Saturday, December 31, 2011

Kings crash to 36ers

Updated December 30, 2011 23:08:23

Adelaide forced the Kings' long suffering fans to endure another wretched home performance with a 96-77 win at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

It was a fifth loss in eight home games for Sydney (6-9) and in four of those they have been crushed by at least 18 points.

The shocking Kings suffered the indignity of missing all 10 of their three-point attempts.

Injury-hit Adelaide (5-9) made light of the absences of captain Adam Ballinger and his deputy Nathan Crosswell.

Adelaide big man Daniel Johnson underlined his growing claims to the league's most improved player award with a 21-point, 14-rebound performance.

Stephen Weigh chipped in with 17, Nathan Herbert 14 and Chris Warren 13.

The Kings slashed a 12-point, second-quarter deficit to two in the third, but Adelaide produced a decisive 17-4 run to end the term with a 74-59 lead.

Adelaide got as far ahead as 21 points in the final quarter.

Kings captain and centre Julian Khazzouh fouled out early in the final quarter, though with 12 points on five of 15 field-goal attempts, it was not one of his better games, despite logging nine rebounds and three blocks.

Luke Cooper top-scored for Sydney with 13 points, while Anatoly Bose bagged 12 and Jerai Grant 10.

AAP

Tags: basketball, nbl, sport, sydney-2000, adelaide-5000

First posted December 30, 2011 23:08:23


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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Bruton back for Breakers

Updated December 29, 2011 16:49:02

Influential point guard CJ Bruton will return to the New Zealand Breakers line-up for the reigning NBL champions' New Year's Eve clash against Cairns.

Bruton has had to sit and watch the table-topping Breakers' past five games as he recovers from a torn patella tendon in his knee.

The Breakers still sit atop the NBL table with 10 wins from 14 starts, although it stuttered last Friday when the second-placed Perth Wildcats racked up a convincing 86-62 win at Challenge Stadium.

While his repaired tendon still requires careful management, the sight of Bruton mixing it up in practice, making three-pointers and driving the lane was a welcome sight for Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis.

"Leadership and experience are big things that CJ brings, and the ability to be calm in times of excitement and anxiety," Lemanis said.

"And obviously his ability to put the ball in the basket or give a shot to a team-mate is something that is always handy."

Bruton himself is downplaying his return.

"Everyone gets injured, it's not the end of the world. It's just something you have to get over," he said.

Lemanis was pleased with the intensity shown in practice, with plenty of physicality as the team scrimmaged for the final time before leaving on Friday for Cairns.

"It was good today," Lemanis said.

"So far this week we have lacked a bit of an edge and we spoke about that before practice."

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, nbl, new-zealand

First posted December 29, 2011 16:45:20


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Monday, December 26, 2011

Heat dump Mavs in season opener

Updated December 26, 2011 15:02:07

The Miami Heat gained a little revenge for last year's NBA Finals loss, spoiling the Dallas Mavericks' championship celebration with a resounding 105-94 victory on the opening day of the season.

LeBron James was on fire as Miami ran away with the game, taking a 97-65 lead after three quarters, before allowing Dallas, which never led, to make the score respectable in the fourth.

The game was part of a five-game Christmas opening day to the delayed and reduced 66-game regular season, after the five month lockout during the dispute between players and owners over a new collective contract.

The Heat had to wait in their locker room as the Mavericks raised their championship banner minutes before the start of the game as Dallas players, wearing "2011 NBA Champions" on the back of their tracksuits, celebrated.

But when the game got underway, finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki and team-mates Jason Kidd and Jason Terry were swept aside by an impressive Heat, who showed exactly why they are the favorites for the title this season.

James scored 37 points and had 10 rebounds and six assists while Dwyane Wade contributed 26 points with eight rebounds and six assists, as the Heat's two biggest names offered an early reminder of their quality.

Elsewhere, Carmelo Anthony shot 17 points in the final quarter to lead the New York Knicks from an eight-point deficit to edge the Boston Celtics 106-104.

Anthony, who joined the Knicks from Denver midway through last season, top-scored with 37 points.

Derrick Rose hit the winning basket with less than five seconds on the clock as the Chicago Bulls beat Los Angeles Lakers 88-87.

Lakers star Kobe Bryant, playing with a torn wrist ligament, scored 28 points but saw a potential game-winning shot blocked by Luol Deng on the buzzer.

Oklahoma City Thunder defeated Orlando Magic 97-89 on the back of Kevin Durant's 30 points.

Reuters

Tags: sport, basketball, united-states

First posted December 26, 2011 13:09:10


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Saturday, December 24, 2011

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Wildcats snap Breakers' streak

Updated December 24, 2011 01:16:31

Perth Wildcats have kept the pressure on ladder-leading New Zealand, ending the Breakers' five-match winning run with a thumping 86-62 win at Challenge Stadium.

Jesse Wagstaff led the way for the home team with 23 points while Kevin Lisch added 18 as Perth bounced straight back from last Saturday's narrow away defeat to Gold Coast Blaze.

The second-placed Wildcats are now just one win behind the Breakers, who have tasted defeat just four times in 14 matches.

In Sydney, the Townsville Crocodiles defeated the Kings 100-93 in an entertaining affair courtesy of superior long-range shooting.

Crocodiles trio Eddie Gill (26 points, nine assists), Peter Crawford (22 points) and Jacob Holmes (21 points, 11 rebounds) were irresistible from three-point territory and proved the difference.

Kings big men Julian Khazzouh (17 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, four blocks) and Jerai Grant (18 points, 12 rebounds) made their presence felt at both ends, but the Crocs guards ultimately led them to a hard-fought victory.

On the Gold Coast, a sublime shooting performance from point guard Adam Gibson led the Blaze to a crushing 96-77 victory over the Adelaide 36ers.

With Boomer Mark Worthington sidelined for most of the first half with foul problems, youngster Jason Cadee (13 points) and NBL journeyman Stephen Hoare (10) stepped up for Gold Coast.

But Gibson was the star for the home side, hitting four three-pointers amongst his game-high 27 points, while Will Hudson and Anthony Petrie finished with 10 points each.

Big men Daniel Johnson (24) and Diamon Simpson (18) provided the only resistance Adelaide could muster, with Chris Warren (12) and Darren Ng (10) only reaching double figures once the game was decided.

And at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne, Cameron Tragardh's 14 points led the Tigers to a narrow 67-65 triumph over the Cairns Taipans.

ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, basketball, nbl, perth-6000, wa, new-zealand, australia

First posted December 24, 2011 00:59:23


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Basketball Drills to Improve Conditioning

Joyce wins big payout from Blaze

Updated December 23, 2011 19:34:46

A Brisbane judge has ordered the Gold Coast Blaze basketball club pay former coach Brendan Joyce more than $300,000 in damages for breaching his contract.

Joyce's contract with the Blaze was terminated in 2009.

He argued the club unlawfully sacked him two years into a four-year deal.

The Blaze say they are surprised by the decision and are seeking further advice from their lawyers.

Tags: sport, basketball, nbl, broadbeach-4218, qld, australia

First posted December 23, 2011 19:34:46


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Friday, December 23, 2011

Warriors cut Kings' Khazzouh

Updated December 19, 2011 13:09:43

Julian Khazzouh will return to Sydney after NBA side Golden State decided against taking him on for the 2011/12 season.

Khazzouh scored two points against the Sacramento Kings in his only preseason game with the Warriors on Saturday but will not stay on with the side ahead of their regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers on Christmas Day.

Sydney hopes to have its centre back in the line-up for Friday night's game against Townsville.

Khazzouh's agent Daniel Moldovan had previously said that the lack of an off-season, caused by the NBA lockout may mean his client would have a better chance in 2012 of joining fellow Australian, Milwaukee Bucks centre Andrew Bogut, in the NBA.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, united-states

First posted December 19, 2011 13:09:43


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Tigers beat Crocs to end losing slide

Updated December 18, 2011 23:35:26

The Melbourne Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak with an entertaining 93-80 win over the visiting Townsville Crocodiles on Sunday night.

The Tigers led by as many as 17 points in the third quarter before withstanding a spirited fight back by the Crocs to move into the NBL top four.

Cameron Tragardh led the Tigers with 19 points to win his battle against ex-NBA centre Luke Schenscher, who finished with 11 for the Crocodiles.

