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Season 3 Episode 8: Dabbling with James Hunter
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NBL1 East Headlines of Round 3
EGG GOTW: Central Coast Crusaders vs. Sydney Comets (mens)
Interview with James Hunter
Good Eggs of the Week
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Subscription Details
00:00:38
Speaker
Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of East Got Game, where we give you the X's, the O's and the insights of the MBL1 East competition.
00:00:49
Speaker
Thank you for joining us tonight live on YouTube and Instagram. And remember, you can subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on Instagram and Facebook, all at East Got Game.
00:01:02
Speaker
Or if you like to listen to us a little bit later, you can continue to find our episodes on your preferred streaming platforms.
Episode Overview and Special Guest
00:01:10
Speaker
On this week's episode, we'll be covering our ESCOT game, Game of the Week.
00:01:15
Speaker
our top performances of the round and have a very special guest interview to wrap up the episode. But first, I have to introduce my co-host. It is the iconic, it is the infamous Lachie France.
00:01:31
Speaker
How are you going, Lachie? I'm great, Gwyn. That's the second time I've been called infamous in the last few days, so it must be factual. Yeah, sounds like you're getting a pretty strong reputation down there in
Game Highlights and Commentary Insights
00:01:45
Speaker
NBL 1 East. and I mean, by the sounds of it so far, a good one.
00:01:49
Speaker
um Well, hopefully. um What can I say? i try.
00:01:57
Speaker
what was the What was it like this weekend down in NBL 1 East? I believe you had two games to commentate this weekend. Is that right? ah Well, one two games, one game night.
00:02:09
Speaker
so and So I just had Sutherland beat Bankstown, which, of course, was a sellout at the Shark Tank. Kuat Noyes' debut for the Sutherland Sharks.
00:02:20
Speaker
um And the return of the Nesoponutus as well for the Sharks, which was... ah Couldn't have come at a better time. And it was absolutely jumpy.
00:02:33
Speaker
They put on a signing session afterwards and it was just but wass just a great night at the basketball. Yeah, it looks like a ripper. And it looks like a lot of people came out, especially to see Vanessa and Kawat Noy's debut for the Sharks. So I shouldn't say debut for Vanessa Panousis.
00:02:54
Speaker
I should say her return. um but Just in time as well for the Sharkies, it looks like. ah Yes, definitely. Having started two and o definitely needed definitely needed to get a win on the board and managed to do so against Bankstown in the Georgia River Rumble, as I like to call it.
00:03:16
Speaker
Trying to make that name stick. I hope you've got a list of all of these cool nicknames that you're giving particular matchups. Yeah, of course. of because i don't know why i I don't know why I doubted it or would question that because you are a very well-organised individual.
00:03:32
Speaker
Sometimes. But before we kick off our regular programming, you've done a lot of hard work behind the scenes to bring us some headlines from around the East after round two.
00:03:46
Speaker
Three? Three. After round three. Round three. I mean, we've been waiting an eternity for it to start and it's already racing past round three. So I'll head i'll leave it ah to you to start us off with some of the headlines of the week.
00:04:01
Speaker
Well, I think one of the biggest ones of the week would be the Newcastle Falcons men getting of win eighty four sixty eight over the Illawarra Hawks of all teams. I mean, Newcastle could barely get out of their own way in the first couple of rounds and they are Came out firing. Kobe Shannon had a big 20-point game. And its to keep Illawarata 68 points with that lineup, that's impressive in and of itself. And then to roll to a 16-point win, a win just in time for the for the Falcons.
00:04:35
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. um It's ah quite a remarkable turnaround just in a couple of weeks of the competition opening from the Falcons. so um yeah, props to them. I would love to go back and review that game when we have time, perhaps, um to see what it really took to not only beat Illawarra but to keep them at such a ah low score, as you mentioned, which is, yeah, quite a surprise given the Illawarra Hawks' line-up. So, yeah, big props to the Newcastle Falcons.
00:05:04
Speaker
Yeah. And i mean, this is just following me around. This whole team's trailing big after a quarter because Sutherland were trailing 25-11 after a quarter against Bankstown. You talk about a team that couldn't get um out of their own way. That was Sutherland in the first quarter.
00:05:23
Speaker
But... They ended up winning at 83-66. So from then on, it was a 72-45 game. And we know the Sharkies, they love their five starters or five players in double figures.
00:05:38
Speaker
That's what won them the title in 2023. And what had. that's what they had This game, they had Lockie Hutchison, Bailey McArthur, Kuat Noi, Jason Spurgeon, and Luke Jamison, all in double figures. Jamison leading the way with 16 points, and Spurgeon and Jamison both had double-doubles.
00:05:57
Speaker
And Luke Jamison, that's another player to put on my ah new list of new favorites, which is growing at a rapid rate, trying to find one every game. i ah just I can't see you having any issue with with finding a new favourite every game either. so ah And how do you think Kawhit Noy was able to slot into that Sutherland Sharks team? I mean, does he have much playing history with any of the other players other than Jason Spergen?
00:06:25
Speaker
um Not a lot as far as I know. Definitely has a whole lot lot of high-level playing experience, though. And at the start, he was just kind of you know feeling his way forward.
00:06:36
Speaker
feeling his way out, just trying to you know, fit in where he could, make things happen. But, I mean, eventually the the class just shines through. Yeah, he finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, and he just attracts defenders and attracts attention.
00:06:54
Speaker
And I don't think he's going to have too much problem slotting in. You've to remember as well that the Sutherland head coach is King's assistant coach, Sean Roger. So, know, plenty of... ah Plenty of connection there anyway.
00:07:10
Speaker
And tell me a little bit about Bankstown, that game. So we reviewed their game against North in round one for our East Scott game, game of the week, and we were really impressed with what we saw at both ends of the floor.
00:07:22
Speaker
um Did you see similar signs against Sutherland in this game or what what did you see from Bankstown? They just, like, they didn't.
00:07:34
Speaker
started I mean, they obviously started really well to be up 25-11, but um the shooting just went away from them, I felt. Like they shot, I'm just looking at the stats here just to try to back up my own point. They shot 60% from the field in ah the first quarter, and but then by the third quarter, they were only hitting 28% from two-point range, sorry, and couldn't buy, could barely buy a three after the first quarter.
00:08:03
Speaker
ah Just the um yeah the shooting really letting them down. And honestly, they they got outrun a bit by um Luke Jamison. I mean, the guy is, it's he's been out of basketball, like high-level basketball for a while, but he's been playing UBL and played a bit of NEFL, which is the old second division below the AFL.
00:08:27
Speaker
So he's plenty mobile and he showed it out on court, just really getting up and down court. And I think Bankson got caught out a little bit a couple of times, but think we have really more just the the field goal percentage.
00:08:41
Speaker
Could have been, A little bit higher. And I mean, yeah, they had they had some pretty good looks. I mean, it doesn't help when Jason Cadee goes 0 of 7 from 3 and Andre Walford goes 3 of 12, which I think we we pointed out in the call that Dre was shooting pretty well at the start, but then it just fell away.
00:09:01
Speaker
But I don't think that's something I'll have to worry about on too many occasions, but i just it just showed that if they do have those kind of going to find other ways to... ah get it working. But they do have Jalen Galloway and Dominic Key still to join the team.
00:09:18
Speaker
Oh, yeah, that is true. That is true. They are deep. They are rolling in the deep. Bankstown Bruins. Yeah, so it's early days for them. But, yeah, lots of positive signs for them. Sometimes we like to say as well that it's good for a team to get a get tested early in the season so they can make those adjustments a little bit quicker. And so it's not kind of,
00:09:39
Speaker
biting him on the butt in the back end of the season where it's likely going to count more. um But, yeah, very, very – would have been a great game to call. It was. It was so much fun, um especially – with it being the home team, falling in a hole early and coming back, the energy was just great. I mean, I try to keep my calls kind of kind of neutral. I mean, I know I'm the Sutherland caller, but I also accept that most people who want to watch Sutherland will be in the stadium and it'd probably be more away team fans watching the stream. so
00:10:12
Speaker
But yeah, real, real fun game to call. And now with the final headline for the men's competition, you got a chance to have a look at Iggy Mitchell on the weekend as well for the Norse Bears. What did see?
