David Andersen's "Dream Shake"

Aussie hooper David Andersen gave the Houston Rocket fans a little taste of what he is capable of producing in the low post.

In a recent preseason game against the Boston Celtics, Andersen created his own "Dream Shake".

Click here and look for the Rockets Top C's video footage link and see Andersen mix it up.

Also, Daniel Eade of Gaze.com.au fame tries to go fishing as he previews the Melbourne Tigers vs Townsville Crocodiles clash.

Sorry Daniel, but this fish ain't biting.

David Andersen's Introduction In Houston

Houston Rocket David Andersen faced the media today.

The latest Aussie to hit the NBA scene in Houston Rocket David Andersen.

Here is Andersen getting introduced to the Houston media. Andersen talks for eight minutes about the ususal things that get asked at a press conference. Such as replacing Yao Ming, his strengths and "everything" being big in Texas.

The topic that made me take notice was when Andersen talks about his popularity growing back home in Australia, through the media. It would have been accurate if the big Victorian would have said "my following in Australia has grown astronomically due to the blog site johnrillie.com".

Andersen, are you available for an interview on "The OT"?

David Andersen To Be A Rocket

Let me clear this up. Since I have posted about NBA bound David Andersen signing today, people have been saying it is old news.

The old news was that David Andersen's right were traded last week from the Atlanta Hawks to the Houston Rockets.

It was only today that the dual Olympian Andersen signed a deal with the Western Conference team.

So the deal is for 3 years at $2.5mil a season. The third year is the Rockets option.

Andersen's former European team Barcelona will receive around $500 000 from the Rockets as a buyout.

Here is an article from a Houston paper.

Uniforms, Interviews & Photos

Today the Townsville Crocodiles released their new look home uniform.

Are you a fan of the new black dominant look?

As soon as I saw the design I immediately thought of the New Zealand Breakers though.

I do like how they are going with Townsville on the front of the away uniform.

- Billy Baxter from Basketball Australia caught up with new Houston Rocket David Andersen. Click here for the audio interview.

- Brad Newley is now coming off the bench for the Houston Rockets at the Vegas Summer League, but he put forth a solid performance. 9pts and 3rebs.

- Former Sydney King import, Dontaye Draper is lining up for the Denver Nuggets in Vegas.

- Andrew Vlahov has almost got his grand idea over the line.

The Stanford graduate has proposed that the Northern Territory host an eight team NBL Pre Season Tournament.

Great thinking Andy. Players always enjoy playing in these type of deals (Unless you are Melbourne Tigers Sam MacKinnon and Perth Wildcat Martin Cattalini. They just come along for the meet and greet, whack some ice on their knees and watch from the sidelines.) especially when they are at a location such as Darwin.

I hope this gets over the line as it will be good for basketball in the NT.

- Adelaide 36ers are deciding whether to go with youth or experience.

Andersen A Rocket & Former Falcon Johnson Making It In Asia

Andersen was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks 7yrs ago without playing a game, now he will suit up for the Houston Rockets.


*** David Andersen will be in a Houston Rockets jersey this season. Yesterday his rights were traded to the Rockets by the Atlanta Hawks and it seems that the Australian born Andersen will be seen in Rocket Red instead of his Barcelona jersey.

It has been a long time coming for Andersen as he has become a proven performer at all levels in Europe for many years.

- Former Newcastle great Michael Johnson seems to be making a name for himself in Asia.

Johnson originally headed to Asia with Bob Turner to Singapore to help run the now defunct Slingers of the NBL (Australia).

Read the article (courtesy of sports inquirer.net) below to get some type of idea of what Johnson will be getting himself in for. I get lost in the banter a little but maybe you can get a better idea than me.

"NO WAY WILL HE allow Fiba-Asia secretary general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock to be involved in the Asian Basketball League.

This was Mikee Romero’s strong reaction when I asked him to confirm a tip from his Singapore-based friend Paul Monozca.

Paul said Dato Yeoh of Malaysia will be on top of the ABL and it will be Yeoh’s group that will run the technical aspect of the league.

* * *
Mikee said that was the initial plan of the organizers—to install Dato Yeoh as head of the ABL’s technical committee.

“But I protested. I told them that if they push through with this plan, I would pull out the Philippine team. They reconsidered. We are giving that post instead to Michael Johnson, a former player of Australia’s NBL.”

Mikee said the ABL is a professional league and should, therefore, be independent. It’s not true, he clarified, that the ABL board is composed of Fiba-Asia officials.

“It is the team owners who will sit on the board,” Mikee said.

* * *
Mikee reminded me of his unforgettable experience with Dato Yeoh two years ago.

“I may have forgiven him but I cannot forget the incident in Jakarta where he did not allow Sam Ekwe to play for our national team.”

Mikee recounted that the RP-Harbour Centre squad flew to Jakarta to compete in the Seaba qualifier to the Champion’s Cup.

“We didn’t think that we needed any other additional documents for Ekwe, a Nigerian, since Julius Nwosu, who is also a Nigerian, had been allowed to play the year before without any specials papers required,” Mikee said.

But Dato Yeoh did not agree, he said.

“He would not allow Ekwe to play unless we secured clearance from the Nigerian Basketball Association. At that time it was already too late to get that document. We were caught flatfooted.

“We were practically begging Dato for consideration, based on the fact that Nwosu was allowed to play in the same tournament the year before without presenting a clearance from Nigeria.”