Tom Greer and Ron Dorsey both had 18 for Melbourne.

Peter Crawford was outstanding for Townsville with 30 on 8-of-14 three-point shooting, while Jacob Holmes added 20 points and eight rebounds.

Melbourne coach Trevor Gleeson said his team understood the importance of ending its losing streak.

"We've been playing well but it's the end result that counts in this league," Gleeson said.

"It was a big win, a real tough win against an in-form team.

"Last time we played them we took too many short cuts, tonight we were very good defensively and we got the bikkies in the end."

Townsville coach Paul Woolpert was unimpressed with his team's ability to execute, particularly at the offensive end.

"We got back to five (points down) after three quarters and then had two or three poor possessions to start the fourth quarter," Woolpert lamented.

"Our offence was horrendous in the fourth quarter. It was sloppy basketball with poor execution."

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia, townsville-4810, qld

First posted December 18, 2011 23:35:26


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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Bulleen coughs up handy lead

Updated December 18, 2011 19:48:34

Bulleen squandered the chance to take outright second on the WNBL ladder with a 85-78 defeat to Canberra at the AIS Arena on Sunday.

Capitals centre Marianna Tolo went head to head with Boomers star Liz Cambage and more than held her own, compiling 22 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.

WNBA player Cambage managed 21 points, nine boards and six rebounds but was unable to stop her side coughing up an 11-point lead to hand the victory to the home side.

Bulleen would have gone clear of Sydney Uni with victory but instead remain locked on points but higher on percentage.

Canberra's victory boosted its slim final hopes, backing up Wednesday's 87-69 eclipse of crosstown easy-beats the AIS.

Tags: wnbl, basketball, sport, bulleen-3105, vic, australia, canberra-2600, act

First posted December 18, 2011 19:48:34


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NBL considering two new teams

Updated December 15, 2011 18:13:58

Two groups chasing licences to play in next season's NBL will have to convince the competition's commission they are not fly-by-night operators but have long-term plans.

Basketball Australia chief executive Larry Sengstock says the NBL commission has received licence applications from two groups, one from Brisbane - which has been without an NBL side since 2008 - and another from a Melbourne consortium.

While the commission is keen to have a Brisbane team back on the floor in 2011/12, hard lessons learned means neither group will get the nod without a strong working model and a long-term commitment.

The commission's view is that waiting another another 12 months is better than granting licences to groups that may fall over within a year or 18 months, causing more embarrassment for the league.

"The commission has asked NBL management to validate some of the detailed information contained in the applications before we can make a determination as to whether either bid group has satisfied the requirements to be issued an NBL licence," Sengstock said.

"Expansion of the league is a strategic priority, however it remains imperative that it is achieved in a measured and considered way.

"It is imperative any expansion is sustainable for the long term and we will undertake all necessary steps to ensure as a commission we deliver that."

A decision is not expected until early in the New Year once that verification process is completed.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted December 15, 2011 18:13:58


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Lightning too strong for Thunder

Updated December 10, 2011 22:26:22

The Lightning posted a comfortable 88-67 victory over Logan Thunder at Adelaide Arena.

Suzy Batkovic-Brown led the scoring for the Lightning via a 27-point haul, while Renae Camino impressed for the Thunder with 24 points.

In other results, Dandenong Rangers won on the road through a 73-64 result over the Fire in Townsville, the Spirit triumphed 80-58 against AIS at Bendigo Stadium and Sydney Uni Flames downed Canberra Capitals 76-70 at AIS Arena.

Tags: wnbl, basketball, sport, adelaide-5000

First posted December 10, 2011 22:26:22


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Breakers overpower 36ers

Updated December 11, 2011 21:35:27

New Zealand forward Gary Wilkinson starred for the Breakers, who overpowered the 36ers 86-73 in Adelaide.

The league-leading Breakers struggled to crack the tough 36ers defence early but Wilkinson eventually unlocked the home side, top-scoring with 30 points.

Fellow import Cedric Jackson (11 points, nine assists, eight rebounds) flirted with a triple-double, while young centre Alex Pledger had 13 points and seven rebounds in just 15 minutes.

Big man Daniel Johnson was the 36ers best with 17 points, while imports Chris Warren and Diamon Simpson both scored 16.

Warren was at his elusive best in the opening minutes, sinking two three-pointers as the 36ers raced to a 10-point lead over the sluggish Breakers.

Wilkinson responded with some sublime shooting of his own, and with the hard-working Jackson and Pledger also getting busy, the visitors trailed 27-23 at the first break.

The second period was a defensive affair until Wilkinson imposed himself on the game, at one point drawing gasps from the crowd with a superb fall-away basket.

But with Warren and Johnson in fine touch, the 36ers continued to match the more-fancied Breaker offence, taking a 45-44 lead into the main break.

Early in the third term, 36ers guard Nathan Crosswell fell awkwardly and the game was stopped while two team-mates helped him off the court. The Breakers seemed to sense their moment, slamming home 12 points without reply.

Sixers forward Stephen Weigh suddenly came to life with some classy finishing inside to keep the home side within a point going into the deciding quarter.

Jackson notched a three-pointer from out wide as the Breakers quickly moved 10 points ahead in the final term, and some pinpoint long-range shooting from Wilkinson saw off the 36ers challenge.

In other Sunday results, the Crocodiles were too strong for Sydney Kings at the Townsville Entertainment Centre, winning 80-69, and Perth defeated the Hawks 98-70 in Wollongong.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, adelaide-5000

First posted December 11, 2011 19:46:40


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Caps see off Students

Updated December 14, 2011 22:02:56

The battle of Canberra has predictably gone once again to the Capitals, who hammered the struggling AIS 87-69 at the AIS Training Hall on Wednesday evening.

Marianna Tolo top-scored for the visitors with 21 points, while Jess Bibby added 17.

Casey Samuels managed 19 points for the Institute.

Tags: sport, basketball, wnbl, canberra-2600, act, australia

First posted December 14, 2011 22:02:56


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Fire prove too good for Flames

Updated December 18, 2011 01:01:46

Townsville made it two road wins in two nights with an 85-79 victory over the Flames in Sydney on Saturday night.

The Fire started slow out of the blocks and conceded a 12-point lead in the first quarter.

But the visitors fought back on the back of Shanavia Dowdell (26 points, 10/11, 13 rebounds) while Jess Foley added 17 points along with captain Rachael Flanagan's 14.

Townsville is now 10-5 with the Flames back to 9-4.

Sydney import Amy Denson led all scorers with 34 points.

In Bendigo, the Spirit made short work of Dandenong with a 92-63 victory.

Guard Kelly Wilson stole the show with seven three-pointers as Bendigo moved to 7-6 and now just a win behind the Rangers at 8-6.

Tess Madgen top scored with 28 points on 12 of 20 shooting for the Spirit.

In the late game in Perth, Adelaide cruised past the Waves 78-57.

Suzy Batkovic-Brown put up 20 points for the Lightning and had help courtesy of 15 points from both Abby Bishop and Angela Marino.

Tags: sport, basketball, wnbl, sydney-2000, townsville-4810, nsw, bendigo-3550, australia, wa, qld, sa, adelaide-5000, dandenong-3175, vic, perth-6000

First posted December 18, 2011 01:01:46


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Khazzouh lines up NBA chance

By Mark Hides

Updated December 14, 2011 18:22:19

Sydney Kings star Julian Khazzouh takes his first steps towards realising his NBA dream when he attends a training session with Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

Khazzouh hopes to become the second Australian playing in the world's best basketball league when it tips off this month, joining Milwaukee Bucks centre Andrew Bogut.

The 209-centimetre centre's performance in Saturday's preseason game against Sacremento is likely to determine whether he makes the Oakland-based franchise's roster.

Khazzouh's agent Daniel Moldovan admitted he has been surprised by the interest in his client this year, especially after the owners' lockout left a shortened preseason.

"Hopefully Julian will step in and get some decent minutes in the game against Sacramento," Moldovan said.

"I think after that we'll have an idea if they want to keep him this year or bring him back next year with a full off-season under his belt.

"We originally thought that next year would be a good time to give the NBA a really solid shake.

"But obviously we were pleasantly surprised to know that numerous teams were interested in having a look at him now, with Golden State being the best fit given they definitely are a little bit thin in the front line."

