Basketball On The Internet.

CAIRNS last night scored a 7-0 points sweep over Wollongong with a four-quarter 86-64 win in the opening match of the Blitz preseason tournament for the Loggins-Bruton Cup.

The Taipans not only won the game to earn the three points for the win, but also won every quarter (23-11, 21-18, 22-18, 20-17) for four additional points and the sweep.

In fact over two nights of competition in Cairns, the Hawks won just one quarter, the opener in Friday night's 87-72 Taipans' win.

Stevie Weigh looked good in his Cup opener with a game-high 21 points at 64 per cent and six assists for the Taipans.

Wollongong played both games without its new big-man signing Shane Harris-Tunks who was cut down by a stomach virus, and with American guard Rotnei Clarke yet to have an import running mate.

That noted, Cairns also played without its two imports, Jamar Wilson and Demetri McCamey.

That still didn't stop McCamey from saying after Friday night's win that it had been a "statement" game by the Taipans.

Say what?

You can be making a statement in your first preseason game when you are not at full strength, neither is your opponent and you still haven't seen six other teams?

And so far, no-one has judged your team in any way?

Nice.

“I think last night was a statement game for us. We showed we can be pretty good in this league,” he said yesterday.

Fair enough. Not one to debunk enthusiasm, let me just say I think that first 36ers training I watched was definitely a statement practice.

 

KINGS coach Shane Heal won't have to do what is known as "an Andrew Gaze" and sit on the fence this week when the SEABL Championship Grand Finals go down in Dandenong.

Newly signed Sydney pair Brad Hill and Ben Allen were instrumental in Mount Gambier Pioneers winning the club's first title in 10 years when they beat Nunawading 76-74 in the South men's Final.

In the Pioneers' 25th year of SEABL, Hill starred with 24 points but missed the waning heart-stopping minutes with a calf injury.

Down by a point, the Pioneers moved the ball around and Allen hit the championship-winning three-pointer from the top of key with less than a second left.

It's not the first time this season Big Benny has hit a SEABL game-winner, although this time it DID occur before the siren.

It was easily the biggest single shot of the 2013 SEABL season and probably the biggest one in Allen's career.

Heal feared he would be fence-sitting for the SEABL Championship final if Bendigo, where his star forward Tommy Garlepp plays, clinched the East Conference title, forcing a showdown with the Pioneers at Dandenong Stadium.

But the team from that venue held out the Braves 85-79, despite Garlepp's 19 points, to win the East and make it a Dandenong-Mount Gambier final this week.

Talk about a tough ask now for the Pioneers.

 

KNOX will meet Bendigo in the SEABL women's final, meaning the curtain has finally been drawn on Samantha Woosnam's outrageously successful career.

Yes, Sammy has retired before but this one is the real deal, her other retirements clearly premature in the extreme.

I mean, after captaining Adelaide Lightning to the WNBL championship in 2008? Yes, lovely note to go out on and all, but why do it?

Renae Camino won the Grand Final MVP in that championship but Sam was a very close second, with a great performance and sterling defensive job on Sydney Flames star Natalie Porter.

Why retire then when you are clearly at the top of your game?

It was Woosnam's second WNBL crown, having been a youngster on Lightning's 1998 championship winner. She played alongside Adelaide's greats of that era such as Rachael Sporn, Jae Kingi, Jo Hill and Carla Boyd.

In 2008, she was the standard-bearer among Erin Phillips, Camino, Jess Foley, Jenny Whittle and Tracy Gahan.

Sam picked up another WNBL championship with Dandenong Rangers in 2012.

That was a good time to retire from WNBL, and the league (and Basketball Australia) should note Sammy is well past the games-played stipulation required for playing Life Membership. (Would someone just like to verify that and award her that long overdue accolade? Thanks.)

Before she crossed over to Melbourne, Sam also playing-coached West Adelaide Bearcats to the SA SBL Championship in 2007 and was Coach of the Year in 2009.

The AIS, Australian junior selection - Sam has been a beacon for anyone wanting to know what elements comprise a true champion, putting hard work and rising above challenges as her priorities.

And she has always stayed classy. (Let me rephrase that because it sounds too much like Ron Burgundy saying: "Stay classy San Diego.")

Let me put it this way. Sam has been a team-first warrior her entire career and leaves the game (as a player at least) as a revered and respected opponent and a much-loved friend to so many in the sport.

It has been a privilege to chronicle the various chapters of her playing career and I, for one, will miss watching her outsmart and outwit her opponents but forever grateful I was blessed to be able to do so.

Sam had 13 points as her Sandringham Sabres lost the East Conference Grand Final 49-62 to Bendigo, where her old running mate with Lightning, Camino, bagged a game-high 18 points.

Bendigo will face Knox for the SEABL Championship, the Raiders beating Ballarat 72-68 in the South women's final.

 

MANLY-Warringah last week beat Sydney Comets 78-69 in the final to win the Waratah League's NSW State men's championship.

Star of the win was Sydney Kings regular Kevin White who had three tough games across the weekend considering he ran out in two NBL preseason games against the Tigers as well.

White was named Grand Final MVP after playing the full 40 minutes and scoring 27 points, with 16 rebounds and seven assists.

Former Kings guard Luke Cooper also played well for the Sea Eagles with 15 points.

Stephen Whitehead, running around and still good enough to start for the Comets at the ripe old age of 42 - is he the Waratah League's version of D-Mac? - led the runners-up with a team-high 19 points and four assists in the final.

