Basketball On The Internet.

IT is a promoter's dream and a tipster's nightmare - such is the unpredictability of the NBL and WNBL so far this season.

Ladies first, and while it long has appeared Townsville and Bendigo - Grand Finalists the past two years - are a cut above, both lost at the weekend.

That said, the Fire and the Spirit still are the most consistent combinations and when (if?) Lauren Jackson makes it back, Canberra would have to rate as #3.

This past round only confirmed the remaining five clubs all are in the chase for that fourth spot, even if West Coast looked great, then bad, or Adelaide was horrific.

You can make a case for Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Dandenong and West Coast for that coveted fourth spot. 

But let's be honest. Without LJ, Canberra doesn't break away from the pack to the extent suggested. And while a fortnight ago, ruling the red line through the Waves and Boomers seemed likely, it no longer is.

If anything, Adelaide now is the one under the pump.

 

NOT so in the NBL where Adelaide, despite losing to Sydney yesterday, now is shaping up as a Championship contender again with Brock Motum in the lineup.

Here's an odd set of facts. After Motum was released by Utah Jazz on the threshold of the current NBA season because the club had too many power forwards, it signed Aussie swingman Joe Ingles.

He was just what they needed while Motum is just what the 36ers needed.

So Motum opens his career with 28 points, the best 36ers debut by an Australian-born player, and nationally the second best only to ...? 

Ingles' 29 on debut with South Dragons in 2006.

The Sixers had been keen to sign Ingles before he joined the NBL's (then) newest franchise but when the contract offer came back with his name misspelt, the die was cast.

Looks as if the same guy was doing the graphics today for NBA League Pass ...

THAT said, Sydney re-emerged as a playoff contender with a 2-0 weekend, New Zealand confirmed its status with a 2-0 road rampage and Melbourne showed a lot of heart against the Wildcats in Perth.

Cairns suffered its first loss and almost everyone was left wondering the age-old question - why weren't there any games on Saturday night?

Could not get an answer to that because the scheduling team was taking a banana-break.

 

SO what is missing from all this great basketball being played around the country - Adelaide Arena exempted yesterday - ?

Actual promotion!

It's only a "promoter's dream" if the games, players, teams, leagues actively are promoted.

And that falls to the NBL itself and BA to get the word out about its WNBL.

It remains pointless preaching to the converted.

 

Basketball On The Internet, Player of the Week

BEFORE Sydney Kings fans lose their minds about Josh Childress' amazing performance yesterday in the win over Adelaide - 36 points, 19 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks is a stat line for the season - remember EVERY game a team plays in the round counts toward the award.

When you also factor in Childress' game against Wollongong on Friday, do his TWO performances rate as well against, say, Adam Gibson's 30-point, nine-rebound, five-assist SINGLE game for Adelaide?

Or Brock Motum's 28-point debut?

The answer, of course, is yes, which is why Josh wins the B.O.T.I. Player of the Week after also delivering 18 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in the win over the Hawks.

The fact he averaged 27ppg, 16rpg, 5.5apg and 3.5bpg for the round is pretty special. The fact his better game was the second one is even more remarkable.

PotW Winners

Rd1 Scottie Wilbekin
Rd2 Brian Conklin
Rd3 Scottie Wilbekin
Rd4 Adam Gibson
Rd5 Josh Childress

THIS week's WNBL Player of the Week looks reasonably clear-cut to me.

Again, at the risk of being accused of a Bishop-bias, how can the WNBL or BA go past Abby Bishop's two games this round?

I mean, we know if they can, they will and Penny Taylor's triumphant Dandenong return, which produced a 1-1 weekend and the Opals captain averaging 23.5 ppg, 3.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds was fairly impressive.

Bec Cole also put her hand up for consideration with 25 points at 69 per cent, five assists and four boards as Melbourne upset the Rangers.

But Bishop averaged 23.0ppg, 3.0 assists and a whopping 16.0 boards as Canberra went 1-1, the Caps' cap surely leading the MVP voting.

Maybe instead of BA trying to deflect attention from her great season, it should grow some onions, bite the bullet and show some semblance of fairness rather than continue to sureptiously penalise the player for putting her adopted daughter ahead of the Opals this year.

Not that I'm suggesting that is what's happening...

 

YEAH, NO KIDDING

GOT to confess, I have always preferred Steve Carfino as a colour commentator on TV, working with Bill Woods or John Casey, or now Bill Woods again.

As the main caller, he has never risen to the role but his colour can be good, as shown again when he and Woods did a pretty good job trying to make the Wollongong-Sydney debacle seem interesting. (At least what I saw of it before tuning out and watching my catalogue of back episodes of that terrific fishing show which forces Ten to show Sunday's games on half-hour delay into Adelaide every week.)

