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Season 4 Episode 11: Heritage Round-Up with James Mullan (Waratah on VCR)
1 Plays3 seconds ago
Lachy is joined by special guest co-host James Mullan from Waratah on VCR.
The boys cover:
NBL1 East discussion points:
- CoE graduates
- More late signings
- Heritage round or fashion week?
- Turnaround teams
EGG GOTW - CC Crusaders vs. Bankstown Bruins (Men)
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Social Media Plugs
00:00:40
Speaker
Good evening and welcome to another episode of ESCOT Game where we give you the X's, the O's and the insights of NBL1 East. Thank you for joining us tonight live on YouTube and Instagram and remember you can follow us live on Instagram and Facebook at ESCOT Game or you can continue to find our episodes on your preferred streaming platforms.
00:01:00
Speaker
and while you're there check out cut to the jace a podcast featuring current bankstown brew and jason caddy and it's a cold world a podcast by wmbl champion bett cole both brought to you by basketball.com.au and once again you are not seeing things squinn is still living it up over in western australia on holiday so that is why me locky is doing the intro and we have a very special guest the the brains behind Waratah on VCR, the Hornsby media manager, and a man who, if there's a defunct Australian business that he hasn't got into commentary, I don't know about it.
Introducing James Mullen and Hornsby Spiders Discussion
00:01:42
Speaker
It's James Mullen. James, welcome.
00:01:45
Speaker
Thank you, Lucky, and thanks for having me. I'm sure people are tuning in going, damn, Squin looks very different, and maybe Liv Douglas looks a bit strange after last week, but no, it's just the the long hair. But yeah, talking about the the defunct Australian businesses, ah I've noticed it straight away, Lucky, the Townsville Crocs jersey in the background has me wagging my tail. That is possibly the best thing i've seen all year.
00:02:07
Speaker
Just for you, mate, just for you, it was about quarter to seven. was like, I haven't put a jersey out, so I went and found – the soundsville crocs and of course waratah and vci i had to go with they are a tasman haynes bankstown brilliance jersey they are a legend of waratah league back in the day yeah absolutely and and a good one for heritage round as well mean was a fortnight but um yeah yeah so everyone could get a home game yeah
00:02:38
Speaker
yeah and But you must be ah very happy at the moment. Your Horsby boys are absolutely flying in recently. Yeah, it's been wild. Like, i don't know, Sunday really felt like a dream. um i mean, Sunday games are kind of strange sometimes anyway, um but especially when the Hornsby Spiders beat the Canberra Gunners on back-to-back. I mean, I was actually down in Canberra last Saturday for that game, and that felt very surreal. um You know, going into Tuggeranong or Southern Cross Stadium, as they call it, it's like, there I mean...
00:03:13
Speaker
I know Hornsby were kind of the turnaround, but I'm like, this is the Canberra Gunners we're talking about here. These guys don't know how to lose at home. They rarely lose at home um and they rarely lose. those was actually they had I mean, i don't know the last time, was it two years they'd been underfed in Canberra?
00:03:29
Speaker
Yep. yeah Then they go down and and the Spiders probably have the best performance I've ever seen them have in the in the men's division, least in the East era. um with Obviously, Dave Hickey leading the way, but i think players like Alex Sidhu especially has just stepped up and gone to a whole new level.
00:03:45
Speaker
um Players like Daniel Titus has really clicked into gear. He's just notched up about 5, 6, 7, 8 more points a game and that's really making a difference. But um really having devo conducting the orchestra has made it all happen and and that that game on sunday the overtime thriller oh i felt like i was going to pass out in the commentary it was just such a good game of basketball and both teams just i don't know sometimes in these these levels of basketball that the like poetic moments don't happen they miss the the game winner but it just seemed like every point where there could be a
00:04:17
Speaker
a highlight moment or or a turn in the storyline there was. um But unfortunately, I think that may be it for Devo with the spiders. I'm not too sure. actually don't tell me a whole lot. um But ah for what it's worth, it was it was ah it was been ah it's been a wild few weeks.
00:04:35
Speaker
Oh, wow.
Future Speculations and COE Graduations
00:04:38
Speaker
Where's he off to? What's... what's Well, potentially, again, don't quote me on this and don't sue me on the Spiders, but yeah, I think he's gearing up for NBA Summer League. um So I think now that he's more of a part of the the Lakers program, they might get him in for a bit of, like I guess, Summer League preseason, which sounds like a an oxymoron. But um yeah, ah it might might be might have been his last game for the Spiders, but don't quote me on that. um But if it's not...
00:05:05
Speaker
come on more games please please please yes because I I was just looking at the table and like it's three and nine but that group that group of teams that are currently sitting 500 a lot of them play each other like we might be talking about a nine win team making the eight as it stands and like from three and nine with Davo that would be very doable for the spiders Yes, it it could be.
00:05:32
Speaker
um But, ah yeah, look, i wouldn't be surprised to see the spiders maybe add another have another jack up their sleeve potentially. now um replaced Amos. So, I don't know. Maybe stay posted.
00:05:45
Speaker
Well, watch this space. Things are happening at the brick pit. Yeah, too much is happening. But it's it's been been wonderful, yeah. And, but Before we get onto our game of the week, we've got to stick to the actual run sheet because the news during the week, and we know it comes around around this time every year, was graduation day at the COE, especially on the men's side. For the women's side, it was only Zara Russell graduating. She played on the weekend, so we haven't actually seen them play without these players. But for the men, it's a long list and it's a big list.
00:06:24
Speaker
of graduates Ajak Nguyen, Alex Dickerson, Flynn Pavley, Isaac Riddle, and big John Cush-Mac, and Luke Paul's leaving as well. And I think Alex Dickerson had 30 in one of the games on the weekend. So I've got a what to r a lot of ah lot of ah what a production to fill to the CLE.
00:06:46
Speaker
Yeah, some that's some big names. And if you're a team who played them in the first half of the season, you'll be like, oh, Could we not? Could we not have like faced the the twin towers there of Nguyen and Match? And then but even players like Dickerson have just been so dynamic.
00:07:01
Speaker
um Riddle was a player who really surprised me, actually. um ah I'm sorry to say, I didn't know a whole lot about him before commentated him against Penrith back then, but he impressed. um in In very little touches the ball, he was super effective. But you think players like, um shout out to the New South Wales players down at COE, Antonio Brown, Evic as well, the two Bankstown boys, they might be due for a few more minutes as the season goes along. But you're right, look, it's going to be a huge void to fill. That's pretty much just starting five moving on.
00:07:33
Speaker
Certainly is. Yeah. I mean, the women will be interesting as well, just because of the caliber of the player and the fact that she, the Zara is the only one graduating means she's the only one old enough to graduate, which means it's a very, you know, it's a, it's been a young lineup for the COE for all season, but Both teams are in pretty good spots, though.
00:07:54
Speaker
I mean, the men are, what, 13-1. So I think they're no that's ah not mathematically and for ah not mathematically in finals, but it may as well be at this stage. And the women sit at 10-4, so you'd have to say they're they're looking pretty pretty good as well. And they wrap up their season by round 12 as well, which is crazy.
00:08:15
Speaker
They just doublehead us all the way, then go off to a World Cup or an Asian Cup, depending what year it is, and come back for finals. Yeah, I really don't know how they do it. um They really have ah Yeah, the season on espresso shots, let's just put it that way. But boy, we're really going to miss Sarah Russell in the East. I really enjoyed watching her play. She was such a big part of that grand final run last season.
00:08:39
Speaker
um When you see her play live, that that quick trigger on the three is just automatic. I don't know how much time she puts in the gym. it must be more time than there is in a week. But... Yeah, Zeros has got got big things ahead. um can't wait to see what she does in college at California with Ruby Perkins and Lulu as well. um Yeah, it's going to be amazing to see her career evolve. But I think now for the Serie, it's going to be um even more on the all the Queenslanders coming through the program up there. And I think that starts with um Izzy Smith.
00:09:08
Speaker
um I think a player who probably is due for more minutes as well as Jay Sebastio as well. um Again, just watching Searway a couple of weeks ago and last weekend as well. Sure is really impressive. Of course, they all are. Searway is. But a lot of that yeah that whole like Queensland golden generation coming through Searway right now, um i think they're going to really fill in the void. But I think Izzy Smith's ready to just take even more responsibility and take a game to an even higher level.
00:09:37
Speaker
I mean, I think the Sapphire's team has more players from Mackay than from Western Australia, Tasmania, and New South Wales combined. So, tells you a bit that I think the number is two zero on that front, unfortunately.
00:09:51
Speaker
or yeah these Good things going up in central and North Queensland. Certainly are. But.
Late-Season Signings and Heritage Round Jerseys
00:09:59
Speaker
not just players leaving, a couple of new signings. It's getting very late in the season to be signing players. I think you have to play you have to play eight games. So most teams are approaching i'm approaching that kind of threshold. um We'll start with the spider.
00:10:16
Speaker
Muffy Loda. Isn't that what you'd expect back in the East? But with ah four players on their way to ah college, you were your spiders needed a bit of reinforcement.
