Flynn wants court time with Tigers

Updated November 07, 2012 17:27:02

After getting less court time in the NBA than the cheerleaders, former top 10 draft pick Jonny Flynn's move to the Melbourne Tigers is all about getting back to playing.

The 23-year-old point guard has joined the Tigers in the NBL to jump-start a career that once promised basketball super-stardom.

Flynn was the number six pick in the 2009 NBA draft after setting records in college basketball with Syracuse University.

As a point of reference, Melbourne Tigers and Boomers favourite Patty Mills was picked 55th in the same draft.

But a hip injury that required surgery after Flynn's rookie year with Minnesota left him sidelined and he was then bounced through three other NBA clubs.

Flynn, who will suit up against Adelaide at Melbourne Park on Friday night, is desperate for some consistent court time in the NBL.

"The cheerleaders got on the court more than me," Flynn said when asked about his recent NBA experience.

"I was on the sideline for a long time."

He did not want to expand on why his career stalled, only to say that the NBA was a "big business" and things happened that were out of his control.

Turning his back on bigger offers in China and Europe, Flynn said money never entered the equation.

"I came to a point where I just wanted to play," he said.

"You can't get better if you're not playing basketball.

"I just want to get back to playing basketball and (Tigers' coach) Chris (Anstey) has given me a great opportunity to go out and get back to doing the things I'm used to doing."

Anstey admitted he was initially cautious when contacted by Flynn's manager Leon Rose but had been impressed by his humility since arriving in Melbourne at the weekend.

"We learnt a lot from the A-League that it can be a really important thing for the sport to have someone of such high calibre join one of the teams," Anstey said.

"It doesn't guarantee success because, at the end of the day, we're a 1-4 basketball team really wanting to climb that ladder as quickly as possible.

"Jonny represents part of an opportunity to do that."

The inclusion of Flynn meant the Tigers had to cut another import, Kevin Braswell, whose impact had been hampered by knee trouble.

Flynn said he wanted to put on a show for NBL fans and "mess with everybody".

He was happy to have a target on his back.

"You're a competitor - you're prepared for anything," he said.

"Definitely guys are going to look at me like that but I'm going to still go out there and compete like anybody else so they've got to be ready themselves."

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia, united-states

First posted November 07, 2012 17:27:02

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Tigers can't stop Wildcats' perfect start

Updated October 21, 2012 20:11:53

Perth continued its unbeaten start to the NBL season with a 74-65 road victory over winless Melbourne in the Victorian capital on Sunday.

The Tigers (0-3) had hoped to turn things around in their home opener, but the Wildcats had the answers behind guard Kevin Lisch (16 points) and centre Matt Knight (14 points, eight rebounds).

Import pair Seth Scott (16 points, nine rebounds) and Kevin Braswell (18 points) led the Tigers after Chris Goulding (16) cooled from a hot start.

The Tigers had their chances but they were undone by 25 turnovers and their poor performance on the boards, allowing Perth 15 offensive rebounds.

Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge was thrilled with his team's 3-0 start, admitting in his heart of hearts he had not considered it likely.

"Not at all," Beveridge said.

"Personally, I would have been pleased if we started with three wins from five games."

Later, Wollongong dominated Townsville 84-66 on Sunday to continue their unlikely perfect start to the NBL season.

The Hawks, who were second-bottom last season, led by 15 at half-time and never let the Crocs into the game.

Dave Gruber starred for the Hawks with 14 points, four rebounds and two blocks and Adris Deleon had a team-high 15 points.

Peter Crawford led Townsville with 18 points.

"The pleasing thing was the disruption, I thought the guys did a real good job defensively," Hawks coach Gordie McLeod said.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted October 21, 2012 17:42:24

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Sixers savage Tigers

Updated October 07, 2012 18:26:35

The new-look Adelaide 36ers kicked off their NBL season with a confidence-boosting 84-61 victory over the Melbourne Tigers in a fiery contest at Adelaide Arena on Sunday.

Tempers reached boiling point late in the third quarter when a solid challenge on Mitch Creek left him on his backside and sparked a 10-man tussle.

The referees struggled to separate the angry mass and legs and then infuriated the crowd by ejecting Anthony Petrie, along with Melbourne's Chris Goulding, for their part in the scrap.

Adelaide's new-found depth was on display with the side's bench players offering scoring options which have been sorely lacking in previous seasons.