Quizzed on the defensive match-up for Josh Childress, Carfino quipped:  "I don't think he stays awake at night worrying about Brad Hill."

Nice.

But just when you want to pay the veteran a compliment, he opens Sunday's Kings-36ers telecast excited about Brock Motum playing and saying he is the only World Championship Boomer in the NBL.

You can't get a fact like that wrong in your OPENER, especially when Adam Gibson is playing IN THE SAME GAME.

When Gibbo swished his first jumpshot, Carf again barfed up with a comment about how confident Gibson would still be after his 36-point game in the previous round.

It was 34.

And Gibbo's career-high.

Do some effing research! And if you have, GET IT RIGHT.

Thank Naismith for Woods and his good-natured remark when Gibson again was rolling: "Adam Gibson can fly the plane back to Adelaide, he can do no wrong."

Or his halftime observation: "Adam Gibson for prime minister."

Post-game and the boys are talking about next week's telecast match between Perth and Townsville, a graphic displaying their current win-loss records, Perth 3-2, Townsville 3-3.

"If Townsville can get 'em, that'll be big, they'll be both 3-3," barfs Carf, the Master of Mathematics.

Um, no. If Townsville "get 'em" then the Crocs would be 4-3 and Perth 3-3. But why is he even discussing this when later the same day, BOTH Townsville (v NZ) and Perth (v Melbourne) had games to play?

In other words, their records would be different going into that game anyway!

(And for the record - providing, possibly erroneously, the NBL website has the standings correct today - Perth is 4-2 now and Townsville 3-4).

Ugh.

Watching Penny Taylor play on ABC-TV for Dandenong as it beat Townsville was a joy but toupees off for co-caller Lori Chizik and her post-match question to the FIBA World Championship All Star.

"You did mention that you had a few tough years with your injury, then you came back, you won the title, the WNBA title with Sandy Brondello and Erin Phillips and you joined the Opals a week out of the world championships. You really slid in there seamlessly. The Opals had worked really hard on building a sound culture. You came in to a group with great chemistry - you didn't even know some of the players on the team - you were named captain. As I said, you just, you fit in seamlessly. How did you feel at that time?"

That's a 99-word question from Lori.

(Yes, I counted. I even kept her from breaking three-figures by ignoring any ums).

Possibly the question could maybe have been put as: "How did it feel joining the Opals a week out from the championship?" 

Fabulous question though and just to show this observation is made out of delight and not to diminish, I even dug out (as a soothing balm) an epic flashback action pic of Lori playing for Canada against Australia and Julie Nykiel!

Those were the days!

 

REVIEWS

 

Flames V Capitals (W)

BISH accumulated another 29 points and 14 boards but again didn't have sufficient support as Sydney made it 2-for-2 against Canberra - which could be significant at the season's business end. Katie-Rae Ebzery led Sydney with 26 points at 64 per cent in a fairly comfortable 76-60 win. Sure the Wednesday night scheduling was a huge success too.

 

Hawks V Kings (M)

IT may well be the worst game of the season and easily the worst TV game of the season, Sydney pounding Wollongong into an 82-53 submission in front of the Hawks' stunned home crowd. For a rivalry which is supposed to bring the best of both teams, it sure didn't on the Gong's side, Tim Coenraad's absence through illness important but not enough to explain the lack of heart shown.

 

Waves V Spirit (W)

HANDS up if you saw this coming? (OK, put your hand down now Kennedy Kereama). Louella Tomlinson (14 points, five rebounds, five blocks) and Deanna Smith (17 points at 67 per cent) underpinned this 72-61 victory, Tomlinson anchoring the defensive keyway and Bendigo mustering just 32 per cent shooting. If there's been a better result for the health of the competition this season, I can't think of it.

 

Taipans V Breakers (M)

IT was going to happen eventually and New Zealand stepped up to deliver Cairns' first loss 79-71 in Orange County. Ekene Ibekwe - if you believe the whispers - was needing to pull out a big one, reached in and did just that, scaring the smaller Taipans with 20 points, 14 rebounds and several of his trademark putback slams. For those keeping an eye on such things, Torrey Craig had 13 points in 15 minutes at 63 per cent, Stephen Weigh with seven points in 30 minutes at 22 per cent.

 

Rangers V Fire (W)

IT looked as if Townsville would continue its Dandenong hoodoo when it led 72-68 late, The Batgirl and Cayla in control. But three threes from Penny Taylor in an 11-0 run to the finish made this a 79-72 upset to the Rangers, ending Townsville's unbeaten season-start and throwing the top four race wide open.

