Basketball On The Internet.

HOW good did most of the Heritage Round throwback uniforms look on our NBL teams last round?

It just reinforces how ordinary the effort by the league’s official clothing manufacturer has been to basically produce one uniform blueprint, then tinker with it to each club’s appropriate colors.

The classic “one type suits all”.

Well it doesn’t and seeing the old Illawarra blue, or Perth black and gold as just random examples, were great.

There’s another contract to revisit for the NBL when the time comes.

We like our teams to be different, not just in color schemes.

 

THE switch back for Townsville into the replica outfit didn’t do it any harm either, the Crocodiles talking out Sydney to ensure they will fulfil their roles as spoilers for the playoffs.

Given the Crocs suspended Josh Pace for a DUI last week, to win without a second import was also a great effort and means coach Shawn Dennis can reflect back on a season where Townsville has beaten every team in the league.

Whether it can pull itself out of the bomb shelter is still a tough ask but on present form, Cairns is a far more ready occupant.

The Taipans have been more disappointing than the Breakers this season.

 

WHAT a great match the WNBL KO semi was on Saturday.

Full and unreserved credit to Townsville for advancing but how much heart do those Melbourne Boomers kids have?

They made such a great fight of it and while they now head for the exit rows, the club must feel very good about what the future has in store.

 

WHO needs two imports?

Down Kevin Tiggs to midweek knee surgery, Wollongong still whacked New Zealand while Sydney lobbed in Cairns with Charles Carmouche no longer part of the roster.

The Kings too looked the goods. Then 24 hours later, Townsville crowned the Kings without Josh Pace in uniform.

And no, I haven't forgotten Adelaide beating New Zealand with just Gary Ervin.

 

YEAH, NO KIDDING

LACHY Reid, did you not hear our pleas last week?

Please, please rush home from Sochi.

Anything, EVERYTHING is forgiven.

This week Tim Gossage, as Jesse Wagstaff struck his three in the last quarter, managed to give us an inkling into his precision brilliance with: “And that’s arguably Perth’s biggest lead.”

It. Is. What?

“Arguably” the biggest lead?

Hell. It either is or it isn’t.

I know folks out Perth way like to argue about anything regarding their pristine, sacred and saintly Wildcats.

But now we’re going to argue whether Wagstaff’s shot has given Perth its biggest lead?

That’s just getting ridiculous.

Really.

Lachy. Please. Hurry home.

 

COLONEL SANDERS BACK TO ADD SPICE

YES, a number of us wannabe NBL general mangers will be found out or vindicated in the next few weeks now Jesse Sanders officially is back with the Kings.

You will recall, I am sure, when the Kings cut The Colonel to make way for Sam Young, that few quibbled with the decision to accommodate an available NBA player.

The quibble was always whether Sydney cut the right man, Shane Heal's line-up needing a playmaker as it did.

Charles Carmouche is an NBL-quality player but a shooter-first in a team which needed a distributor. At least, that's what we all said.

Now, unfortunately through some very dificult personal circumstances, Carmouche has made the decision to return to his family in the US so Sydney gets a second shot with Sanders.

And all of us keyboard warrior/experts can see if we had it right.

 

Basketball On The Internet's Player of the Week

SYDNEY superstar Sam Young has been a "long time coming" to BOTI's Player of the Week award but he was huge for the Kings in their rout of Cairns and rock solid in the loss to Townsville.

Against the Taipans, Young led all scorers with 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting, with four boards, three assists, a steal and two blocks.

Against the Crocs, Young had 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting, two boards, six assists and three steals. That makes for a weekend averaging 22.5 ppg at 65 per cent, 3rpg, 4.5 assists and 2.0spg. Not too shabby.

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

 

Reviews

Hawks V Breakers (M)

ROTNEI Clarke was right there banging in 28 points to lead Wollongong to another huge win, this time 88-68 over the reigning triple-champ NZ Breakers.

The Breakers’ usual suspects ran afoul of the officiating while the Hawks got on with the job of pressing their top-four claims, five players in double figures for scoring and guard Rhys Martin with 10 rebounds.

