Are The Blaze Ready To Ignite?

Will Peter Crawford getting the starting role over Michael Cedar tonight?

One of tonight's NBL clashes sees a Queensland Derby take place on the Gold Coast. The home side Blaze take on last year's semi finalist's the Townsville Crocodiles.

For me this is a tough one to call because both teams have shown some inconsistent form during the preseason. Trust me, I'm not one to read into preseason results but I'm sure both teams would have preferred to have all hands on deck during the preseason.

For the Crocs captain Russell Hinder has been restricted in practice due to a calf injury, while Brad Williamson continues to battle a dodgy wheel. Both these guys would have been penciled in as starters at the being of the year.

Throw in "new" recruit Peter Crawford's nation team commitments, the starting two guard has had a disruptive preseason on his return to the north.

At the end of the day though the Crocs play will be heavily dictated by Corey "Homicide" Williams. The NBL's king showman will have to get used to a lot of trapping and double teaming because I'm confident to say teams will be wanting to get the ball out of his hands and make someone beat them.

Crocs coach Trevor Gleeson has been tight lipped about who will start for his team, so I will be interested to see if there are any surprises come tipoff.

Now to the Blaze. Here is a franchise that recruited heavily in the off season but to me, their balance is a little off.

Guys like Mika Vukona, Anthony Petrie, Pero Cameron and new import Michael Joiner will all be battling for frontcourt minutes with sole centre Greg Vanderjagt.

In the backcourt you have combo guard import Ayinde Ubaka teaming with Boomer Adam Gibson and scoring machine James Harvey. The Blaze will get away with playing all three at one time so this will add in allowing the Blaze to play a style of game that Coach Joey Wright enjoys.

Either Chris Goulding or Tyson Demos need to step up this year and give their team some scoring punch off the bench. Very much in the same role as Michael Cedar for the Crocs.

As I've mentioned, form goes out the window in this one, but my call is Blaze by a few. The only reason I see it going this way is where the game is being played.

A few alternative ways of keeping score and getting a winner in this game.

- Let Corey Williams and James Harvey go one on one for the win. The crowd may be entertained with this concept.

- Last idea is count the number of dribbles Williams and Ubaka have. First to 250 losses.

The only other game tonight sees the Wollongong Hawks host the Perth Wildcats. The Sandpit will be rockin so I'm sticking with the home team in this one.

If you missed last night's game, the New Zealand Breakers handed the Cairns Taipans a twenty point loss, 95-75. boxscore.