 

Capitals V Waves (W)

OPENING with a 21-11 first quarter to put West Coast into an all-night chase was just what the doctor ordered for Canberra, which again had Abby Bishop dominating in a 64-54 home win. Louella Tomlinson and Lindsey Moore both had 16 for West Coast which could not overcome a 47-29 boards mauling.

 

Kings V 36ers (M)

JOSH Childress put on a show with 36 points, 19 boards, seven assists and five blocks as Sydney escaped a fast-finishing Adelaide 107-100. He had assistance from The Madge and The Garfish as Adam Gibson made it back-to-back 30-plus games with 30 and nine boards, five assists, Brock Motum debuting with 28.

 

Boomers V Rangers (W)

BEC Cole, with 25 points at 69 per cent, led five Boomers in double figures as Melbourne reversed its first-round loss to Dandenong 93-77. Tess Madgen paired 13 points with 12 boards, Melbourne's 31-19 second quarter helping it forget its recent recruiting reversal with Kayla Stand-off-ish. 

 

Crocodiles V Breakers (M)

MICKELL Gladness' absence from Townsville's team with a cut finger rocked the Crocodiles' world and when New Zealand opened with a 35-19 first period, this was largely academic. Townsville battled back for a more attractive final 80-87 scoreline but Tom Abercrombie's 19 points came on super efficient 6-of-7 shooting, the Breakers scoring at 55 per cent, with 8-of-15 threes.

 

Lightning V Spirit (W)

BENDIGO hit Adelaide fired up and after a 19-10 first quarter, went on a 30-4 tear which made this academic by halftime. It didn't stop there though, another defensive third quarter holding Lightning to seven which meant at the last break it was Adelaide 21, Sara Blicavs 20. The 76-33 loss was among the worst in Lightning history and 33 the club's all-time lowest score.

 

Wildcats V United (M)

NO Mark Worthington and no Nate Tomlinson meant Melbourne had it all to do at Perth Arena, the Wildcats prevailing 68-59. Mathiang Muo's 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting clearly was not in United's pre-game scout as the Wildcats poured on a 12-0 second period run which set up the victory.

 

BIGGEST WINNERS/LOSERS

IT'S a toss up whether Sydney or New Zealand - which both went 2-0 on the weekend - was the NBL's biggest winner but in the end it's hard to look past the Breakers considering both of their wins were on the road as they turned the potential Mango Mauling into a Pineapple Crush.

WOLLONGONG was the round's biggest loser, dropping another one at home, now in an eight-game losing skid and turning in a performance against its supposed hated rival Sydney which must have dismayed even the Hawks' most ardent fans.

EVEN though West Coast took a road lump from Canberra, the Waves beating reigning champion Bendigo at home for their best win possibly this century, has to make them the WNBL's biggest winner of the round.

ADELAIDE mustering a measly 33 points at home against Bendigo in a 43-point defeat easily was the single worst performance of the year by anyone in the WNBL. The Lightning were huge losers.

 

BEEF of the WEEK

NBL.TV.

Does anything more need saying? 

 

Online

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/brock-motum-fires-up-for-36ers-but-adelaide-hit-speed-bump-against-sydney/story-fnii09ki-1227118020259 http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/adelaide-lightning-thrashed-by-bendigo/story-fnii09ki-1227118030540

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/adelaide-36ers-jamar-wilson-facing-fitness-test-in-race-against-time-for-sundays-nbl-showdown-with-kings-in-sydney/story-fnii09ki-1227115055202

 

PS

WHAT he said. What he really meant.

Crocs coach Shawn Dennis was a little peeved with his team's rebounding after it lost the boards 17-33 to New Zealand in the absence of Mickell Gladness.

SAID - “Rebounding is about heart and soul. And you can’t lose one guy and go ‘oh gosh we can’t rebound now’ ... that’s just bull$#!+. Our rebounding was bull$#!+ and there’s no other word for it. I’m not going to mince words ... it was disgusting, absolutely disgusting. To only get two rebounds out of 36 opportunities in the second half on the offensive end, that just says we aren’t having a go.”

MEANT -“Rebounding is about heart and soul. And you can’t lose one guy and go ‘oh gosh we can’t rebound now’ ... that’s just bull$#!+. Our rebounding was bull$#!+ and there’s no other word for it. I’m not going to mince words ... it was disgusting, absolutely disgusting. To only get two rebounds out of 36 opportunities in the second half on the offensive end, that just says we aren’t having a go.”