00:10:27
Speaker
Oh, well, I just saw that, I mean, it wasn't the most efficient performances shooting-wise, but he had two double-doubles. I mean,
00:10:39
Speaker
North got a win against Crusaders on the Sunday as well, which is big. And, yeah, he had 11 and 13 with a couple of assists against Canberra in a game which North unfortunately lost. But, um I mean, losing to Canberra is no, you know, not exactly something to get too down about, I don't think. I think a lot of teams going to lose to Canberra this year.
00:11:01
Speaker
Yeah. But, yeah, then coming out and, yeah, helping North to a 77-65 win over Central Coast. fifteen and ten a couple of assists, had a steal and a block, just getting involved in every way. And, yeah, once – I mean, the shooting could be a little better, but – um Definitely things to look forward to. And then, of course, Hunter Goodrick, as always, putting up big numbers. So starting to look like those two big-name signings are really hopefully starting to ah come together for Norse.
00:11:40
Speaker
Yes, and I think to be fair to Iggy Mitchell, he has had a ah long time away from the game.
Player Performances and Injury Rumors
00:11:46
Speaker
So understandably, it would take some time to get used to, you know, the pace and his confidence and probably mentally as well coming back from a couple of injuries, but all looking like promising signs for Iggy Mitchell and for Norths. And like we've said before, under coach Tom Gallup, anything is really possible because he is the Probably the one of the most winningness, I shouldn't say winningness because that's not even a word, but definitely one of the most successful coaches ah in NBL1 East, whether it's in East, whether it's outside of East, juniors, on an ah coaching state teams, Australian teams.
00:12:23
Speaker
ah Yeah, very successful coach. And I went to say winningness as well because I feel like I've certainly heard that term used. In professional broadcast, so it was a little bit of a mistake.
00:12:36
Speaker
but Did they use it when they were talking about Gina Wariema during the draft today? Did they, actually? I tried to watch the WNBA draft on the sly.
00:12:49
Speaker
No, I didn't get to watch it. I just had the draft cast up, but apparently they did talk about him a fair bit.
00:12:58
Speaker
ah and Our friends at Ball Don't Lie Australia on Instagram live commenting, no loser ringist coaches. I hope that I have pronounced that correctly, but Mal's certainly picking up what we're putting down.
00:13:13
Speaker
But, yeah, just back on the WNBA draft that was on today, I actually remembered it was on, so tick. And then when I was frantically sending a whole bunch of emails, I'm lucky at work I have two monitors, so I tried to put the draft streaming on YouTube on one monitor, ah but it kept cutting out.
00:13:32
Speaker
So I'm not sure if it was something where the stream was available and our internet at work is really weak, so it kept cutting out, or if for some reason we weren't in Australia supposed to watch it on YouTube.
00:13:45
Speaker
But that was my only my only outlet. but and i on in It was on KO in Australia. so that's Yeah, so i wondered if was a a licensing thing.
00:13:55
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, but i I did manage to watch a little bit of the start. Then I had to duck away. and in that time, I was away from my computer. I missed Georgia Amor getting announced, drafted sixth to Washington.
00:14:10
Speaker
And it only dawned on me today ah when I looked at Jade Melbourne's Instagram stories that Jade Melbourne and and Georgia are now going to be on the same WNBA a team. And that is going to be my version of the Bash Brothers from the Mighty Ducks. Jade Melbourne, George Ramor, Washington Mystics.
00:14:27
Speaker
Let's go. Shut it down. As a Phoenix Mercury fan, I really, that would that was my sole interest in the draft was with Georgia, because Phoenix. Did we even have a pick?
00:14:38
Speaker
don't think so. think we traded them all away. Yeah, I don't think you did, actually. Bizarre. ah we We digress, though. I mean, going from one women's basketball league to another, let's get back and we'll have some headlines about the women's competition in NBL One East and As we already mentioned, Vanessa Panousis is back for the Sutherland Sharks and in her return against the Bankstown Bruins at home, she had 24 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in an eighty five to seventy win.
00:15:09
Speaker
ah But it looks like um heading over the other side of Sydney, Matty O'Hare with the North Bears is shooting the lights out in round three. ah Did you happen to catch any of Matty's games this weekend at all or any highlights, Lockie? I haven't yet, but I definitely am going to because 12 17 for points.
00:15:31
Speaker
buts that's real good I mean, we know what Matty can do, but still, when you see the numbers on the ah on the paper like that, that's just, that's just, um that's brilliant.
00:15:47
Speaker
Yeah, so like you said, 12 from 17 for 31 points and that was against the Canberra Nationals. So ah yeah, and North had a doubleheader this weekend playing at home on the Saturday against Canberra and then away against the Central Coast Crusaders on the Sunday.
00:16:04
Speaker
and they are got the win on the road as well. So they are the ah one team in the competition that are currently undefeated. They are. And the thing about Maddie is we she's always been known as someone who can really get to the rack because she's got bounce, she's got speed.
00:16:21
Speaker
But she shot seven of 10 from three with point range in that game. She is really scoring at every level. And I think um that's certainly an area of her game that's improved probably the most in the last ah two seasons, I would say, at least the last two seasons. Her three-point percentage has definitely improved.
00:16:40
Speaker
I wouldn't have picked her as a three-point shooter ah back in the day when – I used to attempt to play against her when she was still playing for Hornsby. ah She was certainly someone that was always super quick and speedy and tough on dribble penetration. But knowing that she wasn't the strongest three-point shooter, you could take a step off. But now she's scoring from everywhere. The Matty O'Hare at Hornsby year. Gee, that was a r but's such strange times in the ah history of Waratah League.
00:17:11
Speaker
Yeah, almost feels like a whole different time, right? A whole different time and a whole different place.
00:17:17
Speaker
And then this one is a room ah on the rumour mill. I haven't had it confirmed by club or player, but... I believe that al one of our fate personal favourites and hometown heroes, Shez Kalia from Hills Hornets, may be out for the season with an ACL injury. I've been told that it happened in the first round in that game against Inner West Bulls that ended up being called off.
00:17:45
Speaker
Oh. Yes. Yes. ah Because due to the... the um playing conditions, it was called off, but that may have also led to um and injury. So this is all I will want to remind listeners again, this is all rumours and hearsay that someone has contacted us about um throughout ah through our Instagram page.
00:18:15
Speaker
ah But, yeah, so we're hoping that the rumours are not true. We're hoping that Shez is okay and that she's able to return to court for the 2025 season because we were so excited to have her back home.
00:18:26
Speaker
Yeah, legit. And so she was like just going to lift hills to that next level. Yeah, she was such a great compliment. She had madie oh ah she had Maddie Hare back as well after they had had such great success together for Hill's Youth League a few years ago.
00:18:47
Speaker
um She would have been a great compliment to Jade Kurosome. Yeah, it's going to be a big loss for Hill if Shez isn't able to return. so watch this space. We'll try and find out any other information um if we can.
00:19:02
Speaker
And if anyone's able, just give us a heads up, DM us on our Instagram page at escottgame. ah But next weekend, it sounds like it's time for a break already, Lockie.
00:19:16
Speaker
A break already? What am I going to do with myself? Hopefully rest. Yeah. I'll try. that's what As what people may like to do when it's a long weekend. It is Easter long weekend coming up this weekend, meaning there are no games in the NBL 1 competition um nationwide.
00:19:35
Speaker
And we had a bit of a running joke on the weekend that by the time the East have three rounds and a break, and then I think another round, only then does NBL 1 North start.
00:19:52
Speaker
ah Yeah, so NBL1 East is so far ahead of North that they've already had time for a break. But then but after that Easter break, that rolls straight into the Anzac rounds.
00:20:04
Speaker
Yes, or a lot of teams will have doubleheaders because we'll have a lot of, ah especially with Anzac Day falling on a Friday, we'll have a lot of Monday, Friday, Sunday doubleheaders. um Interestingly, Illawarra played Newcastle again after playing last weekend.
00:20:21
Speaker
which is bizarre, but it is what it is. but yeah Best chance to get ah revenge, just turn around and beat them in the next game.