00:10:28
Speaker
So good. So good. I mean, I know last year was the the year of homecoming as as dubbed by a Scott game, but I think Muffy Lode, look, I know she's technically not from, she's more of central coasty, but, um but it came up through um the Hornsby juniors towards the end of her junior career, played youth league, Waratah league back in the day, um as in the precursor to NBL one East Waratah, that is um with Hornsby and now back in the green and black and,
00:10:55
Speaker
I've got to say, when you look around at mid-season signs, it's really hard to pick up on on a local player or even a player who's played with your club before because everyone's found their homes yet. And especially a player of Muffy Loader's caliber, this was such a rare opportunity to have her um floating around and available. So you're right, Lockie, with um Jessie May, Lucy Meade, Lola Grolton and Ruby Perkins moving in moving on. My field is, I've got to say, is as as good as you can get and I think ready to contribute as well because she's played a lot with a lot of these Spiders players before, played with um Christina Moore in under-18s and Youth League, played with Nicole Hutchins, um played with um Coach Jess as well. So she's very familiar with all of these players and I think can can come in and impact the game straight away. Got ah got a decent amount of minutes on...
00:11:43
Speaker
the weekend But I think still getting used to the system and getting that that match fitness back because you know she trains hard, but it's a whole different story when you you're back in the game. But great to have Muffy back. And, I mean, you speak about having played with players before. Maitland men pulling exactly the same rein by signing Matt Gray.
00:12:04
Speaker
Yeah, that's an awesome signing. I mean, yeah, like ah I was kind of wondering that. like Where's Matt Gray this season? Where in the world is Matt Gray? um New season coming soon, but I mean, it's pretty easy to spot around the place. But yeah, having Matt Gray, a championship caliber player with the Maitland Mustangs returning, and so i guess his second home, Matt Gray. ah Yeah, he was a big part of their championship team. And with Maitland kind of ah Having patchy results this season compared... i mean, at least when you consider the expectations for that team, um I think he he can be and another player and give you 10, 15, 20 points a game.
00:12:39
Speaker
And you're right, like, he'll know all the plays are already. Yeah, 100%. I mean... yeah, he's back with Will back with Billy. I mean, great, great signing. I mean, you need you just want to get that extra pace. You may as well go and find someone who is ah who already knows their way around the around the place that are heritage round or fashion week, James, you've done the next star and e who had the best heritage journey?
00:13:08
Speaker
That's what have to question. Oh, no, no. Look, i know who your vote's going to be for, but um ah i do like to I do like to pay a shout out to all the clubs who who did Dawn Heritage jerseys and also just a lot of credit to all the clubs out there who participated like in social media and the build-up in some you know activations at games to celebrate Heritage Round. um I love to see it you got to like really really just reminds you of how far the game's come across Australia, but also pays homage to a lot of the great players, managers, coaches, volunteers who have laid the foundation for our great game. um so and And just to see some of the threads was just awesome as well because I'm i'm a big sucker for a throwback jersey. So, look, my favorite, because I don't want to steal yours, um it was the Hills Hornets one.
00:13:58
Speaker
They didn't tease it through the week. old script yeah that was sick the um the running right i love running riding i'm a sucker for it but it's good to see that actually haven't gone too far away from that in their modern jerseys but oh man if if anyone at the hills hornets has one of those floating around um i'll give you my address and i'll throw as much money in my bank account at you so that's about 20 bucks that's all i got left but um yeah i'll give you yeah it was it was an awesome throwback and i think hills hornets did a great job as well celebrating their history they had a good active like these kind of picture boxes um with all the old players and the the club throughout the years um so yeah my votes for the hills hornets and a close second was a coe who went ah admit to the sea yes
00:14:39
Speaker
love Love the old red, white, and blue AIS. I actually have a red, white, and blue AIS training singlet. sorry Oh, wow. Because they just sell them they used to just sell them at the gift shop. so Oh, nice.
00:14:53
Speaker
Yeah. So I don't i am sucker for the old red, white, and blue AIS kit. Yeah, that that that was hot. Yeah. Yeah, but Lucky, your pick was? what do you reckon?
00:15:04
Speaker
Well, the one I spent $260 buying, ah Sydney Comets. Oh, wow. who's Actually, that's a lie. I didn't spend $260. I spent $325 because I got a pair of shorts as well.
00:15:19
Speaker
Oh, the matching shorts. Was it like a a game one or were they selling them as part of merch? They're selling them selling them as merch. Nice. That's great. Yeah, those city jerseys is just awesome. Like um the old the elga kind of like si old school Sydney colors, not just for basketball, but you as ah as as a sports aficionado, like, you know, the the um the blue and blue and gold is a kind of traditional Sydney color along with the sky blue. But um those those city of Sydney throwbacks were just so, so mint. And, Lachie, a good investment by you, may ia I
00:15:55
Speaker
I don't know if my bank account agrees, but, uh, and don't go throw on that $20 away. You need that for a rump steak at the East village. tavern Oh,
State of Origin Highlights and Canberra Nationals Overview
00:16:05
Speaker
on a Wednesday night for trivia. Thank you. Lucky. but That's tomorrow night. If anyone's bored, come down to trivia. Oh wow. You've really done. You've done the scattering of port and everything.
00:16:14
Speaker
How can we miss your, uh, your videos you ah with your dying pole vaulter and your man falling off a stretcher. yeah know and those weren't reenactments either that's actually a good summary of how my life goes as as someone ah hosting trivia um but yeah we're back this week after a week off the state of origin but um we won't go into the rugby league though all right look we love new south wales sport happy to talk about happy to at least give state of origin a r a cursory mention yes sweeping the women one nil up in the men how good
00:16:48
Speaker
Yeah, I know. Jeez. After all that pain Queensland inflicted over the over that decade of dominance. but oh Speaking of sweeps, though, four teams doing pretty well, and one of them, swept sorry to our bring you down a bit on the Hornsby front, but the Canberra Nationals, from absolutely in the doldrums,
00:17:15
Speaker
beating crew, beating spiders on the away road trip. Katie Jones hitting her straps. Yeah, it was methodical to watch, really. I can't think of another word for it. i mean, I saw obviously saw the reverse fixture of Spiders um Nationals down in Canberra just a week ago. Well, not last weekend, but the weekend before. um Spiders really had their number. It seemed like the Nationals hadn't quite figured out how to get everyone to to work together. But whatever Nat Hurst did at training that that over last week, really click them into gear and Katie Jones was just gliding left, right, center. She's just like really unlocked all the potential that I knew this Canberra Nationals team had. In fact, last time I was on this pod, i was talking about how much potential this national side has from their starters to their developing players. They were really good.
00:18:05
Speaker
And um yeah, Katie Jones has just brought it on the weekend. 28 points, nine rebounds, six assists, seven steals against the crew. quick nap, quick sleep, breakfast, down to the brick pit, 29 points, 23 rebounds, ah six assists, and did it off 70% field goal shooting. I mean, well um who, oh my God. I can see why she's one of your favorite players. That's just clinical basketball. It's, and like, they were sitting, like, they were sitting two and seven. They were in real trouble. And now they're,
00:18:42
Speaker
Just a game early couple of games out of the eight now. They're there a real chance to, ah and you mentioned like unlocking the team. they had all five, so not all five starters, but five players in double digits.
00:18:55
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's it's just it's just amazing. Like just having having that having that point guard to set up and like ah really I'm really liking the Kelly Bourne, Katie Jones backcourt. Like they they're both kind of oversized. want to call Kelly like a guard because again, she's just she just does everything. She's a Swiss army knife. um to have those two running the the thing and then to have great shooters like finnell who i think only getting better um who really doesn't miss from the corner and same with jazz butsos those two have a good one to punch on the three-point line um then you move into the paint with players like um allison day reese as well had some awesome minutes against the spiders just going basket to basket doing the dirty work um and they still have carly mcallister to come back from injury
00:19:39
Speaker
um So, yeah, I think just to to have that out-and-out point guard, it it frees up Caliborn. It sets up the shooters. It helps to get that dribble penetration, that pick-and-roll stuff to set your bigs up as well. So it just seemed like Katie was the missing ingredient um to unlock the potential on a side that had so much talent already.
00:19:59
Speaker
Yeah, and now they with the r hazard reduction burning debacle, they've got Katie for the game against Sutherland, which they wouldn't have originally had. So that'll be interesting to watch on Sunday the 14th if ah she can lead them to victory at the Shark Tank. But someone else who was massive for the Illawarra Hawks women who are flying at the moment, 3-1, just beat Aubrey in Aubrey.
Illawarra Hawks and Sharks Men's Team Performance
00:20:23
Speaker
Darcy Reese, she had a big double-double by halftime in that game against Aubrey Wodonga. She was...
00:20:30
Speaker
Absolutely killing it. Yeah. Talking about races. In a game where, I mean,
00:20:39
Speaker
you need Thompson had 22 and 21, but did it on nine of 27 shooting or numbers like that. Darcy was really massive, like physically and figuratively massive for Illawarra.
00:20:52
Speaker
And now they're just one win behind Aubrey Wodonga for eight spot. Yeah, you're right about that. It seems like with the Hawks, that that has maybe been their Achilles heel, their missing piece the last few years. know they've got a lot of great young bigs coming through like um Giles and McRae, but to to have Rhys come in and play with plenty of experience around like all these different NBL1 conferences, um sometimes you just need that.
