High Flyer & Spain

I'm not usually one to get caught up in the action of high fliers throwing down dunks that we have all seen before.

But, sometimes you have to make exceptions to the rules and thanks to Yahoo I have found one of those exceptions. Guy Dupuy has put together a little collection of his gravity defying moves.



Currently the European Championships are on as the top nations fight it out to see who can qualify for the 2010 World Championships in Turkey.

Click here to find out how top ranked Spain is doing. Also, former Sydney King and Townsville Croc import EJ Rowland is playing for his new found country Bulgaria. Way to go EJ and good luck. Something I would have never of thought, EJ a Bulgarian

Mike Dundee Wants Marketing

Is this the Mike Dundee that has been dropping by?

The letter below is from a swaying fan, Mike Dundee, who has posted on this site with his thoughts and opinions about what has happened to the NBL over the past off season.

I love that Mr Dundee has taken time out to pen his thoughts.

I will be interested to see what other "fans" have to say about these thoughts!

"Can somebody tell me ONE TANGIBLE THING that this so-called "reform" has changed other than shortening the games?

To start off, here is a list of sports that are more popular among the viewing public / sports media than basketball:

Aussie Rules
Rugby Union
Rugby League
Soccer
Tennis
Swimming
Cricket

The average Australian sports fan has never even heard of Chris Anstey or even Andrew Bogut. The main thing this reform is sorely lacking is perspective. Basketball in Australia will never be more popular than those sports. Also, the NBL has completely ignored the diehard basketball fan. First of all, reducing the quarter length to ten minutes has made all records and statistics from the past entirely redundant, which is basically like taking a big, greasy dump on the proud annuls of NBL history. What will result from this will be a low-scoring, Euro-style slogout, when the NBL should be looking to the NBA for inspiration, not Europe. Our game has always been more like a poor-man's NBA than the European game: fast, free-flowing, high-scoring, isolation-based, and (sometimes) exciting.

The other thing we need to admit before we move forward, is that Australians have never been particularly successful at basketball on an international level. We're getting better, but still play without aggression, don't know how to play defense, and rely too much on outside shooting. This is not very exciting to watch, and doesn't win games.

We've had two players in history successfully crack the NBA, and both of those have been seven footers. More than anything, we need perspective and real, attainable goals if anything is actually going to be "reformed".

I liked Larry Sengstock as BA CEO when I first heard about it, but he just hasn't done anything yet to earn his bread. Sengstock has never played in Europe. He never played US college ball. He too lacks perspective.

The saddest thing about this reform is that nothing has actually changed yet, and I can't see anything changing any time soon.

Nothing.

It's still called the NBL. It's still going to have the same, trite courtside entertainment and music from the early 90s. The jerseys will still look cheap, tacky, and terrible; the sponsors will be second-rate. The powers-that-be will still spend ABSOLUTELY NOTHING on advertising (the season tips off next month. Has ANYONE seen a LICK of NBL-related advertising? I certainly haven't, and I'm on the LOOK OUT for it...)

(as a side note, any player that has had their contract void this offseason would have a very reasonable argument in a court of law that they are owed a payout from their club. The NBL argues that since the contracts were signed in the "Old NBL", they are no longer valid in the "New NBL". I would argue that there is no "Old NBL" or "New NBL", just an unchanged, existing NBL, rendering all previously signed contracts sound and unbreakable.)

But, most of all, no one will be watching.

Why would we? I'll check out the odd game here and there, and keep loose tabs on my team, but I'm an enormously devoted, basketball-crazy fanatic for Christ's sake! Shouldn't I be watching every game? If this is what I'm going to be doing, how will someone with only a vague, passing interest in basketball engage with the NBL? Why does the NBL continue to sit idly by and wait for fans to come to THEM?

All of this rubbish reform talk is completely moot. It's simple guys. Advertise. Advertise hard, use a world-class ad agency, and keep doing it. For the next five years. For the next twenty years. Just advertise. Please! I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall just thinking about it. You can't just expect to be successful by "hoping", without spending any money on advertising. A twelve year old could tell you that. This is so frustrating.

It's gonna get a lot worse before it gets better..."

News

Will the NBL have to make rules for Twitter like the NBA?

Well, I have given the art of journalism a crack over the past four days so I better reward myself with a day off. Below you can read what the experts are saying about the world of hoops.

- Top End Challenge organiser Andrew Vlahov is looking to do it bigger and better next year.

He is looking at the possibility of it including tournaments that include local Northern Territory teams as well as WNBL.

- Adelaide 36ers Head Coach Scott Ninnis liked what he saw from his team in Darwin. Now they get ready to take on the In-form Wollongong Hawks in South Australia this week.

- Townsville Crocodiles Head Coach Trevor Gleeson believes that this NBL season will be the tightest season yet seen.

- Former Perth Wildcat Alec Loughton is heading back to Spain where he kicked off his pro career.