If Khazzouh is brought on board by the Warriors he could make his NBA debut away to Los Angeles Clippers when the season begins on Christmas Day.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted December 14, 2011 11:33:48


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Blaze fight back to dump Perth

Updated December 18, 2011 00:42:53

The Gold Coast Blaze rose from the dead to seal an extraordinary 77-74 NBL win over the Perth Wildcats on Saturday night.

Trailing by as many as 21 points in the first half, the Blaze appeared set to endure an embarrassing defeat on their home court as Wildcats Kevin Lisch (17 points), Luke Nevill (10) and Matt Knight (9 points, 14 rebounds) ran riot.

But the Blaze turned the tables in dramatic fashion, securing a memorable win with a 44-22 second half.

Boomer Adam Gibson (28 points, 11/15 shooting) was inspirational, launching the rescue mission with three consecutive triples to open the third quarter, while Mark Worthington celebrated his 200th NBL game with a 15-point, nine-rebound performance.

It was a disastrous start for the Blaze, with their opening seven shots rimming out, as Damian Martin and Knight got things moving for the visitors.

Five quick points from Gibson kept the scoreline honest, but Gold Coast's 25 per cent shooting had it trailing 25-18 at the first break.

The Wildcats started the second term quickly with Jesse Wagstaff and Drew Williamson nailing three-pointers to push the lead out to 13.

After piling on 52 points in the opening half though, the Wildcats offence ran dry as Gold Coast surged, Chris Goulding coming to life in the open-court to give Gibson support.

Adris Deleon found his mojo after missing his first seven shots, posting 15 points (5/18 shooting) including the go-ahead basket in the 36th minute, before Gibson gave them a match-winning lead with a strong drive.

Perth had two chances to tie the game on the final play but could not connect.

There was injury to add to insult for the Wildcats, with Knight stretchered from the court with a suspected concussion after crashing heavily in the final term.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, perth-6000, southport-4215, qld, australia, wa

First posted December 17, 2011 23:24:38


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Sixers lose key duo

Updated December 13, 2011 09:31:21

The struggling Adelaide 36ers have lost both captain Adam Ballinger and vice-captain Nathan Crosswell to season-ending injuries.

Forward Ballinger has ruptured a tendon in his left ankle and guard Croswell has a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The 36ers have won just three out of 11 games and share the NBL's worst record with Wollongong, who they host on Friday.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, adelaide-5000

First posted December 12, 2011 18:02:58


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Saturday, December 10, 2011

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Thunder continues West Coast's misery

Updated December 10, 2011 08:26:09

The Logan Thunder beat the West Coast Waves 86-65 in Perth to record their sixth win of the season on Friday night.

Cayla Francis (18 points) and Renae Camino (18) shared top contributions for Logan, in a result that puts the Thunder one spot below fifth-placed Dandenong in the finals places, with two games in hand.

A massive 30 points to WA's Rohanee Cox was not enough to prevent Logan cruising to its 21-point win, with only Melissa Marsh (13 points) offering any real assistance.

The loss is West Coast's 11th from 12 games, leaving the Waves rock bottom of the WNBL ladder.

Tags: wnbl, basketball, sport, perth-6000, wa, logan-city-dc-4114, qld, australia

First posted December 10, 2011 08:26:09


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Keneally to chair Basketball Australia board

Updated December 09, 2011 16:54:51

Former New South Wales premier Kristina Keneally has been appointed as the new head of Basketball Australia (BA).

Keneally, who is now a Labor Party backbencher, will be the new chair of the board of BA, and will be charged with breathing life into the NBL.

She will replace outgoing chair Justin Milne in the role.

Keneally said she saw huge opportunities for basketball to build on its recent gains.

"As a sport, basketball in Australia has some unique advantages that we are only just starting to capitalise on," Keneally said in a statement.

She said she would promote the WNBL as a major league in Australia during her two-year appointment.

"(It) deserves just as much attention in terms of sponsorship or television or attendance as the men's competition," Keneally said.

She said she could speak with a bit of knowledge of the sport and understood what it meant.

"I am passionate about sports in general and basketball in particular," she said.

Keneally said the sport's potential over was largely untapped and she saw huge opportunities for growth in both men's and women's basketball.

"There's currently over a million people in Australia (playing basketball), that's pretty significant, of course we'd like to see that grow," she said.

When asked about her unanimous appointment to the role she said, "There's a great desire to see someone who can stand up and speak for the league and speak with a bit of knowledge of the sport as well."

She said the immediate focus of BA was on the Olympics and she had high hopes of both the men's and women's teams returning with medals "of the golden variety".

Milne said Keneally was selected because of her great values and fierce determination.

Keneally said she was looking forward to the challenge.

"I think the experience that a politician brings, somebody who has worked across government, private sector and community organisations, is relevant experience," she said.

She will receive a $50,000 stipend.

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, australia

First posted December 09, 2011 13:34:18


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Kings prevail in OT

Updated December 08, 2011 23:03:29

Julian Khazzouh led the Sydney Kings to an enthralling 107-103 overtime win against the Adelaide 36ers on Thursday night at the Entertainment Centre.

When Chris Warren's (15 points) three-point bomb gave Adelaide a two-point lead with just 2.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter the game appeared over.

But Khazzouh's drive to the basket on the final buzzer gave the centre two free throws to rescue the game, which he duly did.

With momentum swinging his side's way Khazzouh picked up three boards and three swats in overtime as the Kings secured the win.

His total of 20 points, 21 rebounds, four assists and three blocks proved the difference.

Rumoured to be trialling with the Golden State Warriors in the NBL next week, it took a long time for the Kings captain to come to life, and until he did Adelaide appeared to be in control.

Sixers centre Daniel Johnson (24 points, nine rebounds, three assists) put on a show early, scoring at will and helping keep Khazzouh scoreless for the first half.

With Diamon Simpson (19 points) providing the much-needed muscle under the boards along with Johnson and Stephen Weigh (12 points), the away side led by as many as eight in the second quarter and appeared set to register back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

But Kings point guard Aaron Bruce (24 points, five assists) showed why he has also attracted NBA interest, keeping the home team in the game along with Anatoly Bose (21), Jerai Grant (12), Luke Martin (13) and Ben Madgen (eight).

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted December 08, 2011 23:03:29


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Thursday, December 8, 2011

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Breakers overwhelm Blaze in fiery clash

Updated December 08, 2011 21:03:30

Two third-quarter ejections did little to calm a fiery NBL match at Auckland's North Shore Events Centre on Thursday.

Competition leader New Zealand cruised to an easy victory 106-85 over fourth-placed Gold Coast, but not before forwards Leon Henry for the Breakers and the Blaze's Anthony Petrie were ejected following an all-in brawl midway through the third quarter.

The Breakers took time to ease into their work and only some outstanding offensive rebounding early on from Mika Vukona kept them in the game.

But the Blaze's swarming zone defence continued to unsettle the Breakers and the Queenslanders led 31-25 at the end of the first quarter, guards Adris Deleon and James Harvey proving unstoppable from the three-point line.

The Breakers regathered, turning around a six-point deficit to a 58-50 lead at half-time.

With their long-range shots starting to fall, the Breakers extended their lead in the third stanza and the Blaze's frustrations finally boiled over five minutes into the spell as they trailed 57-73.

Two player ejections eased the tension only slightly, but the home side responded better and ran away in the closing quarter for its eighth win from 11 starts.

Vukona was in doubt for the match - his 150th for the Breakers - after rolling an ankle in training, but finished the game with an impressive 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Thomas Ambercrombie also picked up a double double, making 16 and 10, while Daryl Corletto and Alex Pledger also contributed 18 points apiece.

For the Blaze, Harvey and forward Will Hudson top scored with 19 each, but received precious little back-up.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, new-zealand, broadbeach-4218, qld, australia

First posted December 08, 2011 21:03:30


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Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Jarry leads Boomers past Spirit

Updated December 07, 2011 21:37:49

Bulleen forward Rachel Jarry posted 25 points as her side beat the Spirit 76-68 in Bendigo on Wednesday night.

Jarry also had 11 rebounds in the win while centre Liz Cambage added 16 points and 11 boards for the Boomers, who improved to 7-3 with the victory.

Bulleen led from wire to wire in the tight affair, sneaking to just a five-point advantage at half-time before Bendigo clawed a point back before the final quarter.

