its mojo was put back in their box at Hisense Arena where more than 6000 fans watched in dismay as the Wildcats produced a 35-9 second quarter that made this academic.

Even West Coast was shocked the Tigers only scored 9 in a quarter. Perth had a 26-0 run, which, in a first versus third battle, should be almost impossible. But the Wildcats made defence their priority and the Tigers have a week off to figure out where to go next.

Rangers V Capitals (W)

DANDENONG’s “non-import” Leilani Mitchell had 25 points at 67 per cent, with six assists as Dandenong grafted an 89-80 home win over Canberra.

Abby Bishop continued her case for MVP honors with another 26-point, 17-rebound haul but had plenty of helpers in a game which also pulled a great crowd for Alison Downie’s 300th WNBL game.

Fire V Lightning (W)

TOWNSVILLE jumped Adelaide with an 18-2 third quarter – the lowest single quarter return in Lightning history – to set up its 78-65 win, ending all discussion of a change to the final four ahead of the playoffs.

Batgirl went for a 16-15 points-boards double, Steph Cumming leading Townsville with 19 points and Laura Hodges fighting gamely for 26 points in a cause that was lost after halftime. (Or perhaps with the season-opening loss to West Coast.)

BEEF of the WEEK

MUSIC, music, music.

When to play it, when not to play it.

How loud to play it. How often to play it.

These are the challenges most NBL clubs struggle to consistently answer successfully.

Suffice to say, for this little black duck, any time loud music is played excessively over a prolonged portion of play, I suspect the reason fans are at the game has been lost amid the desire to ensure the night is an “event”.

 

BIGGEST WINNERS/LOSERS

NEW Zealand was the round’s biggest winner, taking on the NBL’s form team Sydney and smashing the Kings’ four-game winning streak in no uncertain manner, while also raising the spectre of a genuine run at the top four.

I HATE to feel as though I am picking on Wollongong but the Hawks’ loss to the Crocs in Townsville was defining as it means they now will miss the playoffs for sure.

TOWNSVILLE or Bendigo was the WNBL’s biggest winner, the Fire for ending any top-four debate, the Spirit for clinching another regular season crown. Ultimately, I lean to the Fire because all four playoff teams can now focus on their respective title runs.

MELBOURNE was the round’s biggest loser because, after losing in overtime on the road to Canberra on the back of another game last round, it really needed a home win over the Caps to create some belief it will do more than make up the numbers now in the playoffs. Sadly, losing Jarry and Poppens means Guy Molloy will need to be a miracle worker.

 

Online

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/boti-nagys-nbl-round-rebound-16-say-goodnight-to-hawks-crocs-in-any-finals-conversations/story-fnii09gt-1226816778977

PS

NZ guard Daryl Corletto says the new refereeing style is a deliberate Basketball Australia ploy to stop the Breakers winning a record fourth straight NBL title. DC also suspects his recent shooting woes have something to do with opposition defences making him part of their pre-game focus. Those bastards.