Wrapping 14: 'Spygate' grey area
TweetWHETHER Melbourne United cheated or not to secure its win over Illawarra - and only the team's inner sanctum truly knows - the fact is the NBL's television coverage was compromised by the possibility it did happen.
If you're unsure what I'm talking about and have missed the various stories and theories about "spygate", let me quickly update you...
With Melbourne leading 97-96 on Chris Goulding's free throw and 4.6 seconds left to play, Hawks coach Rob Beveridge took time out and in the huddle drew up the last play, with the ball to go to Kirk Penney. Fox Sports was allowed into his huddle, that's how we know.
Fox then switched to United's huddle and as it broke up - which is the key part really - Melbourne assistant coach Simon Mitchell could be heard informing head coach Dean Demopoulos: "Penney in the post, they put it on the floor once and go at it."
Goulding then overplayed Penney as the Hawks endeavoured to inbound the ball, it eventually went to Cody Ellis who was forced into a rushed shot which drew iron.
Now United apologists insist it was fine coaching by Mitchell to pick the play, but it's even better considering it wasn't a Hawks set play but something new Beveridge randomly drew up.
And the fact he only brought that news to Demopoulos at the END of the time-out leaves the conspiracy theorists rightly wondering about the timing and whether United had someone monitoring the Fox feed.
I'm sorry but if that is the case, to me that isn't being "smart" or resourceful. It's taking advantage of a clubs' desire to assist TV in any way it can. Effectively, it's cheating and if Beveridge or the Hawks, or any club for that matter, now said: "Keep your cameras and microphones out of our huddles" I would support that 100 per cent.
But is that what we want? TV has been allowed such great access and we, the viewers the beneficiaries of such terrific insight, that to shut off that aspect of the telecast because someone has - or might - abuse the privilege we're getting would be a great shame.
I'm not accusing Melbourne of foul play but the controversy was and remains real. Perhaps in a tight finish, TV should be denied any timeout access over the final five minutes. That seems a reasonable compromise, especially given Fox lately has been crossing to pre-taped interviews occasionally during timeouts.
The last thing we want is for coaches to say: "No access" or, if mandated by the league to allow access, then turn the air as blue as possible to force the mikes out.
Time for a commonsense ruling out of head office.
THE Opals are en route to Brazil for a Rio Olympics "test event" so the WNBL will enjoy a brief recess in the absence of our main players.
The final touring team for matches against Argentina, Venezuela and Brazil underwent a late change when Melbourne Boomers' guard Tess Madgen was ruled out due to her ankle injury, replaced by Dandenong Rangers small forward Sara Blicavs.
The team is: Rebecca Allen (SEQ Stars), Suzy Batkovic (Townsville Fire), Abby Bishop (University of Canberra Capitals), Sara Blicavs (Dandenong Rangers), Natalie Burton (Perth Lynx), Katie-Rae Ebzery (Sydney University Flames), Cayla George (Townsville Fire), Rachel Jarry (SEQ Stars), Tessa Lavey (Perth Lynx), Leilani Mitchell (MAC Adelaide Lightning), Erin Phillips (Los Angeles Sparks), Stephanie Talbot (University of Canberra Capitals). Coach: Brendan Joyce. Assistants: Damian Cotter, Lori Chizik, Scott Butler.
BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET, PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
THERE'S a fresh face in this week's NBL Player of the Week, as adjudicated by the crack(cocaine) team at B.O.T.I.
Adelaide 36ers centre Daniel Johnson, who delivered an equal-game-high 25 points but at a wicked 80 per cent, plus a match-high 12 rebounds to underpin Adelaide 36ers' 87-81 road win over New Zealand, is this week's winner.
Because DJ led to two statistical categories, we have not one but TWO packets of delicious Menz Fruchocs being kept for him in the communal fridge and yes Beryl, we have the CCTV activated.