Daniel Johnson was the 36ers' best with 21 points and nine rebounds while Stephen Weigh added 21 points at an impressive 67 per cent field goal shooting.

Petrie was in good touch with 13 points before his game ended prematurely.

For the Tigers, Seth Scott collected 17 points, while Kevin Braswell and Lucas Walker chimed in with 11 each.

Melbourne got off to a bright start with Scott nailing his shots, and the visitors' defence was making life difficult in the Sixers' key.

Adelaide rallied late to steal the lead but a Walker dunk with seconds left on the clock saw Melbourne leading by a point.

Both teams showcased their outside game earlier in the second with the 36ers edging in front thanks a hat-trick of three-pointers.

Walker proved the go-to man for the Tigers again, his late shot from outside the arc pegging the margin back to 44-41 at half-time.

Adam Gibson increased his influence on the game in the third quarter and the home side took control thanks to a shared scoring load and a spectacular dunk by Creek.

Despite the disruption of Petrie's ejection, the Sixers went into the final change leading by nine points and charged home with a 19-5 fourth quarter.

It was a disappointing conclusion for Melbourne, which fought hard for three quarters but dropped away from its game plan when a response was needed.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted October 07, 2012 17:24:31

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Wildcats overcome spirited Tigers

Updated March 23, 2012 23:38:53

Perth put an end to a disappointing season for the Tigers with a comeback 72-71 NBL win in Melbourne on Friday night.

Tigers import Myron Allen - who contributed 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds - was denied a game-winning fade-away three-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining when his attempt hit the shot-clock.

Intensity was rife throughout with the Wildcats showing playoff-like desperation ahead of next week's semi-finals, and the Tigers looking to end their tumultuous season on a high.

With both teams utilising full-court defences, Matt Burston (15 points, 13 rebounds) and Lucas Walker (12 points, nine rebounds) led the home team from the inside with an array of buckets.

But Perth weathered Melbourne's early storm courtesy of Jesse Wagstaff (nine points), Luke Nevill (nine points) and Shawn Redhage (19 points, seven rebounds).

Ron Dorsey (22 points) came alive in the second period with a handful of jumpshots and three thunderous dunks, getting the home fans roaring as he totalled 14 points for the quarter.

Perth continued its poor shooting from its previous visit to Melbourne, falling behind 42-32 at the major break.

A three-point play got Kevin Lisch (19 points) going for Perth in the third term to help bridge the gap, and with help from a bandaged Damian Martin, the Wildcats went into the final quarter down 53-49.

A play-off atmosphere took over, with Redhage exploiting Burston's perimeter defence to keep the westerners within arm's reach.

Lisch carried his team down the stretch, a couple of clutch lay-ups ensuring the win and positive momentum going into the semi-finals.

The Tigers finished their season with 11 wins but a forgettable 2-11 record since New Year's Eve.

Referee Ray Hunt officiated in an NBL record 946th match to break fellow Victorian Bill Mildenhall's mark.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted March 23, 2012 22:34:30

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Hawks come home strong to top Tigers

Updated March 18, 2012 21:39:30

Wollongong turned up the heat on Melbourne after half-time to cruise to a 71-61 victory at The Cage on Sunday night.

Hawks forward Oscar Forman scored 18 points on a dead-eye 7-of-10 shooting, 12 of those from three-point range, and retiring guard Mat Campbell added 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting.

The Tigers erased a two-point quarter-time deficit to tie things up by half-time, but Wollongong kept its nose ahead after three periods and then stormed home 20-12 in the final quarter.

Melbourne swingman Benny Lewis and big man Matthew Burston had 11 points each for the Tigers, while Tom Greer chipped in seven points and eight rebounds.

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

First posted March 18, 2012 21:39:30

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Wilson puts Tigers to the sword

Updated February 18, 2012 23:33:16

The Cairns Taipans' season has gone from embarrassing to emphatic in 24 hours, defeating the Melbourne Tigers 77-56 on Saturday night in Cairns to end the Victorians' NBL post-season hopes.

The win after a franchise-low 43 points against Townsville and keeps the Taipans in the hunt for their own finals run.

In front of nearly 5,000 home fans Cairns put on a show, breaking out for a 27-point first quarter with Brad Hill a menace in transition and veteran Aaron Grabau making the hustle plays.

By half-time the Taipans already had 49 points, with point guard Jamar Wilson (25 points, seven rebounds) making up for Friday's quiet effort to lead the way.