00:21:19
Speaker
really strong defensive basket to basket big, um just to get in there and do the dirty work and to and to keep you, Nick Thompson, of those shooting percentages, just incredible. And and ah to that what to their coaches, Tim Craney, Tim Caney, sorry, Tim Craney. Tom Craney.
00:21:36
Speaker
Tom Cranny. Sorry, Tom. I'm really sorry. um Yeah, to to the adjustments and progression he's made, I think this would be his third year in charge charge of the Hawks. They've really got a good brand of basketball. And um yeah to have players like Phillips and Johnson as well starting a son to heat up, it's good to see. And um their point guard, Jovanovic, as well. she's ah Not having to carry as much of the load as the rest of the team stands up, and that just means things have been a lot easier for her offensively as well um in yeah winning three out of their last four games. So keep an eye on the Hawks. They're starting to fly.
00:22:12
Speaker
And you you had yeah had to slot them in, in didn't you, James? The Sutherland Sharks, man. Oh, yeah. It was a coincidence. ah Yes, the Sutherland Sharks men are now five and five after ah picking up two wins. But, um I mean,
00:22:34
Speaker
the win over Comets. at' a They lost by 18 in the first game against Comets this season in round one with no head coach. um No head coach in round one because Sean Roger was still with the Kings for the finals. um lost by 18 then turned it around enough beat the comments by enough to actually get the split on them beat them by 20 odd um and tyler robertson had 14 points in the first quarter spurgeon was able to neutralize the the comets bigs and then robertson went out again the next day and did this ah did it did it again to penrith so uh
00:23:15
Speaker
know for the talk of what's going on with the sharks well they didn't have their head coach then jason spurgeon went to the states for two weeks to do his graduation ceremony they didn't have tyler roberts until now maybe maybe they're finally where they are where they expected to be where everyone thought they would be at the start of the season Yeah, it was maybe the Sydney Kings success was maybe the worst thing to happen to the Sharks, man, this season. um So, yeah, it's a bit bit of a double-edged sword if you're Sharkies fan, but um maybe not a Sydney Kings fan. But then to bring those players fresh off that championship back and and a coach who was part of it as well um goes to show that, um yeah, the there's big days ahead. And I think the Sharks are really starting to...
00:24:00
Speaker
We'll start to show that what they're actually made of. um But that's why you guys always talk about in this pod. like It is really difficult to make predictions early in the season because there's like almost a distinct first half and second half. And with almost all the teams on this list, um I mean, of of teams that are kind of turning things around. They've had players join somewhat late. I mean, we talked about the Spiders men before, um the Nationals women with Jones and the Sharks with the the and NBL duo. um it almost is the tale of two seasons sometimes. So, yeah that's kind of why I put put it in as a talking point because see teams that are underperforming, they're now starting to shoot up the rankings.
00:24:37
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, even the Shafts women, you know, had Lauren Nicholson go away to 3x3, was away for a couple of weeks, yeah you know. It'd be nice to have Lauren for every game of the season for the first time in.
00:24:51
Speaker
Has it ever happened? yeah i still don't think she's brought up 50 games of NBL1 East yet. Yeah, I mean, maybe yeah just a little too good at doing everything. you know Yeah. sos ah but um actually, speaking of which, sorry, just I'll have a moment on the Sharks women as well. If we could get Liv Douglas on more episodes of Escort game, that would be awesome. I really enjoyed last week's episode, that insight. And i think Liv's got, you're right, a future in commentary about podcasting, presenting.
00:25:20
Speaker
She's just got the gift. So, yeah, more of that. We've had Liv on commentary twice. Once once um just Liv and myself and once with Jake as part of her it part of a trio. So it definitely, definitely. Big three.
00:25:37
Speaker
Yeah, big three, yes. Yeah, definitely. I mean, everyone knows we got this we got the third headset at Comets and Sutherland. So if you ever want to jump on, just just hit me up might Might be hitting you up for that a little soon.
00:25:53
Speaker
I know we've got a weekend off, which is kind of interesting, which we might actually just want to talk about just after this. But just after that, we've got our Spiders Sharkies down at the tank on a Saturday. Yes.
00:26:04
Speaker
Seats open, James. Come on down. All right. the ah The week off for everyone except Canberra and the COE. ah Yeah, sorry. Sorry to Canberra Serwe fans out there. They've um yeah got the traditional doubleheader, which I actually was talking to a few of the Canberra players about after the game, and they love it. They really G up for that game. it's like it know that Serwe is a national program, but it it is it is a local derby for them.
00:26:29
Speaker
was Actually, it's funny. I was talking to Nikki Warner, who now plays for Central Coast, but is a Warner Breed-Camp Baron about And she was like, it feels like you always lose one. You win the first, you never you never get the second.
00:26:42
Speaker
Everything's so fresh in the mind that you just cover it. You've got like a built-in scout from the previous game. You just... Yeah, it'll be hard not to just continue playing the same way and the same style because there's there's like very little time that it adjusts your tactics between games. But I love to... God, wouldn't hate to be a player in that situation, but I feel like just in that sleep between the two the two games, you'd just be dreaming about it and you've got to wake up and you've to go do it again. It would just like 48 hours of just focusing on this other team and on these games.
00:27:14
Speaker
Yeah, no, not not fun. Yeah. Finally, and before we get into our game of the week, the crew men, Central Coast Crusaders men, four-game winning streak.
Central Coast Crusaders and Bankstown Bruins Challenges
00:27:25
Speaker
One of the hottest teams in the league at the moment. I mean, we look at the... I mean, the top two COE and centre of excellence are on four-game... Five-and-more-game winning streaks, but...
00:27:38
Speaker
No one else has ah put together a streak this long. aye Central Coast, absolutely flying high. Got that overtime win against Sutherland. And then we're about to talk about it. Big win over Bankstown this weekend.
00:27:53
Speaker
Yeah, i'm I'm sure we'll dive into the players and the coaching and all that a little more for for our game of the week. But yeah, i really just want to to highlight it. think just looking back a little bit to the previous seasons for the Crusaders men, they've had all the ingredients, but I just don't think they had the recipe quite right.
00:28:12
Speaker
um you know they had really good players but they maybe didn't fit well near each other i remember next to each other i remember a couple years ago when they had had robbie heaves um he was a great player but the and evan wardlow as well that a good team um but it's a the styles just didn't really fit well not nothing to take anything from away from the players and coaches just just sometimes talent can neutralize talent by all kind of doing the same thing um But now you fast forward a couple seasons, um injuries haven't been a huge issue. Touch wood. I've still got wooden floors here. um And also i think that your youth generation who I definitely do want to talk about um during the game breakdown have started to really blossom. Like there's there's a whole bunch of young Crusaders guys in the men's program and the women's program as well who are starting to come into their own. So yeah,
00:29:01
Speaker
I think the Crusaders are finally playing up to their potential and, um yeah, sitting in sixth place at the moment. So, hey, keep cruising along and they'll they'll break their playoff drought.
00:29:12
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, um um calling their game against um against Sutherland, it was really interesting how they...
00:29:26
Speaker
They just keep running. They just keep going and going and going. They are they look really fit. um And just looking, like, they have some, know, they've got some A healthy mix of, you know, like games against teams lower than them. And, you know, they've got Newcastle and Aubrey to finish off the season.
00:29:48
Speaker
Hornsby, Keringai, get to see what their team will actually look like, as you say, James. And then they've got Maitland. That will be a big one. COE next weekend will be huge. And Penrith. So they're not, know, they've got...
00:30:02
Speaker
yeah I think they've got COE twice actually. So they've got you know a good healthy mix of games that they would expect to win in games that might be more challenging. so Definitely one team to keep an eye on down the stretch, but we kept an eye on them.
00:30:15
Speaker
Well, admittedly, it was this afternoon, not ah on Sunday itself. But we are going to take a look at the Central Coast Crusaders and Bankstown Bruins men's game from the weekend. It finished eighty six seventy nine in favour of the Central Coast. I think the big news, of course, is who Bankstown were missing.
00:30:36
Speaker
Obviously, we know Jason Cadizia, but Alex Higgins' teacher is off... representing his country at the 3X3 World Cup. So so two two big outs for Bankstown. And, well, I think it's fair to say that Central Coast took full advantage of the situation that was presented to them.
00:31:00
Speaker
Yeah, they very much did. And um um but I think maybe the box score or didn't quite reflect the game. i don't know. I did something that I don't normally do, which is check the scores and stats before I watch the game. But um another...
00:31:15
Speaker
out that I actually did want to point out, which I think as we we talk about the game a little more will become a little more evident, but but that Nico Timonira has left the Bruins and gone to the Southern Tigers. There we go. um In NBL One Central to um' team up with former Bulls coach Ng Lau. So there's a bit of a connection for you.
00:31:36
Speaker
Bad timing, especially with um those injuries and outs you were talking about just before. um haven't seen any Aaron Woban this year as well, but it just seemed, as I looked at this game, that that they really needed ah an out-and-out ball handler and a playmaker.
00:31:51
Speaker
so Yeah, 100%. Big loss. Yeah. Yeah, Nico, yeah. I mean, you have those outs, but they only ran with 10 for the game as well. So, um yeah, definitely having Nico there would have been a massive help. Yeah, Southern Tigers in South Australia, not to be confused with South Adelaide, which is another team entirely.