NBL PotW
Rd1 Todd Blanchfield
Rd2 Kirk Penney
Rd3 Jerome Randle
Rd4 Corey Webster
Rd5 AJ Ogilvy
Rd6 Al Harrington
Rd7 Corey Webster (2)
Rd8 Kirk Penney (2)
Rd9 Tom Abercrombie
Rd10 Jermaine Beal
Rd11 Kevin Lisch
Rd12 Corey Webster (3)
Rd13 Daniel Kickert
Rd14 Daniel Johnson
THE WNBL round again boasted some big performances but none moreso than Gabrielle Richards' 32 points at 87 per cent (14-of-16 shooting), with nine rebounds, two assists and three steals as Bendigo dented Melbourne's playoff hopes 81-74.
It is Gabe's second win this season which qualifies her for a new sombrero at Pedro's House of Hats.
WNBL PotW
Rd1 Tess Madgen
Rd2 Suzy Batkovic
Rd3 Sami Whitcomb
Rd4 Suzy Batkovic (2)
Rd5 Gabrielle Richards
Rd6 Carley Mijovic
Rd7 Katie-Rae Ebzery
Rd8 Cayla George
Rd9 Leilani Mitchell
Rd10 Suzy Batkovic (3)
Rd11 Sara Blicavs
Rd12 Cayla George (2)
Rd13 Gabrielle Richards (2)
YEAH, NO KIDDING
OK, let's not kid around - Saturday night's Illawarra-Sydney NBL fixture featured some of the most lively, engaged and entertaining commentary Fox Sports has given us this season.
Andrew Voss, Andrew Gaze and Andrej Lemanis - the "Triple A" team - stuttered a bit the first time they called together as a trio but this one was a gem.
Andrej gave us insights, Drewey gave us information - yes, he gave us information!! - and Vossy pulled it all together, which finally allowed their personalities to shine through organically, rather than in some contrived manner.
It was quality, it was entertaining and, occasionally, flat-out funny.
Revisiting the streaker at the same venue back when West Sydney Razorbacks hosted Adelaide 36ers (around 2002-03) was a particularly funny spot in the broadcast, too.
And the halftime "bit", with Kings duo Julian Khazzouh and Josh Childress asking each other questions, also was an inspired idea.
Heading into the home stretch of the season and Fox is starting to get it right, the commentary generally this past round at a much better level, which, of course, is to be expected.
Casey Frank's impersonation of Yoda during the Breakers-36ers call also was timely with the new Star Wars in cinemas now.
Quick shout-out to Matt Russell.
Mate, you're doing great. But!
Derek Rucker isn't a "former league MVP". He IS a league MVP.
1990 to be precise. The MVP isn't perpetual and handed back to the next fellow each season. Once you've won it, you've won it that year for all time. In the same way you can never be a "former Olympian" - once an Olympian, always an Olympian - or a "former Brownlow Medallist", Derek stays an NBL MVP for the rest of his life. And then, for as long as the NBL exists.
It's no biggie, but worth getting right.
Just to show Fox Sports' recent on-screen graphic caption - the one it had below Cairns' second-year import Torrey Craig, having him as "Torrie" - is nothing new, here's a terrific on-air "flashback" caption from the ABC, circa 1979 when the player in question had just been awarded his trophy as the NBL's leading scorer in its inaugural season.
Um. No. That's not quite right.
BIGGEST WINNERS, LOSERS
CAIRNS' twin wins over Perth and Townsville has won it the nod as the NBL's biggest winner of the round, keeping the Taipans in the mix for a final four finish, albeit with so little margin for error that this very round could determine its ultimate fortunes. But for now, Cairns shone out.
IT'S hard to separate Perth, which lost its third straight game when humbled by Cairns, tumbling in credibility, and Sydney, which was embarrassed as Illawarra scored the single-game season-high against the Kings in their own building, and did it with seemingly more fans cheering for the Hawks than the home team. But given the dismal nature of the Wildcats' demise, they are the round's biggest loser.
DANDENONG weathered some appalling hometown officiating in the first half to beat Adelaide in Adelaide, then flew home to take out a Sydney outfit coming in off a confidence-boosting win over Perth. When the Rangers also took that win, they took the title as the WNBL's biggest winner.
AS talk of finals becomes more a conversation of "if so-and-so- beats so-and-so and this team loses to that" it is clear Melbourne's road loss to Bendigo has erased its playoff hopes, making it the round's biggest loser. It was tragic, with Elyse Penaluna out and Tess Madgen restricted, but that's the way the ball bounces.
