Basketball On The Internet.

ADELAIDE has done it again. The first NBL club to cut an import this season, it now has the sweep with its WNBL team releasing import Kelly Faris.

Lightning's WNBA recruit Faris joins the 36ers' SEABL recruit Daequon Montreal in being out of favour.

Montreal, coincidentally was replaced by a national player in Brock Motum and Faris by Jenni Screen, who was Opals captain this year on one of Brendan Joyce's touring outfits.

Lightning coach Jeremi Moule was at pains today to stress Faris had not been a problem and was "the first at practice and the last to leave."

But at 2-11 and heading for their first bomb-shelter finish, persevering with an underperforming import ahead of developing some of the good young talent became a no-brainer for Adelaide.

Especially with Screen fitting back so seamlessly.

Yeah. Who saw that coming?

 

GOT to admit, thoroughly enjoyed watching Josh Childress block the big shot, then make the big basket to give Sydney its big breakthrough win over Perth.

It was the Kings' first win over the Wildcats since Shane Heal was in short pants and Andrew Gaze had jet black hair.

It also marked the first time since March, 2011 the Wildcats have lost three consecutive regular season road games ... and they have played 58 away games since.

Of course, the best part of Childress' two big game-clinching plays was his crazy-a$$ goose-step celebration as the teams went into a time-out huddle.

The fact he strained a hamstring in the process - which cost him the game against Melbourne yesterday - unfortunately made that goose-step look even more like the work of a goose.

Today the Kings said the hamstring issue occurred "during the last quarter". Um, yeah. Try very near the final siren after the goose-step...

 

LAUREN Jackson may have looked a little nervous, rusty and at sea with what Canberra was running in her first game back in 11 months.

But when it came down to it, LJ hit nine consecutive points in the final quarter to put the match out of Adelaide's reach, her competitive instincts as good as ever.

Welcome back LJ.

 

MELBOURNE United made history by becoming the first NBL club to play consecutive overtime games and to win both.

The consecutive overtime thing has happened on eight previous occasions but it was United which made history with the back-to-back wins over NSW's finest - first Wollongong, then Sydney.

Would Josh Childress have made a difference? Hmm, the potential league MVP?

Yes, most likely. But you can only play who is on the floor, United getting out of jail in competent fashion. Just.

 

THE 36ers found a new way to put off their opponents, the big screens at Adelaide Arena playing the team's Christmas song during the warm-ups and many of Cairns' players transfixed and amused by their counterparts' inability to carry a tune.

Adelaide was on song once the game was underway but as singers, the Sixers are great ballers. See for yourself.

http://bit.ly/1zUMzUB

 

Basketball On The Internet, Player of the Week

MELBOURNE import Jordan McRae clinched his second B.O.T.I. Player of the Week award this round after scoring 30 points apiece in overtime wins over the Hawks and Kings.

McRae not only averaged 30ppg over United's twin wins but did it at a sizzling 66 per cent. He hit 8-of-16 threes in the double too, with 4.5rpg and 3.0apg.

He easily took Round 11 honours.

PotW Winners

Rd1 Scottie Wilbekin
Rd2 Brian Conklin
Rd3 Scottie Wilbekin
Rd4 Adam Gibson
Rd5 Josh Childress
Rd6 Jordan McRae
Rd7 Josh Childress
Rd8 Tim Coenraad
Rd9 Brian Conklin
Rd10 Josh Childress

LOVED what Abby Bishop (pictured below) did again in her two-game weekend and at the risk of being accused of SA bias, also was impressed with Cayla Francis' game for Townsville against Melbourne.

But my B.O.T.I. PotW for the WNBL this round is Dandenong forward Alice Kunek whose performance helped run Sydney aground, keeping the Rangers' post-season plans very much alive.

Kunek had 26 points at 50 per cent, 5-of-8 triples, eight rebounds, an assist and a block, plus no turnovers in less than 30 minutes.

 

YEAH, NO KIDDING

NETWORK 10 and its ONE spin-off really need to revisit the value in talking to players on the bench in-game.

Yes, it has been a bug-bear here before and again reflects how tolerant and amenable our NBL coaches are to allow their players, while resting on the bench, to have some inane live interaction with the television commentary team.

Picture ESPN trying that with someone on the San Antonio Spurs bench and Gregg Popovich noticing.

Yeah. It wouldn't be pretty.

For all the in-game interviews masquerading as invaluable insight we have suffered through, it's difficult to think of anything that's been said which wasn't generic or effectively meaningless.

"We've got to keep up our defensive intensity blah blah" and "We have to maintain our focus."

Pretty sure talking to a couple of TV heads is helping maintain that focus...not.

Maybe as an experiment, Ten-ONE should cut together all the in-game on-the-bench player interviews and see if they got anything genuinely useful out of them for the viewer.

Truly suspect the answer would be it was a lot of dribble drivel.

STILL on Ten and hats off to Andrew Gaze for his astute observation during the United-Kings match that Jason Cadee's father (Robbie) was "not known as a three-point shooter."

Possibly that could be because he played in the NBL from 1979-83 ... before the three-point line was introduced.

D'oh!

 

REVIEWS

Kings v Wildcats (M)

JOSH Childress had another fine all-round game with 17 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four blocked shots as Sydney finally got the Perth monkey off its back, 78-74. Tom Garlepp had 15 points and three assists, Ben Madgen had 13 points and Jason Cadee had an important 12 off the bench, Josh Duinker 5-of-5 for 10 points. Sydney's last win over Perth was Game 3 of the 2008 semi-finals, its past 11 losses to Perth by an average of more than 20ppg.

CADEE FOR THREE: Jason Cadee was big off the bench against Perth.