00:32:17
Speaker
who Who owns the south? Anyway, tune into the MBL one south podcast. Oh no, everyone's central. I always get that mixed up because it's and it South Australia. I always say MBL one south, but it's it no, it's central.
00:32:28
Speaker
Maybe, well, maybe the salties need to be reborn and play in central and that way it can take up the whole of central Australia. The whole central. Yeah. Bring back the salties. There was someone called us on the weekend with a salty salty hoodie on.
00:32:45
Speaker
Damn. There you go. It's very nice. Yeah. But, um, yeah yeah, I, I mean, I looked, always look at the box score and I take a look at field goal attempts, offensive rebounds, turnovers, and shooting percentage.
00:33:02
Speaker
And Central Coast took, had a lower shooting percentage just, but took seven more field goal attempts than Bankstown in this game. which I found very, very interesting. But I think if we if we take a look at the first quarter, think the first few minutes of this game belong to Tom Akamamaly.
00:33:22
Speaker
Oh, big top. Yep. I always wonder how you guys do your game breakdowns here. And you always say, that's exactly what I wrote. But that is exactly what I wrote. All right. Tom Akamamamo is 3 and D and just so important. And it's probably not the last time we're going to mention him in the game. But um we're going to have to wait a little bit before he comes back. But his leadership on this team is just phenomenal. And...
00:33:46
Speaker
I mean, I know the word veteran gets thrown around a lot. Sometimes it'd be a little condescending that maybe a player is a veteran, the the passing run. But Thomas is such a good team player and just pops up where needed. His three-point shot was great. His timing, his ah IQ is awesome. He knows when it's time to go downhill and get to the basket. knows when it's time to pop out and shoot. But also defensively, him and Cassidy were were putting a lot of pressure on um the Bruins ball handlers early on.
00:34:13
Speaker
Yeah, i I did write down, and it it was due in large part that defense, that it did look like sometimes, it was probably both teams a little bit in the first quarter, just sometimes looking to do a little too much. You know, there were long passes that Dependence just picked off. There was one that Ant Mundine just was like, see ya.
00:34:36
Speaker
Williams tried a couple of really low percentage layups, and then there was that... um that alley-oop attempt to mater maker, which was almost thrown into another postcode, which I just thought early on teams just needed to, and I think we feel find this a lot in NBL one where teams are trying to break each other early.
00:34:55
Speaker
m Sometimes just stay, stay within your own game and don't, don't let it get, you know, let it get out of hand early. Don't let them, don't let them pressure you. But, um, also speaking of Ant Mundine, um,
00:35:11
Speaker
had that Had an early three on a drive and kick from ah Williams, had a transition layup. And thought Bankstown looked so much. In fact, I think the only time they really looked really good was when Deontay Williams was engaging defenders, whether he was driving and kicking, whether he was going to the rack himself.
00:35:31
Speaker
If he wasn't engaging a defender, there wasn't really a lot going on. Yeah, that's so, so like true. and as and And as the game went on as well, so Deontay even writing the point at times. But when he's going downhill, which he can in a hurry, he's so quick, so strong, so dynamic. um Drawing in defenders, then looking for those kickouts to their shooters, um looking for players like Jesse Edwards, Angus Lake, and of course Ant Mundine. They were looking a lot better because I think what what was kind of holding them back least at the start and and throughout the game, just kind of got caught having to dribble too much.
00:36:07
Speaker
But I think SJ said it on the call as well. Like, Ant Mundine is just almost unstoppable in the catch and shoot situation. um So having to... Having those ball handling responsibilities put a lot of burden on him, but... um I think Deontay helped to relieve that pressure a lot.
00:36:23
Speaker
um I think he he just drew on a lot of defenders and and all game long he was doing that as well. Like you you had to respect his game and the numbers he's been putting up this season has been insane. So, yeah, it's definitely circled on a lot of people's scouting reports. But I think what they could have done to maybe get out of that a little more onus early in the season when ah commentator Spiders, Bankstown, um They're running a lot more pick and roll action. Now, they did get back into that in the fourth, but it just seemed like a your turn, my turn in that first quarter, just like kind of passing around the perimeter.
00:36:55
Speaker
Like there wasn't a whole lot of on-ball screen action. and And I think that would have helped to give a little more relief to Williams and Mundane. Yeah. i Actually, i was thinking I was writing down a note and I was saying,
00:37:08
Speaker
they need to get Williams open. Oh, no, they look better when they get Williams open. And I was i thought about it. They're not getting Williams open. Williams is just cooking defenders with not a lot of screen help or anything. So they're not getting him open. He's just making space and opportunities for himself. And I think that's 100%, yeah. Yeah, the in Rekton Crew. Set a screen for the man.
00:37:34
Speaker
Yeah, and and try to try to give him a few more open shots. um But on the other side, though, I've got to say the one-two punch of Mature Maker and and Garrick Young, they were just having a picnic down in the paint, especially in that game. I think um the crew knew they had a hard advantage, maybe not a strength advantage. they got a lot of strong bigs over on um the Bankstown Bruins side. But...
00:37:58
Speaker
Garrick Young and Maker were just getting to their spots so easy in the paint and they were running a lot of pick and roll action and um getting a lot of great seals for just easy layups, getting out and running. i think Bankstown really struggled, at least in that first quarter, to to to kind of plug up the paint and Maker and Young were more than happy to cash in their tickets.
00:38:17
Speaker
100% yeah maker I mean that's where i mean I know no who who in this league does have the height of maker really but even so I mean just someone with like the yeah with the athleticism that can get up like Higgins teacher just someone who could really compete just throw him in there and see know see what could it what could eventuate and it's he's just such a massive part that you know what how did how do you really replace a guy with his skill set and you know his athleticism and it's yeah it just like i mean we look at the final box score young maker akamamoy and hayden gunderson all finished in well into double figures um and and garrick young and just just in the pick and roll just scoring in different ways as well um whether he gets it high or low doesn't matter he seems to be able to um just make his move and find find his spot i mean
00:39:14
Speaker
We all know what he can do. He's not new to the league anymore. So he's definitely not new to New South Wales basketball, as the Waratah fans will know.
00:39:24
Speaker
Yeah, no, big time. And good to see him hanging around with the Central Coast as well. I'm i'm glad he's he's back for another season. But yeah, they they really had had no answer for him on the inside. um i think Elijah Kamu did give good minutes. like I got big reps on Kamu and um only realized halfway through that game um when stood in the commentary. They played Youth League the game before. I'm like what? This guy's played like multiple NBL1 North seasons yeah and he's still eligible for Youth League? And he's but thought playing youth league is considering how many players even like with their home clubs don't play youth league that are eligible. Like I always talk about like with Comets women, like imagine like a season or two ago, if Piper Anderson and Alex K. Roos and Alex Oliver were all playing youth league regularly and they just didn't.
00:40:11
Speaker
So yeah it for him to actually go and play youth league as well is is kind of remarkable. Yeah, it's so impressive. And and and I think, again, he's another player who could maybe just take a bit of pressure off a few of the other players. We've got a few notes later on about Kamo, so I don't want to ruin them. But I really liked what I saw early on um when he when he came in with about three minutes ago in the first quarter. um And just one more note from that first quarter as well. um Was ref Michel Kozier?
00:40:41
Speaker
Now, i just want to give her a little shout out because at the moment, she's second in Warratah women in points per game. um ah she's She's playing for Newcastle on the side. Granted, she has only played one game, which is a 26-point performance versus Shoalhaven Tigers. But, yeah, referee Michelle Kuzia can still go out there and get it.
00:41:02
Speaker
Well, you'd hope so, considering she's got about 4 billion games of WNBL play experience. So... um Don't know about... um
00:41:18
Speaker
Yeah, no, don't know exactly how many games it was, but it was ah it was a lot of games, for especially for the Canberra Capitals back in the day. i had ah I have a Canberra Capitals poster, multiple Canberra Capitals posters with ah Michelle Cozier on them. Actually, I think one's so old that she was still Michelle Musselwhite.
00:41:37
Speaker
Oh, there you Yeah, I just want to give her a very quick shout-out. I'm like, oh yeah, I forgot she was playing Waratah as well this year. But hopefully can see her out on the court a little more with the the Falcons. But anyway, um i we'll get we'll get back into NBL 1S. And my final up for that first quarter was um mick Miko ran that starting five pretty much until the final two minutes of the first quarter when we saw um Alex Bailey and Redhead come in for a bit of relief. So, yeah, Miko, I think he's really figured out which which starting five he likes to run with.
00:42:07
Speaker
it was he um And interestingly, though, I think that was about Redhead's only minutes of the game. He only played two minutes for the entire game. know, it was sad. I'm a big fan Aaron Redhead. I was hoping he would get a few more minutes in this game. But um maybe a tactical thing. Maybe they didn't need him. but Because he played he played decent minutes against Sutherland the ah the week before, I seem to remember. Yeah.
00:42:32
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, yeah. yeah yeah yeah It gives you so much Aaron Redhead. But hey, if the crew, if you guys don't don't give a minute to Aaron, you're always welcome back at the brick pit. But I'm not i'm not a recruiter. I'm not a scouter, though. There we go. And speaking of Alex Bailey, Alex Bailey, Luke Cassidy, boys, one you has got to cut your hair or go the Colin Miller funky blue rinse because the hair and the headband, nah, it's not, you can't both look like that.