But the Spirit were plagued by poor shooting (25-of-67 from the floor) and the Boomers scored more in the paint, thanks in part to Cambage's efforts.

Kristi Harrower did her best to quell Jarry's influence, adding 25 points of her own but, aside from Gabrielle Richards (15), the home side lacked offensive punch.

Bendigo's next fixture is on Saturday night when the club hosts AIS before the perennial struggler backs up on Sunday afternoon to visit Bulleen.

Tags: wnbl, basketball, sport, bendigo-3550, bulleen-3105, vic, australia

First posted December 07, 2011 21:37:49


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How to Get the Best Basketball Workout

Monday, December 5, 2011

Bogut ready for NBA return

Updated December 02, 2011 08:13:37

An excited Andrew Bogut is confident his enforced lay-off from basketball has not been time wasted as he prepares to return to a rescheduled NBA.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Australian centre is set for a Christmas Day start to the new season - delayed and now shortened because of a stand-off between the league's owners and the players' union.

Both parties came to a handshake agreement this week to end the lockout of the world's best basketball competition, with players - including Bogut - now voting on a deal expected to be accepted.

Bogut is adamant he is in good enough shape to tackle a 66-game regular season - 16 shorter than normal - which will be shoehorned into a tighter timeframe.

"I'm about 85 per cent (fit)," he said.

"I don't want to be at 100 right now because if I'm peaking right now, I'm going to get through training camp and I'm going to be burned out.

"I'm pretty comfortable with where I'm at.

"I've been shooting ever since the lockout started, and lifting weights. So I'll ramp up my conditioning a little bit this week and I'll be fine.

"It's good to be out of the unemployment line and back to what I do best."

But Bogut believes the tougher, tighter schedule will mean casualties from those who haven't put in the work during their time away from the court.

"If I was a punter, I'd guess there'll be a fair few injuries early on," he said.

"Hopefully most of the blokes will come back in shape, but a fair few who won't will find themselves in a bit of trouble because it's such a brutal schedule."

The 27-year-old's five months in playing limbo - not helped by a massive insurance premium dangling over his head preventing him from taking the court - has allowed him to work on several off-court projects in Australia.

The most ambitious is his move into athlete management - Bogut and his agent Bruce Kaider teaming up as partners in a consulting venture.

With one eye on his own future after his NBA career, Bogut will now help manage the affairs of other athletes.

Heading the stable of athletes are fellow Australian basketball stars Patty Mills and Lauren Jackson, Western Bulldogs' AFL player Shaun Higgins and US-based Major League baseballer Peter Moylan.

Bogut is scheduled to return to Milwaukee on Tuesday, ahead of club training camps scheduled to start on December 9.

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, united-states, australia

First posted November 30, 2011 21:35:40


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Lightning strike against hapless Caps

Updated December 04, 2011 17:48:39

WNBL leader Adelaide came from behind to record an 84-75 win over the struggling Capitals in the South Australian capital on Sunday.

Canberra started strong and enjoyed a seven-point advantage at half-time but that was all but erased in the third quarter.

With just a one-point buffer going into the final term the Capitals went just 4-for-14 for eight points as the Lightning blew past them to take the contest comfortably.

Veteran Adelaide centre Suzy Batkovic led all scorers with 25 points while Abby Bishop had an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double and Amy Lewis added 13.

Jessica Bibby was the stand-out for Canberra with 21 points while four other Capitals registered double-figure hauls, but poor shooting in the fourth quarter was too much to overcome.

In Sunday's other clash, Bendigo walked all over AIS 71-30 in Canberra.

Deanna Smith (19), Tess Madgen (18) and Gabrielle Richards (11) led the charge for the Spirit against the perennial strugglers.

Tags: wnbl, basketball, sport, adelaide-5000, canberra-2600

First posted December 04, 2011 17:48:39


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Kings do enough to edge Taipans

Updated December 04, 2011 21:54:09

Sydney pulled off an upset 69-64 win over Cairns on Sunday night that could drop the Taipans out of the NBL top four.

Coming into the clash with a 5-4 record in third spot, the Snakes finished the round at 4-4 level with fellow Queenslanders Gold Coast and Townsville.

The Kings built a five-point lead by the end of the first quarter and extended it to 10 by the main break.

Cairns fought back and pared five points off the lead going into the final term, an evenly matched affair that saw both sides post 17 points.

Centre Julian Khazzouh was the focal point of the Kings offense, scoring 18 points and grabbing six rebounds as the home side dominated the paint.

Sydney also had scoring contributions from Luke Martin and Jarai Grant, the former going 2-for-3 from downtown.

It was just the second time this season the Kings have won on their home court, but the result was not guaranteed as Andrew Warren put up 19 points and Jamar Wilson had 10 for the Taipans.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, cairns-4870, qld, australia

First posted December 04, 2011 21:54:09


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Less bench time for Mills in China

Updated December 05, 2011 16:14:39

Boomers point guard Patty Mills is optimistic his move to China will pay big dividends for Australia in the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympics and pave the way for a return to the NBA.

Mills joined Xinjiang Flying Tigers, leaving NBL team Melbourne Tigers, last month on a deal reportedly worth upwards of $1 million before the NBA lock-out was resolved and a season start date set for Christmas Day.

Without an opt-out clause in his contract, Mills cannot return to the NBA until the end of the Chinese season in March.

His future with NBA team Portland Trail Blazers uncertain, Mills felt China was the best option and the bonus for Australia's Olympic campaign is his greatly increased court time as a starting player with the Flying Tigers.

Mills wasted no time making his presence felt, scoring a game-high 42 points in a 121-108 victory over Tianjin Rong in his team's most recent outing.

Agent Bruce Kaider says Mills "absolutely" retains the long-term goal of playing in the NBA.

"There were no guarantees in Portland. He would've had to go back there and fight for a spot and he may not have even been in Portland," Kaider said.

"He probably wouldn't have played the minutes he will in China.

"Certainly leading into London 2012 I think it's important for Patty and the Australian men's program that Patty is actually playing minutes and working on his game and developing his game."

Mills announced himself as an NBA talent when he helped Australia reach the quarter-finals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and he was drafted by Portland in 2009.

Kaider is confident if the dynamic guard can continue his current form through until the Olympics in July, NBA scouts will again take notice.

"Beijing was his coming out Olympics where people got to see him and what he could do for the first time really at an international event at that level," Kaider said.

"I think London is going to be the evolution of Patty, where he's developed, how he can lead his team and how he can progress the Boomers beyond where they've been in the past.

"Without putting too much pressure on Patty, London is going to be a really important milestone for the next five years of his career."

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, china

First posted December 05, 2011 15:39:04


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Portable Basketball Hoops - Facts You Have to Know Before You Buy

Flames bring down Boomers

Updated December 03, 2011 08:23:05

Belinda Snell scored a game-high 30 points to lead Sydney University past defending WNBL champion Bulleen 90-88 on Friday night.

But it was Katie-Rae Ebzery (16) who made the difference, draining a field goal with seven seconds on the clock to break an 88-88 deadlock for good at the Veneto Club in Bulleen.

Sydney Uni built a 15-point lead over the Boomers in the first quarter before letting its advantage slip to seven at half-time.

The Flames pushed their lead back out to 14 with a quarter to go but Bulleen came home with a wet sail, outscoring the visitors by 12 in the final period to bring it down to the wire.

In Friday evening's Queensland derby, the Fire got past Logan Thunder 69-60 in Townsville thanks to Shanavia Dowdell's 20-point, 13-rebound double-double.

Rachael Flanagan added 19 for the home side, which was outscored 37-30 in the second half but managed to survive thanks to a woeful four-point opening quarter by Logan.

Cayla Francis top-scored with 12 for the visitors and had 13 rebounds while Kristen Veal had 11.

Meanwhile, the Canberra Capitals beat the West Coast Waves 89-72 in the late game in Perth.

Brigitte Ardossi top scored with 19 points to help Canberra to its fourth win of the season, while Carly Wilson and Jess Bibby featured with 15 and 13 points respectively.

West Coast point guard Jasmine Hooper and centre Samantha Norwood shared the hosts' top score with 15 points.