Thanks to David Greenberg for the heads-up because this is how the Waratah finished up in 2013:

2013 Waratah League Awards

Waratah Championship League Men

WINNERS

All Star Five - Guard: Jarrad Weeks - Norths Soul Sports Bears

All Star Five - Guard: Kevin White - Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

All Star Five - Forward: Justynn Hammond - Newcastle Hunters

All Star Five - Forward: Benjamin Ellsworth - Penrith Panthers

All Star Five - Centre: Goran Veg - BNSW Parramatta Wildcats

MVP: Jarrad Weeks - Norths Soul Sports Bears

Coach of the Year: Dom Finlay - Hills Hornets

U/21 Player of the Year: Ben Kearins - Penrith Panthers

Defensive Player of the Year: Benjamin Ellsworth - Penrith Panthers

Leading Points Scorer: Mitchell Rueter - Maitland Mustangs - 24.91 ppg

Leading Rebounder: Ross Allsopp - Hornsby Spiders - 9.17 rpg

Steals Leader: Christian Hammond - Newcastle Hunters - 3.05 spg

Assists Leader: Luke Cooper - Manly Warringah Sea Eagles - 7.28 apg

Golden Hands: Luke Cooper - Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

Blocks: Goran Veg - BNSW Parramatta Wildcats - 2.43 bpg

Field Goal Percentage: Luke Overs - Manly Warringah Sea Eagles - 60.1%

Three Point Percentage: Nathan Kirwan - Manly Warringah Sea Eagles - 42.8%

Free Throw Percentage: Jarrod Weeks - Norths Soul Sports Bears - 82.6%

Waratah Championship League Women

WINNERS

All Star Five - Guard: Alicia Poto - Hornsby Spiders

All Star Five - Guard: Nicole How - Norths Soul Sports Bears

All Star Five - Forward: Briana Maimone - Bankstown Bruins

All Star Five - Forward: Jaimee Kennedy - Hornsby Spiders

All Star Five - Centre: Jane Warren - Parramatta Wildcats

MVP: Briana Maimone - Bankstown Bruins

Coach of the Year: Cheryl Lowe - Illawarra Hawks

U/21 Player of the Year: Olivia White - Sutherland Sharks

Defensive Player of the Year: Jane Warren - BNSW Parramatta Wildcats

Leading Points Scorer: Alicia Poto - Hornsby Spiders - 20.19 ppg

Leading Rebounder: Jane Warren - BNSW Parramatta Wildcats - 15.35 rpg

Steals: Sarah Davidson - Sydney Comets - 3.45 spg

Assists: Adrianne Bywater - Bankstown Bruins - 5.21 apg

Golden Hands: Alicia Poto - Hornsby Spiders

Blocks: Jamie-Lee Samuels - Hills Hornets - 1.78 bpg

Field Goal Percentage: Mirinda Reed - Banktown Bruins - 49.6%

Three Point Percentage: Alicia Poto - Hornsby Spiders - 48%

Free Throw Percentage: Vanessa Panousis - Sydney Comets - 80%

Waratah State League Men

WINNERS

All Star Five: Chris Moore - Shoalhaven Tigers, Zac Anderson - Wagga Wagga Heat, Aaron Marsh - Hawkesbury Jets Black, Guy Brandon -  Sutherland Sharks, Darren Duff - Newcastle Hunters

MVP: Chris Moore - Shoalhaven Tigers

Coach of the Year: Tony Plunkett - Canberra Gunners

Rookie of the Year: Luke Martin - Port Macquarie Dolphins

Defensive Player of the Year: Jonathan Howe - Newcastle Hunters

Points Scorer: James Whitby - Lismore Storm - 31.71 ppg   

Waratah State League Women

WINNERS

All Star Five: Brianna Hypolile - Wagga Wagga Blaze, Emma Kleeman - Newcastle Hunters, Siarn Woods - Coffs Harbour Suns, Kristen Langhorn - Queanbeyan Yowies, Haylee Lepaio - Bathurst Goldminers

MVP: Brianna Hypolile - Wagga Wagga Blaze

Coach of the Year: Connie Woods - Coffs Harbour Suns

Rookie of the Year: Katelyn Bower - Bathurst Goldminers

Defensive Player of the Year: Marjy Grealish - Port Macquaire Dolphins

Points Scorer: Kristen Langhorn - Queanbeyan Yowies - 22.71 ppg

Waratah Youth League Division One Men

WINNERS

All Star Five: Luke Jamieson - Illawarra Hawks, Chier Maker - Blacktown Storm, Ben Graham - Hills Hornets, Tye McGann - Central Coast Crusaders, Kyle Painter - Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

MVP: Luke Jamieson - Illawarra Hawks

Coach of the Year: Rad Radan - Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

Rookie of the Year: Chier Maker - Blacktown Storm

Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Claus - Hills Hornets

Points Scorer: Luke Jamieson – Illawarra Hawks – 21.36 ppg

Waratah Youth League Women

WINNERS

All Star Five: Rhiaan Te Hira - Sydney Comets, Rhiannon Davies - Norths Bears, Alex Delaney - Sydney Comets, Brianan Kentwell - Bankstown Bruins, Andrea Roditis - Hills Hornets

MVP: Rhiaan Te Hira - Sydney Comets

Coach of the Year: Karen Haddad - Sydney Comets

Rookie of the Year: Donalee Delahunty - Norths Bears

Defensive Player of the Year: Andrea Roditis - Hills Hornets

Points Scorer: Brianan Kentwell - Bankstown Bruins - 15.45 ppg