Upsets? Expect many of them this year
TweetTHERE can be no such thing as an “upset” at a preseason tournament.
The very word “preseason” says it all, with incomplete teams, incomplete strategies and results which, for the most part, have no long-term bearing.
In the short term, of course, too much can be read into them when the reality is most coaches will hold something, if not someone, back and not necessarily lay all their cards on the table.
Three years ago when the NBL’s Sunshine Challenge was in mid-stream and the games shifting from their Gold Coast leg to Brisbane, I bumped into CJ Bruton walking out of The Southport School.
His New Zealand team was the reigning champ at the time but playing poorly at the Challenge.
“Don’t worry about us,” he assured me. “We’ll be there when it counts.”
They were too, winning back-to-back titles. So what should we draw from the Breakers’ 8th-placed finish at the Blitz, for example?
Only what is pertinent. That there’s a new coach - the man the Kiwis call Dean Vuckerman (least I think that’s what they were calling him…) - Tom Abercrombie has been away at the NBA’s summer pro league, then had Tall Blacks commitments, as have many of his teammates.
Two new import faces. Factor that disjointed preparation in and forget they have about three weeks left if you want to be surprised when the season starts and the Breakers are as tough as usual.
Apart from Bendigo Spirit last year winning the WNBL preseason tourney and then the league title, the last time Perth did the NBL double was 1991. Melbourne pulled it off in Al Westover's first year in 2006 and Brisbane also did it in the Bullets championship season in 2007.
It hasn't happened a lot.
The Wildcats won the Blitz, and with it the prize of the Loggins-Bruton Cup, to make that four preseason titles in succession.
But I’m pretty sure that although Perth also won the past three preseasons, it was NZ Breakers winning the past three NBL Championships.
And the year before the Perth preseason dynasty, it was Wollongong Hawks winning in Darwin. They were NBL runnersup that season … to Perth.
What preseason can show you is the direction teams are heading, the calibre of the imports they are suiting – pretty much every scribe in Darwin a few years back knew the two Kings imports would not see out the season for example – and what a team’s potential might be.
What do facts such as these next few mean? Perth won the Blitz, Cairns came second. Adelaide won two games – over Perth and Cairns.
Townsville lost to Sydney, then beat Adelaide. When I sent that story back to Adelaide from Sydney, someone who can remain nameless said: “Wow, the Crocs beat Adelaide. That’s an upset.”
Was it? As Crocs coach Shawn Dennis asked cheekily after a fairly-depleted Townsville (no Markovic, no Hinder) beat Melbourne: “Was that an upset too?”
Nice.
Not in my mind. It just showed every team will have to be at its best on a consistent basis this year or run the risk of losing “in an upset”.
It’s just to hard to tell yet to whom.
(Had this up re the NBL today at News Ltd sites, if you missed it: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/nbl-tipoff-next-month-has-imports-rule-adjustments-and-talent-to-turn-a-8216make-or-break8217-year-into-a-winner/story-fnii09gt-1226726276052 )
A TURNAROUND jumper by Phoenix’s No.1 draft choice Brittney Griner with 4.9 seconds left in the deciding Game 3 of their WNBA Western Conference semi final has sunk Los Angeles Sparks 78-77.
Atlanta Dream also advanced to the Eastern Conference final, beating Washington Mystics 80-72.
Phoenix will face 2012 runnerup Minnesota Lynx, while Atlanta will take on Erin Phillips’ defending WNBA champion Indiana Fever in the Eastern Conference final.
Candice Dupree scored 22 points, Dewanna Bonner 19 and Diana Taurasi paired 18 points with 10 assists for the Mercury, which chose not to play Penny Taylor in the decider.
Phoenix saw most of its seven-point lead evaporate in the third after Griner picked up her fourth foul and sat the rest of the period.
After WNBA Most Valuable Player Candace Parker gave the Sparks a one-point lead on a layup with 7 seconds to go, Griner responded with the winning basket for the Mercury.
Jenna O’Hea had four points, two assists and two steals in 14:39 for the Sparks.
Brazilian centre Erika de Souza – who took on Opals captain Lauren Jackson last year in the pre-Olympic Farewell Series - scored 10 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Dream, which went on a 15-2 run early in the period to take control of the game.
De Souza also was instrumental in the Dream enjoying a 39-24 rebounding advantage with 14, including seven offensive boards. Atlanta also forced 18 turnovers and had 18 offensive rebounds.
Tiffany Hayes had 18 points and Armintie Herrington 14 for Atlanta.
LUC Longley on how to coach big men?
Australia's triple-NBA champion giving insights into what your post player needs to be successful?
How much would you pay for that?
How about a gold coin donation to the Free Throw Foundation?
Check this out for more details: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/chicago-bulls-and-boomers-star-luc-longley-to-counsel-coaches-at-a-special-free-clinic-in-adelaide-next-month/story-fnii09gt-1226726111123
CHINA is coming to Australia this week for matches against our WNBL elite.
For the full story, hit this News Ltd link: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/top-women8217s-basketball-coach-tom-maher-pits-china8217s-finest-against-four-top-wnbl-teams/story-fnii09gt-1226726291668