Basketball On The Internet.

THE punishment should fit the crime and on Friday in Perth, Kings guard Ben Madgen suffered the equivalent of an execution for jay-walking, even if he did it twice.

While I am 100 per cent behind any move to stamp out flopping in the NBL, the league must revisit the penalty immediately to prevent a repeat of Friday's travesty in Perth.

To refresh your memory or bring you uptospeed, Madgen copped a flopping foul early after being run over by the human refrigerator Earnest Ross.

He received a second flop foul later in the game.

Fair enough.

But here's the rub-out.

As flops incur a technical foul and two technical fouls mean automatic explusion, The Madge was given his marching orders after his second one.

I understand that two techs equals goodnight for the duration and get out of sight while you're at it.

But the technical for a flop needs to be revisited.

It is penalty enough already to give up a free throw, have a foul added to your personal tally and the additional ignominy of being regarded as "a flopper".

The "flop technical" should NOT count as a full-blown technical or, essentially, we are equating it on the same level as a punch, obscene verbal abuse etcetera which, clearly, it isn't.

On the rules, as they stand, Madgen had to be expelled.

But in this instance, the law is an ass.

Two techs for flopping now is even worse than fouling out!

If you get five fouls and foul out, at least you can still sit on the team bench.

Two flop techs and get out of sight!

Flopping is a blight on the game and every fan who doesn't suffer from one-eyed-ier can probably identify one or two floppers on his or her team.

The refs are calling it tight and that's fair enough too. It needs stamping out.

But the Madgen incidents highlighted the punishment as way over the top.

Again, invent a new signal for the "Flopping technical" to differentiate it from the regulation technical.

We don't want to see players turfed from the court confines just because they had a momentary lapse. Or two.

 

AROUND the COURTS

KINGS forward Josh Childress formally has been charged by the NBL for his "alleged" strike on Perth's Jesse Wagstaff.

Love how it is an "allegation", even though we all saw it. Never understood that.

Anyway, once again the league got it wrong. The official charge sheet is for the strike on Wagstaff and reads:

"Striking with elbow - Unduly rough play - Bringing the game into disrepute."

How did he "bring the game into disrepute"?

If the NBL wants to say Childress' subsequent tweet brought the game into disrepute, you could maybe make a case.

But his "alleged" hit on Wagstaff went viral worldwide, including ESPN, bringing the NBL into sharp focus around the globe. If anything, it gave the game here some "repute".

As former Melbourne Tigers big man Brad Pineau rightly points out, the penalty for Josh Chill should, in fact be: "1. He continues to play and can't cut his hair - yes he has a horrible 'do'.

2. He has to start lifting weights twice a day - can you imagine the damage Ray Borner/Mel Dalgleish/Mark Davis would have delivered with an elbow like that off a 10-foot run?!?

Jesse got up and kept playing. If any of those three ever delivered a shot like that, the Chaplain would have been called."

The tribunal hearing is set for tomorrow evening. 

I hear six other NBL power forwards are ready to give evidence on Chill's behalf, citing "mitigating circumstances".

 

YEAH, NO KIDDING

NOT often Steve Carfino hits the spot for me on commentary for TEN but he sure did in Friday's game when Wildcats non-import Earnest Ross scored a basket against Sydney and immediately flexed his muscles at the crowd.

"C'mon man, is he serious? Is he serious? He couldn't buy a bucket ... this is his third game, his first field goal and he's flexing his muscles on his first field goal? C'mon."

Could not have agreed more with Steve.

And I also liked Lachy Reid's wry observation when Ben Madgen was tossed from the game after his second technical foul for flopping.

"Ironic it's against the Perth Wildcats," he mused, as, I am sure, did many of the viewers.

Next Canberra Caps' game on ABC-TV listen out for coach Carrie Graf in her time-outs and count how often she says "OK?" Fair dinkum, she made Brian Goorjian's old "awright?" sound rare.

For that matter, you have to love Kristi Harrower in the Bendigo huddle when she is pointing to the whiteboard and turns "here" into the dual-syllable "he-yar."