- Could Brian Goorjian be the next head coach of the Chinese National Team?

- Can Larry Sengstock become this country's Larry Legend?

- Captain Phill (Jones) to lead the Cairns Taipans.

- Former Tall Black coach Tab Baldwin finds himself back in Turkey.

- NBL players better get tweeting before Larry Sengstock comes down like NBA Commissioner David Stern.

Hawks Win Top End Challenge

Larry Davidson was a unsung hero for the Hawks all weekend.

The final of the Top End Challenge was the top dog versus the under dog. New Zealand will start as favourites through my eyes when the regular season rolls around, but the blue collar boys from the ‘Gong are making believers out of this guy.

The Hawks once again proved their doubters wrong with a solid win over the Breakers, 94-88, to be crowned champions of this NBL preseason tournament.

The first quarter was a tightly contested ten minutes. Larry Davidson of the Hawks continued his good form with seven points for the quarter, while Kiwi youngster Tom Abercrombie led the Breakers with six.

The Hawks started to hit their straps in the second quarter as they extended the lead to thirteen before the Breakers reeled it back to seven at the main break, 50-43.

Davidson was busy with twelve for the half while new import Tywain McKee slashed his way to ten points.

Scoring machine Kirk Penney was involved more in the quarter and had reached double-figures (10) by the half. Abercrombie remained consistent finishing with 11.

After the break I was sensing the Breakers would turn up the heat and make a game of it. Instead the Hawks continued to utilise their ball movement and spacing which saw them up by as many as 18 in the third term.

Tournament MVP Cameron Tragardh put his stamp on the game during the "championship" quarter where he dropped in sixteen for the period, giving him 20 for the game.

Enter the fourth quarter and the Breakers looked like they were going to snatch a victory right from in front of the Hawks’ face. Breaker import Awvee Storey (quiet weekend) came to life and was beginning to look a little more comfortable with the surroundings, adding six for the quarter.

The Breakers managed to cut the lead to one with 1:16 left in the game and everyone was on the edge of their seat waiting for something from the Breakers. It never came as Penney could not get involved for the Breakers offensively.

The Hawks managed the end of the game very well by getting the ball into McKee's hands.

McKee calmly knocked down four free throws over the last minute to keep the Breakers at bay.

Tragardh finsished with 23 to lead all scorers while he was well supported by McKee's 21 and Larry Davidson’s 16.

For the Breakers Penney was the best with 20 and Abercrombie finished with 16.

Random Thoughts

- All Tournament Team - James Harvey - Gold Coast Blaze- Corey Willimas - Townsville Crocodiles- Kirk Penney - New Zealand Breakers- Tywain McKee - Wollongong Hawks- Cameron Tragardh (MVP) - Wollongong Hawks

- Wollongong Head Coach Gordie McLeod has his troops believing in the system right now. They were the best team as far as ball movement and unselfish play was concerned.

- Hawk Cameron Tragardh has a nose for the ball on the offensive end. All weekend he was in the right place at the right time.

- Hawks Rhys Martin impressed me with his all round game. Although a small point guard he does a great job on the glass.

- Although there is hype around about New Zeland Breaker Tom Ambercrombie, teammate Corey Webster is a player too.

- Tywain McKee will have people out of their seats during the game.

Tigers/Wildcats Review From Top End

The Melbourne Tigers sent the Perth Wildcats home winless from the Top End Challenge, beating them 84-79.

The Tigers saw Chris Anstey and Sam MacKinnon back in there lineup after have a rest yesterday. Anstey looked refreshed and good the Tigers off to a fast start with nine points in the first quarter.

On the otherhand, 7'0 red head Luke Schenscher saw his first action in a Wildcats' uniform tonight. He was ice cold in the first quarter, shooting six blanks.

At half time the Tigers went into the change rooms up 41-36. Luke Kendall came to life and finished with thirteen at the half, courtesy of three long bombers. Anstey continued to have an impact as he took his tally to 15.

For the Wildcats, Kevin Lisch was having a solid all round game with 4 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists. Schenscher scored his first point as a Cat but managed just 1-of-8 shooting.

The score remained rather close during the bulk of the second half, with the Wildcats hitting the front by three for a brief stint.

Fast forward to the last three minutes of the game where the Tigers held a three point lead.

Martin Cattilini had a tip in to get the Cats to back within one, but it was a Kendall three pointer that gave the Tigers a seven point margin with 80 seconds remaining.

Although the 'Cats got it back to three in the dying seconds, Kendall calmly knocked down four free throws to ice the game for the Tigers.

Kendall led all scorers with 25 while Anstey contributed 21 to the Tigers tally while veteran Cattilini was the top scorer with 19 for the Wildcats.

Random Thoughts From The Game

- Biggest play of the game, Darryl Corletto deflects a ball that smashes my laptop screen. End of weekend for JR, but I cannot wait for the mail on Monday when Basketball Australia has sent me a new one.