00:20:35
Speaker
Yeah, i was going to ask, do you think Illawarra going to get the split?
00:20:42
Speaker
Hey, sure, why not? It'd be a hell of a split too, given that Newcastle not only beat Illawarra, but they beat them away. That's also um a huge achievement. That was away, wasn't it?
00:20:58
Speaker
Now you're testing me.
Upcoming Matches and Commentary Duties
00:21:00
Speaker
Now I'm testing you. Hold on. No, it was at home. It was at home. It was at home. Yeah. and So, yeah, so Newcastle winning at home. ah Illawarra have the chance now.
00:21:11
Speaker
um already to play them on ah the 26th, like you said. Yeah, so it's going to be a huge weekend, that ends round four, on that Anzac Day weekend. um some of the yeah Especially for Illawarra, because they've got to play Freeway Cup on a Friday against Sutherland in Sutherland.
00:21:30
Speaker
Oh, that is a big weekend, yeah. And what games will you be commentating? Because it looks like you may be a little bit stretched. I will be at that game, that Friday
00:21:46
Speaker
Sutherland-Illawarra game, of course. But then I will be at Comet Stadium for Comets versus Maitland on the Sunday.
00:21:56
Speaker
Awesome. So you've got another big weekend calling some very close games. I texted saying, do you need me to call on Sunday? And they were like, yes. ah No, no i say they said, let me check.
00:22:08
Speaker
And I said, when I say, do you need me? I mean, I really want to come and commentate on Maitland. Yeah.
00:22:16
Speaker
I'm just going to be direct with you and say, can like just i'm there. If you need me, I'm there, but i want to be there. So all you need to do is just say yes. And they said yes. And they said, yes, excellent.
00:22:29
Speaker
Interestingly as well, that Commas Maitland game, so the men are actually on first on Sunday at the 27th at 1pm and the women are on second at 3pm.
00:22:40
Speaker
Yeah, they are share it around a bit at Commas, sometimes men first, sometimes women first. Yeah, that's what we like to see. Which is absolutely hell for my preparation.
00:22:54
Speaker
I'm so used to writing the women's on my first two pages and the men's on the second two. Oh, yeah. It's just the way your your brain gets in those routines and then you have to switch the routines.
00:23:05
Speaker
we don't like it We don't like it. We don't like change. I don't like change. don't like change. Deep cut family guy quote. Okay. All right. So they're the headlines from round three of NBL One East. And now it's time.
00:23:22
Speaker
for our East Scott game, Game of the Week. And this week we decided to review the Central Coast Crusaders men taking on the Sydney Comets, speaking of Comets men, ah at Breakers Indoor Sports Stadium on the New South Wales Central Coast. ah interesting It was was kind of an interesting game. I think I was expecting it to be a little bit closer in the end than it was.
00:23:53
Speaker
um But I think the right team won in the end. Before I get too much into the nitty-gritty of my analysis, tell me what you saw, Lachie. i'll I saw it was ah tale of one team that didn't turn the ball over but couldn't put it in the basket versus another team that was only too happy to turn the ball over.
00:24:17
Speaker
But when they shot it They shot it well and they got good looks and used them well. And, you know, we talk about, and I've mentioned all the time, know, it doesn't matter what your shooting percentage is if you give the other team 20 more looks. Well, Comet's gay in Central Coast, plenty more looks, but this time shooting percentage won out.
00:24:43
Speaker
Yeah, that's exactly right. like So if we look at it statistically, ah the Central Coast Crusaders shot at 33.3% overall and the Sydney Comets shot at 43.75% overall.
00:24:56
Speaker
Now, I'm glad that you kind of mentioned ah the terms of the shots taken in terms of opportunity as well because I feel like at the end of the day also – also contributed to the Sydney Comets winning this game over the Crusaders was their shot selection.
00:25:17
Speaker
Or perhaps maybe the Crusaders, um or how would I put it, controversial shot selection perhaps. Yes. It felt like Crusaders were willing willing to settle for tougher looks than they needed to.
Team Strategies and Defensive Highlights
00:25:41
Speaker
And Comets were not, or perhaps weren't forced to be as much. um It wasn't always two extra passes or something like that.
00:25:58
Speaker
was players getting better opportunities, particularly when you look at someone like Cherie Saipaio, who had 15 points in 19 minutes. He was just getting what he wanted.
00:26:09
Speaker
He didn't have to go looking for the easy shot. A lot of the time, he was just getting what he wanted. He was just... He's just strong and shifty and used those attributes together really well.
00:26:26
Speaker
um In another game where it felt at times that, like I mentioned in Comet's Illawarra men, that he sort of just... had to take over at times he had to just get in there and you know, rev everybody up. And sometimes it's word, sometimes it actions and in this occasion, it was with his actions.
00:26:49
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. And, like, if we take a look at the stats, as you mentioned the turnovers before, so just for the listeners that can so they can visualise it, Crusaders only had 10 turnovers, which is great, and Sydney Comets giving up 22 turnovers, so potentially, you know, an extra 12 shots.
00:27:08
Speaker
But then it does pretty much convert into that ah because Crusaders ended up taking 78 shots. Mm-hmm. And Sydney only taking 64. So the maths there kind of works out.
00:27:20
Speaker
But, yeah, as we were talking about shot selection and, ah like you said, Crusaders sometimes settling for those really more difficult shots. So what I was noticing with the Crusaders is that, a straight out of the blocks, super quick.
00:27:37
Speaker
Super quick. That brand of Crusaders basketball was demonstrated from the first tip-off transition, super quick, sharing the ball, happy days.
00:27:48
Speaker
It's when they got stuck in their half-court offense that things started to unravel just a little of bit, or maybe not so much unravel, it just started to become very stagnant. so um So there were definitely possessions where I couldn't tell what they were running.
00:28:02
Speaker
Sometimes it was just motion, which is fine. ah But then... There were other times where I think it just stopped. And I think some of their main offensive threats on the Crusaders felt like they had to put the ball under their wing and do everything themselves.
00:28:16
Speaker
So that's when you're seeing the likes of Elijah Washington and Garrick Young perhaps putting up some shots that were a lot tougher than what they're probably used to in the first couple of rounds. um And, you know, i think,
00:28:30
Speaker
Maybe that just comes with that scorer's mentality as an individual. I need to see the ball go through the net for my confidence, but I also feel the responsibility to keep my team into it.
00:28:40
Speaker
And to be fair, Washington scored like the first 10 points the Crusaders. He was on fire. He started a lot of the game shooting at 100%, and then I think he ended the game with a pretty healthy percentage. It was 50% overall, 10 from 20%.
00:28:58
Speaker
ten from twenty But, again, 20 is a lot of shots. So of that 78 total, ah Washington, and Garrick and Amir took shots.
00:29:12
Speaker
fifty four of the seventy eight shots Yeah, and i mean, that 10 of 20 for Washington, that's very front heavy because he was 8 of 12 at one stage, which I made sure to write that down because I'd seen the 10 of 20 and I was well, if he's 8 of 12 and he's only hitting 2 of 8 for the rest of the game, and that kind of coincided with when... um Comets kind of blew out the the score of the third quarter, which i think was 31 18.
00:29:41
Speaker
And it was really – it was all in the back half of the third quarter because the first part of the third quarter was really close. But going back to the start of the game, in my notes I've got Comets, two early turnovers. Scribbled that out, three.
00:29:55
Speaker
Scribbled that out again, four. I think Washington had – they had more turnovers than even Washington had made buckets in the first couple of minutes. That's a hell of a statistic.
00:30:07
Speaker
Yeah. When we're comparing ah shot selection, a number of shots taken and turnovers, that's a hell of a comparison. Yeah. but um But I think they were – comments were trying to be kind of methodical. I think maybe Anthony Mundine taking point guard duties was trying to, you know, a facilitator, you know,
00:30:30
Speaker
take on the role of the point guard, but I think he sort of just needs to let himself be himself even when he is tasked with primary ball handler duties.
00:30:43
Speaker
no There's no reason to shy away from your abilities as a scorer just because you're bringing the ball up. I know yeah he's still waiting on Bawali to come back, but...