Tags: wnbl, basketball, sport, bulleen-3105, vic, townsville-4810, logan-city-dc-4114, qld, the-university-of-sydney-2006, nsw, australia

First posted December 02, 2011 23:36:10


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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Boomers pipped by Russia

Updated August 02, 2011 10:25:38

The Australian men's basketball team has lost its opening match of the Stankovic Cup against Russia in China.

The Boomers trailed by 12 points at three-quarter-time, but fought back to force the match into overtime after a 29-17 fourth quarter.

But Russia eventually ran out 99-97 winners, with Kasilov Kashirov top-scoring with 31 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.

Mark Worthington top-scored for Australia with 25 points while Peter Crawford notched up 17 points.

The Boomers' next match in the four-nation tournament is against Angola.

Tags: basketball, sport, china, russian-federation, australia

First posted August 02, 2011 08:21:01


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Spirit make short work of Waves

Updated October 22, 2011 23:42:14

A fantastic start helped the Spirit to a convincing 91-52 victory over the West Coast Waves in their WNBL clash in Bendigo on Saturday night.

The hosts jumped out to a 29-8 first-quarter lead and stretched their advantage to 54-20 at half-time to all but end the contest.

The Spirit's Deanna Smith racked up a game-high 22 points as well as 11 rebounds, with team-mates Chelsea Aubry (19) and Tess Madgen (14) also contributing.

Melissa Marsh top-scored for the visiting Waves with 14 points.

Tags: wnbl, basketball, sport, bendigo-3550, vic, australia, north-perth-6006, perth-6000, wa

First posted October 22, 2011 23:00:25


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NBL talks with Bogut stall

Updated September 23, 2011 18:21:39

Talks with Andrew Bogut are on hold for three anxious NBL clubs as world body FIBA works out an insurance policy to cover the NBA's superstars during the American lockout.

Gold Coast Blaze, Sydney Kings and Adelaide 36ers had hoped to up the ante in their talks with the Milwaukee Bucks centre this week in a bid to seal "the most significant signing in the history of the league".

However, discussions are in limbo until FIBA finds a policy that suits about 60 NBA players - including Bogut - seeking to insure their multi-million dollar contracts so they can play outside the United States.

Considered the favourite to snap up Bogut's signature, Blaze boss Paul Pamenter said talks with the Boomers centre were in a "holding pattern".

"It is bigger than just Andrew globally," he said.

"There are 60 or 70 guys on contracts valued up to $100 million now who are trying to get themselves around the world while this lockout drags on.

"It is a bit of an unknown at the moment.

"(But) we are quietly confident."

Bogut's agent Bruce Kaider of One Management Group said talks would not resume until he had insurance details to share.

Kaider tweeted this week: "The process for securing insurance for AndrewMBogut is not being drawn out.

"We are wanting to resolve as soon as practically possible."

Bogut tweeted on the same day: "I'm not trying to drag this NBL decision out but fiba has had the euro champs on so getting an insurance proposal has proven tough...."

NBL clubs are already cranking up their 2011-12 countdown in this week's preseason Sunshine State Challenge tournament in south-east Queensland.

Kings coach Ian Robilliard said he hoped a decision on Bogut would be made sooner rather than later in order to finalise his season plans.

"It would be the most significant signing in the history of the league," he said when asked about Bogut.

"He would fit into our system very well, but we would have to adjust our roster to permit that - that might be a distraction.

"But I think the guys are professional enough to know that it would be for the greater purpose of what Andrew would do for not only the Kings but the league.

"We had a discussion with the leadership group when the name Bogut first came up.

"We understand the significance of his potential signing but we are trying to get on with business."

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, broadbeach-4218, qld, australia

First posted September 23, 2011 18:12:49


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Proud Taipan at last

Deba George has been a cult figure within Cairns basketball for almost a decade but Taipans coach Aaron Fearne says his persistence is what finally landed him a spot in the National Basketball League.

Few basketballers go by one name but within the city limits of Cairns mention the name 'Deba' and people instantly know who you're talking about.

"I can't even describe how athletic he is," says General Manager of Mackay Basketball and former teammate, Joel Khalu.

"I think he just needs one of those games and everyone in the whole country will go 'Wow!'. He's a phenom."

Cairns Taipans coach, Aaron Fearne tempers his words but is equally optimistic.

"He's extremely athletic and extremely quick, so that's going to be a handful for teams," he says.

"If he gets comfortable teams will find it difficult to defend him."

'Deba' is Deba George of course and this year he may be the best NBL player no one's heard of; a 26-year old 'rookie' of sorts slotted in to play as a back-up guard after years of dominating at ABA level with the Cairns Marlins and last season, the Mackay Meteors.

But George's prolonged apprenticeship has made the Darnley Islander humble about his success.

"It's a pretty big step," he says. "I'm really excited that I am part of this team."

"I've been a part of the Cairns Taipans for a few years now so I'm going to make the most of it and have fun."

George, 26, was first named as a development player in the 2000-01 season for the Taipans and has been a training player with the club almost ever since.

So what took him so long to get on an NBL roster?

"He didn't pick up a basketball till he was about 16," says Khalu. "So he's a little bit of a late bloomer."

"Deba's never had a problem scoring the basketball. It's always been his ability to defend that's - I won't say held him back - but was a challenge for him.

"He's also matured as a person and that's really contributed to his style of play.

"He reads the game better now and really learned how to play the game."

Coach Fearne, who says he nearly picked George to play for him last year, says the changes in his game have been subtle but noticeable.

"He's a bit stronger and slowed down offensively," he says. "Defensively he's more solid in the concepts and systems and things like that so that's where he's improved."

"He's older and getting a bit wiser and it'll be exciting."

Khalu says the 183 centimetre guard also reflects the rich talent of the Torres Strait Island coming through the league.

"Athletes are coming from that region," he says citing Patty Mills, Nathan Jawai, Danny Morseu and Chris and Michael Cedar as other past and present talents with Torres Strait heritage.

"You look at the AFL and they're going into Indigenous communities.

"The scary thing is for every Patty Mills or Deba George there are another ten or fifteen kids that never leave the islands for whatever reason.

"I definitely think Basketball Australia need to look at [more Indigenous] programmes."

As for George though his goal is simple. Keep playing.

"I just want to bring a lot of excitement and energy on both ends of the floor and just help the team to win with whatever I can do," he says.


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Opals overpower China for clean sweep

Updated July 30, 2011 22:50:09

The Australian women's basketball team proved it has plenty of firepower without star Lauren Jackson, annihilating a near-full strength China 98-72 in Cairns on Saturday night.

After two tough victories in Logan and Townsville earlier this week the Australians had it all their own way to seal a perfect 3-0 series result.

A 12-point run from the Opals in the second-quarter killed the hopes of the visitors with every player clocking good minutes in a display sure to give head coach Carrie Graf confidence heading into Olympic qualifiers in September.

Abby Bishop (20 points) did the damage in the first half before Suzy Batkovic (19 points) took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second in her trademark brutal fashion.

With the game wrapped up Kristen Veal added the icing with back-to-back triples to help nudge the margin to a game high 30.

Lijie Miao was the game's top scorer with 23 points for the Chinese but her efforts could not stop the all-round Australian dominance.

The Australians matched the physicality of the Chinese women but also showed they had pace too, moving well from defence.

Guards Kristen Veal, Hanna Zavecz and Carly Wilson had the Chinese offence worked out in what was their third clash inside a week, managing to grab regular intercepts despite the presence of giant 207cm centre Wei Wei.

Together they stifled the visitors, going on a 12-point run to set up a lead of 17 at the main break.

The Opals tinkered with their line-up from the outset, injecting bench trio Cayla Francis, Jessica Bibby and Batkovic after five minutes.

They were up to the task and helped the Australians take a five point lead into the second quarter.

Opals top scorer Bishop was reluctant to take credit for the win, saying it was a matter of just doing her bit.

"Someone steps up each game, we all do our job and I think we're happy with where we are at as a group leading into these qualifiers," she said.

Graf paid tribute to her side's stamina and depth.

"I think we wore them down a bit in the end," she said.

"Each of these girls is going to be part of the Opals set up, some will definitely be in that Olympic team but some further down the track and they are all showing that they deserve to be there by how they are performing at the moment."

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, cairns-4870, qld, australia, china

First posted July 30, 2011 21:20:55


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Opals qualify for London Games

Updated September 09, 2011 20:26:58

The Opals have given themselves a shot at a fifth successive Olympic Games medal, booking their tickets to London next year by beating New Zealand in their qualifying series.