00:43:02
Speaker
yeah it's really hard to tell it's Very much so. And I'll chuck, for any crew people out there, chuck Hudson Bush in that same situation, the Youth League point guard from back in the day. don't know. I remember turning up to a Youth League game and being like, wait, is Cassidy still playing Youth League? That can't be right. And like, no, it's Hudson Bush. So they've still got that headband with the long hair. And I think you're right. Yeah, I think Alex Bale used to wear the knee pads, maybe not anymore. That was a good little signifier. Maybe one of you's got to get, I don't know, a full sleeve tribal tattoo. or um i don't know maybe maybe the new crusaders logo or a little rebel on your arm or something because yeah even play style wise they're sort of similar yeah exactly like the f1 cars where one camera's got the uh the green light on it that you have to you can tell who's who when you can't see the numbers yeah but uh moving moving on to the second quarter and
00:43:54
Speaker
it was 23-15 after the first quarter. And second quarter, I think this is where Maker really, he really caused Bacetown a lot of trouble in the second quarter. He drew four fouls alone in the quarter. He lived at the free throw line.
00:44:12
Speaker
As you said earlier, he he and Young were able to find their spots and he was just there every time. And Bankstown pretty much had to make him earn them at the line or he was just going to put the ball in the basket yet every single time.
00:44:27
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's a kind of pick-your-poison situation and it's so difficult when you've got those two guys barreling down on you because garrett Garrick also was coming to life as well. There there was a play that I noted um where Jamal Schwab um hit Garrick Young and ah on a perfect post seal. I was going to give Jamal bit of a shout-out, but we'll just get back to that in a moment. But with Maker and Young, they they just bounce off each other so well.
00:44:50
Speaker
And ah you can only really pick one to like put throw a lot of heavy defensive pressure at. um And I think sometimes though with Maker when you've seen him with previous teams, teams have tried to use him in the perimeter a little too much as a kind of isolation scorer. But I think the crews just said, big man, get in the paint and cause some damage and it's really paying off.
00:45:11
Speaker
It was funny. I thought it like there was one point in the game where he actually did get the ball on the perimeter. And I was like, it's not happening. He's not shooting it. He just handed it off and brought it his way back into the paint.
00:45:23
Speaker
the play kept going. But um and I mean, I think
00:45:30
Speaker
so some of the things that were problems for Bankstown in the first quarter rolled over into the second quarter up with... Again, they're just kind of flinging the ball around. but i mean, Williams was going off all game, but kind of almost expecting him to do do too much at times to ah to get them a basket when they've got they've got options that can score the ball really well.
00:45:54
Speaker
Yeah, they do. I mean, it's it's it can be a ah double-edged sword. ah that's ah That's definitely not a crusaders' pun. um But ah that's a double sword. But yeah, it can be double-edged sword when you've got such a dynamic scorer like Deontay Williams. is like He can go out there and get you bucket when you need it. But then sometimes that can come at the expense of ah of a wider team system. Like when you're moving the ball around, um you've got five or six guys who are looking like threats um or like five or six guys who can go for double-figure scoring.
00:46:24
Speaker
um But again, with the injuries at the moment, i mean it just seemed like Mundane and Williams were just determined to put the team on their back. But you're right. It looking like very vanilla offense. And actually, something that did stand out to me about is like I really like Ted Wolfe, man. he's um he's given us He's given us a lot of highlights. I've got to say, he's it seems like every um every Monday morning, you you open Instagram and Ted Wolfe's jumping out of your screen at you. It's awesome. um But I just think they they haven't quite figured out where to use him. And and I would like to see him maybe get inside a little more. He did hit a three in this quarter, but I think using that size and athleticism to cause a lot more trouble on offense in the paint, I think would maybe help unlock Ted Wolfe just that little more. Because we see it on defense. He had some monster blocks.
00:47:14
Speaker
in this game. Ted Wolfe was one of one of the bright spots defensively for the Bankstown Bruins. Again, just more highlights players. But, yeah, I don't know. I think maybe spend a little too much time camping out on the three-point line and and maybe with teams he's played with previously he's been more of a wing. But I think on this Bankstown Bruins side, they need to use them more as a a forward slash kind of center in that situation. And and and and a big shout-out to Tom Douse, though. i think he had quality minutes coming in there, just doing the dirty work for the Bankstown Bruins. know he's's he's a bit of a veteran with that side, been involved with the Bankstown program for a long time. But he was very solid. I think later in the third quarter as well, Douse was –
00:47:56
Speaker
was was plugging a lot of the gaps defensively and and setting a lot of great screens as well. So shout out to Tom Douse. I'm a fan. I do like my my fundamentally sound bigs. ah and It's interesting, you Bankstown, one of eight from three-point range in the first quarter and 30% in the second quarter, of only 12 points in the paint for the entire first half compared to 30 for Central Coast.
00:48:21
Speaker
A real disparity there in those numbers. And, yeah, perhaps if they are... I mean, yes, they do they are down players. But, yeah, perhaps utilising Wolfe in closer quarters might might be a good idea. was just looking at his shot chart. Not a lot near the restricted zone at all. Even his shots that were in the paint were out closer to the to the free throw line. As you mentioned, he did have that three. it got it back to a four-point game, which is – was a little really good period for Bankstown. um
00:48:53
Speaker
There was one where i think on a couple of plays later, Central Coast defense just collapsed in on Deontay and he kicked it straight to Mundane. And there was no one within Cooey of him. It was one really good play where they really got the Central Coast defense to bite on the player going into the paint, which I thought. And I was really hoping, you know, this would be where it had,
00:49:16
Speaker
You know, Bankstown might get on a bit of a run. Maybe they take the lead, you know And then Central Coast just punched back massively in the end of that second quarter. From, you know, it was 33-29 at one stage. And before you know it, Garrick Young is just killing it on in the pick and roll. And we've got a timeout Bankstown at forty one thirty two Yeah, exactly. Yeah, they just push push it out to um push out to that lead. And again, it was just pounding it paint, but also i think the crew did a great job turning those stops, turning that defensive energy into fast-break opportunities. And wow, this Crusaders side gets out and they run fast.
00:49:58
Speaker
I think Bankstown were great when they were getting out and running, but of course, you need to get the stops first to get those opportunities. But yeah, the Crusaders just... Yeah, I what you mean. Just at the end of that second quarter, they just...
00:50:09
Speaker
I don't know, they were rebels without a cause or with a cause maybe, um just galloping down the court, applying that defensive pressure um and youre forcing that timeout.
00:50:20
Speaker
Yeah. And I mean, it didn't really change anything after the timeout um because they then went on a 7-2 run to finish the quarter and scored the last five points of the quarter.
00:50:31
Speaker
And look ah it And Bankstown, in a way, sort of gave it to them as well. They fouled Luke Cassidy way up court.
00:50:43
Speaker
They let a long outlet get open. There was one play where, you know, things completely broke down and the ball just happened to end up in Garrick Young's hands two foot from the basket. i think it was Cassidy and Lavallee got all tangled up in the pick and roll and the ball just spilled to the one open man who happened to be in a Crusaders jersey.
00:51:03
Speaker
um But still, finishing ya from 33-29, run, and honestly, time could not have come at a better time for the Bankstown Bruins at that stage. they were They were all over the shop, to be entirely honest with you.
00:51:20
Speaker
And interestingly, Crusaders only committed one foul for the entire second quarter. Yeah, that that's it. Fouls was a big big issue, a big disparity, um I'd say, which kind of yeah helped helped the crew just, again, get those stops, secure the rebound and get out and run instead of letting Bankstown get in there and get to the free throw line, slow down their momentum.
00:51:44
Speaker
yeah, well done by the crew to to defend without fouling. But then on the other side, Bankstown, I think we're maybe just giving a few bailouts as I was trying to um trying to contain ah the Crusaders in the paint.
00:51:57
Speaker
So 48-34 at halftime.
00:52:04
Speaker
At that point, it I don't know that it it didn't feel like a 14-point game. I kind of felt like Bankstown could get back into it. for i mean, we've seen bigger margins, poor by the wayside, fairly regularly in this league. Crazy things happen. But...
00:52:19
Speaker
They came out Bankstown at the start of the third quarter, and in the first few minutes, they they were patient but took their chances, which I think they needed to probably do a lot more of throughout the game. ah So I think the first couple of possessions, they really got the ball moving around um and got good baskets. But then there was one opportunity where Deontay Williams was just left open. He just splashed a three because it was the right – it might have been early in the shot clock, but it was the right shot.
00:52:49
Speaker
And, I mean, whatever whatever gets talked about in the in the changing rooms, we'll never know. But, yeah, they they certainly looked a lot more composed on offense early in the third quarter of the Bruins. What do you think?
00:53:02
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. i mean, it came out straight away. um Ted gets a bucket, goes down the other side. Ted gets the stop, walling up well. Then um then um possession after that as well. He gets the block. Ted, I think he think he made the mercy of his break, came back and started swinging. And then Williams and Mundine then take over. You're right. that um That Deontay 3 was huge. Mundine had ah had a sweet mid-ranger. I love a mid-ranger. You've got to...
00:53:29
Speaker
You always got to shout them out when that happened, but Montana had a nice stop and pop, about 5 minutes 30 to go in the the quarter. So that one-two punch really did take over, um and they were starting to roll.
