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Week #4 Rankings: Penny is money
TweetPENNY Taylor back, Josh Childress out, Dave Gruber shown the door and Rhys Martin passing him on his way in ... it's been quite a week.
Opals captain Taylor, named in the FIBA World Championship AllStar Five and coming off her third WNBA Championship with Phoenix Mercury will have her return to Dandenong confirmed officially any day now.
It is massive news, on par with Canberra securing Lauren Jackson, the Rangers signing Cappie Pondexter, Kelsey Griffin back for Bendigo.
In purely WNBL terms though, having one of our game's greatest players, ambassadors and leaders back in Australia is something Basketball Australia should be trumpeting from the highest turrets.
She is a bona fide superstar - a World Championship MVP in a Gold Medal-winning 2006 Opals team and an AllStar again this year.
And better yet, she is a superstar human being, the complete package. There is so much mileage in her return, it would be embarrassing if our sport didn't take full advantage.
IT was a rough week for Childress, initially of his own making, then by the level of racial vilification to which he was subjected on Twitter.
He closed his Twitter account but in a TV interview, said he had no issue with "freedom of speech" while admitting the vitriol levelled at him had been hurtful.
To be honest, I found tweets from former Kings coach and player Shane Heal regarding the (lack of) severity in Childress' penalty for smacking Jesse Wagstaff to be completely disingenuous, coming, as they did, from the most reported player in NBL history.
When you've been reported nine times, maybe remember you are living in a glass house on anything related to reports, convictions, penalties or wrist slaps.
Unless you're answering the trivia question: Who was found guilty seven times after being reported nine? Then you're laughing. Or we are.
DAVE Gruber didn't become a popular cult figure in Wollongong by accident.
His blue collar work ethic and no-nonsense approach won over a legion of fans and I count myself among them.
Sadly for the naturalised vet, the Hawks' wealth of riches in the big-man department meant the squeeze was on, the writing on the wall when he became the 11th man last week for Wollongong's trip to Adelaide.
From starter to out was a might quick trip and inglorious fall from grace. But having identified a greater need at the guard spots - how can that even be when both imports are guards??? - and with Rhys Martin at home twiddling his thumbs, the die was cast.
O'Martin's flirtation with using his Irish heritage to play in Europe didn't come to fruition but had he been available from Day One, you wonder how the Hawks' recruiting may have gone?
Maybe Gary Ervin or Jahii Carson might be playing elsewhere now and how good a fit would Daequon Montreal have been as the back-up three to Tiiim Coeenraad?
UNITED co-captain Nate "The Irate" Tomlinson will miss Sunday’s game with the Hawks to be at the arrival of his first child.
Tommo flew to the US last Sunday to be with his partner Becah for the birth of their baby.
“Witnessing the birth of your child is the most special thing a human can experience, so there was never a question that Nate would miss help bringing his first child into the world,” United CEO Vince Crivelli said.
“Nate and Becah have all our support and best wishes. If it’s a boy we might be looking at future playing opportunities.”
A crying baby might already fit nicely into the current line-up, actually.
WNBL PotW
IN complete agreement with the WNBL on its selection of Bendigo centre Gabe Richards as its Player of the Week.
She and Abby Bishop had a great contest but back-to-back big games - and both wins - by Richards made this an easy one.
The B.O.T.I. PotW in the NBL was Scottie Wilbekin who produced another exceptional all-round game in a tough road win for Cairns over New Zealand.
For mine, you have to factor in the quality of the game, opposition and circumstances which is why Wilbekin shaved Perth's match-winning-without-scoring Damian Martin for his extraordinary game in the beheading of the Kings.
Former Wildcats coach and the next Brisbane Bullets coach, Rob Beveridge agreed with the NBL and had this to say about it: "While everyone is going crazy about the Josh Childress incident and the Judiciary outcome, how about we start talking about one of the most amazing defensive performances that we will probably have ever see in the NBL and am very pleased to have seen Damian Martin be recognised as Player of the Week!
"Damo's defensive effort against the Sydney Kings was simply outstanding where he TOTALLY dominated the game through his defence.
"I know that everyone likes to see lots of points being scored and lots of dunks but I think that those at the Perth Arena were in awe of Damo's performance and were blessed to see him in action. For a player to have 9 steals, 9 rebounds and 8 assists, this was a very special performance!!
"I have coached Damo for many a year and had witnessed him terrorise players all over the world and I have no doubt that he will go down as the greatest defender that Australia has seen.
"Finally, I do believe that the NBL may have got it wrong where I counted 11 steals instead of his 9…but I am biased though!!"
Agree with all of that, except maybe the 11 steals. But leading your team to a tight victory across the Tasman still rates a little higher for me than slapping Sydney, at this point.
That said, I believe Kendrick Perry asked Ben Madgen to check his Perth hotel room, worried Damo may be in the wardrobe, under the bed or behind the flat screen TV.
But all The Madge did was flop on the bed.
ADELAIDE expects to suit Richie Edwards on Sunday against NZ Breakers in place of injured swingman Mitch Creek (ankle - 6 weeks).
Edwards, 201cm, is an American-New Zealand pro who played for the Canterbury Rams in the NZ NBL this year after a college career at Valparaiso and Arizona State.
An NZ national rep as a junior, Edwards will be a big help for the 36ers, who additionally will be missing both imports, Jamar Wilson (hamstring) and Daequon Montreal (hip flexor).
WHILE the Rangers are celebrating the return of Penny Taylor, Melbourne's hopes of securing Kayla Standish were dashed this week when she pulled the pin on the move.
Replaced by Cayla Francis at Townsville - Fire coach Chris Lucas likes to keep it simple: "Cayla for Kayla ... I should remember that" - Standish became a Boomers priority when Rachel Jarry went down injured.