Australia's 92-73 victory in Brisbane on Friday night put it 2-0 up in the best-of-three Oceania championship series and ensured direct qualification for London.

The Opals, silver medallists at the past three Olympics, had won game one in Melbourne on Wednesday night.

Bench tall Elyse Penaluna starred along with giant centre Suzy Batkovic, as the Tall Ferns struggled to cope with their size and power in the paint.

Batkovic top-scored with 19 points and pulled down nine rebounds after a similar starring role in game one, while Penaluna poured in 11 of her 17 points in a third quarter burst which swung the match the Opals' way.

Guard Micaela Cocks and forward Natalie Taylor top-scored for New Zealand with 17 points apiece.

The Opals ambushed the Tall Ferns with their size advantage in the first quarter, taking a 14-point lead to the first break as Batkovic and Abby Bishop dominated early at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Despite New Zealand pulling them back in the second quarter, it always looked a retractable lead the Opals were capable of stretching once they found another gear.

That they did late in the third quarter.

Australia pushed its lead out to 14 again by the final break as Penaluna lit up, hammering home once more the Opals' size advantage and depth.

Opals coach Carrie Graf paid tribute to a squad without its WNBA stars and key injured players being able to get the job done.

"It was ultimately about finding ways to win, so credit to this particular team of Opals to do their job as part of our Olympic campaign, to make sure we're qualified and going to London," she said.

"I thought our containment defence at time was lacking, our ability to make two-foot shots was a problem.

"There's still a lot of things for us to tidy up."

Graf said she was likely to experiment in game three at the Sydney Entertainment Centre now it was effectively a dead rubber.

Game three in the Oceania series will be played in Sydney on Sunday.

New Zealand coach Kennedy Kereama hopes his side can now gain the required funding from Kiwi authorities to compete at next year's repechage tournament, as well as some good quality lead-up games.

The top five sides from the 12-team tournament - which will also feature teams from Europe, Africa, South and Central America who have not qualified directly - will win inclusion for London.

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, new-zealand

First posted September 09, 2011 19:31:20


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Boomers lose Stankovic Cup final

Updated August 05, 2011 12:19:03

The Australian men's basketball team failed to recover from a shocking start in going down to Angola 85-66 in the final of the Stankovic Cup in China.

Mark Worthington was the Boomers' best with 11 points, but he was no match for Angolan pair Carlos Morais and Joaquim who dominated the Australians.

Morais led all scorers with 26 points on six of nine shooting from beyond the arc, while Joaquim added 21 points.

The Boomers, who beat Angola only two days ago, were unable to match the aggressiveness of the African nation, which never looked back after heading to the first break up 24-8.

Australia attempted to beat its opponent with speed as it went to a smaller line-up midway through the second term, but having closed to within 10 points, Angola again pushed away with some long-range baskets.

Again the Boomers came at their opponents in the third quarter but were unable to cut the deficit to single figures, the game as good as over heading to the last period with Angola up by 23.

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, china, angola, australia

First posted August 05, 2011 12:11:23


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Mills leads Tigers past Kings

Updated October 07, 2011 22:52:44

Star Boomers guard Patty Mills announced his arrival to the NBL in style by leading Melbourne past Sydney 82-76 in the season opener at The Cage on Friday night.

Mills, who signed with the Tigers while the NBA lockout keeps his American team Portland off the court, scored a game-high 28 points, going 6-for-11 from three-point range and added three assists.

Fellow guard and former Gold Coast star Ayinde Ubaka scored 22 points on debut for Melbourne, while Tigers big man Cameron Tragardh had 14 points and nine rebounds.

The Kings, who learnt on Friday morning that NBA star Andrew Bogut would not be joining the club due to insurance issues, led by as much as 12 in the final quarter and looked to have it sewn up.

But Mills drained 3-of-5 from downtown in the last period, while Ubaka and Ron Dorsey added long-range points of their own, to drag the Tigers back into it.

Down 70-62 with 4:30 to play, a Tragardh put-back followed by an Ubaka lay-up began an onslaught that reclaimed the lead with a little over a minute remaining.

Melbourne completed a 33-17 final quarter to open its campaign with a fighting victory.

Sydney centre Julian Khazzouh had an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double to lead the visitors on the scoreboard, while Jerai Grant added 16.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted October 07, 2011 21:30:47


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Interview: Suzy Batkovic

This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.

AEDT = Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time which is 11 hours ahead of UTC (Greenwich Mean Time)


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Boomers hopeful for spot at Olympics


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Basketball Goals - A Rundown on the Major Basketball Hoop Brands

Boomers get go-ahead for London

Updated August 12, 2011 16:43:22

Australia's men's basketball team flies to riot-torn London on Saturday for an Olympic Games test tournament, confident security arrangements are adequate.

Basketball Australia has confirmed the team will take part in next week's tournament, which is set to go ahead with Olympic-style security measures.

It will be the first test event held at the London Olympic Park venue at Stratford, just a few kilometres from where much of the worst rioting around north and east London took place.

Boomers coach Brett Brown said he and his players felt no trepidation entering what has at times in recent days resembled an urban war zone.

"It's a test event for London security as well as the basketball security and we'll be fine," he said.

"They know they'll be under the world's eye and we've got complete faith in the city and Basketball Australia putting us in a position which is safe."

The Boomers will take part in the first game to be held at the Games venue - their clash with China on Tuesday.

And Brown is licking his lips at the prospect of his players getting a first-hand taste of what to expect should they qualify for the Olympics.

China, France, Croatia, Great Britain and Serbia will also take part in the tournament, before the Boomers play two matches against Spain.

"It's a reminder to our players what the end game and our purpose really is," Brown said.

"To visit the actual court and site where we hope to be next year is a motivational aspect that is really something special."

Brown has also flagged his Games selection plan in cutting his 16-man squad down to 14 for the London tournament.

The Boomers are without Andrew Bogut because of insurance wrangles resulting from the NBA lockout.

But NBA player Patty Mills heads a still-formidable squad, which also contains experienced Matt Nielsen, Joe Ingles and Mark Worthington.

Perth Wildcats' Jesse Wagstaff and youngster Hugh Greenwood have been left out - Brown saying he is attempting to select an experienced, match-hardened group for the Olympic qualifiers against New Zealand from September 7, and eventually for London.

Boomers squad: Patty Mills, David Barlow, Joe Ingles, Brad Newley, Matt Nielsen, Aron Baynes, Daniel Kickert, AJ Ogilvy, Aleks Maric, Matthew Dellavedova, Peter Crawford, Adam Gibson, Damian Martin, Mark Worthington.

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, england, united-kingdom, australia

First posted August 12, 2011 16:30:41


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Fire snuffed out in Bendigo

Updated November 19, 2011 21:56:13

The Spirit sent Townsville home from its WNBL road trip winless with a 84-68 result at Bendigo Stadium on Saturday night.

The visitors fell to the Rangers in Dandenong on Friday night but the close affair seemed to drain the Fire.

Bendigo briefly trailed early in the first period but had built a five-point advantage at half-time which ballooned to as much as 18 in the third and final quarters.

Gabrielle Richards had a game-high 25 points and added eight rebounds for the hosts, and Tess Madgen hit four three-pointers on her way to 21 points.

Townsville got scoring firepower from Rachael Flanagan and Shanavia Dowdell, who had 16 apiece, the latter also grabbing nine boards.

Micaela Cocks added 14 points, backing up admirably from her 18-point haul against Dandenong on Friday.

Tags: sport, basketball, wnbl, bendigo-3550, vic, townsville-4810, qld, australia

First posted November 19, 2011 21:56:13


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End of the 'Ming Dynasty'

His time on the basketball court became known as the 'Ming Dynasty', but the dynasty of Yao Ming has come to an end, with the Chinese superstar announcing his retirement.

The 'smiling giant' gave basketball a foothold in the world's most populous market and he became a source of national pride and inspiration.

With his career over, the focus has turned to who will replace him, and what will it mean to the future of basketball in China.

Kate Arnott

Last Updated: Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:23:00 +1000

At seven-foot-and-six-inches tall, Yao Ming is a towering presence in every way.

In 2002, he was drafted to the North American National Basketball Association as the number one pick - a first for an overseas player.

But now, at the age of 30, his days on the court are over.

