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ROUND ABOUT: WNBL12
TweetIT’S over. The race for the WNBL final four I mean. Bendigo, Dandenong, Townsville and Melbourne. That’s it.
Sydney Flames fans can resume normal programming and lambast me for rating the Flames as little more than Fumes.
But I don’t trust them, any more than I trust Adelaide or Canberra.
By trust I simply mean, can they be relied on to perform at a consistent level?
Short answer?
No.
Long answer?
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Canberra, and Logan for that matter, already have 10 losses up and five wins. That means they are losing at a rate of 2-to-1.
Sure, that may change after the recess but really? Do you have that kind of blind faith?
I suppose it is the Christmas season so blind faith is no stranger right now. But I have more belief three kings followed a star than two Flames merrily left for greener pastures.
An import departing is one thing. Renae Camino quitting after being treated like a travelling salesman at a Farmers-with-sexy-Daughters Convention – do they have those? If so, I’d like to cover that for my paper – is quite another.
So you know all is not truly smooth and happy in the Grand Duchy Of Dalton.
In Adelaide, they are currently rotating more than a ceiling fan during last week’s heat wave. (For further info on how well that works, please search out “Carrie Graf – London Olympics”.)
So if you put the question-mark over Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra and Logan (included here only because I have friends in Brisbane – one’s a roof tiler if the Thunder need any stadium waterproofing done) then you have to agree the final four is settled.
I know Bernie Harrower does.
“It's pretty doubtful you would see any change to the top four, I would think, not unless somebody can get on a roll,” he said after winning the season-series over the Rangers.
Basketball On The Internet's Player of the Week
CONGRATULATIONS first to Perth’s James Ennis, for winning the non-MVP award at the non-NBL All Star Game last weekend.
If you wish to know more, perhaps hit this link: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/south-does-it-again-winning-the-nbls-nonall-star-game-shootout/story-fnii09gt-1226787601204
Otherwise, back to the Batpoles! And yes, that was a clue for the inimitable PLOCH the Bountiful, that if he takes in ALL weekend performances, The Batgirl - Suzy Batkovic - yet again, will claim the WNBL’s Player of the Week award.
Last week’s winner Abby Bishop continued her All Star Five form with 27 points at 53 per cent and 15 rebounds as Canberra crashed to Logan 68-72.
And Sydney’s Alicia Poto’s 22 points in the Flames’ 18-point win over Logan including 6-of-8 threes, was brilliant, as was Thunder “big” Emma Langford coming through the split averaging 20ppg.
But after hitting 21 points at 62 per cent, with 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals routing West Coast, Batkovic had a game-deciding 17-point third quarter for Townsville against Adelaide, on her way to 30 points and 15 rebounds.
She also had a career-best 4-of-7 threes, with 2 assists and a steal and is back to the form which won her back-to-back MVP awards.
Reviews
Capitals V Thunder
JUST when you thought Canberra was on its way back into contention, Logan delivers a 72-68 road win in the capital to leave the Caps spluttering once more.
Canberra was leading 61-49 with a period to play and its 31-10 second term was a game-changer after its 15-26 first. But a 23-7 last quarter blitz by Logan sealed this and also Canberra’s fate as far as post-season action goes.
Spirit V Rangers
BENDIGO virtually stitched up its second consecutive regular season championship when it beat Dandenong for the eighth-straight time 79-72.
Dandenong led at every break except the one that mattered, held to just one field goal and only seven points in the last quarter. Guard Leilani Mitchell (game-high 20 points) suffered an injury down the stretch too.
Waves V Fire
TOWNSVILLE started fast with a 27-12 first quarter and was able to shift its focus to the all-important clash with Adelaide on Sunday, posting a comfortable 88-56 rout.
And then, just when you were hoping single-digit quarters were a thing of the past, West Coast goes 7-18 in the third. Merry Christmas.
Flames V Thunder
SYDNEY bounced back from its three-game losing skid with a comfortable 93-75 win over Logan, jumping out with a 23-15 first and a 26-14 second quarter.
Alicia Poto put on a 3-point shooting clinic, stroking 6-of-8 while Thunder players spent every time-out praying for rain and a leaky uni roof.
Lightning V Fire
ADELAIDE started on Fire with a wicked 26-13 first quarter, Jess Foley scoring 10 points, extended the lead to 27-13, then were outscored by 22 the rest of the way as Townsville posted a 75-67 road win.
Suzy Batkovic lit up for 17 third-quarter points en route to 30, with 15 boards, Rachael McCully also effective in a game which, despite the Christmas season, assuredly was not officiated by three wise men.
BEEF of the WEEK
YEAH, it’s a hardy regular for me but there it was again yesterday during the Lightning-Fire WNBL game at Adelaide Arena – two recent toddlers handed the broom and asked to be floor-wipers.
Just. Ridiculous.
Most of us love a cute kid being cute, and those two little gals with the over-sized (for them, at least) broom were high on the cuteness scale.
But they had and have no idea when to come on to wipe sweat spots, how to mop sweat spots and, surrounded by pro and semi-pro athletes, are intimidated to boot.
Why the hell do basketball clubs continue to put children into a job as significant as wiping sweat off the floor?
All due respect, week after week a player eventually takes the mop and does the proper job – Rachael McCully did it in this game, Azania Stewart has done it in the past – but dumb-a$$ team administrators continue to sit idly by and not even notice.
I have said it before and maintain that it is a crying shame it will take a highly-paid athlete to slip on a missed or poorly mopped wet spot, injuring him or herself for the rest of the season before any WNBL or NBL club recognises the pitfalls.
Oh well. Rant over til the next game…
BIGGEST WINNERS/LOSERS
BENDIGO was the round’s biggest winner, virtually clinching the regular season championship before the New Year’s season-recess by, yet again, beating the team closest to it in the rankings.
CANBERRA or Adelaide, take your pick for the biggest loser, their playoff plans in tatters after losing must-win games at home.
Online
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 the NBL’s season recess instead of an All Star Game is some kind of conspiracy to break NZ’s momentum.
