Basketball On The Internet.

RUNNING a bit late this week but it does afford me the opportunity to come in with breaking news Melbourne United forward Lucas Walker may only be out for two-three weeks with his shoulder injury.

It may not be the broken collarbone as originally feared.

Well, that’s the latest medical analysis, the file adorned with a smiley face.

Waxy severely injured his shoulder in Melbourne’s midweek road win over Perth and the worst case scenario still has him out for the rest of the season.

Initial scans suggest Walker (above) has likely suffered some ligament damage but more tests still are required and, for now, Melbourne is taking a positive view.

According to United, Walker will be sidelined for a minimum of the next two to three games.

 

MELBOURNE’s 86-78 win threw the pressure back onto Perth, Jordan McRae leading the assault with 27 points.

Greg Hire started for the Wildcats and DeAndre Daniels responded well with 23 points off the bench.

But Perth is skidding at present, Wednesday’s home game just the second time in its past 138 homers the Wildcats were outscored in each of the first three quarters.

“Right now that's easily at the top for wins I've coached, especially for what's at stake and what we are fighting for," United coach Darryl McDonald said.

 

STILL with United but truly disappointed in the club’s decision to again ignore its legitimate Melbourne Tigers history for this week’s Heritage Round home game.

OK. To trot out and “pay tribute to the Victorian basketball heritage” by wearing a uniform “inspired from one of the first ever ‘Big V’ state team uniforms” might seem like a bright idea.

But it isn’t.

It’s just another slap in the face to all the Tigers achieved from 1984-2014 which includes giving present ownership an NBL license.

Seriously now, what relevance to anything NBL is the 1953 Victorian State team jersey?

This is an area United and basketball in Melbourne could not be further apart on.

Acknowledge the Tigers history because it is YOUR history.

Another slight foul-up.

 

SPEAKING of foul ups, welcome back to the NBL Nick Horvath.

The talented naturalised Kiwi had his issues with fouls during his career as an import here but collecting five fouls in 7:29 of his Kings debut against Townsville even shocked Mika Vukona.

Though not Casey Frank, who still holds the record for fastest foul-out, in 7:27.

Nick still gave it a real shot.

Welcome back.

 

WNBL Player of the Week

THE league opted for Townsville power forward Cayla Francis this week which makes a point of difference from our B.O.T.I. winner, Dandenong guard Cappie Pondexter.

Unquestionably Cayla had a couple of solid road games as the league’s top side beat the bomb shelter’s Adelaide by 23 and its next worst team, West Coast by 20.

Having watched the rout of the Lightning, the stand-out for the Fire in that one was Suzy Batkovic with Cayla’s 15-point, 10-rebound double a great supporting role.

In Perth, where all the accolades went to Steph Cumming for her return to form, Cayla had 20 points and nine boards, again a very good performance and worthy of consideration.

Meanwhile Cappie was producing a 17-point, eight-rebound, six-assist, two-steal performance as Dandenong, battling to secure a finals berth, beat the reigning champion Bendigo 89-82.

The Rangers were missing Kath MacLeod (knee) to boot and when the Spirit fought back into the contest, it was Cappie’s three-point play which stemmed the tide.

On our scale here at the opulent B.O.T.I. offices, French polishing services and banana cannery, we tend to rate a performance like that in a game between two of the competition's leading teams, at a higher level than an admittedly impressive performance, albeit by a member of the top team against the clubs trying to avoid the bomb-shelter in two 20-point wins.

Hope that explains it and well done to Cayla regardless.

 

NBL Rankings

This Wk-Prev (Record)

8 (8) HAWKS 3-18 – Have a second chance to catch the 36ers while they are not yet in sync.

7 (6) CROCODILES 7-14 – Playoff dream formally ends this round if they don’t win both.

6 (7) KINGS 8-12 – Still alive but on life-support. Breakers can flick the switch.

5 (3) WILDCATS 12-8 – Showing cracks and Tropical Trip will be huge challenge.

4 (5) 36ERS 10-11 – Making their move and NSW double critical in finals plan.

3 (4) UNITED 11-10 – Just as they bounce back, injury hits. Must rally.

2 (2) BREAKERS 17-5 – Travelling nicely and should dethrone Kings in Auckland.