Plagued by foot injuries, Yao Ming has retired after nearly nine years with the Houston Rockets and even longer with China's national team.

"Today it comes, finally. But my life goes on and I am still Yao Ming," he said.

"A lot of people dream to have the same career I have. I just accept it and you have to appreciate what you have and move on."

It was news his millions of fans were expecting but didn't want to hear.

"We wanted to see him win the NBA championship," said one fan, student He Wen. "But now he has quit, so it's really frustrating."


Yao lived and breathed basketball before the age of 10, when he became part of China's state-run sports system.

"I remember seeing him play in Sydney when he was 16 years old and the first thing that comes to your mind is you walk out and you see a very, very big man," said Australian coach and San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Brett Brown.

"And then you see his mobility and then you see him shoot 80 per cent from the free throw line and you recognise that he's a game changer. He's an international superstar."

Yao remained fiercely patriotic during his career; he carried the Chinese flag in the Olympic Games and donated millions of dollars to the Sichuan earthquake recovery effort.

"He's one of the greatest people, not only in basketball, but in this world," his former coach at the Houston Rockets, Jeff Van Gundy, said.

"He's that good a guy - I grew to respect him so much."

Much has been said about whether his patriotism and the demands of China's national team on top of a punishing NBA schedule prematurely ended his career.

But those involved in the game - among them former NBA centre Luc Longley - believe Yao's size alone meant he wasn't going to last forever.

"Just the engineering can let you down. That's what happened to me, that's what happened with Yao," he said.

"It's sad to see anyone retire prematurely and I can definitely empathise with that."

Brett Brown agrees.

"That gruelling schedule and you look at the wear and tear of a seven-foot-six man at 300-and-somewhat pounds and it takes its toll," he said.


Even though his career was cut short, Yao Ming is credited with doing more for China's image overseas than anyone else in his country.

"Yao has been without question a transformational player for our league and a source of enormous pride to the people of china," NBA Commissioner David Stern said.

LA Lakers guard Kobe Bryant recently visited China and says he saw that inspiration first-hand.

"In terms of opening up doors for Chinese basketball players to come to the NBA, or for the youth here in China to believe that it's possible to achieve the dream of being an NBA player, all that started from Yao," he said.

An estimated 300 million people now play the sport in the China, and there's no denying that Yao had a lot to do with that.

But he was also responsible for a growing interest in basketball among Asian communities across the world.

Boon Tan from the Australian Chinese Basketball Association says team numbers doubled while Yao was playing.

"Even in our small little sample it's quite evident that he has made an impact," he said.

"He has been a popular figure that a lot of young Asians and Chinese look up to and want to aspire to copy and to be able to follow in his footsteps in the future."

And he says Yao will remain an inspiration off the court.

"Certainly with Yao going there will be a downturn in interest initially, but I think that whether he's on the court or off the court he will still be a drawcard in terms of basketball and promoting the game," he said.


China is the largest market for the NBA outside the United States - and accounts for about half the Association's international revenue.

But Yao's retirement has led to concerns all that might soon be at risk.

"I know that's a concern for them," says Bill Tomlinson, assistant coach with the Chinese women's basketball team, "but you know basketball is on fire in China right now.

"The NBA is making every effort to keep its brand and the game moving in the right direction in China."

On China's basketball courts, attention has shifted to Yao's successor.

Yi Jianlian from the Washington Wizards is one name being mentioned - but he hasn't made much of an impact to date.

To produce more stars, experts say China needs to shake-up its coaching styles and development programs.

"Once they start getting their philosophical direction on track - because you have so many styles to choose from and they have the population to choose from - I do think you're going to see more people," NBA assistant coach Brett Brown said.

"And I don't think that's too far away from happening."

Yao Ming says intends to do what he can to continue to promote basketball in China.

He will become increasingly involved with the Shanghai Sharks - a team he used to play for and which he now owns.

And he says he wants to give back to the sport to which he says he owes everything.

"I met my wife, set up a family with her and found my life-long happiness because of basketball," he said.

"All of these were brought along by basketball that I have loved so much, so I thank basketball."


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Ex-NBA player faces murder charge

Updated August 27, 2011 17:50:51

Recent NBA player Javaris Crittenton has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of a 22-year-old woman in Atlanta, police said Friday.

Crittenton, 23, who was once suspended by the NBA in connection with guns in a locker room, is wanted in connection with the death of Jullian Jones last Friday in Atlanta, where Crittenton was a collegiate standout at Georgia Tech.

Atlanta Police spokesman Carlos Campos said a murder warrant has been issued for the arrest of Crittenton while the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper reported that Crittenton is believed to be in the Los Angeles area.

Jones was shot by someone in a dark-coloured utility vehicle while walking in a group last week, police said, adding that they do not believe she was the intended target.

Campos said the motive for the shooting was related to an April robbery in which Crittenton was a victim.

Crittenton did not play last season in the NBA because of an ankle injury.

He last played for the Washington Wizards in the 2009-2010 season but was involved in a locker room altercation with then-Wizard Gilbert Arenas involving guns.

The NBA suspended Crittenton for 38 games after he and Arenas admitted to bringing guns into the team's locker room, a violation of law in the US capital.

Crittenton pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour gun charge in January of last year and received probation from a court, but he was not re-signed by the Wizards.

Charlotte had signed Crittenton ahead of last season but he was released before the season began.

Crittenton has averaged 5.3 points and 1.8 assists in 113 NBA games in a career that began in 2007 when he was selected 19th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Draft.

He went to Memphis in a trade deal that brought Pau Gasol to the Lakers and was later sent from the Grizzlies to Washington.

AFP

Tags: basketball, sport, united-states

First posted August 27, 2011 17:40:01


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NBA's Nets will bear Brooklyn name

Updated September 27, 2011 10:34:08

The New Jersey Nets will change their name to the Brooklyn Nets when the NBA franchise moves into a new arena next year, hip-hop singer and Nets part-owner Jay-Z said.

Across the street from the site where the team plans to play next season, Jay-Z announced he would open the arena by performing there next September in at least two or three concerts.

He also said the team, owned by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, would change its name to reflect the borough of New York City where he grew up.

"I'm from Brooklyn," Jay-Z said.

"Opening this arena will mean more to me than anywhere else."

The Nets hope to become an NBA title contender once they move across the Hudson River from their current home in Newark, New Jersey.

But at this stage, the Nets and every other team in the NBA are shut down in the middle of a lockout because the league and its players cannot agree on how to divide $US3.8 billion ($3.88 billion) in annual revenues.

The NBA has already called off 43 pre-season games and the November 1 start of the 2011-2012 season is in jeopardy.

The only prior lockout in 1998 led to a season shortened to 50 games per club.

AFP

Tags: basketball, sport, united-states

First posted September 27, 2011 06:53:57


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Hawks hold off Sixers

Updated October 16, 2011 21:49:27

Wollongong triumphed 97-89 at home in a neck-and-neck NBL clash with Adelaide on Sunday afternoon.

Sixers guard Chris Warren nailed four three-pointers on his way to a game-high 25 points while team-mate Mitchell Creek went 7-of-9, 2-of-2 from long range, in an 18-point performance.

But that was not enough to curtail the Hawks' shooters.

Oscar Forman, Rhys Martin and Mat Campbell had 16 apiece for the home side, with Forman adding 11 rebounds and Martin nine assists.

Only one point separated the teams after the first quarter with Wollongong trailing, but the hosts hit back to take a six-point advantage into half-time.

The 36ers prevailed in the championship quarter and enjoyed a four-point buffer coming into the final period but Wollongong was just too strong.

Blaze bettered

In Sunday's late clash, the Blaze let Cairns Taipans off the hook and fell to a 91-82 loss on the Gold Coast.

The home side led by six points with under five minutes to play before the Taipans rattled off a 17-2 run to snatch ascendancy.

Cairns guard Andrew Warren led all scorers with 28, including five-of-seven from three-point land, while team-mates Dusty Rychart (14), Brad Hill (13) and Jamar Wilson (13) also contributed strongly.

Gold Coast used a 30-point second term to take a three-point lead into half-time but slipped to train by a point with a period to go.