00:30:53
Speaker
um Yeah, but once he sort of got in a rhythm and decided to play his own game again, ah started looking a lot better for Comets.
00:31:05
Speaker
Yeah, I actually wrote a note about Anthony Mundine in this in this game that he showed a lot more maturity compared to how he was playing last season. I think in some ways he's a little bit more sure of himself and more confident with his skill set.
00:31:19
Speaker
But then in other ways I think he needs to now refine his decision-making of what to use when. But I really liked how much control he took over this game at both ends of the floor, particularly in the half court offense for Comets. Like I felt like in this game, he was one of the most level headed mature players out there. He was a great anchor for their team.
00:31:42
Speaker
There were a couple of times where Things would go a little bit wayward for the Comets in their half-court offense where some particular players were probably holding on for it and trying to do a little bit too much a lot of the time and sometimes coming up with a score or a foul but other times just not utilizing the rest of their teammates.
00:32:01
Speaker
um But, yeah, Mundine I thought was really solid. And a matchup – that I probably overlooked Mundine and Luke Cassidy.
00:32:12
Speaker
but oh Yeah. Wasn't that nice to watch? a It really was. Cassidy against a lot of players actually was really nice to watch. um I mean, he was just, he was, yeah. I mean, but yeah, cat back to Cassidy in my day, that was really fun to watch. You've just got me shocked.
00:32:31
Speaker
There was one point, I think he took Cassidy just, um yeah, he just went up against Ovi Chay, like defending Ovi Chay. And it ended up being a foul on the triple team because Ovi Chay managed to just squirrel his way out of a triple team because he's Ovi Chay.
00:32:48
Speaker
But just the way Cassidy just was able to pretty much hold him out, hold him off in the paint until the help arrived. It was really, really good to watch.
00:33:01
Speaker
But um it's funny, I just look at my notes and You talk about Mundine and the notes just keep getting more and more positive as I write down things I see about the game from him. So I start at the top and I'm like, yeah, and I get so into doubt and I'm like, looking better, he's looking better, he's looking better.
00:33:19
Speaker
And I don't think I could say any better than what you did about Anthony Mundine. Yeah, his stats for this game, and, you know, obviously, like we said, playing a big role in being the anchor and steering the ship.
00:33:33
Speaker
Two nautical metaphors for you in one sentence. ah But he he played 36 minutes, 49 seconds, and he had 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists.
00:33:45
Speaker
and shot at 42.86 overall. Did go with five turnovers, but he had four assists. So in my brain, that's only one turnover. ah Well, actually, no, it should be steals and turnovers that cancel each other out.
00:34:00
Speaker
But that's okay. Those types of assists are only going to come with time and experience. And it was a very fast-paced game. And he did have Luke Cassidy hassling him for most of the game. So, yeah, I was really, really impressed. I think he's improved a lot.
00:34:15
Speaker
in 12 months. um And he definitely hasn't reached his ceiling yet. So he's only going to get better and better. Oh, 100%. Yeah. um But I feel as well, like this Sydney team compared to last team just looks so much more organized than what we saw last last season.
00:34:36
Speaker
i mean, last season of this season, this men's roster is, has the same core. They've done a really great job of being able to retain, Their star plays in Mundine, Che, Bales, Baby Choll, of course, Syngorak, and then being able to recruit Feketi.
00:34:58
Speaker
Really great core players. And Saipaya, of course, Sharif. We can't leave out our boy, Sharif. um But obviously that really great call from last season and then adding even better pieces.
00:35:10
Speaker
ah But I felt last season something was missing. I didn't feel comfortable with what they were running, how quickly they were subbing. it always just looked a little bit underdeveloped and out of sync. But this time they looked a lot more organised, a little bit more sure of their roles on offence and who's doing what.
00:35:29
Speaker
The thing that impressed me the most about the Comets in this game was their half-court defence. Like completely different from last season. Super proactive, team orientated.
00:35:42
Speaker
um Anytime someone was looking to dribble, penetrate from the Crusaders, it was well and truly covered. So no wonder the likes of Young and Washington and Amir. Amir was just really having an off day. So I've got to feel for the kid. We've got to remember he's only 19.
00:36:00
Speaker
so let's let's give him, you know, give him a chance. He's going to have his off days. But no wonder they had suffered such a tough time getting the shots they like because the Comets' defence was outstanding.
00:36:11
Speaker
I literally wrote down, dudes dribbling into walls. Because at times they were. They were. And... i mean, sometimes it was it was made easier for the defense because Crusaders, I just don't think they were entirely consistent in their screening.
00:36:38
Speaker
Like, you'd watch one possession, this guy had set a perfect pick, and a couple of sessions later they'd run the same set, and it'd just be half a step off or half a step further out or a little bit different.
00:36:51
Speaker
And it had just opened up an angle for the defense to be right there. And it's like, just do what you did the previous time.
00:37:01
Speaker
And it's not like a play where hit the player was fighting to get out to the perimeter to set the screen. It was like he was coming up as a trailer or he was just, you know, He was there. He was in position. he just needed to get it right.
00:37:14
Speaker
And there were just some plays where ah just wasn't quite there. And that was when dudes dribbled into walls.
00:37:24
Speaker
I completely agree. Completely agree. I also wrote something similar in my notes where it's like, obviously, your main scorers have already been well scouted and well covered because they're having a tough time getting shots that they want.
00:37:37
Speaker
um You got to do something different. Are you running a set? Are you doing any kind of more pick and rolls? Are you... Like, what what are you going to be focusing on some off-ball action or getting them off a weak side or doing something else to try and provide them with better scoring opportunities or at least ah least to test out that Comet's defence as much as possible?
00:38:02
Speaker
ah In a similar way that when we reviewed the Newcastle Falcons-Albury-Wodonga Bandits women's game last week, how we were saying that, you know, the likes of Katie Jones and Riley,
00:38:14
Speaker
Lafa were already so well covered and they weren't really comfortable getting Emma Mahadi some extra shots. We had to do something else. The Crusaders had to do something else to generate some better looks because everything was such a grind.
00:38:29
Speaker
Yeah, and there was one possession where they managed to get Syngorats off Mannholm in a pick and roll. And Mannholm had the easiest basket probably of his career.
00:38:43
Speaker
And think they tried it once or twice. Johnny just sat back. You know, he just immediately adjusted. And then it didn't really happen. I know Leno was in foul trouble, but even when he was out there, it wasn't something they went to a whole lot.
00:38:58
Speaker
And I do think Johnny fairly won that battle. um Just the foot speed that Johnny has for a man of his size. He's got foot speed. He's got... is so more solidly built and he's um he's got the IQ and he's got the skills as well um to to win that battle.
00:39:21
Speaker
And i mean, there's not a lot of seven footers in this league and Johnny's looking to some, I guess ah guess Spurgeon's the other one, but even Spurgeon, Spurgeon and Johnny, they both like to shoot a three as well.
00:39:36
Speaker
i some yeah I definitely think Johnny won that battle in in the paint, especially with the – we're just looking at the foul count as well, that, you know, had five fouls in 16 minutes and Johnny played 30 minutes of playing time.
00:39:52
Speaker
And for an undersized Crusaders, that really hurts. Hmm. Because Lino being like the primary rim protector ah and the rest being um taller than average, very quick guards when they're going up against the personnel of the Sydney Comets.
00:40:09
Speaker
I think, unfortunately, for that Crusaders men's team, their rim protection and presence under the basket is always going to be the point of exploitation for the season. But especially when you're one seven-footer, it's fouled out. That's got to hurt.
00:40:23
Speaker
But interesting that you... spoke about pick and roll options because in the commentary team for the Crusaders this week was Chris Allback, legendary coach Chris Allback. um He actually mentioned during the commentating that the Comets were playing in what we call drops on the pick and roll, where, as you mentioned, Johnny Sinegorak was stepping back and Chris made the comment that the Crusaders need to look for a different option if their defence is playing drops, like looking for a flare screen instead.
00:40:54
Speaker
And even that, Perhaps looking at that flair, even if you're kind of faking it and drawing that help defence out, you're going to have a second option to look at. Just anything anything else needed to kind of be tried and tested to get these guys easier shots. But, I mean, to be fair, the Crusaders did a great job hanging in there.
