Basketball On The Internet.

GORDIE McLeod and Shawn Dennis are not very likely to figure highly in Coach of the Year voting.

It stands to reason, right? I mean, Trevor Gleeson headed West to re-start his NBL coaching career and Perth has been the stand-out team all season.

Joey Wright has resurrected a storied franchise in Adelaide to former glories, lifting the 36ers from last to blasts-from-the-past.

The conversation clearly most often will start with the two men whose teams occupy #1 and #2, and have done so for virtually the entire season.

It is easy to overlook the work done at the less-fashionable franchises, at the clubs which had to be "saved" and more often are first in the "will they survive?" conversations, rather than the "aren't their coaches doing an unbelievable job?" discussions.

Lesser budgets, lesser resources, facilities, greater reliance on and connection to their regional communities - these are the daily factors with which they deal.

Both point guards in their playing days at NSW country outposts - McLeod the Illawarra favorite son, Dennis the Newcastle Falcons tyro who then became coach - they came into their current coaching roles fully aware of what the shortfalls would be compared to the big-city programs.

McLeod spent time at Brisbane Bullets when that capital city club was soaring and Dennis' last post was alongside Rob Beveridge at the NBL's premier program in Perth.

They have seen, experienced and know how the other half lives.

Wollongong is currently on a league-best five-game win streak and playing with one import. Townsville has beaten very team in the league and won two of its past three games - against finals wannabes Sydney and Melbourne - despite also having import issues.

It is an extraordinary effort.

McLeod and Dennis may not be taking home any silver or glassware this season but their clubs would be feeling very happy they have them signed and sealed for the foreseeable future.

The NBL is so much better off for their presence in it.

 

PRETTY pleased with my finals tipping record so far in the WNBL playoffs - a perfect 3-of-3 - even though both semi finals and yesterday's preliminary final could so easily have gone the other way.

So it is the Battle of the Regionals, Mark II, with Bendigo Spirit again hosting Townsville Fire in the Grand Final.

It is huge for the league and remarkable for the fact cities such as Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide - where the women's game is strong and well-established - didn't even make it as far as the four.

It goes to show Bernie and Chris are doing something right, and Guy too can take a bow for all he achieved with a young Boomers outfit.

On a personal note, all the best this week to my nephew Kris Blicavs whose "significant other" Steph Cumming is killing it with Townsville while his sister Sara is a key contributor for Bendigo. Good luck staying neutral with that!

 

Basketball On The Internet's Player of the Week

GOT to say this first. I have nothing but the utmost respect for star players who are able to swallow their ego for the good of the team and take a backseat.

They may not agree they should be playing a lesser role, or coming of the bench or whatever it is the coach believes is best for all concerned. But those who can do it and do it without any public bitching and moaning, no matter how hard it may be to swallow, are worth their weight in gold as role models and shining examples of all that is good about our game.

But when the chance comes to show they can still be more, and they seize that chance, I tend to quietly enjoy it for them as much as their inner sanctum no doubt also is.

That said, Jamar Wilson is the BOTI Player of the Week for this extraordinary round.

Wilson, in his third year as an import with Cairns, was relegated to the bench this season by Taipans coach Aaron Fearne.

Clearly, it was a calculated move by the Fearnster, maybe looking for that injection from the bench, a la Mitch Creek at Adelaide.

Wilson, who I rate very highly among the elite guards of the NBL, was given his chance to start against New Zealand this round. He responded with an inspired and inspiring performance, motivating the troops to a sweet win over the Breakers, delivering a career-high 33 points in the process.

Jamar struck at 58 per cent, snatched eight boards and dished six assists. He was a shining example of "seizing the day" and the PotW in arguably the NBL's finest week.

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

 

Reviews

Breakers V Crocodiles (M)

SEE what happens when Tom Abercrombie (season-high 29 points) and Mika Vukona (season-best 20 points) stay in the game? Come on now fellas. It wasn't THAT hard to stay out of foul trouble now, was it?

The dynamic duo came through to mastermind a 102-99 win, both big in the crunch after the Crocs had led at all three breaks in the game. Guess that's the breaks of the game.

 

Hawks V 36ers (M)

RHYS Martin ploughed through the 36ers defence with a career-high 32 points at 65 per cent, 3-of-6 triples, six rebounds, four assists to set up a thrilling 91-89 win, keeping Wollongong in the final four hunt.

Rotnei Clarke (5-of-10 threes) hit two of them late to preserve the win after Adelaide had fought back from 59-74 to tie it up, the match going to the wire.

 

Taipans V Breakers (M)

THERE's not a lot of love between these two teams but Jamar Wilson and Mitch Young stood up for Cairns to steer it to a 92-87 win, Mika Vukona fouling out for New Zealand, the club's remote chance at a four-peat heading with him out of the game.

There wasn't much in this, Wilson clearly the difference, Cam Gliddon also substantial while off-season "boom" recruit Stevie Weigh played just 8:11, his star evidently on the descent.

 
Tigers V Crocodiles (M)

TOWNSVILLE beat Melbourne in Melbourne earlier this season backing up after NZ but on that occasion the Crocs had both imports and didn't also have to rule out injured guard Mitch Norton pre-tipoff.

With Josh Pace out suspended, then Brian Conklin hurt in the third, Steve Markovic led Townsville to a stunning 109-106 overtime victory built on character and heart. The game only went to the extension because Lucas Walker hit a big three to close regulation, the Crocs anything but extinct.

Kings V Wildcats (M)

WHAT a cracker this was too for the TV audience, with highlight dunks coming thick and fast in a game which went down to the wire before Perth prevailed 85-81.

That made it a 4-0 sweep for the Wildcats but this was the first time Sydney could put its best foot forward suggesting possibly more interesting battles to come in the post-season, if the Kings hang in the four.

 

Rangers V Fire (W)

IT was always going to be a thriller and with Townsville ahead 72-71, Dandenong had its chance with a last play but came up empty, Fire marshall Rachael McCully hammering in the final coffin nails on a 74-71 preliminary final victory.

Steph Cumming (15 points), McCully (13), The Batgirl (13 and 16), Kayla Standish (11 and 6), Mia Newley (10) all produced in a gem that saw Jenna O'Hea (27 points), Alice Kunek (15) and Leilani Mitchell (15) go down fighting.

 

BEEF of the WEEK

CANNOT understand why last week when I was overseas, I couldn't get the Hawks-36ers game live on NBL.TV considering it's not as if it will be on network telly overseas anywhere.

I understand why ONE-TEN games are delayed on NBL.TV in Australia, but overseas?

That's just annoying. But then, other than some of the quality commentators NBL.TV has lucked into, what about that service isn't annoying?

 

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. (Yes. I didn't change a word of this from last week.)

NEW Zealand was the round's biggest loser, first giving its fans hope by escaping a depleted Townsville, before failing on the road to Cairns and putting paid to any hopes of a record fourth straight title. No conspiracy there. Just an erratic season.

TOWNSVILLE is the WNBL's biggest winner, taking out Dandenong at Dandenong in a memorable preliminary final to keep its appointment with Bendigo for the Championship decider.

DANDENONG easily is the biggest loser. The Rangers lost their last three regular season games and two straight finals to finish on a 0-5 losing skid, their last win an 89-80 success over Canberra on February 2, a month ago. Think there were issues?

 

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 Harland Sanders?