Basketball On The Internet.

*FLASHBACKS, my weekly "lucky dip" where I just reach into my drawers of old Australian basketball stuff and transcribe whatever I find for you.

Grabbed the "Mitsubishi Challenge Weekly Wrap-Up" from July 14, 1997. Let's see what we have here...

WRAP

THE SE Melbourne Magic (13-4) lowered their colours for the first time in 10 outings when they went down in a barn-burner to arch rivals Melbourne. The Magic, still two games clear of Perth in second, must play their next two games without either of their centres, Dorge (injured) and Anstey (NBA).

Perth (12-6) had a double win, home and away. On Friday they recovered from a slow start when Adelaide's Brett Maher poured in 17 first quarter points. The Wildcats still trailed by 8 at the last change but their defence produced crucial turnovers as they outscored Adelaide 36-23 in the final stanza.

The Wildcats returned home and held Illawarra to 37 per cent shooting to their own 56 and they never looked back after midway through the third term.

North Melbourne suffered the loss of Mike Mitchell to bruised ribs late in the second quarter against Newcastle but still showed the experience and composure to turn a tight game into an easy result in the last quarter.

Townsville (9-8) has fifth spot just behind its Queensland counterpart Brisbane by virtue of an exciting victory over Canberra. The Suns established an early lead and held off a late Canberra charge keyed by Robert Rose's round-high 43 points.

Brisbane had mixed fortunes, in Sydney meeting a Kings side focused on breaking a four-game losing streak. Sydney pushed out the lead just before three quarter time and was comfortable in the last term.

The Bullets struck back the next day against Canberra blasting the Cannons 33-18 in the first term and never relinquishing a firm hand on the game after that, despite only managing 10 second-quarter points. The Cannons' offence fizzled, scoring 18, 15, 16 and 13 points in the four quarters. Their 62-point total is the second lowest for the season behind their 55-point effort against Magic.

The twin losses put Canberra (10-10) in the danger zone in a three-way tie for sixth with Adelaide (9-9) and Sydney (10-10) with the powerful combination at Melbourne (7-11) still a ways off but looking like a team which found itself on the weekend.

 

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Friday - KMart Tigers v Canberra Times Cannons, Melbourne Park

The Cannons have had Melbourne's measure twice this season (113-99 and 92-82) but are likely to find this third go around their toughest encounter. The Tigers awoke last weekend with an inspirational victory over the Magic and know with a bit of a run on, the playoffs aren't beyond them.

Friday - Coca-Cola Kings v Carlton Falcons, SEC

The young Falcons have already claimed the Kings this year and it will be interesting to see if Sydney coach Alan Black keeps Matt Nielsen in the starting line-up and how quickly Justin Withers can get up to speed after his first game of the season last weekend.

Friday - Cooper Tools Hawks v Magic, The Snakepit

This is a real danger game for the league-leading Magic, the Hawks a much better team than their record indicates. The Magic will now be more reliant on their young players like Smith, Drmic and Mackinnon to produce and Ronaldson to swing into the middle. For the Hawks, Ritter and Zauner must challenge the middle of the Magic "D".

Friday - "Cool Because You Can" Bullets v Coke Wildcats, BCC

This game features two of the NBL quiet achievers. The Wildcats have won four in a row while the Bullets have won four of their last five despite a spate of injuries which would have devastated a lesser side. Perth owes Brisbane one after the Bullets upset them 86-82 in Perth.

Saturday - Pura Milk 36ers v Carlton Falcons, Clipsal Powerhouse

The 36ers' streak up the ladder lost momentum last week with two losses. The Falcons played one of their best games of the season when they beat Adelaide 108-100 in Newcastle. But they also put in their worst game of the season when they dropped the second leg of the Doomsday Double 141-99 in Adelaide. On balance, the 36ers have the edge.

Saturday - Magic v Booze Less Giants, Melbourne Pk

The Magic double back from their date at the Snakepit to host crosstown rival North Melbourne. South East Melbourne has won the past five encounters with North, including an 88-77 victory at the Glasshouse early in the year to give the Giants their first loss of the year.

Saturday - McDonald's Suns v Coke Wildcats, The Furnace

On the second leg of their Queensland tour, Perth faces another danger game in Townsville. The Suns have the second-best home record in the NBL and the crowd of 4141 could lift the Suns to their first ever win over the Wildcats.

 

CATCH THE ACTION ON TEN

Catch all the action of the Mitsubishi Challenge on Network Ten.

Friday/Saturday nights - After Sports Tonight

Saturday - Air Time 11.00am-12 noon

Sunday - Mitsubishi NBL Game of the Week 11.30am-12.30pm

Fox Sports games are:

Friday - Sydney v Newcastle

Saturday - SE Melbourne v North Melbourne

 

OZ97 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MEN 22 & UNDER

New Zealand - Australia - Lithuania - Turkey - Argentina - China - Korea - Puerto Rico - Spain - Egypt - Yugolsavia - USA

Melbourne, August 1-10

 

MITSUBISHI CHALLENGE 1997 PLAYER AVERAGES

POINTS PER GAME

31.4 Andrew Gaze (Tigers, 18g)

24.7 Derek Rucker (Suns, 17g)

24.2 Clayton Ritter (Hawks, 16g)

23.6 Tonny Jensen (Falcons, 18g)

23.1 Robert Rose (Cannons, 20g)

23.0 Dylan Rigdon (Hawks 5g)

22.2 Steve Woodberry (Bullets 18g)

22.1 Lanard Copeland (Tigers, 18g)

21.8 Clarence Tyson (Suns, 17g)

20.5 Mario Donaldson (Cannons, 20g)

TOTAL REBOUNDS

15.2 Mark Bradtke (Tigers, 13g)

14.7 Clarence Tyson (Suns, 17g)

12.6 Melvin Thomas (Kings, 20g)

11.6 Marcus Timmons (Tigers, 5g)

9.3 Chris Anstey (Magic, 17g)

9.1 Simon Dwight (Cannons, 20g)

8.9 David Van Dyke (Wildcats, 10g)

8.5 David Stiff (Giants, 20g)

ASSISTS

8.7 Darryl McDonald (Giants, 20g)

8.6 Ricky Grace (Wildcats, 18g)

7.9 Derek Rucker (Suns, 17g)

6.5 Andrew Gaze (Tigers, 18g)

6.4 Dylan Rigdon (Hawks, 5g)

5.9 Isaac Burton (Kings, 20g)

5.6 Robert Rose (Cannons, 20g)

5.4 Brett Maher (36ers, 18g)

5.4 Butch Hays (Falcons, 18g)

FIELD GOAL %

67 Warrick Giddey (Tigers, 18g)

64 Tony de Ambrosis (Suns, 17g)

63 Gavin Vanderputten (Wildcats, 12g)

63 Ben Pepper (Falcons, 18g)

61 Jason Smith (Magic, 16g)

60 Brett Wheeler (36ers, 18g)

58 Clarence Tyson (Suns, 17g)

58 David Stiff (Giants, 20g)

58 John Dorge (Magic, 10g)

56 John Szigetti (Bullets, 17g)

STEALS

3.1 Isaac Burton (Kings, 20g)

3.0 Darryl McDonald (Giants, 20g)

2.4 Derek Rucker (Suns, 17g)

2.1 Jason Cameron (Suns, 17g)

1.9 Brett Maher (36ers, 18g)

1.9 Dwayne McClain (Bullets, 13g)

1.8 Mike Mitchell (Giants, 19g)

1.8 Steve Woodberry (Bullets, 18g)

1.8 Melvin Thomas (Kings, 20g)

1.8 Sam Mackinnon (Magic, 17g)