00:41:15
Speaker
i think, though, it's at times because the Sydney Comets were so much more... organized and played with a little bit more conviction and pace on the offensive end. I think sometimes the Crusaders had trouble like maintaining that intensity on defense, like kind of paying it back to Comets without fouling.
00:41:34
Speaker
Because I sometimes the Crusaders went through these these parts of the game where they were playing a little bit too reactive and perhaps their team defence wasn't as sound as the Comets defence and the only way to kind of keep up or to bail themselves out was to foul.
00:41:51
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, the foul count is ah it' pretty similar. But, I mean, Ovi Chay had at least two offensive fouls.
00:42:03
Speaker
I'm not sure if they had any others, but as far as defensive fouls, it definitely swung you know to the Crusaders
00:42:14
Speaker
having far more. And, I mean, um it's getting that with speaking of Obeche's foul trouble, he only got to play 20 minutes and they still got the win up. Yeah, they still looked really good when Obi-Chan wasn't on the floor because, you know, he a lot of the offensive possession was going through Obi. There were times where sometimes he was trying to go through two three defenders.
00:42:38
Speaker
And to be fair to the slightly undersized Crusaders, they were did a great job standing their ground and you gave ah Luke Cassidy, ah used him as an example earlier.
00:42:48
Speaker
um But, yeah, sometimes Che was trying to go two, three people ah Lots of calls perhaps not going the way that he probably saw it. So, yeah, hence the the two offensive owls, seeing more time on the bench.
00:43:02
Speaker
But the Sydney Comets were able to absorb that responsibility and have guys like Sharif step up, especially in the stretch of the game, um to keep up the momentum and make sure Sydney got the win. Like, yes, Sharif had 17 points, two rebounds and three assists in just under 20 minutes. Yeah.
00:43:22
Speaker
um But then you've got guys like Fiketti who had 5.6 rebounds and two assists and just having his presence there I think was still enough for the Comets in the absence of Obi-Chi.
00:43:36
Speaker
ah So, yeah, I think that was probably a really good test for the Comets as well. What's going to happen if Obi's on the bench and they can still win? They certainly can. And, um I mean, Ethan Martin-Coney, they got 21 minutes out of him and he had seven rebounds.
00:43:52
Speaker
I mean, and Sharif, he went to the line 10 times. He's basically daring them to foul him at times. He's too crafty, too crafty for the for the Central Coast. is too corrupt and he He's too crafty with the size and strength.
00:44:12
Speaker
There was two possessions in a row One, he just bumped the defender and just went up. And then the next possession, he... Oh, yeah.
00:44:22
Speaker
Then he the next possession, he fought over a screen, poked it away for the steal, and then got down court and laid it home. So, you know, we're talking about how shifty he is, but in those two plays, he's just shown just how... Just use his strength and size to manufacture four points in the space of...
00:44:40
Speaker
15 seconds. And then he threw that water polo pass cross court into the corner for Anthony Mundine to hit a three.
00:44:51
Speaker
He's just, he's exactly what the Comets needed. ah And he went about it his own way as well, which we love about Sharif. He is very true to himself and he still gets the job done.
00:45:03
Speaker
And I call it a water polo pass. A, because that's what it looked like going across court, but I once saw a water polo state representative playing Waratah League throw a one-handed pass across court, and their teammate could not catch it, and it almost took their head off. I like to call back to that whenever I can.
00:45:26
Speaker
And we've actually got a couple of comments on our Instagram live. ah The first is from our boys at Two Feet in the Paint saying, comments are an overlooked defensive team for Keddie and Chol on the perimeter and Obi and Johnny in the paint.
00:45:40
Speaker
Definitely tick, tick. And we also have a comment on Instagram live from the head coach of the Central Coast Crusaders men, ah Coach Miko Von Luter saying, they dared us to foul and we were happy to oblige.
00:45:56
Speaker
You know what? at Look, we we when we do these game reviews, we are very lucky sometimes that members of the teams, particularly the coaches of the teams that we review, will sometimes, well, will agree with what we said, which is more a relief than anything that will last we we still need that validation. It's it's good for the interest of syndrome.
00:46:22
Speaker
Yes, that's right. We need that weekly dose of keeping our imposter syndrome at bay. ah So, yeah, thank you, Coach Miko, for um making light of that situation. You're part of the game as well. Hopefully it doesn't sting. And happy birthday as well for yesterday.
00:46:40
Speaker
ah But I digress with this game as well. While we're giving Sharif Saipaya a shout-out for his contribution in under 20 minutes, ah for the Crusaders in that third quarter, Seth Chapman.
00:46:53
Speaker
I just was about to bring him up. Oh, my goodness We don't rehearse this, guys. We don't rehearse this. Lockie and I have just now naturally developed this telepathic ability.
00:47:05
Speaker
ah since podcasting together. we we We definitely don't rehearse this. um Yeah, Seth Chapman, talk to me. um Literally, first player the third quarter comes out, sets the screen, Garrick Young hits the three.
00:47:21
Speaker
Just, I mean, you talked about them being undersized with Lena off the court and Seth Chapman was like, well, if we're going to be undersized, looks like I'm the big man. I'll go out and, you know,
00:47:33
Speaker
Score the ball, grab some boards, do what needs to be done. mean, just looking at his stats, and then though actually doesn't surprise me, he had six rebounds and seven points in 13 minutes of action.
00:47:48
Speaker
And I don't think he did even touch the court until maybe very late in the second quarter, or maybe not until the third. And yeah, he just i was just... was always I was like, when are you, that first screen, i was like, I don't think I've seen that jersey number before. I better go check through that who that actually is.
00:48:06
Speaker
was like, okay, that's set. And I was like, then I just kept watching. I was like, just grabbing boards for fun. And yeah, got a couple of baskets and just taking the opportunity with both hands. I loved it.
00:48:18
Speaker
Yeah, me too. Seth was always one of our favourites when Hamish and I were commentating for the Crusaders. ah and I'm pretty sure by now he has gotten into medicine. So we could say that Seth Chapman's performance in the third quarter was just what the doctor ordered.
00:48:36
Speaker
You knew it was coming. I knew it was coming because we have a doctor in NPL soccer and we say it all the time about her as well. Every time she scores a goal. It's just too easy. You've got to take the low-hanging fruit sometimes. Exactly.
00:48:52
Speaker
I'm not going to be ashamed to say it. But, yeah, seven like you said, seven points, six rebounds, 13 minutes, shooting three from five overall. And I really think this is a great example as well of how when they say the bench makes the team.
00:49:07
Speaker
You come in, you do a job, and just that performance is that little bit of energy and injection that your team needs to hold on to hope for the rest of the game and to kind of keep you going, especially in that third quarter where our Comets went on a blitz and won that third quarter 31 points to 18.
00:49:25
Speaker
So, yeah, a good shout-out the likes of Sharif Saipaya and Seth Chapman, the ultimate bench players in this game. ah But well they also, yeah? sorry More? come ah Both teams. Central Coast had 13 points off the bench for the game.
00:49:43
Speaker
All 13 were in the third quarter.
00:49:47
Speaker
Comets had 24 off the bench. 15 were in the third quarter. And how much of those do you reckon were Sharif? Because he lit it up in the third quarter. All of them.
00:49:59
Speaker
Gobbled it up. Be close to it. Because ah I know Jacob Smith had four points. I know two of those were when he got the mismatch with Dylan T late in the second quarter.
00:50:13
Speaker
When the Crusaders just let him amble up to the free throw line, get the ball and just hed head straight back from where he came towards the basket.
00:50:26
Speaker
Tough. Very tough. Yeah. I think the other um thing about this game in general for me, i feel like both teams are quite similar in their style of play.
00:50:37
Speaker
Like I think they both want to play quick. I think they both want to get their particular studs, you know, a certain amount of shots. And I think that they were both focusing on not as many sets in the half court as you would traditionally see.
00:50:56
Speaker
in an NBL one game, particularly an NBL one men's game. But I feel like there was ah a lot of motion and a lot more read and react played by both teams. And I think just as you said at the start, it just kind of fell to the team that were making more shots and better decisions.
