Jackson saves Breakers from Crocs, 73 -71
Another week, another New Zealand home game and another shaky start for the reigning champs. Townsville were keen to avenge the huge loss suffered at the helm of the Wildcats; and the Breakers know just how they feel. They felt sorry enough to let them get out to a ten point lead early in the second quarter.
New Zealand slowly began to tighten the reins and pulled it back to make a contest. Mika Vukona was in full beast mode all game but ballsed up a decent look with 20 seconds to go leaving Gary Ervin to bring the ball up the court hoping to win the game. For reasons unknown, Jacob Holmes decided to withdraw from a screen that would have supplied some relief for Ervin, Ervin losing control of the ball as Mika Vukona flopped. Ervin and Cedric Jackson chased the ball down, Ervin first go get his hands on it, Jackson, after outrunning it, dove onto the ball from out of bounds for a jump ball with the possession arrow deeming it a Breaker ball.
That allowed Jackson to run an isolation play, splitting two defenders for the basket. As the Crocs tried for a last second miracle it was only fitting that Vukona takes one last steal, sealing the game and a 15 point, 15 boards and 3 steal effort. Thomas Abercrombie also added 15 points. Though the Breakers are now 2/1 for the season, it could have easily been 0/3 if it weren’t for some late game heroics, especially from Jackson, but that is why he’s paid the big bucks. The Breakers are going to need to check themselves when they finally go in the road if they want to gun for a three-peat.
Gary Ervin had the sort of game the fans have been expecting scoring 21 points whilst Todd Blanchfield stepped up filling a huge hole at the wing left by Peter Crawford whose performance this season has been substandard. Blanchfield scored 16 points whilst Jacob Holmes filled it out with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Taipans destroy the Kings, 88 – 68
A week ago the Kings imports were the toast of the town, this week they are the roast of the town. With a combined total of 8 points, 6 boards and 2 assists, Lazare and Corin Henry were terrible. Has there been a worse performance from two imports in the NBL ever? Things went from terrible to worse when James Harvey checked himself out of the game to discover he has a broken arm. Harvey had been money on open looks this season and they will miss him whilst he rides the pine for what will feel like eternity.
Ben Magden however, kicked aside a dismal performance from last week to erupt for 26 points, dropping four from long range. Together with that and a little cameo from Tom Garlepp, there were no real positives for Sydney.
Like many others in the league, Jamar Wilson found some round three form. Wilson went for 22 points but should be a bit concerned with his 5 turnovers. Another one racking up turnovers was Cam Tragardh who had six of his own. Cam was quiet but still managed 14 points. Getting back to turnovers, it’s quite amazing how the Taipans can turn the ball over 50% more (21 to 14) than the Kings but still manage the huge win. Though, that may speak more about Sydney than it does Cairns.
Adelaide hold out again Cairns, 85 – 81
Cairns barely had time to shower and wash the stench of King off them before they were re-lacing their shoes and taking to the court to face the Adelaide 36ers.
The crowd got into it when Luke Schenscher turned his attention from playing basketball to sooking at the refs, only Luke and 4000 of the Adelaide faithful felt that he was being hard done by. Perhaps instead of blaming referees for ‘turning fans off the game’, Boti Nagy can blame seven foot something white stiffs laying the ball in wide open under the ring. After all, fans come to see big white stiffs do layups.
Leading by then points in the fourth quarter Adelaide were counting on the Taipans to fatigue, but it wasn’t to be. Jamar Wilson, Alex Loughton and company switched on the afterburners to come home strong, pulling the margin to two points inside a minute. Adam Gibson airballed a mid-range jumper with a shot clock remaining; this is where Jamar Wilson gets a little greedy, ignoring his team mates trying to pop one in the key over Daniel Johnson. The turnover ensues, Cairns foul and the 36ers hold out for the win.
Along with his stubble, Adam Gibson scored an efficient 21 points, Daniel Johnson added an inefficient 16 and Schenscher finished with 12. Clint Steindl slipped in with a team high 19 points, Jamar Wilson had 16, Cam Tragardh 14 and Alex Loughton hit some big shots in the way to 13.
Wildcats get up over the Tigers, 74 – 65
Playing at the bigger Hisense Arena this week was going to be a tough ask for the Tigers against the Wildcats, all it really meant was more people got to see them lose to the in form and undefeated Wildcats.
The Tigers gave up a terrible 25 turnovers for the game due to the relentless Wildcats full court pressure defence, 9 of those turnovers going to Chris Goulding on his own.
The only shining light for the Tigers was the play of their import big man Seth Scott who had 16pts and 9reb including a nice alley oop from Liam Rush on the break.
The Wildcats were almost shorthanded with Kevin Lisch carrying a hip injury going into the game, he was a game time decision and the reigning MVP showed that even at less than 100% he is still a man to be reckoned with and his game high of 16pts for the Cats proved his status as a major cog in the Wildcats machine.
With 3 wins on the road and a bye week coming up, the undefeated Cats should be well rested going into round 5 against the currently undefeated Hawks before returning home to face the rest of the league in their new stadium.
Hawks dominate the Crocs, 84 – 66
As always fans, journalists and other teams always under estimate the Hawks, and year after year they just keep surprising everyone and being competitive, this year is no different, and the fact that they remain the only other undefeated team in the league is of no surprise.
The gritty Hawks just keep getting it done and coach Gordie McLeod just seems to be able to get the most out of the players he’s given, look at what he has done with Oscar Forman as an example, a guy who was deemed as one dimensional and hassled for his lack of rebounding in comparison to his size has become a key stone in the Hawks in his current role, Forman even grabbing as many rebounds as this week’s award winner Mika Vukona who had a monster night of his own.
The Crocs just can’t seem to tie it all together and are still yet to chalk up a victory in the 2012/13 NBL season, Russel Hinder is getting his game legs back after a terrible injury from last season, Gary Ervin is still finding his feet with his new team and Larry Abney can’t play as good as his shadow used to when he was last in the league, even with his new found mid range jump shot.
Peter Crawford found the game he was missing in the Crocs other game of the round and Todd Blanchfield is making the most of his opportunity and the court time given to him, Ben Allen was playing well recently but went back to his old ways again in this game of doing pretty much nothing
With no victories on the board, coach Woolpert is not going to take it lying down, something will change, will it be Abney gone, will the rotation or line up change, we don’t know, but one thing we do know is that they don’t take losing lightly in Croc Nation, and something will give very soon if there is no improvement, just remember, you heard it here first.
Can’t Buy A Damn Thing Award
With a league average turnover count at between 13-15 a game, when you give up 25 you are most deserving of this award, when you give up 25 to the Wildcats, your chances of victory go from bad to worse.
This week’s award goes to the Melbourne Tigers who gave up those 25 turnovers in their loss to the Cats, 9 of those belonging to Chris Goulding who could have had 10 in a statistical category other than points for once, but we can’t single out the player formerly known as the “Pool Boy”, he has enough problems with people laughing at his new hairdo.
The Tigers need some time to get to know each other with practically a totally new squad, but new squad or not, 25 turnovers is not something they will be wanting to see ever again this season.
Gimme My Change Award
Is it possible to give this award to any other player this week than Mika Vukona? Not likely.
Vukona was in full “Beast Mode” this week inspiring thoughts from fans that watched the game that he should probably get a latex uniform and become one of the X-Men.
15 Points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 3steals were his numbers and nobody this week was sicka or slicka than Mika, a performance that could more than likely see him in contention for player of the week.
Beast on Mika, beast on, we love to see the hustle and grind and the guys who do the blue collar dirty work, they don’t get enough recognition, so we felt it was time to give you some.