The Taipans turned on the offensive heat though, their massive run sparked by a Rychart two-pointer followed by a pair of Warren three-pointers that sandwiched another Rychart two-ball.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, wollongong-2500, nsw, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted October 16, 2011 19:19:37


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Boomers hand China a thrashing

Updated August 17, 2011 06:36:33

The Australian men's basketball team opened the London International Basketball Invitational with a convincing 71-43 thrashing of China on Tuesday to continue their tune-up before the 2012 London Olympics.

Playing in the first ever game of international basketball held in the newly built London Basketball Arena in Olympic Park, the Boomers were well served by Townsville Crocodiles forward Peter Crawford who top-scored with 15 points.

David Barlow added 14 points for Australia, while AJ Ogilvy finished with 11.

Despite fielding one of the more competitive teams that China has put on the floor in some time, which included Washington Wizards NBA power forward Yi Jianlian, Australia were always in control.

The Chinese side seemed out of sorts early as the Boomers set about breaking out to an early lead, which the stretched to 32-19 at the half.

The second half saw more of the same action, with Australia continuing to attack before running away with the 28-point win, while also outrebounding the tall Chinese team 43-26.

And they did it without having to call on star playmaker Patty Mills who, like team-mates Joe Ingles, Aleks Maric and Brad Newley, took no part in the game.

"I'm trying to avoid playing our key players in three consecutive games," Boomers head coach Brett Brown explained.

"I'm trying to have those guys peak both on the court and physically in the build-up to September 7 and the New Zealand series, so it's a little bit of a trick trying to balance that out with seven games in 11 days.

"I thought that it was as good an effort defensively that we've played. The guards were excellent, particularly on the rebounding."

The Boomers will face a much sterner test tomorrow when they face France, one of the tournament heavyweights, who boast NBA stars Joakim Noah, Tony Parker and Nicholas Batum.

Coach Brown said he would rest Mark Worthington and the impressive Damian Martin, who picked up a team-high six assists and seven rebounds against China, for the clash.

Brown said the biggest issue would be keeping the team in top shape despite the heavy workload in London, in preparation for the FIBA Oceania Championship against New Zealand which tips off in Melbourne on September 7 and could see them qualify for the London games.

"That's probably going to be the greatest mission over the next nine days: just making sure we build towards September 7," he continued.

"We have to be smart with it and you cant take your eye off the ball.

"You want to win games and you can't fall into that trap of being complacent. It's a long process and we've got to be smart, and in doing that, you simply can't overlook that physical side."

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, england, china, australia

First posted August 17, 2011 06:26:17


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Interview: Adam Ballinger

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AEDT = Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time which is 11 hours ahead of UTC (Greenwich Mean Time)


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Mills takes on the Croatian defence

Australia's Patty Mills takes on Croatia's Dontaye Dominic Draper at the London Invitational tournament in London, England on August 18, 2011 (Getty Images: Julian Finney)

Tags: basketball, sport, england, united-kingdom


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Boomers follow Opals to London

Updated September 09, 2011 22:26:24

Australia's men's basketball team has joined the women at the London Olympics with a series-clinching 81-64 victory over New Zealand in Brisbane.

While the Opals qualified with a reasonably comfortable 19-point win, the Boomers needed a huge final quarter to post a 17-point victory in their game two at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

"We've worked a long time for this and every since we went to Beijing I know it's a massive focus for us to get back to this point and it feels pretty good," skipper Matthew Nielsen told Grandstand.

"New Zealand is a tough team and we've played a lot of good European teams in the last two months, and no one's competed with us like they have.

"It's credit to them and good luck to them."

Trailing by two points at the end of the third quarter and the game in the balance, the Boomers men dug deep in every facet of the game - rebounding, scoring and defence - to see off the stubborn Tall Blacks.

They limited New Zealand to just 10 points for the final term - the bulk of which came after Australia's sensational 23-3 run which secured passage to London in the most emphatic style.

Boomer Brad Newley top-scored for his side with 12 points.

But much of the fourth quarter energy came from centre Aleks Maric, who poured in seven of his nine points in the term along with three vital boards.

"We don't rely on anyone on every night, which is a good thing going into a game," Nielsen said.

"Because you know someone can have an off night and it's not going to affect your team."

Boomers coach Brett Brown was ecstatic with the evenness of his side's effort as it lifted when it needed to.

"We did it by committee, we did it with a team, it was a true team effort," he said.

"We've got depth, we've got toughness, we did it with our defence and our defence generated our offence in that (fourth) period.

"To finally close the deal and get it done is a fantastic accomplishment."

New Zealand skipper Kirk Penney led the way for his side with 17 points.

The Tall Blacks were not helped with starters Tom Abercrombie and Mika Vukona fouling out early in the fourth term, leaving the visitors undermanned and outmatched at the most crucial time.

"At the end of it, it seemed we just ran out of gas in the fourth quarter," New Zealand forward Casey Frank said.

"When you lose two of your three best players, with a handicap like that it's always going to be difficult for us."

The Tall Blacks also lost guard Corey Webster prior to game one after Basketball New Zealand called him home after confirmation he returned a positive drugs test during an NBL game last season.

Both Australian teams have now qualified for next year's Games, regardless of the results in game three in Sydney on Sunday.

New Zealand's teams have a second chance to qualify for London through worldwide repechage tournaments to be held next year.

ABC/AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, new-zealand

First posted September 09, 2011 22:04:06


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Blaze scorch Wildcats

Updated November 12, 2011 22:26:36

New Gold Coast import Adris Deleon inspired the Blaze to a 107-92 NBL annihilation of competition favourite Perth on Saturday night.

Playing in front of his new home crowd, Deleon exploded to life with 21 points - 18 in the first half - that included eight assists, five rebounds, a steal and an incredible block against Matt Knight despite giving away 25cm in height.

Where Deleon provided the flash, Anthony Petrie (19 points, six rebounds) offered the grit for the Blaze just 10 days after fearing he had re-injured the Achilles tendon that cost him all of last season.

Gold Coast's Australian representative Mark Worthington (22 points) finished as the game's top scorer as well as holding Boomers team-mate Shawn Redhage to just 10 points in an intriguing battle.

For Perth, big men Knight (18 points) and Luke Nevill (22) were damaging in the paint, while NBL player of the month Kevin Lisch bagged 19 points.

Gold Coast took an early 16-13 advantage, but it was the Wildcats who went to the first change ahead after a five-point run to close the quarter.

The Blaze streaked away early in the second term with five quick-fire points from Worthington and a key block on Jesse Wagstaff.

Wildcat Drew Williamson's frustrations with Deleon led to a heavy unsportsmanlike foul, with the import calmly slotting the free throws.

Seconds later he dropped another triple to give the Blaze a 14-point lead.

Nevill and Knight engineered a seven-point Perth run to cut the lead to five.

But it was Deleon again who broke Perth's momentum with a slick dish off to Chris Goulding, with his three-pointer giving the Blaze a 55-49 half-time lead.

The lead ballooned to 14 as James Harvey piled on eight quick points - including the basket that made him just the fourth player in NBL history to reach 5,000 points - and young guns Jason Cadee and Goulding hit three-pointers.

Petrie then hit a buzzer-beating triple to close the third term which pushed the lead out to 15, a mountain too large to climb for Perth.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, broadbeach-4218, qld, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted November 12, 2011 21:51:00


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Tigers bounce back to edge Hawks

Updated October 30, 2011 22:00:25

Patty Mills and Ayinde Ubaka shot the lights out from downtown as Melbourne came back to trump the Hawks 82-74 in Wollongong.

Boomers and Portland NBA point guard Mills hit four three-pointers and went 7-for-13 from the floor as the Tigers consolidated their spot in the top half of the competition.

He was ably assisted by Ubaka (14 points, 4-of-6 from downtown), Daniel Dillion (13) and Cameron Tragardh (12).

But Melbourne had to battle back from a dismal opening quarter that saw the Hawks race out to a 27-15 advantage by the first break.

The Tigers trailed by 10 at half-time after a low-scoring second period but then turned the deficit into a one-point lead.

Ubaka's long-range accuracy arrived at the right time as the journeyman guard dropped three from outside the arc in the final quarter to ice the win for Melbourne.

Joevan Catron had 18 for Wollongong but missed all four of his shot attempts from downtown, while Hawks stars Rhys Martin (six on 3-of-8 shooting) and Oscar Forman (seven, 3-of-8) both struggled on the night.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, wollongong-2500, nsw, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted October 30, 2011 21:42:23


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