Spirit Debate Continues & Other Stuff

This is what the Great Debate is over!

Who Has The Spirit

The debate over which team or teams will be able to use Spirit as their nickname continued today in Sydney.

The Bendigo Spirit who play in the Women's National Basketball League have always operated with this nickname.

Bendigo is fighting for their name as the (kind of) new franchise in the Men's National Basketball League, Sydney Spirit, is trying to swoop in on the nickname.

I like the passion that the people of Bendigo are approaching this matter with. I hope they get what they are fighting for.

Bendigo's GM Wendy James had this to say.

"We were given a good hearing and we stood up for our name and the reasons why we want it exclusively", she told the Bendigo Advertiser.

For the full article click here.

Anyone for Steak

"Jason was met at the airport by team owner Bob Turner and driven to his quarters before they proceeded to a downtown restaurant for a steak dinner. Danny said Jason was very impressed with his quarters and might ask a cousin based in Singapore to stay with him in his flat." - INQUIRER.Net

Good to see that all is going well for new Singapore Slinger Jason Castro. If all it takes to impress him is a steak dinner, look for more NBL clubs to recruit players from the Philippines.

RESPECT

"Probably not the NBL, though: people there couldn't organise the proverbial in a brewery without losing their shirts. And pants. And then blaming it on a biased media and a dodgy bloke from Perth with miracle tablets." - Sydney Morning Herald

This is a great article by the SMH's Bernard Zuel. I'm sure when many front office big wigs read this article, they had their lackey put out a press release about something they had just done.

Athens

With the first round of games nearly complete at the FIBA Athens 2008 tournament, finally we are a step closer to finding out which three countries will get the remaining three Olympics spots.

The Kiwis lost to Germany today for the fifth consecutive time, while Greece continues to dominate in front of their home fans.

For all the latest news and results click here.

Vegas in Summer

Check out the latest and greatest scores from the Vegas Summer League.

South Dragons new import signing Ebi Ere has been putting up some solid numbers over the past two games for the Memphis Grizzles.

If he keeps playing well, he may have to take a pay cut to play in the NBA next season.

A Pocket Full of Posey

"You knew this was coming -- the inevitable overreaction to a role player on a championship team in free agency. Every year there's one guy whom teams can't stop fawning over, and this year it was James Posey. Sure, he was an integral part of championship teams for both Miami and Boston, but as with a lot of players who win rings it can be hard for us to look at him rationally." - ESPN's John Hollinger.

A good article explaining how timing is everything for a solid role player in the NBA. I'm a James Posey fan, but the New Orleans Hornets have just shelled out $25 million for the best role player in the recent NBA Finals series. Is he worth it? You decide.

Yao Rusty

"Entering to huge applause from the crowd in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, Yao appeared rusty in scoring six points over seven minutes in the first half. Four of those came from free throws, helping China race to a 51-39 lead after the second quarter." - Associated Press

China's great basketballing Olympic hope Yao Ming returned to action today against Serbia.

Although it was reported he looked rusty, the confidence he brings out in the other players will see China become a much tougher opponent with him in the line up.

During my recent trip to China I was told that the other Chinese players on the squad respond positively to the presences of the big Houston Rocket centre.

Youngsters to Scrimmage Team USA

"We're looking for this select group to really compete and help prepare our senior team for Beijing," USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said in a statement. "I'll also repeat something I said last year. Some of these players have represented USA Basketball in the past and there are others who will. This is an opportunity for them to get into the USA Basketball pipeline." - Associated Press.

To check out the full squad click here.

Marbury Gone?

The future of Stephon Marbury with his hometown New York Knicks looks bleak. The Knicks signed Anthony Roberson to a two year deal. This signing seems like it could be the death of Marbury in New York.

A Little Ol Skool NBL - 1982 All Star Game

Aussie All Stars vs China Game 2 - video footage

Our team doctor getting Razorbacks Matt Knight ready to take on the Chinese.

Things you find when you are sitting around a airport. Here is some footage from Game 2 of our game in Ningbo on Sunday night. Enjoy the action and the commentating!

I still have not arrived home from China yet, but I have a lazy three hours to waste in the Brisbane Qantas Club so I will get you up to speed on what is happening in hoops today.

As reported months ago right here, Sam MacKinnon has signed with the Melbourne Tigers. MacKinnon signed a three year deal so if the Tigers can get 30 games out of him they should regard this signing as a success.

All jokes aside, with the departure of Dave Thomas (Cairns Taipans) this signing could not have worked out any better for the Melbourne club. MacKinnon will slot in nicely to this lineup and assume the role that Thomas provided for the Tigers. Only danger for oppositions here is, Mackinnon is a little more versatile.

Look for the Tigers to start favourites for the title in season 2008/09.

The Australian Boomers went down to Croatia in their opening game of the Acropolis Cup in Greece.

The Boomers went down 71-69. Going 2-28 from the land of plenty (3's) after quarter time did not help their cause.

Chris Anstey (12), CJ Bruton (11), Pat Mills (10) and Brad Newley (10) led the scoring for the green and gold.

Tomorrow we take on the host nation, Greece.

Aleks Maric (Pacers) kicked off his Summer League action with a solid first up outing. 6pts, 4 rebs, 3 assts, 3 blks and 2 stls was his stat line.

Julius Hodge (Nets) is also in action at the Orlando Summer League. (boxscores here)

Aaron Bruce is with Oklahoma City but he did not dress for their game.

Crocs new signing Brad Williamson has a little Q&A.

In 2010 the Australian Boomers will play in India as part of the first ever Commonwealth Basketball Championships.

Although basketball is one and done as far as being part of the Commonwealth Games, India will host this virgin tournament about a month before the 2010 Comm Games.

Just a little BLING I picked up in my recent travels.

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.

1.3 Billion Can Watch

Yi Jianlian fronts the media oncourt immediately after the game.

I am currently on the other side of the equator, more specifically China, and I can tell you that basketball here is alive and strong.

So strong, in fact, that basketball has become China’s number one sport. Its growth and development has risen as a result of the team’s emergence as a force on the international stage. Having an NBA superstar like Yao Ming promoting the game doesn’t hurt either. But the big guy is not the only famous face here. All the top players are stars in their home land.

Just to give you a taste of their popularity, they arrived at the hotel on Thursday night via police escort and they needed it. The hotel lobby was overflowing with fans trying to get a glimpse at these guys, so they needed assistance just to make their way to the hotel elevator. They did take some time to pose for photos and signatures along the way for a few members of the hotel staff.

Since Team China’s arrival into town, even the attention we draw from the locals in the city of Wuxi has changed dramatically. We had been able to roam around the city at our leisure, generating only the occasional tourist type glance.

Not anymore. We will now join the motorcade to and from the game, complete with our own police escort.

Game One will be telecast live throughout China so the likes of Peter Crawford and Greg Vanderjagt could potentially be watched by 1.3 billion people.

After this game, we will immediately depart for Ningbo, which requires another three hour bus ride. Here we will play the second and final game of the tour.

Again we will not be alone on the road. The two teams will also be joined by the marketing company hosting the event.

Anywhere from 60-100 media outlets will be covering our two games series and they will have their own bus.

And last but not least, the TV crew has their crew and equipment. All in all five buses will be escorted out of town headed for Ningbo.

It is truly an amazing thing to be a part of.

Basketball in Australia will find it difficult to operate at this level if for no other reason than the huge difference in population, but it does demonstrate how the success of your national team on an international stage really does go a long way toward boosting the profile of your sport on your home ground.

Peter Crawford being presented with the trophy.

My weekly column can be found in the Townsville Bulletin every Saturday.