Crocs thump Breakers in first semi

Updated March 30, 2012 21:02:59

Townsville has a great chance of knocking the top-seeded New Zealand Breakers out of the NBL finals after an upset 99-82 first semi-final victory in Auckland.

The Breakers could not overcome a strong Crocodiles defence in the first of the best-of-three semi-final series and were blown away with hot shooting by the visitors in a 30-18 third quarter.

The Breakers will now have to repeat last year's effort against Perth of scoring an away victory in their second semi-final to have a chance of repeating their 2011 title.

The Crocodiles made a quick start, but the home team held firm and a three-pointer in the last minute by Leon Henry took the Breakers to a 21-19 lead at quarter-time.

Seven straight points after the break took the Crocodiles to a 26-21 lead, though the Breakers quickly replied with a seven-point run of their own.

The Crocodiles stayed in touch for the rest of the quarter, and a three-point play from bench player Elvin Mims helped the Crocodiles take a 44-41 lead into the half-time break.

There was only one team playing in the third quarter.

Jacob Holmes was strong at both ends of the court, leading the visitors to 30 points, while the Breakers could not get any momentum offensively and were down 74-59 at the end of the quarter.

The locals tried to get going in the final quarter but were always playing catch-up and now face having to win in Townsville if they are going to make the final.

Mims, Holmes, Eddie Gill, Peter Crawford and Luke Schenscher all got into double figures for the Crocodiles, with Holmes and Schenscher also making a big rebounding impact.

"As good as it is to win one, you need to win two before you can actually say you've done anything," Crawford said.

Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis said it had been difficult to get the team going in the week leading up to Friday's game and they needed to improve their intensity to make it to the final.

"We didn't play to our normal level tonight," he said.

"I don't think that was a Breakers-style performance and I think we'll play better on Thursday."

The Crocodiles led by three at half-time but a 30-18 third quarter by the visitors forced the hosts into catch-up mode in the final quarter and they were unable to respond.

"I think we executed our game plan about as well as I could hope for, at both ends of the floor," Crocodiles coach Paul Woolpert said.

"We did a good job of executing at the offensive end and getting good shots and I think that helped take away their transition game."

AAP

Tags: sport, basketball, nbl, new-zealand, townsville-4810

First posted March 30, 2012 20:26:26

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Breakers Wildcats pull up sore after first final

Updated April 13, 2012 18:21:20

New Zealand and Perth are sweating on the health of key players in the wake of the Breakers' victory in the first match of the NBL grand final series.

The home side prevailed 104-98 on Thursday night without their NBL All-Star swingman Thomas Abercrombie, while Wildcats forward Matthew Knight picked up a thumb injury which forced him off court during overtime.

"We need to get some scans, but right now he can't buy a trick," Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge said of Knight.

"When he does something he does it pretty good."

The left ankle Abercrombie injured in the third semi-final in Auckland became a major talking point leading into the game and is likely to remain so as the Breakers try to get him fit for game two in Perth next Friday.

"Obviously eight days gives us a bit of hope," coach Andrej Lemanis said.

"It's shown improvement each day and if it shows that same sort of improvement then hopefully he'll be able to at least contribute something."

The first final added another chapter to a sometimes fractious rivalry and Beveridge promised even more passion as they try to prevent the Breakers securing the title in game two.

"I think that we'll be a lot more consistent with our effort levels and intensity levels (in Perth)," he said.

"If we don't we're going to lose the game."

Meanwhile, Basketball Australia (BA) announced late Friday that Larry Sengstock had resigned as chief executive officer of the organisation.

He took on the job in 2009 after NBL clubs and state and territory associations passed a unanimous vote for the unification of basketball at all levels under the governance of BA.

AAP

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

First posted April 13, 2012 18:21:20

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Kings win first game under Heal

Updated February 26, 2012 22:33:52

Shane Heal's first game as an NBL head coach ended in victory as Sydney Kings held off the visiting Townsville Crocodiles 71-69.

Barking orders, twitching with every play and encouraging his side throughout, Heal's presence had the desired effect.

Inspired by Ben Madgen, Julian Khazzouh and Luke Martin (all 15 points), the Kings recovered from a lacklustre first half to run over the Crocs in the third term.

After racing 13 points in front after at the last break the home side had to withstand a fierce Crocs comeback to record its slender two-point win.

Youngster Todd Blanchfield was Townsville's best with 15 points and five rebounds, while Jacob Holmes (14 points, nine rebounds) and Luke Schenscher (11 points, seven rebounds) provided support.

Early on it looked like it was going to be a homecoming to forget for former champion player Heal.

In a poor first quarter, where the Kings shot just 25 per cent from the field, stage fright seemed to have swept through the team.

But when the visitors ran out to an early eight-point lead Heal implemented a full-court press that stemmed the flow and threw the Crocs off their game.