In contrast Melbourne was held to just 31, Cairns' defence locking up import Myron Allen's use of the pick-and-roll and starving Cam Tragardh of opportunities.

The deficit blew out to 27 in the third period as the Tigers' defensive work rate dropped alarmingly, Wilson scoring 11 points in the last seven minutes to put the boisterous crowd into party mode.

The Snakes' starters clocked off early in the last, 10 Taipans playing more than 12 minutes as they coasted to another home victory.

Worryingly for the hosts though, both Ian Crosswhite and Wilson limped through the second half, Crosswhite only clocking 18 minutes.

Allen top-scored for Melbourne with 13 and Tragardh had 12, but the Tigers were out-rebounded 43-31 and never showed the fight required after Cairns' frenetic start.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, cairns-4870

First posted February 18, 2012 22:49:06

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Tigers hold on to down 36ers

Updated February 03, 2012 23:47:43

The Tigers ended a six-game losing streak and recorded their first win of 2012 with a hard-fought 87-81 victory over a struggling Adelaide 36ers in Melbourne.

Cam Tragardh bagged 14 of his 20 points in the final quarter to lead the Tigers home, while Liam Rush (18 points) had a productive outing.

Chris Warren provided the spark for the 36ers with a game-high 31 points, while fellow import Diamon Simpson (17 points, nine rebounds), centre Daniel Johnson (13 points, 11 rebounds) and Stephen Weigh (12 points) were key contributors.

Scoring dwindled after the 36ers jumped to an early 10-0 lead, with Adelaide turning to a zone and the Tigers using their full-court press to get easy baskets.

Myron Allen (12 points, eight assists, six rebounds) did his best to involve his team-mates after picking up a couple of early fouls, but the Tigers' lack of movement against the zone trapped them on the perimeter and starved Tragardh of opportunities.

The Tigers upped their energy in the third quarter with Adelaide switching back to man-to-man and Ron Dorsey (12 points) finding lanes to the basket.

Melbourne took its first lead with two minutes to go in the period, but the 36ers held strong to level the scores at 61-61 at the final break thanks to a Weigh triple.

But it was Melbourne's crafty new point-guard Allen, Tragardh's late heroics and a coast-to-coast Daniel Dillon basket that brought relief to the Tigers' faithful.

Off the court for the Tigers, long-time Melbourne board member Michael Slepoy has been appointed chief executive, replacing the controversial Seamus McPeake.

Meanwhile, Cairns Taipans escaped with an 85-81 home win over Townsville Crocodiles after trailing by as many as eight points in the final term.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, adelaide-5000

First posted February 03, 2012 23:47:43

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Crocs edge Tigers at the death

Updated March 04, 2012 20:03:26

Townsville held on for a nail-biting 67-64 home win over a fighting Melbourne Tigers outfit on Sunday to mark Peter Crawford's 400th NBL game.

The Tigers fought back within two points with eight seconds on the clock when Myron Allen was called for charging Eddie Gill, ending hopes of extending the encounter into overtime.

The Crocodiles had been on track for victory, with Crawford nailing the opening six points of the encounter to begin his milestone game in style.

He finished the game as the Crocs' leading scorer with 14 points.

Townsville's Luke Schenscher netted 13 points, controlling the paint and boards along with Elvin Mims who also sank 13.

Lucas Walker (13) was the only threat for the visitors, but fouled out mid-way through the final term to leave them without their leading scorer.

Townsville made one of its best starts of the season with a 10-2 run, the first six coming from the hand of Crawford.

Melbourne benched its entire starting line-up before Walker found his range to nail 3-of-3 from the field, but the visitors were left trailing 20-12 at quarter-time.

The Tigers were a different outfit after the break, netting eight straight and out-scoring the Crocodiles 22-12 for the quarter to claim an unlikely 34-32 lead at half-time.

Townsville reclaimed the lead but it became a physical struggle, with leading scorer Schenscher picking up his fourth foul to earn a stint on the bench.

Melbourne briefly hit the front with Walker leading the way, but after a number of lead changes the Crocs surged late to boast a 52-44 advantage at the final break.

AAP

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

First posted March 04, 2012 20:03:26

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Sixers trump Tigers

Updated February 25, 2012 22:23:00

Adelaide 36ers defeated the Tigers 92-83 in their NBL clash at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne.