NBL, Round 14
CAIRNS TAIPANS 71 (Craig 15, Loughton, Worthington 13, Bruce 10; Craig 12 rebs; Gliddon 8 assts) d PERTH WILDCATS 61 (Beal 18, Prather 13, Knight 10; 4 with 6 rebs; 7 with 1 asst) at Cairns Convention Centre. MELBOURNE UNITED 97 (Goulding 27, Warrick 20, Kickert 17, Holt 14; Blanchfield 8 rebs; Holt 6 assts) d ILLAWARRA HAWKS 96 (Lisch 21, Penney 20, Ellis, Forman 13; Penney, Lisch 5 rebs; Lisch 5 assts) at The Cage, State Netball and Hockey Centre. ADELAIDE 36ERS 87 (Johnson, Randle 25, Teys 9; Johnson 12 rebs; Randle 8 assts) d NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 81 (Ce Jackson 16, Wesley 14, Vukona, Abercrombie 13, Webster 12; Vukona 11 rebs; Webster 4 assts) at North Shore Events Centre. CAIRNS TAIPANS 75 (Gliddon 25, Craig 15, Tragardh 14, Starks 11; Craig 6 rebs; Gliddon 5 assts) d TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES 61 (Djeric 15, Samhan 12, Kay 10; Samhan 8 rebs; Henry, Norton 2 assts) at Cairns Convention Centre. ILLAWARRA HAWKS 114 (Penney 29, Ogilvy 19, Coenraad 13, Lisch 12, Ellis 10; Martin, Ogilvy 6 rebs; Martin, Penney 5 assts) d SYDNEY KINGS 90 (Garlepp 18, Brandt, Childress 17; Brandt 11 rebs; Carter 4 assts) at Sydney Olympic Park.
WNBL Round 13
SYDNEY UNI FLAMES 83 (Ebzery 20, Tupaea, Tinkle 13; Tupaea 10 rebs; Ebzery 7 assts) d PERTH LYNX 73 (Whitcomb 18, Laney 14, Lavey 10; Laney 10 rebs; Laney 6 assts) at The Exam Room, Brydens Stadium. DANDENONG RANGERS 79 (Cumming 20, Pickrel, Blicavs 16, Scherf 12; Pickrel 9 rebs; Clydesdale, Cumming 6 assts) d MAC ADELAIDE LIGHTNING 63 (Mitchell 21, Bowen 20, Robinson 6; Ruef 13 rebs; Mitchell 6 assts) at The Light-On, Wayville Sports Centre. DANDENONG RANGERS 64 (Blicavs 16, Pickrel, Cumming 12, Clydesdale 10; Blicavs 11 rebs; Clydesdale, Todhunter 2 assts) d SYDNEY UNI FLAMES 61 (Wilson 13, Ebzery, Tupaea, Swords 12; Swords 12 rebs; Ebzery, Tupaea 3 assts) at Stud Rd, Dandenong Basketball Stadium. BENDIGO SPIRIT 81 (Richards 32, Snell 15, Wilson, Griffin 13; Griffin 11 rebs; Wilson 11 assts) d MELBOURNE BOOMERS 74 (Garrick 22, Smart 18, Kunek 13; Kunek 8 rebs; Kunek 5 assts) at The Haunted House, Bendigo Stadium. PERTH LYNX 89 (Laney 27, Whitcomb 25, Mijovic 11; Laney 10 rebs; Lavey 6 assts) d CANBERRA CAPITALS 63 (Stallworth 24, Bishop 18; Bishop 15 rebs; Talbot, Montgomery 4 assts) at The Alphabet Soup Bowl, Belconnen Basketball Centre. SEQ STARS 90 (Allen 21, Mansfield 20, Hooper 19, Jarry 16, Payne 12; Hooper 11 rebs; Mansfield 7 assts) d TOWNSVILLE FIRE 80 (Batkovic 26, George 16, Cocks 15, Murray 14; George 12 rebs; Cocks 6 assts) at The Fire Station, Townsville RSL Stadium.
PS
CARY and ...
... GRAF