00:51:12
Speaker
But the one criticism I have for each team is about rebounding.
00:51:19
Speaker
So the rebounding stats, are you know, Central Coast Crusaders had 39 rebounds, Comets having 53 for the game, so dominating the boards ah as well.
00:51:31
Speaker
And having the likes of Fikedi and Che and Sinagorak are already going to kind of give you that edge. um But what is something I think both teams can improve on is just actually just boxing out.
00:51:45
Speaker
Because even for the Crusaders who are probably still slightly undersized, boxing out, you can box out anyone. If you box out someone, a seven-foot Syngorak, and push him physically away from the rim, you're obviously still going to make it very hard for him to gobble up all the rebounds and maybe put him kind of in a position where you might be tempted to do an over-the-back foul or something.
00:52:10
Speaker
Each team, not a lot of boxing out going around. ah Look, 10 out of 10 for hustle, 4 out of 10 for boxing out. I feel like a lot of the possession and a lot of the control in this game could have been better maintained if each team boxed out better.
00:52:25
Speaker
There were so many times where there was just a lot of bodies flying everywhere and on the floor, under the rim. people taking charges, people coming for help, but no boxing out. And it ended up being like this AFL-inspired in-the-air challenge for so many loose balls.
00:52:43
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And it just, you get the defensive rebound and you're sort of just like, what where are we? What are we doing here? It's like, You know, if you just get your hand on the ball and get out and run, you can throw an outlet rather than having... And the longer it pings around up there, the more players get involved and the more easier it becomes and you just open yourself up to not getting the rebound.
00:53:08
Speaker
ah Especially for a team like Crusaders who ah can be deadly in transition. Transition doesn't start until you gain possession. Exactly. being able to lock down...
00:53:19
Speaker
like lock down the boxing out get that possession off you go to the races you're going to be harder to beat and look uh shout out to coach miko again who's still watching on our instagram live he said apparently rebounding requires a box out i better tell the fellas ah he's gonna he said great work guys i'm gonna have to call my therapist now ah but and It's like we we we share this we share this out of love, guys. We share this out of love. We're just just saying what we see.
00:53:50
Speaker
We want everyone to be doing well. Exactly. we just This is why we volunteer our time to do a podcast because we still love the league and we want everyone in the league to do well. um ah Two feet in the pace, in the paint, ah tagging, replying to Coach Miko's last comment about boxing out and saying, you better call Hamish Loder.
00:54:12
Speaker
ah to help save some ah ah some of those but boxing out and rebounding issues. And we've got to give Sharif a shout-out. He's joined the Instagram Live. But, Sharif, you just missed us miss um singing your praises, buddy. Hopefully you can go back onto your preferred streaming platform and and listening.
00:54:30
Speaker
but coach And Coach Miko says... We're spot on about the rebounding. Said those exact words in the huddle. So, okay, good. Thank you for keeping our imposter syndrome at bay for another week, coach. But my final thought, I think, on this game, ah we talked I talked about the edge that they're sizing for Keddie, Che, and Syngorak had for the Comets.
00:54:52
Speaker
Their half-court organisation, um But, yeah, for me, it just came down to the Comets defense was insane. Proactive, lots of help and recover, lots of length as well in that team.
00:55:06
Speaker
Like, there was a couple of defensive possessions where it's between Fiketi, Saipaya, and Synegorak, all actively as a team, like, stopping the ball from a penetration, full wingspan out, and I got scared.
00:55:21
Speaker
I got scared just watching that going, damn, that would be intimidating attempting to score and coming against that wall of defense. um But, yeah, I think also wanted to give a last shout-out to Garrick Young, obviously, from the Crusaders. He had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and he shot at 42%. And Elijah Washington, who finished the game with 26 points, three rebounds and four assists at 50% overall and had to really work for those points.
00:55:52
Speaker
Yeah, he had a couple of really tough step backs during during one of those little scoring runs that he went on. here He made some tough baskets. And, i mean, without his first half, Crusaders would have been in a bigger hole than they even were.
00:56:10
Speaker
But, yeah, looking forward now, because it wasn't a disastrous I think it was just a game won and lost for really small, intricate things. but things that are I think have a lot of room for improvement for both teams.
00:56:24
Speaker
We've already talked about boxing out for both teams, but and we've already talked about for Crusaders just being a little bit more creative in the half-court offence with creating something that's going to be more productive for the team as a whole.
00:56:38
Speaker
Are there any other points that you want to talk about for either team that you'd like to see them improve on in the future of the season? Yeah. I think we pretty much covered it. I mean, i i i like your point about the team being very similar because I feel like the Comets are just almost a bit more, just a little bit bigger and a little bit more polished version of the Crusaders.
00:57:06
Speaker
And they know how to use the physical skill set that they have. Like you mentioned that defense. You know, they know they've got length and they're going to use it um you've got Syngorak playing drop.
00:57:23
Speaker
um You've got, yeah, OBJ is really long. And for Comets, if they just walk in on defence for the next 17 games, the team can go, well, 17 games so plus finals, the team can really go a long way.
00:57:42
Speaker
Yeah, I think I'm pretty, yeah, it's going to be really great to see where these teams end up falling given that they are relatively closely matched in this third round game.
00:57:55
Speaker
And obviously Comet's getting the job done. But, yeah, just to see how each of their team's trajectory ends up for the rest of the season after this round will be super, super interesting. And just the last couple of shout-outs on our Instagram Live.
00:58:09
Speaker
Our friend James O'Donoghue, the infamous photographer for NBL 1E, saying that he's a really good rebounder too if anyone needs another player. ah He's available to be signed on a short-term deal. And we know that he's got some other ah tools in his tool belt.
00:58:27
Speaker
Yeah, you've seen his um Glory League highlights. yeah You can ah but you get down to our Hills Basketball Stadium on whatever night of the week it is, watch him hoop.
00:58:38
Speaker
Oh, yeah, he can hit it from beyond the arc. And then ah last comment here from Coach Miko from the Crusaders. Well done, Comets. They came into our house, kicked our butts, and well done, E. Scott game.
00:58:51
Speaker
You guys are amazing. ah So it's very, very kind of him. ah But, yeah, so that is pretty much the wrap-up of our East Scott game game of the week before between the Central Coast Crusaders men and the Sydney Comets men.
James Hunter's Basketball Journey
00:59:06
Speaker
ah Lockie, we've got our special guest this week waiting in the green room. Are you ready to to bring them on? I certainly am. hundred Now, just while I prepare my documents here, I think this is the first time in ESCOT game history that we're going to use some different intro music to introduce our special guest. I'm going to quickly play it and then I'm going to bring our guest on and see if he recognises it. Are you ready?
00:59:37
Speaker
um ready. Music
00:59:48
Speaker
Can you hear it?
00:59:52
Speaker
All right.
00:59:55
Speaker
hopefully Hopefully our listeners now have gotten a bit of a taste of that. I think there's going to be listeners of a certain era that are going to recognise it. ah But I will start. like Let me introduce this guest properly other than ah iconic intro music.
01:00:12
Speaker
So, You know someone is important when they have a detailed Wikipedia page and a colourful basketball career to go with it. So this player grew up in Australia and had a college career, ah which included two years at Washington State alongside Brock Motum.
01:00:30
Speaker
This player also, though, donned the black and white at the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup for New Zealand alongside the likes of Shea Illy, Ruben Tarangi and Finn Delaney.
01:00:42
Speaker
And then they also played NBL for the New Zealand Breakers in 2018. And then after playing for the Knox Raiders and Sydney Comets in the former competitions before NBL won, this player is now in their fourth season with the Maitland Mustangs. So let's bring him on. Hello. Our guest today is James Hunter from the Maitland Mustangs. How are you?
01:01:06
Speaker
good thanks. Thanks for having me. What a banger. What a banger song you played there at start there. Yeah, I'm hoping that you recognise that one and I'm you... A little lovely night action maybe? Is that what I heard?
01:01:18
Speaker
Correct, correct. We will probably touch on that um a little bit more towards the end of the interview and it will all make a little bit more sense. and it's in a full circle moment for our listeners as to why we played that particular um intro music.
