Basketball On The Internet.

SORRY to confuse my Boomers and Opals with this week’s NBL and WNBL rankings but FIBA finally has announced the result of its investigation into our Aussie boys’ effort at the World Cup.

Guess what?

They were found not guilty by FIBA of endeavouring to throw the match against Angola at the World Cup in Espanjol.

Already today it has been misreported – yet again - that the Boomers’ 83-91 loss to Angola “ensured Australia finished third in Group D, meaning they would have avoided the USA until the semi finals.”

No it didn't. That is, was and remains total BS.

Losing to Angola only guaranteed they lost to Angola.

It was hours later when Lithuania defeated Slovenia that Australia dropped to third.

If Slovenia had won that, no positions would have been adversely effected so the supposition Australia’s loss created a desired result remains, as it was then, total crap.

Let’s be frank, or even earnest.

FIBA only ever “investigated” because petulant Slovenian NBA guard Goran Dragic tweeted: “Basketball is a beautiful sport, there is no room for fixing the game like today Australia vs Angola. FIBA should do something about that!”

So the weak-a$$ Euro-centric buzzards got their knickers in a twist and raced around like a collection of Keystone Cops, calling for this investigation.

It was a farce then. It remains a farce today. Australia being “cleared” is merely justice for the injustice of this probe.

Look, if Australia had chosen to deliberately lose and therefore as a direct result dropped down to third, then maybe it is worthy of suspicion.

But the result made no difference, until Goran, brother Zoran, and missing relative Moran fumbled the ball against Lithuania.

Lithuania was actually bound for third place until it won that game.

“We are very happy to announce that our investigation has cleared Australia of violating the internal regulations,” FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann said in his statement today.

Yeah. Whoop-de-do.

 

WNBL PotW

YES, agree completely with the WNBL choice of Lindsey Moore as its Player of the Week.

Not so sure the NBL - after waiting half the week - got it right with NZ's Corey Webster winning the chocolates. Corey was right there among the nominees for the B.O.T.I. PotW award but Josh Childress was the man.

Maybe they can sort it out in Auckland when the Breakers host the Kings this round.

 

NBL Rankings

This Wk-Prev

8 (8) HAWKS – If they can’t beat Townsville this time, it surely will be time for executive action.

7 (5) 36ERS – How the mighty have fallen. Got to get their act together sooner than later.

6 (7) CROCODILES – Must repeat win over Wollongong, then take out Cairns to jump higher.

5 (4) TAIPANS – Losing that early aura but a win in Perth certainly would restore it.

4 (6) KINGS – Moving steadily but face an AA-inducing trip to Auckland and Adelaide.

3 (3) BREAKERS – Did all that was required and need only do the same against Sydney to hold firm.

2 (2) WILDCATS – Took care of business in Adelaide but showed an Achilles heel in Melbourne.

1 (1) UNITED – Letdown in NZ was a setback but to bounce back and beat Perth was impressive.

 

WNBL Rankings

This Wk-Prev

8 (8) LIGHTNING – Unable to put two halves together, poor import production, struggling.

7 (7) RANGERS – Good win last round and have a bye to savour it. The only way is up.

6 (4) CAPITALS – In a mini-slump but can hurdle Adelaide to move back up.

5 (3) FLAMES – Won’t take much to reassert themselves and can jump back this round.

4 (6) BOOMERS – On the move and should get at least a split this round to stay mobile.

3 (5) WAVES – Townsville Take II will be the big test of how far West Coast has truly come.

2 (2) SPIRIT – Only beating Townsville at home in O/T when Fire was on a second-leg was just OK.

1 (1) FIRE – Can take solace from O/T road loss and should produce another Waves wipe-out.

 

This Week's Tips

JOEY Wright says the 36ers are searching for their new identity. The bad news is, United finally has found its own identity and it showed it by beating Adelaide in Adelaide by 39 points 12 days ago, beating reigning champ Perth four days ago, while leaving a glimmer of hope in between by dropping to New Zealand. The inconsistency is becoming less regular but there’s enough of an opening if Adelaide can seize it. But chances are Melbourne will claim the Sixers for the second time.