00:53:42
Speaker
But I think, yeah, I think a lot of that did come from a little more defensive energy as well. I mean, I think Deontay Williams... He's a super under underrated defender. he's so dynamic and so strong as well. And I think when he really presses up against players, whether it's ball handlers or whether it's bigs, he um you can really cause a lot of trouble. And um that helps um helped him get out in the fast break a lot more.
00:54:06
Speaker
um There was one moment actually that he did a timestamp that I did want to give... um give hamish um on the Hamish on the call, a shout out. I think it was seven minutes, 18 to go. Go look it up, ladies and gentlemen. He says, he called the Gundot threes. It's like, oh, Gundot loves a three here. And then stra he never, like, or he really misses these. And then swish, it went in. Yeah.
00:54:28
Speaker
yeah I actually wrote down that exact moment, having seen that Gunderson finished with 16 points because he had two points in the first half. Yeah. And I was thinking that three is what's going to set him away. And it did.
00:54:44
Speaker
yeah Dangerous to let a guy who's been in really good form recently ah see it go through the hoop. yeah it's been awesome to see his development, not just um this season, but over the years. But, yeah, I think Coach Mikko is really giving him big minutes this season and he's repaying the favor. um So, yeah, just, again, one of those youth players was talking about from a couple, mean, 10, 20 minutes ago in the pod, that Hayden Gunderson. Yeah, he's really arrived. I think like a 3 and D just as a prototype, but there's a whole lot more for this crew side.
00:55:17
Speaker
So it's awesome to see. um But yeah, I think as we get to the the like final five minutes of the third quarter, i just think the Bruins really started to leak too much on the fast break and kind of went back to their old ways with the Crusaders um either getting stops or stills and then pushing the pace.
00:55:36
Speaker
Yeah, I wrote, I said in my notes, it was a 25-17 quarter for the Bruins, but it could have been so much better for them. That 17, if they'd been properly locked in for the full 10 minutes on defense, could have been a 29-11 quarter just as easily. But you summed it up perfectly with what they are, what they really needed to ratchet up.
00:55:59
Speaker
And the offensive rebounds a massive problem as well. They'll defend so well and then just give up an offensive board. Yeah, it's it's it's a coach killer. In fact, it's a momentum killer too. um Yeah, but again, that was that kind of size advantage that I think the crew managed to take advantage of.
00:56:20
Speaker
um And that's the thing, like like the shooting percentages went too bad for the Bruins, 40% from three in the third quarter, 72% from inside inside the arc in that quarter. But again, maybe just weren't getting enough shots up or weren't getting enough and they gave it.
00:56:49
Speaker
And your mic just...
00:56:52
Speaker
And we lost games. We're back. We're back. We're back in a big way. The um the the the Lithgow laser was finally got it pointing in the right direction. um Yeah, it started to come to life. um Like, he hit hit a layup, got a nice dunk, and then um hit a three in the corner.
00:57:13
Speaker
And um again, that was what I said about Ted and Zeke Evans. um I think they've got to find a way to utilize him a little bit better because, mean, everyone you talk around the league has huge raps on Zeke Evans. Two years with Penrith, he was massive. um One of the right spots in that team. um But yeah, coming to Bankstown, his his role's been changing almost week in, week out, um depending on who else is available.
00:57:36
Speaker
But, um yeah, if they can maybe start to use him a little more offensively, don't know how that is. I'm not a coach. I'm just a C-grade commentator. Oh, let's probably C-grade.
00:57:49
Speaker
c plus there you go um i'd give you a big minus but all right but yeah i'll i'll take it i'll take it that's better than any of results in school uni so i'll take that um but yeah i think zeke evans is is is a real weapon and and i definitely think he's a player that could maybe be run in the pick and roll situation a little more see kevin's a player well if marjorie jackson was the let's go flash zeke evans is the list go bash Ha! Did just come off that then? No. but Like four seasons ago. Okay. Damn. I like that. Yeah. The Lithgow Bash. Right, right. Yeah.
00:58:25
Speaker
No, I like it. i don't know anything else about Lithgow except for the Maccas where the rock. Yeah. and And the isn't that where the kind of myth of the Panther um comes from as well? Is it Lithgow Panther or...? Uh, yeah, the well, I grew up in the Hawkesbury and we like to claim it as well. It just lives somewhere between a mi in the like the national park and yeah.
00:58:50
Speaker
All right. I know, I know rampaging Roy Slavin from Ryan HG is from Lithgow though. So well there we go. That's, that's one more. So there you go. But again, we're now we're drifting into rugby league again. I promise you, I wouldn't do that this pod. Righto.
00:59:05
Speaker
Um, and I know you mentioned Jamal Shwaib earlier. And he knocked down a really crucial three late in the third quarter. Got the screen and the handoff from Lavalier. And at that point, it was ah it was a four-point game. Base down had really brought it back.
00:59:21
Speaker
I think that late three from Schwabe just... um
00:59:26
Speaker
really just gave Central Coast a little bit because it it finished, the third quarter finished with the scoreline 65-59. So credit to Bainstown. They brought it back. They made a game of it um in this third quarter.
00:59:37
Speaker
The way they finished the second, they knew they would have had to come out big in the third. But six-point game heading into the fourth.
00:59:48
Speaker
What were you expecting going into the fourth quarter? I was expecting fireworks, um ah especially with I mean, that Deontay Tech as well, just towards the end of the third. It just seemed like...
01:00:00
Speaker
you know, you don't poke a bear. i mean, I know you used to play League for the Bears, but the saying generally, you don't poke a bear. And, like, he he looked like he, like, he's one of those players where the more you kind of try to get under his skin, the better he plays. So I thought, okay, look, with with an Ant, like, still shooting quite well. don't know, maybe the stats don't reflect it, but just on the eye test, like, Mundine was laser-focused and ah from three-point land and again i know it doesn't come up in his percentages but a lot of threes he's taken were good and he needed to score so mundane not looking too bad i mean he he had ah had a three early on in the fourth quarter williams still looking aggressive and thinking all right bankstone's hanging around they're just hanging around and like they've got their two players starting to really heat up as well
01:00:47
Speaker
um And even players like Zeke Evans are starting to come online as well. Like it's about six minutes remaining in the game. There's a Deontay to Zeke on the fast break.
01:00:58
Speaker
um Again, good. ah James is gone again.
01:01:09
Speaker
having too many mic drop moments here. So I'm going to connect it to a cheap old microphone. Yeah. yeah We're working on it, but good good to good to be back again. I think I'm being silent.
01:01:20
Speaker
Anytime I mention Zeke Evans, seems to drop out. I think the the i don't know. There's maybe conspiracy out there keeps Zeke's potential under wraps. but ah yeah i mean i was I was thinking Bankstown is still in it. and um Five minutes, 40 to go in the in the game. Deontay had a bucket. It was 71-66. We have ourselves a game, ladies and gentlemen.
01:01:45
Speaker
100% did. um Yeah, Deontay, that was on that Eurostep where he he laid at home. That was very very nice indeed because, yeah, I mean, Edmund D'Elia, he had... um He had a turnover losing. the but He lost the ball over the backcourt, tried to save it, only went straight to a Central Coast player, but he immediately came back and just buried a three with really good movement off the ball to get it open as well. Just used his speed to get away from Bailey and just absolutely cashed it. It was beautiful.
01:02:17
Speaker
ah But, yeah, they they brought it back. It was 71-66.
01:02:24
Speaker
And originally i wrote that crew just kept finding baskets to keep the lead at, you know, six, seven, eight. And then even after Ted Wolf, there you go, came up with a big block on young, but
01:02:44
Speaker
Then crew just went on another mini run and got it out to an 11 point game again. And it was just a matter of Bankstown. They'd get it close and go back out. They'd get it close go back out. But at 77.66 and then Maternbaker grabbing another O-board.
01:03:03
Speaker
Timeout, 3.22 to play in the fourth quarter. And it was looking like an uphill, it was really looking like an uphill drag for Bankstown at that stage. Yeah, because they were doing it by committee, the Central Coast Crusaders, and I think that's just what kind of wore down the Bruins, at least energy fatigue-wise. i think the crew, just everyone was firing on all cylinders at different points in the game, and it's got game fans out there. I know you're wondering when we're going to bring... Tom Akamama back into the conversation, but he, in those those final five minutes, I'll say roughly, um was just so, so big. I mean, got to the line for some key free throws. God, i always get tongue-tied on free throws. um
01:03:49
Speaker
And also when shooting them as well. um Went one of two last night. But anyway, won't get into that. um and then he comes back uh with a big bucket two minutes 30 to go and then a floater with 2 14 to go on the game i mean you finish with 18 right 18 points i think so yeah and um like a lot of that came in the first quarter and the final quarter so a strong start and a strong finish um on a 19 there yeah you've started starting 19 a four and three steals so
01:04:22
Speaker
um And, yeah, he did a lot of his makes in bunches as well. m We do do have to tick him off for fouling Ant Mundine on a three, though, which was completely unnecessary.
01:04:34
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. And definitely not the player you want to get rhythm rhythm free throws as well, Ant Mundine. But he did cook Ted Wolfe and Ant Mundine on the next play to go straight to the rack. so Exactly. We'll we willll give him that.