Great to have her back, regardless.

 

Basketball On The Internet, Player of the Week

HE has done it again.

Cairns playmaker Scottie Wilbekin has claimed his second B.O.T.I. Player of the Week award after compiling match-winning numbers of 24 points, six rebounds, nine assists and a steal as the Taipans went to 5-0, beating New Zealand 85-76 in Auckland.

Don't get me wrong. I loved Damian Martin's incredible performance for the Wildcats against Sydney with nine steals, eight assists and nine rebounds. His defensive energy retarded the Kings to a point of near-fear.

Had it not been a blow-out on Perth's home court, as opposed to a credibility-building win on an opponent's court across the Tasman, Damo would have won the nod.

His nine steals are the most by any player in a game since Darryl McDonald also had nine for Victoria against Brisbane in December, 2002.

It was quite the feat, though he didn't break the Wildcats record, held by Ricky Grace with 10. (The all-time record for steals is 11 and is shared by Phil Smyth, Scott Fenton, D-Mac and Steve Woodberry.)

For that matter, Wilbekin's nine assists set a new Cairns club high in a 40-minute game. Given the relevance of both games, he is the B.O.T.I. winner, again.

PotW Winners
Rd1 Scottie Wilbekin
Rd2 Brian Conklin
Rd3 Scottie Wilbekin

IN the WNBL this week, Gabe Richards had two outstanding games for two Bendigo wins and should be an easy choice for PotW.

 

Reviews

Breakers v Taipans  (M)

CAIRNS' 29-15 third quarter and the continued stellar play of import playmaker Scottie Wilbekin translated into an 85-76 credibility-building road win in Auckland. It took the Taipans to 5-0 and with their fourth road win, the foundation definitely is in place for a return to the playoffs.

Lightning v Rangers (W)

CAPPIE Pondexter and Tegan Cunningham were the story of this game early but once Adelaide seized control late in the third, it was not going to be caught, winning 68-63. Emma Langford and Kathleen Scheer were huge off the bench and Laura Hodges dominated the end-game.

36ers v Hawks (M)

IT started out as the Gary Ervin show, the former 36er with 20 points two minutes into the second period. But a mind-boggling 20-0 start to the second half by the 36ers, with Adam Gibson, Jamar Wilson, Luke Schenscher and BJ Anthony (below) all factors, turned this into a 94-73 runaway win.

Wildcats v Kings (M)

DAMIAN Martin terrorised Kendrick Perry as Perth set up a big win despite foul woes making the much-anticipated DeAndre Daniels-Josh Childress battle one-sided toward the NBA vet. Officiating and its aftermath aside, the Wildcats forced 20 turnovers and had Sydney second-guessing itself to a 63-84 loss.

Spirit v Capitals (W)

ABBY Bishop was a tireless colossus trying to carry Canberra with 19 points and 18 rebounds but didn't have enough support, Bendigo revealing its versatility as all 10 players scored in a 67-60 win. Gabe Richards had 20 points at 83 percent and eight boards and Kristi Harrower was "money".

Rangers v Flames  (W)

KEY free throw makes by Sydney guard Katie-Rae Ebzery helped the visitors to a tight 81-78 win at Dandenong where Cappie Pondexter again was a class above with 30 points, 10 boards and four assists for the Rangers. Kathleen MacLeod, unhappy in Adelaide, copped a tech in this one. 

Crocodiles v United (M)

A 31-16 opening period by Townsville set up this 92-81 win, Brian Conklin with 23 points and nine boards and Clint Steindl's 18 points including 5-of-8 triples. A 44-32 boards edge also didn't help Melbourne's cause, Wortho's eight defensive boards the benchmark.

Boomers v Spirit  (W)

MELBOURNE finally hit the wall after leading the reigning champs for three quarters, Bendigo's 27-15 final period clinching a 76-67 escape. Gabe Richards had another 21-13 points-boards double, Belinda Snell with her best game so far as a Spirit, hitting 18 points including 4-of-5 threes.

