Basketball On The Internet.

IT has been a weird week for Australian basketball superstar, Olympic topscorer and NBA champion Patty Mills.

It started with the shocking news his ongoing shoulder injury now would require off-season surgery and rule him out of action for seven months.

Anyone who has the privilege of knowing Patty would know he would have been shattered by that news because it immediately ruled him out of the Boomers for the 2014 World Cup.

No-one following Australian basketball could have taken the news well but the man himself would have been gutted, wearing the green-and-gold, representing Australia, representing Torres Strait Islanders, representing the Aboriginal community, representing indigenous people – hell, representing all of us on the world stage - his greatest passion.

“I feel for Patty,” Australian coach Andrej Lemanis told me today.

“He loves representing his country and this would be devastating for him.”

No sooner had that awful news broken, than Mills – a widely sought free agent after his performances in the NBA Finals off a season where he averaged 10.2 points – was retained by the champion San Antonio Spurs for a further three years and a reported $12million.

That news, coupled with the fact he will be able to parade the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy in Australia during its global tour, would have buoyed Mills and after what he did for Australian basketball last month, that is the very least he deserves.

 

MILLS’ injury is a blow for the Boomers who already have lost Andrew Bogut (rehabilitation from injury) and Aleks Maric from their World Cup medal assault.

“Aleks just needs a break from the basketball treadmill and I understand that,” Lemanis said.

“He needs a long period off.”

But the unexpected absence of Mills, who led the scoring at the 2012 London Olympics with 21.2 ppg, has the Boomers’ boss lamenting his star’s bad luck, while adopting his customary philosophical viewpoint.

As much as missing Mills is a tragedy for the Boomers, it opens the door for players such as Damian Martin and Adam Gibson, while accelerating the international rise of NBA #5 draft pick Dante Exum.

Gathering himself from his own disappointment for Mills, Lemanis said it opened the possibilities for other players.

“There are opportunities that flow from it,” he said.

“Patty Mills was going to play 30-plus minutes per game and that void has to be filled somehow.”

Lemanis said there were ways to generate offence as a team to cover Mills’ scoring prowess.

“Dante is an interesting one,“ he said.

“He will get his opportunities in the lead up and we’ll see what he does with them.”

Lemanis said he saw Exum more as a point guard than a shooter or combo guard, liking his work with the ball, decision-making and willingness to pass.

“And I think he’s a more effective scorer with the ball in his hands.”

Lemanis said Matthew Dellavedova and Mills would most likely have started together in Spain at the Worlds, sharing the playmaking duties.

“Delly played some two with Kyrie Irving (at Cleveland Cavs) and we do run that way with him and Patty,” Lemanis said.

Whoa! Sounds a bit like “them thar olden days” when teams just had two guards, with distinctions such as “point” or “shooting” largely irrelevant.

“The game is drifting that way,” Lemanis said.

“But this will definitely accelerate Dante’s development.”

Although the new Boomers squad has yet to formally be revealed, Melbourne Tigers’ dual-MVP Chris Goulding is sure to be in it.

“Chris is doing well in his NBA work-outs and will be playing in the summer league so yes, he’s very much in calculations and you can presume he will be in the squad,” Lemanis said.

 

OK now, so it’s official the Adelaide 36ers have signed Peter Crawford (June 20: http://www.botinagy.com/blog/lmao-lightning-but-its-not-all-pc/ ).

And that Melbourne Tigers, er, United, have signed David Barlow, which also has been mooted for weeks.

(The only surprise there was that United got him without having to sacrifice the marquee player spot.)

Not to mention Townsville Crocodiles have retained import Brian Conklin (June 12: http://www.botinagy.com/blog/gladness-is-overwhelming/ ) and secured Clint Steindl (June 10: http://www.botinagy.com/blog/steindl-to-stay-in-north-queensland/ ).

Wollongong has retained captain Oscar Forman as its first signing under the not-quite-yet-new regime and what should be even more interesting now is who the Hawks choose NOT to retain as opposed to which players from their existing roster (of free agents) they will wish back.

Adam “Balls” Ballinger has made way for Barlow, so I guess David won’t be complaining about how the NBL’s Player Points System kept him out of the league anymore.

(Psst, and just between you, me and the gate-post, I somehow suspect Barlow was playing in Europe for the $$$, not because the PPS was keeping him out of Oz … but it’s only a hunch.)

My (e)mail is that the only way NZ Breakers will be able to retain contracted but much-sought Larry Sengstock Medallist Tom Abercrombie is if he re-signs as the club’s marquee player.