But my (e)mail is after training with Melbourne, Standish discovered her passion for the game had jumped on a bicycle, leaving the Boomers back at the drawing board.
DANIEL Joyce would like everyone to know he is not wearing pink boots and black socks because he lost a bet.
He is simply trying to emulate his hero and idol, Tiiim "The Vowels" Coeenraad.
DJ even is contemplating a name change to Daaniieel Jooyce.
NBL Rankings
This Wk-Prev
8 (7) HAWKS – Key reshuffle either will set the ship straight or make for more rocky times.
7 (8) KINGS – Had to weather unexpected adversity out West and life in Cairns won’t be much easier.
6 (3) UNITED – Haven’t had the best week but already have also had worse. Time to stand up.
5 (5) CROCODILES – Can get a split this round but both games are within their capabilities.
4 (6) 36ERS – Injury run likely to take them back into the red unless Gibbo plays big again.
3 (2) BREAKERS – Two winnable games this round but looking more like a split personality team.
2 (4) WILDCATS – Here they come. Won well without Daniels doing much and ominous again.
1 (1) TAIPANS – Silenced the doubters (maybe only temporarily) but comfortably will go to 6-0.
WNBL Rankings
This Wk-Prev
8 (7) BOOMERS – The bottom has dropped out and this trip to Perth could not more poorly timed.
7 (3) RANGERS – Relying on Cappie, MacLeod is on angry pills and it just isn’t happening.
6 (5) WAVES – Sorry, but the performance in Townsville needed to be way better than that.
5 (6) CAPITALS – Injuries haven’t helped but need a few more players to embrace responsibility.
4 (8) LIGHTNING – Looked the goods against Dandy but still very much a work-in-progress.
3 (4) FLAMES – Not saying they’ve had a dream ride but Seebohm is coaching from a lounge chair.
2 (2) SPIRIT – Where I expect them to be but still not anywhere near as fluid at 2012-13-14.
1 (1) FIRE – Will continue on their winning way while out-drawing the Crocodiles to boot.
This Week’s Tips
IT’S a rough start for Townsville in a two-leg weekend, heading across the Tasman to where New Zealand has been seething since losing last week. The Breakers started the season well but have been rocky since and are definitely vulnerable. At home though and with a home loss already, protecting that advantage will bring the best from New Zealand.
AFTER shocking their fans by cutting Dave Gruber for Rhys Martin, Wollongong will need to perform against Perth and with the memory of their recent 10-point road loss to the Wildcats, will fancy their chances. Three straight home losses would really make any foundation for a run at the finals start to look shaky but that’s exactly what I expect to happen at the Sandpit.
CAIRNS would most likely have beaten Sydney had Josh Childress been playing. Without him? Well, the same thing happened at the preseason Blitz and while the Kings really gave a great account of themselves, they couldn’t contain the Taipans. On a roll now and with a record win streak going at the head of the table, AND at home in front of their adoring fans, Cairns will win.
ADELAIDE took a road welt from New Zealand and down Jamar Wilson and Mitch Creek – two starters in that loss – plus DQ, cannot start favourite, even at home. Luke Schenscher-Alex Pledger will be fun to watch but don’t expect too much from Creek’s replacement Richie Edwards so soon. Only another Gibbo “super-game” could influence this result reversing.
ANOTHER week at United leaves no doubt the club is anything BUT its name. If only a few of those egos could park at the door and everyone get on the same page. Alas, it doesn’t look like it. Well, not for any prolonged length of time. And yet, on talent alone Melbourne should overwhelm Wollongong. This will be closer than many expect and either the turning point or melting point for Melbourne.
PERTH-Crocs fixtures have had spice since Rob Rose and Co landed in Townsville, not to mention Corey Williams and JR. But those last-basket wins – Kevin Lisch anyone? – have kept these thrillers very interesting. Both teams will come in off a road game and either momentum or doldrum. I like Townsville at home but only the very brave tip against Perth.
DANDENONG may be buoyed by the acquisition of Penny Taylor but she won’t be playing against Bendigo tonight and the Spirit, at home, will enjoy seeing the Cappie Pondexter Show first hand. That said, the Spirit has Gabe Richards firing, Kelsey Griffin never far off brilliance and Belinda Snell running into some touch. It spells “L” for Dandenong.
ABOVE: Annalise Pickrel in action for Dandenong last week.
ALEX Bunton will make her long-awaited debut for Adelaide and runs into three-time league MVP Suzy Batkovic in a very tough initiation. The Lightning have the size to go with the Batkovic-Cayla Francis double and some athletes to rival the Fire’s depth. But Townsville is more advanced in how it wants to play and the already-established chemistry and understanding will be the difference.
PENNY won’t be able to get to Dandenong soon enough after the Rangers drop another game, this time to the Caps in Canberra. Abby Bishop won’t just be scoring, rebounding and running the team this week, but also bringing the ball up, setting up plays, passing out the water bottles and singing lullabyes. Seriously, if a few other Caps can step up – has Kristen Veal shown up yet? – they will win this.
BACK home and ready to show the Townsville loss was a mere blip on the radar, West Coast catch Melbourne at the perfect time. The Boomers may look similar to last season’s over-achiever but personal agendas have intruded and the Waves can wash right over them to go 2-1 for the first time since Kennedy Kereama first saw Once Were Warriors.
SYDNEY gets the benefit of laying in wait while Adelaide rocks up from its overnight Townsville battle – has anyone yet mentioned the Flames’ draw seems unusually generous … as always – and that should give it the edge to maintain its winning ways. That said, the Lightning will improve with every outing and this easily could be the game that sees them coming together, as it has in the past.
Online
WHY did the chicken cross the road?
He was looking for a link to anything at the NBL website which might work.