Hawks v Breakers (M)

JAHII Carson ignited a memorable fightback from a 14-point last quarter deficit to get Wollongong to 77-79 - close but no cigar - its second home loss by two points. Carson finished with 24 points, 18 in the last quarter but New Zealand had too many weapons, Corey Webster again a key.

Fire v Waves (W)

SUZY Batkovic had 17 points and 15 boards as Townsville took the sword to West Coast's bubble, bursting it 93-58. Cayla Francis backed up her PotW award with a 19-11 points-rebounds double as the Waves bottomed out and the Fire produced a 26-11 icing-on-the-cake last quarter.

 

BEEF of the WEEK

HANDBALLING this one to regular reader John Merriman who emailed me the following:

"So excited about Australian basketball at the moment, I clicked on the HUGE FIBA 2014 icon on the NBL HOME PAGE to find out how we went, who the World Champs are, or if there is just some left over FIBA stuff that could pertain directly to Australian basketball.

"Apparently there isn’t, because when I clicked on it at 9pm on Sunday night to get the LATEST news, this link told me this page could no longer be found. I wonder why it is still there?

"Anyway, obviously just an aberration. So I clicked on Gibbo’s Diary for the latest instead, you know the one, it’s right next door to the FIBA 14 icon, unfortunately there is no listing for Gibbo’s diary either.

"Oh well, next along the line is Tom’s Journal. Hey, it's NZ but still part of Oceania and the NBL, so there must be some interesting stuff there at least. Actually no, just another page that can’t be found.

"What the heck? I’m a basketball junkie and I want THE LATEST info going around. So I clicked on the next one along, the NBL preseason icon, finally I will get uptodate with what is happening today.

"Sadly, another page not found.

"With an NBA number three (or was he four?) pick playing last season (or was it the one before?), along with a Perth import now playing (sporadically) in LeBron James’ spot in Miami; a $7.3m NBA star playing in Sydney, and who just shivered a local lad to gain international coverage AND a round 2 draftee belonging to a team coached by a former NBL Australian championship coach also playing in Australia, focus on Australia has never been higher. NEVER.

"I don't think I can justify the NBL to anyone."

Hard to argue Johnny.

 

BIGGEST WINNERS/LOSERS

CAIRNS was the NBL's biggest winner of the round, and not just because certain scribes have been waiting to see the Taipans win on someone else's terms. Beating NZ in NZ is worth gold - ask the 36ers last year - and four road wins from their 5-0 record is priceless.

IT'S a toss up for the biggest loser but Wollongong going down twice and one of those at home by two - much as last week - makes that hole the Hawks are digging a little bit deeper. Not sure Sydney did itself any favours in Perth or in what is sure yet to follow.

ADELAIDE was the WNBL's biggest winner, bouncing from a trouncing in Perth in Round One to KO first week winner Dandenong, righting its season and doing it with first-choice starting centre Alex Bunton still missing.

MELBOURNE did great for three quarters but came up empty again against Bendigo in the Spirit's second game of the weekend. That leaves the Boomers as the only team without a win after two weeks.

 

Online

http://bit.ly/1pPSfHM http://bit.ly/1rKapv2  http://bit.ly/12mBajq  http://bit.ly/1wi6hsO

 

PS
WHAT he said. What he meant.

Said - Perth coach Trevor Glesson post-game on Childress: "I thought it was a pretty cheap shot. There’s no room for that in our game. I hope the league takes a stand on it because it wasn’t deserved. You do that in AFL and you’re out. Anything around the head is a no-no.”

Meant - "I don't care if he's ex-NBA, they need to make an example of him, post-game etiquette be damned. If Nick won't tweet a pic, I am happy to step up."

Said - Sydney coach Damian Cotter: “I hope that any decision made in relation to the incident is taken with due consideration as to how the game was played out. Considering the type of person I know Josh to be, the question needs to be asked as to why he reacted the way he did.”

Meant - "Eff off Trevor."