01:04:51
Speaker
Yeah. But fair play to Bainstown. Those three free throws were big. um They got it back within... it was back within eight points within with 90 seconds to play. And then then Tommy limped off.
01:05:06
Speaker
Yeah. not too Not too sure what happened there. i mean yeah Yeah. Well, at least limping off, not getting carried off. So hopefully it's not anything too serious.
01:05:16
Speaker
But um at least... ah At least I had the depth on the bench, um but I'll just get back into that in one moment um because a play we mentioned a little earlier comes back. But um we'll give a lot of credit to Deontre Williams. he really tried to put the team when he's back. um but Greg Jennings style, if anyone remembers that reference. But, um yeah, like three buckets in a row and like the the closing the closing minutes, like under two minutes to go. And, yeah, Deontay really did all he could to yeah try to elevate the Bankstown Bruins to to the W here. And, um yeah I'm keen as to see what Deontay can do with a full off-season of training with the Bankstown Bruins and coming next week. I mean, not that this season's over anything. I just want to say, like, the fact he can do this just from a standing start with the Bankstown Bruins, imagine what he can do um once he's fully gelled in with the team system and um their whole team is back to full strength. he's
01:06:10
Speaker
He's going to be a superstar. And, um yeah, I would not be surprised to see him maybe knocking on the door of some development contracts in the NBL. know there's a lot of great players out there, but I think Deontay has definitely shown...
01:06:22
Speaker
more than more than enough elite talent to justify going on maybe a little higher level. um So, yeah, I just wanted to give him a lot of credit because he he really, he would have been exhausted after that game, long drive back to Bankstown, but, yeah, he he he really tried his hardest.
01:06:38
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, Kru coming away with the 86-79 win, but, ah
01:06:47
Speaker
boys, sorry, you didn't finish it off well.
01:06:51
Speaker
I was scratching my head a little bit because they were kind of close there. i was like about 13 seconds remaining. was only a five-point game and then sideline out of bounds, Lockie. What happened after that?
01:07:06
Speaker
it's Yeah. I mean, Bankstown or makestown had a chance to like tip jam at home and And then went out of bounds. and I yeah just don't know if that was the play. Because as you always say, the the the scoreboard down the bottom like and the of the actual game clock was about two seconds out. So it was 13 seconds remaining.
01:07:32
Speaker
Could have got a pretty high percentage shot, I guess. um But they just went for the lob, which is quite high risk. Yeah. um Then it may be a well-drawn-up kind of catch-and-shoot play. Mm-hmm. um and then they had a chance but then i think it was Evik fumbled it and yes i don't know maybe maybe I'm missing something here but yeah that they could have maybe you could have done something a little better there yeah I mean crew shouldn't have got let them get into that position and I don't think Bankstown took advantage of the position um yeah so
01:08:12
Speaker
all but You know, it all evens out in the end and probably 86-79 is probably a fair reflection of where we are, ah given the events of the entire game. It was, I mean, look.
01:08:29
Speaker
you can give three foot you can give three votes to a player on the losing team it wouldn't have surprised me if dionte williams got three votes out of that although materm maker 17 points 18 rebounds 11 of them at the offensive end yeah it's tough to go past that's that's a big difference maker um pun intended actually pun on yeah sorry all your puns are intended Yeah, yeah, it is. It is. um But yeah, that's got to say, yeah, once like all in all, i think Bankstown like, i don't know, after reflecting on that, going to meditate in the garden for a little bit after that game. um Yeah, the Bankstown, they did what they do what they could and they did the right thing. Just trying to hang around when you're shorthanded, just stay within reach, stay within reach, stay within reach and try to grab it right at the end. um ah
01:09:19
Speaker
But ultimately the the crew would were just too good. And I think it was a great case of um team basketball kind of triumphing triumph thing over um over kind of just a few players contributing. um You know, and the crew had so many people popping off and stepping up at different times. I mean, Gundo even hit a huge three um right at the end.
01:09:44
Speaker
um But it's that well-roundedness Central Coast Crusaders have. And I always say this, that is it's really hard to stop um multiple, like maybe, let's see how many players they had. that Five players in double-figure scoring. um Jamal had eight points as well. It's really hard to stop that than the Bankstown Bruins, who were a bit top-heavy with Mundine with 20, Deontay with 29, and then Ted with 11, and then a huge drop-off, and no one else. I think Zeke had nine. it's It's a lot easier to stop just three players who are on a tear rather than you know five who are chipping chipping in good at good numbers. So, hey, win for team basketball.
01:10:22
Speaker
Yeah, and I mean, it's it's unfortunate because Bankstown, full-strength Bankstown, would be playing much, you know, would be playing really good team basketball. But sometimes players have just got to kind of put the team on their back. And, i mean, fair play to those guys. You know, Mundine and Deontay in the backcourt combining for 49.
01:10:41
Speaker
They did everything they could in an undermanned team and fair play to them. But we look forward to future matchups. So Central Coast, they've got COE, Penrith, Maitland, Hornsby and Newcastle in their next five games.
01:10:59
Speaker
So very, very balanced. you know Teams around them, you know seely well above them, couple of teams below them, and then Maitland right around them.
01:11:11
Speaker
They will face, yeah I mean, COE, as we know, the the the graduates going on. um so yeah, there might might be a a bit a bit of an easy chance to beat COE. um Penrith can really shock any team on any day, so that's going to be a good challenge.
01:11:25
Speaker
um Maitland, I think, have been hot and cold this season, but when they're hot, they are... Yeah, the third degree burns. like it It's crazy um when Maitland's really on. um The Spiders, I can't comment on that one. I've got to keep it neutral. But um that'll that'll be a fun game. that The Hawkesbury Derby, Hawkesbury River Derby. don't I'm trying to work something. think it should be a rivalry between Spiders and the Crew. Crew and Hornsby.
01:11:48
Speaker
ah I call it the Weybridge Wrangle because it's the only landmark between the two places. That's good. Yeah, I'll take that. The Wavering Ring. Yeah. Yeah. Please don't trademark that. I'm going steal that. That's awesome. um Yeah, but still, I think the the crew are already in a great position, and um I think you're going to keep motoring up. And Lucky Who, Bankstown, they're holding on at the moment, but who do they have in the next games? So they've got Newcastle. They've got Newcastle. Then they've got Illawarra, Norths, Manly, and then Kenrith.
01:12:23
Speaker
Oh, geez. So sitting at four and eight, they're going to have to ah come up with some upsets down the stretch if they want to play finals basketball this year, I think.
01:12:35
Speaker
God, Norse and Illawarra it's still to come. That's tough. Those teams are pretty much impossible to beat this year. No, that's sorry. they I mean, I don't know. Sorry. i'm I'm working on a video at the moment about the Illawarra Hawks and any which way you look at it. They're they're just... they're They're very good. Yeah. Yeah.
01:12:52
Speaker
Yes. As an aside, for the season in general, the men's ladder, you've got five teams with three losses or fewer, and then you jump straight to a bunch of teams at 500. The gap between the top five, it goes from 72.7% the Gunners to 50% the Crusaders, Mustangs, Bulls and Sharks.
01:13:15
Speaker
It is so broken open at this point. The top five are just gone. Yeah, they've they've taken off and left everyone behind them. The last chopper of the finals. But yeah, I think you guess that's 6-7-8 is still very much up for grabs. um I mean, just going through it now, you've got Crew at 6, Maitland at 7, Bulls at 8, and Sharky's at 9. Then Comet's not far behind at 10, and 6 and 7...
01:13:41
Speaker
yeah it's going to actually going be very tough for the bankstown bruins to crack into those final three spots and as we said a little earlier in so the sharkies having a little renaissance um ah balls can on their day can really compete with anyone um sydney comets have been a bit of a mixed bag but again like they're one of those teams who when they're on there they're bloody exciting to watch so yeah it's going to be tough for bankstown to try to leapfrog some of those teams I mean, you mentioned Penrith. If Comets miss finals by one game, that's the one they're going to look back at
01:14:15
Speaker
Is that lost to them? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's yeah' the Sunday games. And i was going to say that earlier about the Spiders and Canberra. That Sunday games can throw out some weird results.
01:14:27
Speaker
You um never quite know what you're going to get in the back-to-back. And lucky just while we've still got a little bit of time because we didn't have a didn't have a a guest on, um can we have a look at the women's ladder, see that's shaping up at the moment? We certainly can have a look at the women's ladder and see how that's shaping up. So...
01:14:45
Speaker
It is almost the antithesis of the men's. It is there's no big gaps anywhere. Yeah. Even like even North at 13-0 are still only one game ahead of Manly, who are only one game ahead of Bankstown.
Competitiveness in Women's Division and Upcoming Matches
01:14:59
Speaker
Newcastle with a couple of games in hand. So North 13-0, Manly 11-1, Bankstown Newcastle of
01:15:09
Speaker
hornsby ferringgi eight and four Sutherland six and four, Albury six and six, round out the eight, and then Illawarra and Hills, Canberra and Maitland right on their heels.