 

Taipans V Kings (M)

YES, West Coast Waves players might all be recovering from Mad Monday – except Melissa Marsh who was calling the Wildcats-Tigers game on TV – but even they could not believe Cairns scored just nine points against Sydney in the second quarter of its 63-85 home loss.

Sydney held the Taipans to 18 in the first, 9 in the second and this was virtually over at halftime, AJ Ogilvy and Sam Young doing as they pleased as the Taipans settled for the loss and prepared to phone in the rest of the season.

 

Wildcats V Tigers (M)

IT was Perth’s 11-0 run in the final quarter that tore apart the game after Melbourne had stayed astride the Wildcats, despite Damian Martin’s hot-shooting form.

Yes, THAT Damian Martin, who finished with 20 points as Perth won 87-75 , then left the court in an orderly fashion.

 

Fire V Boomers (W)

WHAT a game to set the WNBL playoffs in train, Townsville finally seeing off a truly gallant undermanned Melbourne 78-73 in the KO semi final, Suzy Batkovic exceptional for 24 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals, with former Forestville Eagles pair Mia Newley (15 points, 7 rebounds) and Rachael McCully (14 points, 7 assists) getting the Fire home.

A terrific crowd saw Bec Allen also stamp her big-game reputation with 22 points, seven rebounds, four steals, three blocks, Tess Madgen and Bec Cole also invaluable as Guy Molloy’s kids went down fighting, earning the respect of the Townsville faithful in the process.

 

Crocodiles V Kings (M)

LIKE Mr Potato Head on a mission, Townsville had its angry eyes in and worked hard to put the Kings into the rearview mirror, eventually winning 90-83.

Steve Markovic had nine assists and Brian Conklin 27 points as the Crocs jumped to a double-digit lead while holding off Sam Young, Ben Madgen and Co as they made their assault on the result.

 

Spirit V Rangers (W)

BENDIGO made it back-to-back home Grand Finals while Dandenong again will have to see off Townsville in the Preliminary Final after the Spirit yesterday won their double-chance semi 71-62.

Kelsey Griffin had a 19-point, 16-rebound double-double, Kristi Harrower a 14-10 points-assists double and Gabe Richards a 13-11 points-boards double as the Spirit's championship vets showed the benefit of that experience against Dandenong's overworked starters.

 

36ers V Breakers (M)

ADAM Gibson went close to a triple double (17 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds) and DJ had 28 points as Adelaide put a massive dent in New zealand's plans to repeat, 96-92.

CJ Bruton's threes in the last 30 seconds took this to the wire but Tom Abercrombie's shot for the win missed and the Breakers were left to lament the many games they blew, especially through foul trouble.

 

BEEF of the WEEK

WHAT in heavens name was the director on the ABC’s live coverage of the sensational Townsville-Melbourne WNBL semi final thinking crossing to slow-mo replays – and often of largely irrelevant plays – while live action was in progress?

Live action!

In progress!

No. Cut to replay of someone fumbling the ball under the basket.

Truly ABC. Finals is NOT when you blood some newbie with his/her own wickedly wonderful ideas of how the coverage should look but a seasoned director.

And if it WAS a proven director, then for all of our sakes, check his/her coffee.

Please.

That was ridiculous.

PS

JENNI Screen and Melissa Marsh already have shown TV careers await. Just add insight and value to the call. That's what the two stars did and everyone was the better for it.

 

BIGGEST WINNERS/LOSERS

WOLLONGONG was almost shaded this round as the NBL's biggest winner by Townsville which also showed great heart to win while down an import. The Hawks are marching on the four and the Crocs helped open the door.

CAIRNS was the round's biggest loser, putting in an ordinary effort against the Kings, then largely ignoring the disappointment of what might be the hardiest fan base in the league. Not smart.

BENDIGO was the WNBL's biggest winner, obviously, beating Dandenong for the 10th consecutive time, earning a week off and now hosting another home Grand Final. Will take some beating.

MELBOURNE cannot really be considered a "loser" after the way it fought out the season before its elimination but after 10 straight losses to Bendigo and enterting the playoffs on a losing skid, Dandenong assuredly can.

 

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 George Sanders?