* * *
Mikee said this particular incident had prompted Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, then the executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, to resign from his post.

For three days in a row, Pato made an appointment with Dato Yeoh, Mikee said.

“For three days in a row, he did not show up at the appointed place and on the appointed hour. We never got through to him. Consequently, Ekwe never got to play,” recalled Mikee.

The Philippines was forced to play All-Filipino without Ekwe, who was entered as an import.
“We ended up in second place. We were the defending champion,” he said.

Mikee said he cannot allow things like these to happen in the ABL. That’s why Fiba-Asia will not have a part in the new league, which he said will be formally launched on Aug. 8 in Singapore."

Newley & The Rockets Plus Emus Win

Last time Rolan Roberts dunked in Australia, it did not end well.

*If you're wondering what former Townsville Croc turned European superstar Brad Newley is up to, click here.

I like Newley's thought process of trying to get to the next level in Europe before cracking the Houston Rockets roster.

Newley has been progressing nicely in Europe but he does need to take the next step over there if the NBA is to become a reality. In saying that, if Newls goes out and has a great Summer League, all is forgotten and his NBA dream becomes a reality, sooner rather than later.

Could we see a Newley/Joe Ingles match up sometime during the Summer League play.

*The Australian Emus (u/19 national team) opened their World Championship campaign in new Zealand with a 88-77 win over Canada.

Cody Ellis has continued with his great form to lead the team with 25pts and 6rebs. Washington St recruit Brock Motum went for 22 and 8 against the Canadians.

For a full boxscore click here. Next up for the Emus is European powerhouse Spain.

*The Townsville Crocodiles have caught a few people off guard (especially this guru) with the signing of import Rolan Roberts.

Roberts has been playing mainly in the France Pro B league since leaving the shores of Australia after a dunking mishap during the All-Star Game.

*It is now all official, Phill Jones is a member of the Cairns Taipan.

*Flamboyant NBA player Ron Artest has expressed his thoughts too much on Twitter?

Comedian Aries Spears Picks On Shaq and Sir Charles

China Takes Game 2 Against NBL All Stars

Yi had a lazy double double.

A Yaoless Team China had a narrow victory over the Aussie All Stars last night in Ningbo in front of 7000 screaming fans.

The final score was 66-61 but the way the game began everyone was thinking we would be lucky to get to fifty points combined.

First the first six and a half minutes the game saw six points scored, and all were by the Aussies. After that the Chinese team went on a scoring spree for the remainder of the quarter. The quarter time score ended at ten apiece.

The first quarter was marred by turnovers and scrappy play from both teams.

The second quarter seemed like a scoring bonanza with both teams managing nineteen points each in the quarter leaving the half time score locked at 29-29.

The Aussies were the better team in the first half and should have capitalized on their good defense the really limited the Chinese perimeter game. If you have not seen the Chinese team play, they rely on the three ball more than me.

Too many turnovers was the story for the Aussies. Fourteen first half TO's was the downfall for the team. The way we were playing we should have held a ten point lead by half time. Not to be though.

The third was played like the second period. Ugly basketball by two teams that were disrupting each other very well. The Chinese won the quarter by one, 20-19.

The fourth quarter become a free throw shooting game for the Chinese. The All Stars racked up four team fouls within minutes of the quarter starting. The home team knocked them down at a good rate and the Aussie offense could run as efficient.

The All Stars really tested the Chinese team tonight and were unlucky not to steal a win.

There is no doubting that Yao Ming will make a difference when or if he returns to the team but I cannot see this team getting out of the first round at the Olympics.

Their backcourt is not quite at international standard right now and that means less touches for Yao.

Yi needs to be able to dominate for this team at times. He should have against the talent he was playing against in the Aussie All Stars, but it seemed he would have preferred to be elsewhere.

When Yao is absent, Yi needs to be the man for this team. I'm not sold that he is there yet.

Trends of the Game

The first quarter was the ugliest basketball I have maybe ever seen. My memory is not giving me anything better than what I saw tonight. The Aussies played some great defense during this period, hence the 10 point period for the Chinese.

New Jersey Nets fans may note that Yi Jianlian did not seem to want to play in the first half. There is no doubting his talent but his team would like to see him play with a little more urgency I would imagine. To his credit he the big plays for his team down the stretch, both on offense and defense.

His final stat line will read pretty good but he was the recipient of some very good "home cooking". He will not see this at the Olympics or in the NBA.

17pts (4-7 fgs, 9-13 fts), 14 rebs (4off) and 4 blks.

Singapore Slinger fans will be happy to know that Darren Ng was in an groove tonight. Ng lead the Aussies with 16pts (7-14 fgs, 2-3 3pa) and 2 steals.

The game had quite a disparity in the foul department. 31-11 was the foul count against the Aussies which allowed the Chinese to make a trip to the foul line 42 times. The All Stars shot 9.

Aussie Stats

Oscar Forman - 5 points, 4 rebounds and 4 TO's

Rhys Carter - 2 pts, 4 TO's

Peter Crawford - 11 pts, 3 rebs and 7 TO's

Cam Tragardh - 6 pts and 6 rebs

Greg Vanderjagt - 6 pts

Matt Knight - 4 boards

Matt Burston - 4 pts and 8 rebs

Cam Tovey - 1 reb

Alex Loughton - 11 pts, 4 rebs and 6 assts

One way to get around the streets of China.

Please excuse my lack of blogging for the next day or two as I will be travelling home.