And still to come, expect the 36ers to announce the official signing of three-year Cairns Taipans import Jamar Wilson (June 20: http://www.botinagy.com/blog/lmao-lightning-but-its-not-all-pc/ ) soon too.

 

THE Opals are in camp in Terrigal next week, ahead of their trip to Japan but meanwhile, the Sapphires continue to sparkle at the FIBA World Under-17 Championship in the Czech Republic.

They have drawn a tough assignment next though in the quarter-final rounds when they square off against the host nation and will have the atmosphere and emotion to also navigate.

It was the rabid home support, raucous urging and hot atmosphere provided by the crowd which steered Czech Republic past Italy 61-57 in their Round of 16 game, and our girls can expect more of the same.

The Aussies qualified by icing Mali 72-34, Bride Kennedy-Hopoate leading the scoring with 13 points, Georgia Pineau with an 11-point, 9-rebound haul, Tahlia Tupaea also with 11 points and Maddison Rocci 10.

The Aussies held Mali to single digit returns in the first three quarters and only gave up 11 in the last in a potent defensive performance.

They now are 4-0 in the tournament.

 

HERE are the current NBL team lists, with updating to come on most, especially the Hawks.

36ers: BJ Anthony, Peter Crawford, Mitch Creek, Adam Gibson, Anthony Petrie, Luke Schenscher, Brendan Teys, Jamar Wilson.

Taipans: Shaun Bruce, Matt Burston, Cameron Gliddon, Alex Loughton, Corey Maynard, Cameron Tragardh, Stephen Weigh, Mitch Young.

United: David Barlow, Daryl Corletto, *Chris Goulding, Owen Odigie, Nate Tomlinson, Lucas Walker, Mark Worthington.

Breakers: Tom Abercrombie, Alex Pledger, Reuben Te Rangi, Mika Vukona, Corey Webster.

Wildcats: Greg Hire, Tom Jervis, Matt Knight, Damian Martin, Jesse Wagstaff.

Kings: Angus Brandt, Jason Cadee, Josh Duinker, Cody Ellis, Tom Garlepp, Ben Madgen, Kevin White.

Crocodiles: Todd Blanchfield, Brian Conklin, Mirko Djeric, Mickell Gladness, Jacob Holmes, Steve Markovic, Mitch Norton, Clint Steindl.

Hawks: Oscar Forman.

(*Still has Euro and NBA options to explore.)

 

THIRD time lucky?

Once again I have received an email informing me I am coming into considerable wealth.

So yep, I will be taking a long sabbatical shortly.

Asman Abdul-Qahhar has emailed to inform me he has a huge inheritance for me, if I can just contact him and give him my bank details?

He will then kindly drop the huge sum into my account.

Too easy.

I’ve waited all my life for this moment. Let me just send him that stuff and I am back off to Hawaii!

So long!

 

THE NZ NBL has its Final Four this weekend with nine potential Tall Blacks in action.

New Zealand will join Australia in contesting the World Cup and has a home series with Korea as part of its preparation.

The Tall Blacks squad has 24 players and head coach Nenad Vucinic will be watching the Final Four this weekend, ahead of next week’s trials.

Southland Sharks coach and Tall Blacks assistant Paul Henare says the best way for players to impress is to put any World Cup thoughts on hold.

“Some players will be heading into the Final Four this weekend thinking about their Tall Blacks chances for sure, but if they let those thoughts creep into their minds during the actual playing of games they are already losing the mental battle,” he said.

“I am no different to the players in that regard. For now my total focus must be on preparing the Sharks to give us the best shot at going back-to-back.

“It is the old adage that if you concentrate on the process the outcome will look after itself.

“That goes for each of the teams involved in the Final Four and also for the players who might have Tall Black aspirations - do your job well for your team this weekend and Nenad will see that from the stands.”

Vucinic will be joined in Wellington for the finals by assistant coach Pero Cameron, while Henare will fulfill his duties with the Sharks before turning his attention to the national team.

Tall Black contenders in the Pacific Jewellers Final Four in the Bartercard NBL are: BJ Anthony, (Pacific Jewellers Saints), Everard Bartlett (Hawks), Josh Bloxham (Fico Finance Giants), Finn Delany (Giants), Jarrod Kenny (Hawks), Izayah Maruiohooho Le’afa (Saints), Lindsay Tait (Saints), Mika Vukona (Giants), Corey Webster (Saints).

The Tall Black trials are in Auckland on July 8-9.

The Final Four draw is - TSB Arena, Wellington – Tomorrow: 6pm, IMS Payroll Hawks v Zerofees Sharks; 8.30, FICO Finance Giants v Pacific Jewellers Saints. Saturday: 7pm: Bartercard NBL Final.

 

TOMORROW: American Independence Day!