Basketball On The Internet.

ANDREJ Lemanis is the right man to revive Brisbane Bullets as an NBL franchise but who will be the man to take the job of Boomers coach, post-Rio Olympics?

Bear in mind, coaching the Boomers will be an entirely new role because Australia won’t be qualifying for FIBA World Cups (and the next one is in 2019, not 2018) via Oceania and a couple of games against New Zealand’s Tall Blacks every two years.

It will be via the new format, which will mean home/away-style games against Asian opponents IN-SEASON.

So before you start dreamily throwing up names such as Gregg Popovich or Steve Kerr – as some already have done - bear in mind there is ZERO chance of anyone like that because of the scheduling demands.

Ruling out part-timers means it probably has to be some sort of fulltime position, with associated Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence duties.

The list of names shrivels pretty quickly.

Two stand out, of course.

One is former Olympics coach Brian Goorjian. It is compulsory, I believe, to nominate him as a candidate, even if he isn’t.

Then again, maybe after all these years in China, he might be ready to return home.

But does BA go back – it is “Back to the Future” day, after all – or does it go forward?

A gold medal winner at a FIBA World Youth Championship in a team which had guys named Bogut and Newley, Illawarra Hawks coach Rob Beveridge has a long-held passion to coach Australia at senior level.

He is loving his Hawks, yes. But he is only on a one-year contract so he does become available around about the same time Andrej heads to Brisbane.

The Boomers’ job was between the two of them last time in what most of us saw as a potential win-win for BA anyway.

That’s how it turned out too.

Now we could see how it would go with Bevo for four years, the Hawks’ mentor already with his own solid links to Asia.

And Bullets fans can continue to grow in excitement, knowing they have just the right man to lead the foundation club back from the wilderness.

 

GOT this in the (e)mail from FOXSPORTS yesterday, informing me of the network's sporting highlights...

Basketball, 2015/16 National Basketball League
Melbourne United v Cairns Taipans, Sat 24 Oct, LIVE in HD at 7.30pm EDT on FOX SPORTS 500 Defending champions Cairns Taipans head south to clash with an undefeated Melbourne United side in a prime-time showstopper on Saturday at 7.30pm. All the action LIVE in HD with no-ad breaks during play on FOX SPORTS News 500.

...There you go all you OrangeArmy fangatics. Apparently you won the NBL championship last season after all!

 

Player of the Week

SUZY Batkovic has made it a double, adding the WNBL’s “official” Player of the Week success to her B.O.T.I. PotW nomination.

Pretty sure we know which one she values more highly…

 

NBL RANKINGS This Wk-Prev (Record)

8 (8) CROCS 1-3 – Huge ask on arguably the toughest road trip of them all.

7 (3) KINGS 1-2 – Big tumble and counting days now until Christmas/Childress.

6 (4) TAIPANS 2-1 Just getting the job done and would settle for a road split.

5 (5) 36ERS 1-2 Jerome Randle changes the dynamic and kick-start recovery.

4 (6) BREAKERS 1-3 Corey is back, NZ looking its former (champion) self again.

3 (7) HAWKS 2-2 Big jump and now in comes K.Lisch for Perth’s visit.

2 (2) WILDCATS 2-0 Getting it done and can still improve with Damo’s return.

1 (1) UNITED 3-0 Just cruising along and doing it right. Awriight?

 

WNBL RANKINGS This Wk-Prev (Record)

9 (6) CAPITALS 0-3 – Another tough double with an incomplete roster.

8 (8) LIGHTNING 0-2 – Staring at doubling their losses on the road.

7 (3) BOOMERS 1-1 – Took surprise welt at home and same awaits on road.

6 (4) LYNX 2-1 – Road hiccup will quickly be erased with a Dandy scalp.

5 (7) FLAMES 2-1 – Putting opponents to the Swords now and rolling.

4 (1) STARS 1-1 – Have the talent to roll past Canberra and smack Adelaide.

3 (5) SPIRIT 2-1 – Finding their feet now but this is a challenging round.

2 (9) FIRE 1-1 – Really sizzled last week and can fry Lightning too.

1 (2) RANGERS 2-0 – Only unbeaten team left but that could change fast.

 

THIS WEEK'S TIPS

NEW Zealand is likely to be buoyed and “up” with Corey Webster returning while the Kings cross the ditch with Josh Childress still sidelined. That sounds to me a lot like “Breaker Breaker good buddy.”

HAVING already beaten the Crocs in Townsville and now comfortably settling in for a long stay in their own beds – for the most part - at home in Melbourne, it is tough to see anything but a United win over Townsville.

HAVEN’T been impressed with Cairns since the Blitz and the last time the Taipans travelled it wasn’t pretty. Mark Worthington loves it in Adelaide but if Jerome Randle is cleared to play for the 36ers, this is a home win.

BACKING up in Sydney 24 hours later will be a big ask for the 36ers and even moreso if, as suspected, Josh Childress plays his first game of Season 2015-16 in this one. If he does, the Kings get home. If not? Adelaide to upset.

FRONTING up to Perth after playing United makes it a tough double for the Crocs, particularly if Damian Martin is able to suit. Expect a feisty Townsville performance but Perth’s not a happy hunting ground for Crocodiles.

IF Cairns is to be anything like the force it was last season, slipping in to Melbourne and out with a win would be par for the course. Wortho will want to have a big one but United’s athleticism and depth looks too much.

SAVING the best until last, Perth rolls into Wollongong to reunite Illawarra coach Rob Beveridge with many of the guys who won him a title. What a cracker this one promises to be. If Kevin Lisch plays, I take the Hawks. If not, then Wildcats stay unbeaten.

CANBERRA still will have its tail between its legs after last week’s road shellacking (never sure how that’s spelt) in Townsville but can expect more problems from Queensland with SEQ. No Jacko, no Montgomery = no W for the Caps.

EMBRACING its new identity, Bendigo will strut into Stud Rd full of confidence against the WNBL’s only unbeaten team in what should be a thriller of a contest. Homecourt gives Dandenong the edge but a Spirit upset would be no surprise.

THE good news for Canberra is WNBA point guard Renee Montgomery should arrive at the weekend. The bad news is she won’t suit in Bendigo and neither will Lauren, giving the Spirit a huge opportunity to put a cap in the Caps.

THE Boomers took a bit of a hit last round and need to pinch one off Sydney for their own confidence. Having seen both teams against Adelaide and with Carolyn Swords having an extra week now to settle in, the Flames look more likely.

AFTER what Townsville did to Canberra last week, Adelaide will hit the ‘Ville needing to be better than its best to cause any issues here. Suzy Batkovic and Cayla George will enjoy smashing around their former club.

MAYBE the round’s most telling result will come from Perth where the Lynx host Dandenong. A win here after splitting the Melbourne-Bendigo double will mean the Lynx are for real and frankly, that’s what I’m expecting.

ADELAIDE’s lack of size and experience means it won’t be troubling too many teams and especially those with anyone of significant size – a la Swords or Penaluna (or Batkovic etc) – so expect a strong start to peter out as the Stars shine.

 

KNOCK KNOCK

Who's there?

David Barlow

David Barlow who?

How soon they forget!