- The Wildcats played the twin towers of Paul Rogers and Luke Schenscher in a couple short spells together. I think that will be the end of that experiment.

- Melbourne Tigers back up centre Daniel Johnson will be a player of the future.

- Wildcat Stephen Weigh seems to have benefited from an off season with the Boomers. He was aggressive all weekend.

- Chris Anstey is still the best player (or toughest cover) in the league.

Quick Hitters

Tim Lang would have loved to have been this high.

Day 3 action is only minutes away so here are some pieces of information I gathered from yesterday.

- The man of the hour for the Wollongong Hawks was Cameron Tragardh. He dropped a quick fire 40 on the lack luster Gold Coast Blaze. Tragardh had us in stitches after the game when he tried to convince us he did it on e one leg. He tried to say his calf was tight.

One of his teammates was quick to fire back, "Imagine how many you could of had if you had two good legs, Trigger?"

I will get a game time update on the one legged bandit.

- It's only a rumour but Chris Anstey and Sam MacKinnon should be seen in uniform tonight for the Melbourne Tigers.

- While New Zealand Breaker Tom Abercrombie had the play of the night with a tip jam off a missed free throw.

Blooper of the night went to young Tiger hopeful Tim Lang. The former Stetson grad did the right thing by creating a steal at half way. The "big fella's" eyes lit up as the runway was clear for take off. Too bad the mind and the body were not in sync ( side not, he just walked past as I'm writing this..haha). With dunk in mind he made it to about nine feet. Unlucky for him the hoops in Darwin are ten foot high.

Too make it worse for Lang there was a timeout after this disaster. Too make matters worse one of the Tigers coaching staff asked, "Are you ok or just humiliated?"

- The Adelaide 36ers are going to be short on numbers today due to injury and players heading back to South Australia to play in the final of their ABA.

Is Scott Ninnis thinking of doing a Shane Heal, player/coach scenario?

- Luke Schenscher has been given clearance by Kobe Bryant and the Los Angles Lakers so he will suit up tonight for the Perth Wildcats against the Melbourne Tigers.

- World's best team manger "Big Joe" of the Gold Coast Blaze takes his job very serious.

I have noticed his bench productivity has gone way down since the cheers girls were present last night.

Day 2 Review - Hawks vs Blaze

Cameron Tragardh touched the Blaze for 40

There’s a freight train in Darwin right now and its name is the Wollongong Hawks. They beat the new look Gold Coast Blaze tonight 107-90.

The recipient of their stellar play was Cameron Tragardh tonight. The ABA scoring machine elevated his game to those levels tonight. Going 16/20 from the field “Trigger” dropped 40 in thirty one minutes of playing time.

Thirty of them come in the first half where it seemed the Blaze defense was putty in Tragardh’s hands. He scored on face up jumpers, spinning floaters and a flip over the shoulder that had me believing he may drop fifty.

After the break he slowed a little but Glen Saville (20pts) and import of the moment Tywain McKee (18) picked up the slack to help the Hawks cruise through to the final tomorrow night against the New Zealand Breakers.

These guys were not the only ones causing trouble. Long armed point guard Rhys Martin was very solid with a 12pts, 8 rebs and 5 assists performance and Larry Davidson chipped in with 12 pts and 8 rebs.

Although the Hawks had a healthy lead for most of the second half, it was Joey Wright’s ejection in the second quarter that helped open up the game.

For the first nineteen minutes this was a very even contest but the Hawks received six free throws and the ball after Wright was escorted to the locker room. This stretch of play saw the Hawks head to the locker room at the half up 11.

Blaze import guard Ayinde Ubaka (15pts) came to life in the third with nine points which helped cut the three quarter time lead to six.

McKee soon snuffed out any hope of the Blaze making a game of this. A transition three by the Coppin State grad pushed the lead back out to double figures midway through the fourth.

Game, set and match as the Hawks spread the floor and continued to make the extra pass for an uncontested shot the rest of the way.

For the Blaze James Harvey and Anthony Petrie had 19 a piece to lead the team.

Tomorrow the Blaze will take on the Townsville Crocodiles for third place.

Random Thoughts From The Game

- Blaze import Michael Joiner had a Rolan Roberts type night fouling out in sixteen minutes.

- Pero Cameron missed this one as he is still getting over an injury he suffered in the NZNBL.

- Zac Delaney of the Hawks saw his first game time here in the Top End Challenge. The diminutive point guard will become a cult figure in the Gong.

- Matt Campbell missed this one for the Hawks as he has a badly sprained finger.

- After pumping up rookie Tim Coenraad’s tyres yesterday, he backed it up with a donut. Oh, to be a rookie.
I’m sure Blaze Coach Joey wright will be disappointed his team only created three steals. Wright coached teams love to create easy opportunities off of turnovers.