01:01:34
Speaker
ah But, yeah, how are you now? Do you prefer James, Jim, Jimmy? What what what can we call you, Jimmy? Dealers' choice. Dealers' choice. Everyone has their own name. i Like coaches seem to gravitate towards Jimmy for some reason. I don't know. Dad used to call me Jimmy. So it's really dealers' choice, I'd say. We've got a couple of Jameses on Maitland. So, you there's Jimmys, there's Jameses.
01:01:54
Speaker
You know, whatever. It's all good. Yeah, it's I imagine the coaches would almost have to try and assign a different nickname to each of the different James Jims and Jimmys.
01:02:06
Speaker
Sometimes it seems to be his last name, right? Jimmy Hunter, yeah. A lot of people call me Hunter as well. It's just, yeah, it's whatever. But, yeah, nice to be here. Thanks for thanks having me. No worries. Thanks for volunteering to be one of our guests for the season as well. um we're We're glad that you're excited to join us too. and But tell us, how are you going and how you feeling after round three?
01:02:28
Speaker
Yeah, good. You know, a slight retool, I would say, ah for the old Maitland Mustangs. A few pieces out, few pieces in. um So, you know, it was always going to be a pretty interesting. ahll See how we go. we kept a lot of the cool guys as well. So, you know, a lot of the people we've been playing with for a long time and created that strong family sort of brand of basketball. school So yeah, you I think we're building week to week and we had a ah rough one at the start, but you know, i still competed pretty heavily against some pretty talented NBL guys as well against Dillawarra. So, so yeah, I I'm excited. I think it's going to be a really fun season and the quality has gotten really good in the East, as you know, as you've both been chatting about.
01:03:07
Speaker
Yes, that is correct. That is correct. But We'll start with our first question. So as a listener of ESCOT Game, you know we like to ask our athlete interviews with our bookend questions.
01:03:18
Speaker
And the first being, ah tell us how and when your basketball journey began. How far back? I guess my parents met and I was probably too far back. Shellhaven Mini Cubs was when I started basketball. I think I was about four years old.
01:03:35
Speaker
um I was a pretty big lad when i was four. So yeah. I guess. So it sort of made sense for my parents to get a little extracurricular for me. My brother played, mum dabbled as well. So it was sorted around the family, but never at a super high level.
01:03:50
Speaker
So yeah, it was mini cubs, which was pretty much camp stuff and and just around the Shellhaven Tigers gym. um think I think I was talking to mum about it and she said, I used to stand at half court and cry when the other team scored. So it's good to see that a lot of my basketball skills have retained to the same Same level, I still use those tactics. But yeah, Shoalhaven, Juniors through Shoalhaven, and then some of the Metro, arts sorry, Country Under 12s or 14s stuff down in Canberra and Queanbeyan and stuff. And every odd weekend, mum and dad be driving me to some some random place, Goulburn or Queanbeyan or Canberra a lot or up to Maitland even. So yeah, you know full circle of stuff.
01:04:31
Speaker
So Shoalhaven, Shoalhaven Tigers boy, hey? Charlotte and Tigers. Yep. I was started there and played, it I think up until I went to high school which would have been, yeah, year seven.
01:04:44
Speaker
so So all the way through.
01:04:47
Speaker
so look you go yeah so you bench So you say when you went to high school, because we know you went to Cranbrook. did you Is that where you started high school? Was it Cranbrook? or did you Yeah, just go like school I down in Cambora where I grew up just in Cambry Valley. And then, um yeah, the older brother went to Cranbrook and then I got in there as well. And then, yeah.
01:05:10
Speaker
that that's where basketball continued for me. So were you on scholarship? like no No, no, no such thing. Cranbrook didn't do basketball scholarship for a long time. I think for hearing chats and having chats with some of the coaches and stuff there, I think they are starting to now embrace some of that, which is, you know, always an interesting one when you'd come up against sort of Kings or Scots or, you know, anyone that have, or even Newington, you know, got some good friends, Luke Devlin back in the day at Newington. He was a bit of a foul house back there, but,
01:05:39
Speaker
you know, we'd be just doing our best and we did all right. Like, Kramer competed and and did pretty well, but yeah, it's tough when you're not sort of recruiting the best in the in the state and stuff.
01:05:51
Speaker
So what what was the ah switch like moving from you know the Shoalhaven era, Camborawarra up to Cranbrook, you know? Cranbrook, big city life.
01:06:02
Speaker
Yeah, ah you know, bit of a change of pace. I think I was ready for it. I think, you know, I was getting pretty yeah pretty antsy down in the country town, just trying to, you know, get out and do do different things. And the city was, you know, a big ah big thing for me. But But, you know, jumping at boarding school was pretty interesting.
01:06:19
Speaker
Got bit homesick as, you know, most I believe would. But had my older brother there as well, Harry. So that was pretty good. And then um got a tap on the shoulder from Steve Whitehead, who I think is still around Cranbrook at the moment doing stuff with the basketball um guys. And I think I was in year seven and he did one of these ones. Like, come on, come here. who who Who's that big fella?
01:06:39
Speaker
So had a bit of a chat to him about basketball and then went through the first and the CAS, the GPS and all of that sort of stuff. So, yeah, it was a pretty good pathway for me.
01:06:48
Speaker
ah Yeah, because I think that was – oh, you go. Sorry, Lof. No, sorry, and you continue. No, that's my bad. ah I was just going to say, like, a but when you were playing for Cranbrook, I don't think that private school system was a particular pathway back then for basketball. It really wasn't. but And then going to Cranbrook, as you mentioned, not a traditional kind of – basketball program scholarship program but you had someone like Steve Whitehead able to oversee your development did you still have access to like more training uh better facilities more cross training and things like that to help your development um so it's so it's actually interesting because my five-year-old actually does swimming class at Cranbrook now and um I don't know if you guys have ever been to the gym now and seen sort of the facilities but
01:07:36
Speaker
i think the gym, like the actual weight room there now, the Wallabies and whoever's around that, like, you know, NBA teams work out there. It's it's like pretty top level. Back when I was there, you know, it's still not not too bad, but, you know, it was it reminded more of like ah like an old school weight room, sort of get in. The gym was blue floor, like rubbery sort of texture. So, you know, it's not your classic basketball powerhouse school, but, you know, I didn't go to the Cranbrook because of that reason. I went sort of, you know, just for educational stuff. And, and you know, we had friends in the,
01:08:05
Speaker
local towns that went there and and sort of really enjoyed boarding and stuff. so So, yeah, like, um but, yeah, it's I had other ways. Steve got me playing ABA pretty quick as well. So I got to, you know, play with the ah men essentially like when I was, you know, in year 10, 11, sort of, you got to go to trainings with them.
01:08:23
Speaker
They actually trained at Cranbrook, so that was a big plus for me as well, running down from the boarding house and, you know, going up against some of the guys that used to play back then. which is always good for me and my development. So um yeah, there were definitely different pathways and stuff.
01:08:37
Speaker
It wasn't until sort year 11 and 12 that I was sort of going through the CAS, GPS, ah CIS, and then New South Wales and Australian School Boys sort of stuff, which was also a really great experience and got to play up against some of the best around the state and stuff.
01:08:53
Speaker
And you mentioned, yeah, coming to the big city, but then when you went to college, you went to Pullman, Washington. Yeah, I had a pretty colorful ah college career. I started, so I was actually told by my careers counselor that I i wouldn't make college basketball because I didn't, I wasn't on a state team. so shout out to him. No, I won't. I won't. So I didn't do any of the right core subjects. And, you know, I like, I guess I was trying. i always wanted to, and Steve was saying, you know this is a real option.
01:09:29
Speaker
for you if you keep pushing and keep doing well. So i actually went junior college. So I went to a school in Philly, Harcum College, which was ranked in the nation when I went there. And then two-year schools have a pretty quick turnaround. So they were no longer ranked in the nation when I was there. So spent half a year there and then went to Gillette with a couple of the Aussies.