Following a rugged second term that knotted scores at 32-32 at half-time the Kings emerged from the sheds a new team, a 17-3 run setting up a 60-47 lead after 30 minutes.

When Anatoly Bose stole the ball off Peter Crawford on the halfway line and drove for a lay-up it epitomised the Kings' newfound belief.

The Crocs were at sea and the Kings were firmly in control.

But, with victory apparently assured for the Kings, the Crocs closed within four points with 66 seconds on the clock and threatened to pull off a miraculous comeback.

Despite a nervy final minute, the Kings held on for a well-deserved victory as Khazzouh controlled the boards.

"It wasn't pretty offensively today, but the boys showed a lot of pride to hold on," Heal said.

"These are the types of games that scare the hell out of me, I knew Shane was going to give the team a newfound energy, but we didn't match it," Crocs coach Paul Woolpert said.

"We made too many mistakes and you just can't do that."

Martin, making his 250th appearance in the NBL, praised Heal for the performance.

"Having a player of Shane's stature at the club instantly demands respect from the players," he said.

"He has talked to us about accountability and the boys showed a lot of that tonight."

Meanwhile, Cairns (14-10) climbed above Townsville into the top four with a 83-78 away win over second-placed over Perth (16-8).

The Taipans trailed by 11 at half-time, but scored the first 15 points of the third quarter and led by six at the last change.

Perth regained the lead in the last term, but a 7-0 run secured victory for Cairns.

Alex Loughton notched 20 for the visitors and Lisch 21 for Perth.

Townsville slumped to fifth as Gold Coast (13-9) consolidated third place with a 85-72 home win over last-placed Wollongong (6-17).

The Blaze scored the last six points of the first half to lead 46-40 and never relinquished their advantage despite hitting just one out of 10 three-point attempts.

Worthington top-scored for the Blaze with 17.

AAP

Tags: sport, basketball, nbl, sydney-2000

First posted February 26, 2012 19:40:13

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Remember These 3 Aspects First Before Purchasing Pool Basketball Goals

Cavaliers draft Irving with first pick

Published:Friday, June 24, 2011 7:25 AESTExpires:Thursday, September 22, 2011 7:25 AEST

Kyrie Irving was born in Melbourne and has become the first NBA draft pick for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Tags: basketball, melbourne-3000, united-states

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Aussie-born Irving first draft pick

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 26/06/2011

Australian-born, United States-raised basketball prodigy Kyrie Irving has been selected number one in the NBA draft.

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Competition Basketball Goals - The First Team 187D

When you go shopping for a basketball goal, you may find that it is surprisingly complicated. There is a very large selection of brands to choose from, naturally. What you may not know, however, is that there is also a very large selection of different types of basketball goals to choose from. Many of these different types of basketball goals are designed to do different things and perform different functions from relatively light use such as free throws only to heavy duty and competition use.

If you are looking to perform extreme stunts such as heavy or repeated slam dunks, a heavy duty basketball goal is probably right for you. These often feature breakaway basketball hoops, designed to bend at the neck in order to transfer load forces from the basketball hoop to the mounting hardware which prevents the basketball hoop from snapping off and breaking. However, if you are only looking for a basketball hoop for occasional recreational use then a flexible basketball goal is probably more appropriate.

A flexible basketball goal has a limited amount of flexibility at the neck and basketball hoop in order to absorb the force of free throws or up to light, occasional slam dunks. However, they are not flexible enough to properly bend with a heavy slam dunk and they may break. Yet they tend to be more economical than breakaway basketball goals while still being durable, and many models of flexible basketball goals are qualified for some types of heavy duty use.

The FT 187D is one such example of a flexible basketball goal designed for more heavy duty use. What sets this goal apart from other flexible basketball goals is its special double rim feature. The double rim, consisting of 5/8 inch thick solid steel rings, naturally adds additional strength to the basketball hoop not found on inferior basketball goals. The rim is designed for very aggressive use on playgrounds and is able to withstand the abuse normally associated with school equipment.

The FT 187D also features continuous net locks to ensure that the net will stay attached to the basketball hoop after extended and heavy use. Dual return springs help the basketball goal absorb heavier loads to prevent structural failure. The totally enclosed flexible mechanism of the rim means that the basketball goal is protected from weather and other forms of corrosion, and needs little maintenance, both important factors for a playground basketball goal.

The goal mounts to most backboards, so switching out to new backboards probably will not be necessary. The durable powder coat finish not only adds an authentic touch to the basketball goal, but ensures that the paint will stay on through years of weather and shots. The goal is designed to look great and keep that look for a very long time.

The FT 187D is also a very easy basketball goal to install. The net and mounting hardware are included, limiting the number of trips you need to the hardware store. With a shipping weight of just 29 pounds, it will not break your back either.

Trey Carter is a creative writer for an athletic equipment store, Top Hoops. They specialize in hoops from residential in-ground basketball goals to institutional systems. You can review the best basketball hoops at their online shop.

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