JUST quietly going about their business, the Breakers remain enigmatic on this side of the Tasman while Sydney is striving to prove it belongs in any finals discussion. Beating Cairns was another positive step for the Kings who can look the goods when others beside Childress and Madgen are firing, especially Garlepp. Losing Abercrombie again is a blow for the Breakers but presents Bailey and Te Rangi opportunities. New Zealand will have just a bit too much.

WOLLONGONG started the season full of hope when it beat Townsville at the Sandpit in Round One. A club record 11 straight losses later – including a 32-point pounding by the Crocodiles last round - and the Hawks are looking to restart their season, again at Townsville’s expense. Not sure how obliging the Crocs are going to want to be but this has to be the Hawks’ “line in the sandpit” game or they can expect a season in the outhouse, those that survive. Rarely has Wollongong been more under the pump. Time to stand and deliver.

IF Cairns wants to again return to championship conversations, beating the Wildcats in Perth provides the perfect opportunity. It would be akin to beating Adelaide in Adelaide, or Melbourne in Melbourne which was precisely what the Taipans did to get everyone’s attention. But wins have been a little lighter on the ground lately, a four-point escape from Wollongong after scores were locked 65-65 hardly the springboard for success in the West. Can’t see Perth losing two games in a row.

TWO is a row? No, say these guys

WHETHER Adelaide found its mojo or it was another no-go in Melbourne, and how Sydney fared in New Zealand definitely will play into this showdown at The Fortress. Regardless though, both will be anxious for this W, Adelaide to stem the bleeding, Sydney to show it can pick up wins on the road. The last time they met, Childress went for 36 and 19, Madgen had 26, Gibson 30 and Motum 28 in a 107-100 Kings win. Expect it to be entertaining, for sure. But this becomes a 36ers “must” win.

GOTTA love the north-Qld passion for the Reptile Rumble and this one should be a gem. Again, how both sides fared on the road earlier in the round can be a factor, if not physically then certainly mentally. Cairns’ guards Wilbekin-Gliddon are imposing but Conklin and Gladness are painters and block-dockers for the Crockers. Blanchfield is the wildcard but this is very much a coin toss. Perhaps the home court gives Cairns the slightest edge but this one is worth tuning in for on NBL.TV. Wait. Did I just write that?

DOWN in the WNBL dungeon, Adelaide has a job ahead to get off the torturer’s wrack and after Sydney dismantled Lightning in Adelaide, it’s tough to see the Flames handing over the cell door keys. Expect Lightning to be buoyed by the memory of their overtime win over the Flames in Sydney but subsequently in Adelaide, they simply had no answer for Leilani, and Shannon Seebohm’s role players all played their roles. The lack of support firepower for Hodges is Adelaide’s biggest downfall. Flames, again.

WHEN West Coast last headed north to Townsville, they took home a severe 25-point bruising. The Waves have made some noise since then but Moore will run into McCully, and Tomlinson will have her hands full with Batkovic-Francis. The twin abilities of Cumming and Newley to surf the Waves in many different ways suggests problems for Kennedy Kereama. Expect a closer result but no change to which team adds the extra number to their W column. Fire up!

ADDING Laurie Koehn will give Melbourne an edge it hasn’t enjoyed so far this season but ultimately, it will need every edge it can find to cause Bendigo issues for the full 40 minutes. The Spirit bigs will cause problems for the Boomers, Richards never far from a Player of the Week-quality game, Griffin a superstar and Blicavs clicking. Madgen will be up again for the Boomers but with weapons such as Snell, it is difficult to envision anything but Bendigo celebrations at the final siren.

CANBERRA has hit a few speed humps lately while Adelaide has stumbled into a ditch making this game seriously significant for both outfits. If Lightning can pull off a W against an LJ-less Caps team, it might help right this team back onto the tracks and have no doubt, Bunton and Mijovic will be wanting to perform in front of their former fans. Canberra is still in a state of flux too but at home and with Bishop an ever-present threat, it starts with the slightest of advantages.

SYDNEY at Melbourne may be the game of the round. The Flames had the answers 90-78 in Sydney not long ago but the addition of Koehn means better backcourt coverage for the Boomers and evens this one right out. Both teams will already have played so this one is another coin toss. Homecourt may really matter in this and it is why Melbourne starts slight favourite.

 

Online

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WHY did the chicken cross the road?

To give FIBA’s Boomers findings a proper probing.