Import point guard Chris Warren was sublime for the 36ers with 26 points at 90 per cent shooting plus eight assists.

Daniel Johnson (18 points), Darren Ng (15 points), Diamon Simpson (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Everard Bartlett (11 points) all scored in double figures in a stand-out team performance.

Adelaide shot the ball at 53 per cent from the field, 58 per cent from the three-point line and made 24-of-28 free throws.

For the Tigers, league-leading scorer Cam Tragardh scored 19 points, while Ron Dorsey (16 points, five rebounds), Tommy Greer (14 points) and Daniel Dillon (10 points, five assists) all reached double figures.

The 36ers led by just one at half-time but turned the defensive screws in the third term, holding the Tigers to just 14 points to set up a match-winning lead.

Whenever the Tigers challenged in the final term, Warren had the answers to move his team one game clear of last place.

AAP

Tags: basketball, nbl, sport, melbourne-3000

First posted February 25, 2012 22:23:00

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Hawks wind back clock to thump Tigers

Updated January 27, 2012 22:47:45

Ayinde Ubaka and the new-look Hawks carved out a commanding 90-68 NBL win over the Melbourne Tigers in Wollongong to end a run of seven losses at home.

The Hawks built a 20-point buffer in the first half and survived a shaky third quarter to record the comfortable victory with the help of their newest recruit and former Tiger Ubaka.

Ubaka gave his new fans plenty to cheer about on his way to 15 points, including eight-from-eight free throws, three steals and three assists.

Mat Campbell produced a vintage outing with 17 points that included four three-pointers, while Glen Saville added 13 points and nine boards.

For the Tigers, forward Liam Rush poured in 18 points and Myron Allen impressed with 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists as Melbourne slumped to its sixth straight loss.

Wollongong got off to a dream start as Campbell streaked to the hoop for a three-point play off the initial jump ball.

The Hawks captain continued to roll, draining a pair of triples as the hosts ran away with a 31-16 first-quarter advantage.

An early 8-0 spurt in the second term extended the Hawks' lead to 20, then after Allen and Rush rallied for the Tigers, Tim Coenraad's jumper produced a 56-36 half-time lead.

Melbourne notched the first six points of the third to momentarily silence the crowd, but the Hawks faithful let out a sigh of relief when Larry Davidson stroked a three from the top of the key.

Both teams then struggled to find baskets until Joevan Catron broke the stalemate to keep the Hawks afloat at 69-52 with 10 minutes to play.

The Tigers threatened early in the fourth, but a string of threes by Oscar Forman, Saville, Campbell and Ubaka secured the Hawks' second home win of the season.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Breakers made it four wins in a row with a 93-64 thrashing of Sydney Kings in Auckland.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, wollongong-2500, melbourne-3000

First posted January 27, 2012 22:47:45

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Breakers back on top after downing Tigers

Updated January 20, 2012 08:06:22

The New Zealand Breakers have moved back to sole leadership of the National Basketball League with a dominant 91-77 victory over the Melbourne Tigers in Auckland.

The defending champions improved their win-loss record to 13-5 on Thursday night to climb above Perth (12-5), although the Wildcats can edge back in front on percentage points when they face Sydney tonight.

Point guard Cedric Jackson again ran the show, and he also weighed in with 12 assists - a category he leads the league in - and 10 points.

He was one of six Breakers to get into double figures for scoring, a list headed by Gary Wilkinson with a game high 21.

The defeat was the fourth in a row for the Tigers, who had gone into the match as a club in turmoil, after owner Seamus McPeake's shock sacking of import Ayinde Ubaka.

But they played with plenty of cohesion in the early stages, and among those who contributed to a sharp start was Liam Rush, who nabbed nine of his team's first 15 points.

Rush ended up as the Tigers' equal top scorer along with Daniel Dillon with 18 points each.

But the Breakers, playing in front a 4,500 full house at the North Shore Events for the third match in row, made their move in a decisive second quarter.

Centre Alex Pledger's dunk from a pinpoint Jackson pass took the Breakers out to a 25-23 lead early in the quarter and from there they were never troubled.

Some slick transition from defence paid dividends for the home side, who opened out a 43-33 cushion by the main break.