 

Spirit v Flames (W)

SYDNEY gave up just 9-12-11 points in the last three quarters to pull off a thrilling 67-60 win over reigning champion Bendigo. Mikaela Ruef had a 10-10 points-rebound double, Katie-Rae Ebzery with 19 points and Casey Samuels 18 at 70 per cent in a huge road win.

 

Breakers v Crocodiles (M)

CLINT Steindl was shooting out the lights as Townsville swept to an early 14-point lead. But Rhys Carter stepped up (19 points at 70 per cent, 5-of-6 threes) to keep New Zealand in it before the Breakers broke through and ran out 96-84 winners. New Zealand's 52-34 second half told the story.

 

Hawks v United (M)

GARY Ervin slotted a season-best 31 points for Wollongong and Oscar Forman had 20 but big buckets by Nate Tomlinson and Dave Barlow forced this to overtime. Adam Ballinger's late three looked as if it had sunk his former team but in the extension, Jordy McRae continued on to 30 points and Melbourne got out of town 103-98.

 

Lightning v Capitals (W)

BIG games from ex-Canberra pair Alex Bunton and Carley Mijovic for Adelaide in the end were not as big as ex-Adelaide star Abby Bishop's for Canberra, her 33 points at 70 perr cent and eight rebounds the foundation for the Caps' 73-70 win. It was Adelaide's best game for a long time but Canberra's veterans - Carly Wilson, Kristen Veal and LJ - did what was necessary to lock up the win.

 

36ers v Taipans (M)

TORREY Craig was a monster for 28 points on 12-of-14 shooting for a new NBL career-high in a game which swung wildly before the 36ers put it away 90-86. Anthony Petrie had a huge first quarter as the Sixers led by 10, then Cairns outscored them by 10 in the second, Adelaide again by 10 in the third and Cairns solid in the finish. The only one who could contain Craig all night was Aaron Fearne.

JUST PEACHY: Anthony Petrie has the better of this exchange with Torrey Craig.

 

Rangers v Flames (W)

SYDNEY figuratively "hit the wall" in going down 91-72 to Dandenong, the come-down from the high of beating Bendigo substantial, the effort also sapping the Flames as the home team pulled away. Alice Kunek led the Rangers with 26 points at 50 per cent, including 5-of-8 threes, their 22-12 third quarter putting the match out of reach.

 

Fire v Boomers (W)

MELBOURNE was giving Townsville a bit of a touch-up until the Fire uncorked a champage 24-7 third period to turn a tight one into another 88-75 night at the office. Cayla Francis led the way with a 26-point, 15-rebound double, Bec Allen offering the greatest resistance with 24 points at 58 per cent and nine rebounds for Melbourne.

 

United v Kings (M)

MELBOURNE made it back-to-back overtime wins, escaping Sydney 105-101 but the real story here was about how good the Kings were considering the competition's leading scorer, rebounder and shot-blocker, Josh Childress, was nursing his goose-step hammy. It took a Daniel Kickert triple to save United in regulation before Jordy McRae put it out of reach.

 

Waves v Capitals (W)

CANBERRA'S 83-70 win over West Coast in Perth might be its best of the season considering LJ and Kristen Veal didn't play while Hanna Zavecz played less than 11 minutes before injuring an ankle. Steph Talbot led the way with 18 points, 11 boards and seven assists, Abby Bishop with an 18-9-7 effort and Carly Wilson continuing to thrive with 18 points at 70 per cent.

 

Taipans v Breakers (M)

CAIRNS gave New Zealand an 83-59 whack in Cairns to leave no doubt positioning in the top four is going to be extremely important this season, the Breakers going 0-of-17 from beyond the arc. Cairns had the edge throughout but its blistering 19-7 final period added insult to injury, Taipans captain Cam Gliddon leading the way with an 18-point, 9-rebound double.

 

BIGGEST WINNERS/LOSERS

MELBOURNE was just able to get over the league's bomb shelter resident Wollongong in overtime, then fell across the line against a severely depleted Sydney in overtime. These were easily two of United's least convincing wins of the year but they will prove invaluable later this season which is why Melbourne is the biggest winner.

VERY rare that Perth is a round's biggest loser and everyone knows streaks end sometime. But some of the Wildcats appeared to be mailing this one against Sydney in until the shortcake hit the fan. Too late! And a chance to return to the NBL's summit goes begging.

CANBERRA was the WNBL's biggest winner, escaping Adelaide with a hard-fought win and getting some minutes into LJ in the process. Travelling on and with a depleted line-up reversing their previous road loss to West Coast in Perth makes this a weekend the Caps will recall when the season gets to its pointy end.

BENDIGO was the round's big loser, beaten by a desperate Sydney still playing without Ro Cox and again exposing vulnerabilities in the champion's armour.

 

BEEF of the WEEK

WHAT gives with our officials and their reluctance to call fouls at the end of tight games when it is abundantly clear one of the teams is trying to foul and stop the clock?

It is almost as if the refs collectively think: "We know what you're upto and we aren't going to fall for your little fouling game" and so they let two or three go before they call one.

Considering how quick they are to call some of the softest fouls throughout various stages of a contest, the sudden reluctance to call blatant fouling down the stretch is baffling.

I swear it appears there is a consensus among refs that no, we won't call that because you WANT that call. We know your game. You are trying to stop the clock. Well we can't see/won't acknowledge that lunge or grab or hack until...no, oops, wait, better call that one now we've used up six seconds.

A foul is a foul is a foul. It's the first one they should be calling.

 

Online

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PS

WHAT he said.

What he really meant.

Sydney Kings coach Damian Cotter after ending a 16-game losing streak against Perth on Thursday.

SAID - “Without getting too carried away, I'm proud of the lads.”

MEANT - “You effing beauty Martha Farquhars!!!!”