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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