A three-point blitz by veteran guard CJ Bruton, who sank three in quick succession, helped the Breakers to a 73-53 lead with a quarter to go and the gap was always going to be too much for the Tigers to claw back.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, new-zealand, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted January 20, 2012 07:59:42

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Tigers owner sacks import on the spot

Updated January 16, 2012 18:35:26

The door will remain closed on American import Ayinde Ubaka after the NBL import was sensationally sacked by Melbourne Tigers owner Seamus McPeake without the knowledge of coach Trevor Gleeson.

Following their 13-point loss to Gold Coast, the Tigers chief executive officer made a post-game address to the playing group and then sacked Ubaka on the spot, while Gleeson was at a press conference.

"Seamus came in, mad, cussing everybody out, pointing players out ... one of the players was me," Ubaka said on SEN.

"He said it was an embarrassment.

"He told me to leave and go and find another job and I said 'alright, I will'."

The point guard hoped that once tempers cooled he would still have a job with Melbourne but a club spokesman said that would not happen.

"It's all done, I believe," the spokesman said.

"Ubaka has split with the club and has been released from his playing contract effective immediately.

"The Tigers will be looking at replacement options in the coming days."

Ubaka spoke to Gleeson and said the coach told him he did not agree with the sacking but it was out of his control.

He claimed to have the support of the players but said they would not speak out for fear of also losing their jobs.

"He's the boss but I don't agree with having to flex your power like that," Ubaka said of McPeake.

"It was very unprofessional but he's the boss and he wears the big pants."

Ubaka has previously played in the NBL for the Blaze and the Cairns Taipans and said he hoped to stay in Australia.

The fifth-placed Tigers next play the New Zealand Breakers on Thursday.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted January 16, 2012 18:35:26

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Blaze too hot for Tigers

Updated January 15, 2012 22:27:35

The Gold Coast Blaze snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Melbourne Tigers 73-60 on Sunday.

Blaze guard Adris Deleon led all scorers with 21 points and also grabbed 8 rebounds in the final round 15 game.

Gold Coast, which was never behind in the game, has improved to 7-8, while Melbourne after its third consecutive defeat stands at 9-9 trailing the top four by two games.

Despite a sell-out crowd in Melbourne, the Blaze were on fire from the start leading by one point at quarter time and nine at the half.

The advantage was extended to 17 points before the visitors coasted to victory.

NBL leading scorer Cameron Tragardh was held to 14 points.

AAP/ABC

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted January 15, 2012 22:27:35

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Breakers tame Tigers

Updated January 08, 2012 22:48:59

New Zealand Breakers moved to equal first on the NBL ladder after a 90-79 win over the Tigers in Melbourne.

A brilliant 19-3 run in the third quarter saw the Breakers turn a nine-point deficit into a seven-point lead at the last break and they maintained the momentum to win for the 11th time from 16.

The Tigers were in control until midway through the third period when Thomas Abercrombie turned the game in New Zealand's favour.

Abercrombie exploded for 14 points in the period after having just one in the first half.

The Breakers continued to pour it on in the final quarter, leading by as many as 23 points before coasting to the 11-point win.

They closed the game out by out-scoring Melbourne 45-25 after the Tigers had led 54-45.

The Breakers had six players register double figures, with Abercrombie leading the way with 18, while former Tigers star Darryl Corletto added 15.

Cameron Tragardh continued his fine season for the Tigers with 22 points and Ayinde Ubaka chipped in with 17.

Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis praised his clubs intensity in turning the game around in the second half.

"We played with decent intensity in the first half, but had too many turnovers," he said.

"We had everyone contribute and I thought our effort in the second half was outstanding."

The Tigers' loss sees them drop out of the top four, with Townsville and Cairns moving ahead on the ladder.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, new-zealand

First posted January 08, 2012 22:48:59

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Tigers overhaul Blaze

Updated December 31, 2011 23:11:13

A cold-blooded Liam Rush buried 10 points in the final term as Melbourne Tigers downed Gold Coast Blaze 79-72 at The Furnace.

The Tigers trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half and looked finished before Rush (20 points, six rebounds, two steals) and Daniel Dillon (13 points, seven rebounds) joined Cameron Tragardh (25 points, six rebounds) in defiance of the home side's dominance.

While Tragardh was a constant throughout, the defensive spark of Dillon and Rush either side of half-time turned the tide on a Blaze outfit.

The Blaze managed just six points in the third term, going into the final term with a 58-55 lead.

But key shooters Chris Goulding (nine points) and Mark Worthington (22 points, eight rebounds) went cold with the game on the line as Rush took control.

