In The Huddle, May 2 2007

Wednesday May 2, 2007

Hi there

Every season, referees come under a barrage of criticism from all angles and, a couple of weeks ago, Otago Nuggets import Justin Bailey was fined for his attack on NBL officials in the local paper. Refs rarely get to put their side of the case - they simply cannot afford to get into a slanging match with players and coaches. But to balance the story, Otago Daily Times reporter Adrian Seconi sought out Dunedin-based Stephen Clarke for an insightful account ("Courting Disapproval") of how the "other side" lives ... definitely worth reading.
As the Dominion Finance NBL and Women's Basketball League reach their halfway points, the Conference Basketball League gears up for a tipoff next week and the NZ Tall Black and NZ Tall Fern international programmes continue to take shape ... watch here for details.
Cheers
Chappy

With Both Hands

Breakout seasons in the Dominion Finance NBL can lead to bigger and better things … just ask Jeremy Kench and Benny Hill. So who have grabbed their chances so far in 2007?

Inserted as the starting point guard for Scenic Circle Canterbury Rams last season, Kench responded with easily the best of his four years in the league – 18.7 points (52.8% FG, 72.2% FT, 35.5% 3pt), 4.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.9 steals. As a result, he was snapped up by the expansion Singapore Slingers in the Australian NBL and a professional career was born.

Here are three candidates from the current season …

Dominion Finance NBL Guide (Round Nine) (pdf 1.05MB)

Courting Disapproval

Adrian Seconi, Otago Daly Times

There is no fanfare when the referees enter the stadium.

Grouped together, they skulk in, looking a tad persecuted, and whittle away the minutes before tip-off hovering around the scorer’s bench, making small talk and avoiding eye contact with the players.

The applause is polite but muted when they are announced. Generally speaking, they are about as popular as a parking ticket.

It is a thankless job and they almost need armour to repel the flak which rains down from all directions. The crowd boos every call that goes against the home team, coaches scream their protests from the sidelines and the players are not much better, often bursting into petulant rants and gesticulating wildly.

Let’s fact it, people love to hate the referees.

Ferns In Line-Up

NZ Tall Ferns coach Mike McHugh has selected a strong line-up for the Northern Invitational Team to take on Japan this weekend.

The Japanese national women’s team is holding a camp in Auckland this week, playing Waikato (Wednesday, May 2), Curves Harbour Breeze (Thursday, May 3) and Auckland (Friday, May 4) before facing the composite team at AUT Northcote, Saturday 8pm.

Later this month, the Tall Ferns will reciprocate with a five-day visit to Japan (May 20-25).

NBL Milestones (Round Nine)

U Park It Waikato Pistons guard Prem Krishna chalked up 200 NBL games in the 91-89 win over Cartridge World Otago Nuggets last Thursday. Krishna, who debuted for Auckland in 1995, had five points, four rebounds and three steals in 22 minutes.

Cocks Sparks Auckland

NZ Tall Fern Micaela Cocks made her first appearance of the season for Auckland, helping them to a pair of wins in the Women’s Basketball League.

Tait Yet Again

Dominion Finance NBL Player of the Week - Lindsay Tait (Youthtown Auckland Stars)
39 points (13/22 FG, 4/8 3pt, 9/9 FT), eight assists, five rebounds & three steals v Inspire Net Manawatu Jets

Maybe we should just retire this award and leave it with Tait for the rest of the season … this is his second straight week as POW and third so far this year.

Without imports, Auckland really looked to their veteran Kiwis and got what they needed from Tait, Casey Frank and Dillon Boucher, who now fill spots 2-4 on the Player Power Rankings.

Includes Stat Leaders (Round Nine) & Player Power Rankings Top 50

Jones, Cantu Teeter

NZ Tall Black Phill Jones scored 11 points off the bench, but couldn’t prevent Tisettanta Cantu slipping to a 69-80 loss to Whirlpool Varese in the Italian Lega A.

Meanwhile, Tall Black Kirk Penney is out of action for Alba Berlin after undergoing a hernia operation.

K-Mac Paces Win

NZ Tall Fern Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe led all scorers to guide Frankston Lady Blues to a rare win in the South East Australia Basketball League.

Breakers Target Bradshaw

Gary Birkett, Sunday Star Times

NZ Tall Blacks forward Craig Bradshaw will become the No 1 target for the New Zealand Breakers if not drafted by an NBA franchise on June 28.

Breakers head coach Andrej Lemanis spoke with Bradshaw last week in the United States and promised the 23-year-old, who averaged 13.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in his final year at Winthrop University, that they would keep the power forward import spot open until they knew if Bradshaw was going to make the NBA or be signed by a European club.

“He’s got his NBA aspirations and we wish him every success on that. But I spoke to him about coming back and being a Breaker. He wasn’t opposed to the idea and we agreed to continue to communicate and see where it goes."

Heartbreak

If the big story of Dominion Finance NBL Round Eight was the miraculous double overtime victory by an importless Youthtown Auckland Stars over Inspire Net Manawatu Jets last Thursday, spare a thought for their victims.

The hapless Jets, who have made OT a habit, had lost in extra time only the night before in Napier and then had to drag themselves, tired and dispirited, back to Palmerston North to face a Stars outfit that few really thought could win.

In retrospect, it was a recipe for an ambush.

It was also their third consecutive overtime outing …they prevailed over TET Taranaki Mountain Airs in such fashion the Friday before.

Includes full results for Dominion Finance NBL Round Eight and Pic Gallery

Stars Imports Gone

Youthtown Auckland Stars coach Kenny Stone has blamed inexperience and immaturity for the sudden resignation of imports Tashaan Forehan-Kelly and Danny Lambert midway through the Dominion Finance NBL.

Blaze Sign Frank

Gold Coast Blaze’s player portfolio is further expanding this week, with the addition of NZ Tall Black Casey Frank to the Australian National Basketball League’s latest franchise.

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