1 (1) TAIPANS 16-6 – Catch Perth at its most vulnerable in yonks. Time to strike.

 

WNBL Rankings

This Wk-Prev (Record)

8 (7) LIGHTNING 3-14 – A week of heartbreak will only be worsened in Dandenong.

7 (8) WAVES 4-13 – Townsville last week, now Bendigo. It doesn’t get any easier.

6 (4) BOOMERS 9-8 – Floundered last week and must get act back together.

5 (6) FLAMES 9-8 – Great win last week but Fire in Townsville will be a heat check.

4 (5) CAPITALS 8-9 – Season-defining weekend if post-season play to be a reality.

3 (3) SPIRIT 11-5 – Will bounce back but need to be more convincing.

2 (1) FIRE 13-3 – Travelling nicely but not quite the form team at present.

1 (2) RANGERS 10-7 – Definitely the form side of the comp and should smash Adelaide.

 

This Week's Tips

SYDNEY has it all on the line in New Zealand and if the Breakers had first place wrapped up, you might allow the Kings some leeway, allowing for a smidge of complacency by the home team. But New Zealand does not have have first place – and its abundant finals riches - wrapped up so will not slip here.

THE issues for Adelaide at Wollongong are twofold. One, how much will the existing personnel take their collective foot off the pedal now DJ has arrived to do the work? Two, how much did the Hawks take out of the last six minutes of Sunday’s clash when they held Adelaide without a field goal? The 36ers to get home.

HOW quickly have Perth fans rushed to admonish their team? Two home losses in succession and the sky is falling! There’s no doubt the Wildcats are undermanned and, so far, have not adjusted to adversity as well as in the past. Townsville will not offer a great respite either and Perth will need to dig deep. It can.

AH. But for the Wildcats, backing up in Cairns will be a whole other nightmare. Now the legs will be starting to feel it and those slithery Taipans, with their sights on climbing the top of the pole, will be trying to take full advantage. Particularly enjoying Perth suffering will be Alex Loughton, Matt Burston and Stevie Weigh a.k.a. Perth Lite.

ADELAIDE is making its run now in earnest and having already twice been beaten by Sydney, this is a must-win for more than the usual reasons. Josh Childress killed the 36ers in Adelaide but with Johnson joining the frontcourt – where Sydney is most vulnerable – the 36ers should be able to overpower the Kings this time.

TOWNSVILLE at Melbourne takes on a new dimension with Lucas Walker out and the Crocs already having had United’s measure a couple of times. Don’t let’s forget that 19-point halftime turnaround at the Blitz, which is where it all began for Townsville feeling confident about this match-up. With so much at stake, United has to win.

CANBERRA at Bendigo begins a tough finals-style weekend for the Capitals. The Spirit has to show it is a contender without Kristi’s on-court leadership in the key moments. No-one doubts the talent or experience but that wisdom in the crisis definitely is gone. With LJ improving every week, this has upset written all over it.

WILSON BACK: Carly Wilson will be back on court for the Caps.

ADELAIDE is still taking in the news owner Vince Marino has relinquished his control of the club, effective at season’s end. The Lightning have five games left and should want to go down fighting, starting in Dandenong, one of their early scalps. But with the Rangers rolling, it looks certain to be another W for the home team.

THIS is the big one with Canberra at Melbourne, the Boomers’ finals hopes taking a welt from Sydney last round. Melbourne’s lack of size beyond Nat Burton will be put to the test by the Abby Bishop-LJ double and players such as Tess Madgen, Bec Allen and Olivia Thompson must put their best foot forward. Seeing a Caps celebration here.

BEC ALLEN: Must bound for Boomers

SYDNEY's hopes should take a severe dent in Townsville where the announcement this week by Fire starter Rachael McCully that she will hang up her boots post-season is sure to make this emotional. Yes, we know she still has the rest of the season and finals to go but this will be an acknowledgement game, which means the Fire will burn the Flames.

BENDIGO lost at West Coast earlier this season, the Waves revealing the balance of power was shifting this season. But it’s been a long season since then and the Spirit won’t be making the same mistakes again.

 

Online

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WHY did the chicken cross the road?

He was looking for a few more fowls for Nick Horvath.