01:15:21
Speaker
i Yeah, that's it's normally the it's only kind of the reverse situation. Normally there's kind of the um top six, top five in the in the women's division and they're they're kind of running away with it. But goes to show that a lot of teams, I think, with the development and the seeds they kind of planted a couple seasons ago or even when NBL 1A started off in their women's program are just starting a sign to blossom because, yeah, this is definitely the most competitive team I've seen the women's competition maybe um since the start of NBL One East. I mean, it seems like Hornsby, I know it seems a bit biased, but they couldn't buy win just a couple seasons ago. Now they're up there rubbing shoulders with everyone um in in that top eight. um
01:16:05
Speaker
But as we did mention a little earlier, I mean... there's a lot of sides there, the Illawarra Hawks, Canberra Nationals, even the Maitland Mustangs, I put them in that same category in the Hills Hornets. um They're looking really rejuvenated at the moment. and So they're going to start charging for the finals.
01:16:21
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, the top 12, I mean, we definitely are looking more towards the top than the bottom of things, unfortunately. But I think there are teams here that are better than last year, significantly better maybe even, that are still not...
01:16:39
Speaker
able to push through because the whole league is just, um the whole top half of the league is getting so much better. Yeah, I can't believe it. I mean, and yeah, in that top four, the surprise pack has definitely been the Bankstown Bruins. Nothing to take away from their program. I mean, I can see why they've been so successful. They've pretty much made all the right moves in the last two seasons. But, yeah, to have a 10-2 record is phenomenal for the Bankstown Bruins. And, um yeah, I think they're definitely, and again, another one of those sides who who planted the seeds a couple years ago. Now they're really starting to um yield.
01:17:13
Speaker
And I mean, this is a program that didn't actually enter a women's team in the first season of NBL One East, if you remember. So, um you know, when you talk about, oh, Hornsby, Penrith, Comets had to start a season, like, well, so were the Bankstown Bruins women. But, I mean, their entire, I mean, yes, they have Shaila, Talia, Davida and Margot in their starting lineup, but the rest of that team is all Bankstown products.
01:17:37
Speaker
yeah bankstown built bankstown born bankstown bred it's uh yeah awesome awesome to see that program and and how it's how it's developed over the years and how they're all gelling together and you know of course we're this is a very pro lauren curtain program i've heard of plenty of that on the escot game but yeah she's done a great job um um even another team that i that ah i did a instagram post about a couple weeks ago because i just hadn't really clocked onto them as the New Falcons are also a team that I think could really be threatening as well as the season goes along, especially with Heidi and Shields joining the side now.
01:18:10
Speaker
um Yeah, this this women's competition, is it's going to be fun second half of the season. It really will. We'll see. I think this this coming it's not this coming weekend, but The next week, I thought this weekend just gone was going to be, it could have, if it had all gone to chalk, I think it could have been a weekend where we almost decided the top eight. Instead, things happened like Canberra beating Hornsby and Illawarra beating Aubrey.
01:18:38
Speaker
And suddenly it's all all mixed up again. But I mean, we've got we've got Sutherland and Hornsby next weekend. But are there any other games you ah particularly have your eye on for round 10?
01:18:52
Speaker
um Round 10. Okay, so staying in the women's division, I mean, sorry to sound like a broken record, but Bankstown, Newcastle, that's going to be much watched TV. um ah Much watched, must watch TV. Damn, getting tongue-tied here. Yeah.
01:19:10
Speaker
Yeah, Bankstown Falcons in the women's game, that's going to be rip-off. That'll really be a statement game for either side um to say that, hey, we're where're the we're second, third, even maybe the best team in this division um because those sides, yeah, I mean...
01:19:28
Speaker
if you look across the court the matchups are really really interesting um you know falcons are quite a big team they're they're a site like team with a lot of size but i think the the bruins they do have size in kind of the guards positions but they are kind of kind of quicker um style of basketball that to get out and run and get and push the pace um so even just the contrast and styles is going to be big and um Yeah, that's definitely going to be must-watch TV or must-watch streaming.
Exciting Men's Division Matchups and Commentary
01:19:59
Speaker
And meanwhile, for the men's, just looking up and down, might just get back to you on the men's, but what reckon for the women's, Lockie, besides... Besides Sutherland-Hornsby?
01:20:13
Speaker
Besides Sutherland-Hornsby and Sutherland-Canberra, mainly COA on the women's side. Oof.
01:20:22
Speaker
On the Sunday, c oe So, COE played Illawarra, sorry, Central Coast, and then they played Manly on the Sunday. So, Manly-COE, the grand final rematch. Got to love that.
01:20:34
Speaker
And then, on the men's side, Orkies Gunners. Yeah. Saturday night in the Snake Pit. It doesn't get much better than that. It really doesn't.
01:20:48
Speaker
that's um That's going to be an absolute battle. Canberra, but we're the wounded beast. Yeah, definitely. I'm anxious to think that the Canberra gunners are on three-game slide at the moment. I mean, we didn't even talk about that in the in the career review that they came off beating Canberra. Of course, they're going to be feeling good about that. But um yeah, I think you're so right about that. The gunners, you can only hope to contain them for a little bit of time before they start punching back. And i think those boys are really fired up and Sometimes when you are a championship team, you do need those setbacks when you're trying to defend your title.
01:21:21
Speaker
um Just to maybe a bit of a wake-up call. And you'd rather have a wake-up call mid-season than heading into the finals. So um I think the Gunners are going to come back bigger and and better than ever. um And yeah, these next two games though for them against the COE I think will be a good a good test to see if this is a something that's maybe a long-term trend of ah of of form collapsing or whether it's just a little glitch. um But for me, actually, one I'm going to keep an on in the men's because I just reckon it'll be fun. reckon it'll be exciting. It's going to be our Maitland vs. Bulls on... um I think it's on the Sunday.
01:21:58
Speaker
ah yeah Yeah, it's on the Sunday. um Up at Mojo Home Centre. I still can't really call that. Up at the Federation Centre. Look, we...
01:22:10
Speaker
It is perfectly fine to dead name stadiums. Call it Maitland Federation Centre. We're not getting paid. I'm not. Yeah, i'm I'm not doing it. It feels like we're on ABC grandstand where you've got to give it the non-sponsored name. by the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. Yeah. What's the other one they always have? the Sydney Football Stadium or or Western Sydney Stadium. um But yeah, up at the the Maitland Federation Centre. Come on, the the Fed Centre. I think that's going to be pretty do or die for the Bulls. It's definitely not an easy place to play.
01:22:44
Speaker
But um again, rankings and stuff aside, just i've I've seen both these teams play this year at the Brick Pit. And those are two of the most thrilling men's teams to watch, Maitland and the Bulls. They just play such a fun style. And there's so many players that I just love watching on both those sides.
01:22:59
Speaker
Yeah. Molochma Jack is having a sneaky, scary good season. um And meanwhile, for the Maitland Mustangs, I would love to see what Matty Gray can do now that he's back. um And just see if Will Crenson can kind of recap.
01:23:15
Speaker
ah pay And
01:23:21
Speaker
James has gone again.
01:23:29
Speaker
i think we've lost James.
01:23:35
Speaker
Jeez, I just keep losing me. Sorry, I get a bit get fired up with the microphone here. But um yeah, and that one, ladies and gents, is going to a good matchup. I'm sure the Maitland Liberation Centre will be pumping.
01:23:48
Speaker
It generally is. Well, thank you so much for joining me, James. Do come down to the Shark Tank on Saturday, June 13th. we may We may have multiple Hornsby-related guests on the on the call if that happens.
01:24:04
Speaker
Oh, that's a... I
Commentary Insights and Closing with Social Media Plugs
01:24:10
Speaker
can't really guess. Is Abbey Curtin injured at the moment? I don't i ah ah know. You'll have to wait and see on the day. yeah That's going to be great. And also...
01:24:23
Speaker
I didn't find... a ah Hamish says they are all winnable games for the crew, but you could put the crew up against the 96 Bulls and Hamish would call it a winnable game for the crew. So... Although, to be fair, most of the guys on the 96 Bulls are in their 50s or 60s now, so...
01:24:40
Speaker
Yeah, that actually was one more note I had on on um on the game review. I like the i like the SJ Hamish one-two punch. That was um was like it's like salt and pepper. It was a good little one-two punch, those two on the commentary. And awesome to have Hamish back in the commentary box this season. I really enjoyed listening to his beautiful old-school radio style voice. It's it's just wonderful.
01:25:02
Speaker
And SJ actually gave you a shout out for your call of the Hornsby-Canberra game. So SJ, thank you tuning in as always. And I'm sure James will much appreciate the shout out.
01:25:14
Speaker
Yeah, midway through. Yeah, i was having a bit of a heart attack that day. It was such a good game. But no, it was really enjoyable. And sorry, just one more thing wanted to the point out. It was like, I'd love to have that for um going forward in sense. I love having a ah home and away commentator. I really like the insights that provides for games. And SJ is obviously a huge huge font of knowledge from the Bankstown Bruins and Hamish is obviously all across the Crusaders. So I really did enjoy that about that game, having home and away commentators. So maybe something the league might want to look into in the future.
01:25:44
Speaker
Well, there we go. Hopefully someone from the league is listening. But to everyone out there, thank you for joining us this week on East God Game. Remember, you can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel at East God Game. Or you can continue to find our episodes on your preferred streaming platforms.
01:26:02
Speaker
But James, what do we got to tell the people? Don't sleep on the East. Don't do it.