Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Indecision In New Zealand Finally Ended

I think a little of this has been consumed in the NZNBL office of late!

This is quite an interesting story that developed over the past few days in the world of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL).

On the eve of this year's NZNBL playoffs the Auckland Stars have been reinstated after being "kicked out" of the competition yesterday.

In the space of a day Taranaki had got the "call up" to fill the void in the playoffs that the Stars had left after their expulsion from the NZNBL competition.

So, today Taranaki travelled by bus to North Harbour and started preparing to make a fist of this unique opportunity they had been handed. This game is scheduled for tomorrow so it seemed all was settled until a few hours ago.

Somehow the Auckland Stars have won a battle of the fine print and find themselves back in the playoff picture. Thanks for coming Taranaki, get back on the bus!

Just in case you are dizzy from this, yes, no, wait scenario, the game tomorrow night will be between the Auckland Stars and North Harbour Heat, as originally planned.

Spare a thought for the Heat who are trying to prepare for a run at a championship. It may be safest for them to keep preparing for both teams as it is amazing what can happen in a 24 hour period.

Here in Australia we are having our moments with the Sydney Kings and the Brisbane Bullets, but this one has me scratching my head as to how administrators making these decisions allow themselves to have teams hanging on like a yoyo.

Some players were ready for vacation until they got the 11th hour phone call.

In the end this could become a very costly mistake by NZNBL.

On the Basketball Australia website there is a good review of what happened at the first Boomers team camp in Canberra. Bill Baxter breaks down each position and has included audio interviews of several of the players.

If you couldn't be at the camp, it is a good insight into what happened.

Just in case you are thinking the same as me after you read and listen, Brad Newley played in Greece for Panionios, not Italy. Also Mike Dunlap is an assistant coach (associate head coach - just a fancy name for head assistant coach) at Arizona. Lute Olsen holds the title of head coach.

Click here to check out the write up from Camp 1.

Wollongong Hawks fans may have something to cheer for by the end of the week. Glen Saville may be headed back down the coast if his payments are not rectified. I'm sure Hawks fans will be very happy to see their traditional enemy Kings have to see the back of one of the Hawks all time favourites.

The 'Gong is on fire right now. Youngster Brad Simpson is hoping to be playing in the American college system by this time next year.

A little life story on Celtics captain Paul Pierce.

Michael Curry to coach the Pistons, while My Cousin Vinny (Del Negro) can accept the vacant Bulls job.

It's official..Terry Porter is Suns coach.

NBA Draft Talk...Mayo on the rise!

Sam I Am (Cassell) interview.

Are the Miami Heat about to trade D-Wade?

Townsville Fire's Rohanee Cox is a step closer to the Beijing Olympics. Coach Jan Sterling axed three after the Cairns camp. Here is the team that was selected to tour Europe.

Check out Chris Bosh on Jayo Leno

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Elton John Rillie you are a knob! What a useless homepage!

John Rillie said...

I was just purely getting some basketball content on that computer, instead of motorbikes and places to hang your underwear!

Anonymous said...

Hey John,
Love the blog, but the WA SBL stats that you are updating too are about a month old and i think they are the same ones you linked to last time.

Here is Michael Lays blog, if im not mistaken he has had a nbl try out which was unsuccessful.

http://coolbrz84.blogspot.com/

John Rillie said...

James:

Thanks for that pick up on the WA stats. Hopefully I have fixed the problem and I will be able to provide the latest and greatest boxscores from the west.

Thanks for the blog address for Lay. I will add him to me blog roll.

Cheers!