Fittingly, former Blaze playmaker Ayinde Ubaka put the final nail in the coffin with an amazing, buzzer-beating long two.

The Tigers hold on to third spot with a 9-6 record, while the Blaze drop to a 6-6 return.

Meanwhile, Sydney Kings managed an 86-83 victory over the Hawks in Wollongong.

The Kings saw a pair of hefty double-digit leads dissolve in the second half and were forced to stave off the desperate Hawks during a furious finish.

Anatoly Bose (23 points) and Ben Madgen (13 points) helped guide the Kings home from the free-throw line.

Tim Coenraad (18 points) and Joevan Catron (13 points) combined for 16 of the Hawks' 35 fourth-quarter points, as they attempted to overcome a mighty 17-point deficit.

Both teams scored with ease in the opening moments, but once the game tightened up the Kings gained the upper hand, claiming the final five points of the first quarter to lead 19-14.

The Kings parlayed the spurt into a quick-fire 11-2 run to start the second with Kevin Ratzsch and Aaron Bruce each connecting from long range and the visitors led 43-32 at the half.

Jerai Grant sparked a bruising 10-0 spurt for the Kings to start the third, his rare three-pointer seemed a sure sign the night belonged to Sydney.

It led by as many as 24 but left the door ajar, as the Hawks rallied to score the last 12 points, leaving the Kings with a 60-48 advantage with 10 minutes to play.

In other results, the Taipans upset competition leaders New Zealand Breakers 74-57 in Cairns and Perth defeated the Crocodiles 97-76 in Townsville.

AAP

Tags: sport, basketball, nbl, carrara-4211, melbourne-3000

First posted December 31, 2011 23:10:05

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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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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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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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Tigers claw back to down Wildcats

Updated November 18, 2011 22:42:00

Melbourne stunned NBL heavyweight Perth with a come-from-behind 87-82 victory on Friday night.

The visiting Wildcats built an impressive 21-point lead in the second quarter and looked likely to record a comfortable win.

But on the night the Tigers honoured their 1993 championship team, Melbourne refused to accept defeat and clawed its way back to record a famous triumph.

Melbourne outscored Perth 61-35 from midway through the second quarter to pull off the comeback.

Ayinde Ubaka led the Tigers with 23 points, Cameron Tragardh added 22 and import Ron Dorsey finished with 18 points in his best display of the season.

Matthew Knight had 24 and seven rebounds for Perth, with Brad Robbins bagging 13 points.

Perth used a Knight-inspired 14-3 second-quarter run to build a 47-26 lead, but the Tigers quickly closed the gap to 15 points at half-time thanks to consecutive Daniel Dillon baskets.

That momentum carried over to the second half, Melbourne scoring the first nine points on the back of some Tragardh brilliance as he struck back in his match-up with Knight.

With the deficit back to six points, the game settled into a defensive grind, with baskets earned in a physical contest.

The Tigers outscored the visitors 25-11 in the third quarter and entered the final term down 61-60.

When Ubaka sank a shot to start the term, the Tigers led for the first time since the opening quarter, only for Wildcat guard Everard Bartlett (10 points) to take it straight back with a three-pointer.

The teams traded the lead through an exciting final period before a spectacular Dorsey dunk and three-pointer on successive plays gave the Tigers a 79-76 edge.

From there Melbourne converted its free throws to record its sixth win in eight games.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted November 18, 2011 22:06:17

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Tigers go top with Taipans win

Updated November 06, 2011 22:11:16

Melbourne drew level with New Zealand at the top of the NBL with an 80-63 win over Cairns at The Cage on Sunday night.

Tigers forward Cameron Tragardh top-scored for the home side with 17 points while marquee man Patty Mills dished 10 assists in the comfortable victory.

Lucas Walker and Tom Greer had 13 each for Melbourne, which now boasts the same 5-1 record as the Breakers.

The Taipans fell well behind in the first period, trailing by 17 by the first break, and the Tigers opened the gap more and more as the game went on.

Cairns made the final quarter its own, outscoring the hosts 24-16, but the eight-point advantage was not enough to cut down the gaping deficit between the two sides.

Jamar Wilson had a game-high 19 points for the visitors while Ian Crosswhite (10 points, eight boards) flirted with a double-double and Alex Loughton added 12 points.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, cairns-4870, qld, australia

First posted November 06, 2011 21:41:43

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