01:09:48
Speaker
Matt Dick, who was in New South Wales, he was playing back in the day. Reece, who's over playing in the NBL One West, I believe. So yeah, lots lots of Great people I met through that and then went to Washington State through a connection from there, from Shillette College to Washington State um and was there for two years. so And you know I think boarding set me up a lot for that. yeah I got to, I was essentially boarding at college in this in the same way and you know just being ready to sort of go and and being in a different place and meeting new people. It wasn't sort of a massive, I imagine it could be pretty daunting to some people that haven't sort of experienced that before.
01:10:28
Speaker
Have you noticed ah the shirt that Lockie's wearing for our episode today? Absolute banger. Washington State. Go Cougs. Where'd you even get that? Where'd you procure that shirt? So there was an Aussie. She was there at the same time you were, Rachel Doyle, on the women's soccer team.
01:10:44
Speaker
Oh, really? And I have a mate through women's soccer who was at Washington State. So he hooked put me up with this. love it. Best coach in NCI. And a team poster. Yeah.
01:10:57
Speaker
So it's actually soccer team. Look at the logo there. Look at that logo. It's the best. It's the best. Washington State was actually a crazy, like, it's sort of global. There's lots of international players. There's lots of different people. But, like, you know, I'll be in Hawaii and you'll see someone wearing a Coug shirt and you know, you just say go Cougs and they notice it. like it's It's just like it's an interesting culture. and um Yeah, got to play Brock, like you mentioned. There was Dexter Curtis Drews playing down the south, I think, at the moment. but So, yeah, plenty of Aussies, big Aussie connection, I think, um because Ben Johnson was actually there. So shout out Ben Johnson. know where he is at the moment. I think he's over here somewhere maybe. I'm not sure.
01:11:36
Speaker
It's a pretty generic name. Maybe he's in incognito. Ben Johnson. but that Yeah, you're exactly right. Exactly right. He's hiding. What was the culture shock like on and off the court going from JUCO to somewhere like Washington State?
01:11:52
Speaker
Pretty big. um Just off sheer facilities and and sort of, you know, the professionalism and like, yeah know, JUCO was great and like a really good opportunity for me and it got me to the point where, know, I knew I could play in the NCAA, but yeah,
01:12:07
Speaker
Like, um yeah, going from a junior college in the middle of Wyoming, which is, you know, frozen wheat fields, essentially, and and mining a mining town, ah like where I was living with literal cowboys who we're on the rodeo team, best rodeo team in the nation, i might add, but um to go over then to Pullman, which is another smallish town, but everything is, yeah like, everything is college, everyone has something, to I think there's 30,000 people in the town, and, you know, 35,000 are at the football games and stuff, so, you know, it's a pretty, I guess it's what you define as a college town, frats, sororities, you know, all that stuff, um so, yeah, it was a different level, they got me on a visit, you know, do did all that sort of stuff, and
01:12:48
Speaker
laminated card or with what we were going to do for the weekend and stuff. It was pretty exciting. So, yeah, it was a different level in that respect. And then the games, we were in the Pac-12 at that time. and I think it's all shifted now. So I wanted to Pac-12. I think it's something else. But um we played Arizona when they were number one in the nation.
01:13:04
Speaker
Gonzaga was always a good one. Yeah, like, you know, a lot of those guys came up and went into the and NBA as well and stuff. So really crazy experience, to be honest.
01:13:15
Speaker
Any particular people from your time pre-college when you were playing ABA as a teenager or when you were at college that are like, you know, like that you kind of scratch your head thinking, wow, I got to play against that player back then? Like any kind of standouts or anyone even back then you were kind of amazed to be playing against?
01:13:38
Speaker
i mean, like, any Any young kids getting to play early I think is a really good thing. Like if you're ah if you're trying to crack it and make it as ah as a younger player and you get to play against men who, you know, don't hold back because you're you're not a man, like, you I think that is it's it's really good for you. So, know, those commerce practices were heated. They'd always be really good. Like we had like Michael Seckold and the Obis brothers. They'd always be, you know, pretty physical, which was which was really good for development.
01:14:05
Speaker
But then, yeah, college college was crazy. Like I remember warming up against Arizona and – their promo video was just like every NBA player that's ever come through the program of Arizona. So it was like, literally, i think I stopped warming up. was just like, oh my gosh, like just like name after name after name after. And they're all just talking about the program and, you know, they've done it for the promo video.
01:14:26
Speaker
And then you've got like Aaron Gordon touching his feet, reverse dunking on the other side of the court. It's like, know, it's a bit of like a, this is crazy type situation. We got absolutely smoked that game. So we won't even be talk about that, but, but, ah but hey, um but yeah, like, you know, there's, there's plenty of players like from that, it like Pac-12 that were really, really still like Zach Levine was at UCLA.
01:14:49
Speaker
There's a lot of dudes that were playing um really like, are still playing at a really high level. So yeah, plenty of pinch me moments I would say, but um yeah, I mean the whole, the whole, the whole thing was just just amazing. It was, it's a pretty good experience i would say.
01:15:04
Speaker
And then you got to jump into another pretty cool experience. You were part of the New Zealand team competing at the FIBA Asia Cup in 2017.
01:15:15
Speaker
ah So obviously someone who has dual citizenship or was able to um play for New Zealand because of one of their parents, which we could also, we can touch on now if you want, or we can touch on more later, up to you. ah But yeah, tell us a little bit more about that FIBA experience. How did you get the call up and what was it like when you were there?
01:15:34
Speaker
Yeah, that was awesome. So um I came out of college wanting to play pro. So ended up doing a year in Spain, um played for nine months over there in one of the lower leagues, which was, again, crazy experience.
01:15:47
Speaker
You know, I think there's a lot European leagues that are basically built on, like, opportunity, you know, what what where can you get to with this and, and you know that sort of thing. So it was a bit of that sort of opportunity. And then it was actually my wife who, like,
01:16:03
Speaker
we realised that the New Zealand League is really strong and Dad's a Kiwi, so, you know, I'm half Kiwi, so I could go and play that as a local. So I actually went to the New Zealand League and played over there for a good two or three years with the Manoa Two Jets and and Southland Sharks with Judd.
01:16:22
Speaker
Judd Flubble is the current coach of the Tall Blacks at the moment. um So that was a really big opportunity for me and just to get and around those guys and, you know, their shorter season, so it was it was another sort of Good opportunity. And then, yeah, had some really good seasons and had a good New Zealand select tour, which is basically just trips to China. And it's more for the younger guys coming out, like they call them the young TV tours and stuff.
01:16:43
Speaker
And then, yeah, got the call up for that one, the Asia Cup in Lebanon. ah So that was, yeah, pretty, a pretty exciting opportunity. We got to go and play over there. craziest loudest gym I've ever been in in my life to this date like it was uh I still remember guys hanging off the balcony that was pretty high like they were for sure being hurt they fell off banging drums screaming we um we did the harker before every game so you couldn't hear you couldn't hear the guy standing right next to you like you're obviously trying to do do it all at the same time but you know that yeah I just hadn't experienced that sort of loudness and sort of yeah just that
01:17:24
Speaker
environment before and then um they had a guy called el khatib the tiger who was uh he's like royalty in lebanon so anytime he touched the ball or scored it was just mayhem yeah which was which was super cool so um yeah that was and and we did a bunch of china tours pre and sort of got to experience that sort of thing and experience the culture of the tall blacks which was yeah ah anytime you get to put a country singlet on i think it's a huge opportunity
01:17:52
Speaker
this It's something thing I've always wanted to know, but never talked to a New Zealand national team athlete about doing the Harker before a game. yes How does it like change you mentally just going into the game? How much does it get you up for it?
01:18:09
Speaker
It's a hell of a way to go into a game. I'll tell you that much. um What we say, lot of the pre sort of tournaments and getting the guys together and stuff, you you learn all about the culture and the strength and the meaning behind everything. It's,
01:18:21
Speaker
sort of obviously you do that as a sign of respect for the other team. and but But you get to learn sort of the meaning behind all of the, you know, what the culture means and and sort of the different sort of words of the Huck and what it all means and how it plays into sort of the overall picture of the Tall Blacks Brotherhood, I suppose. So, you know, getting sit there and learn from, know, guys like Paul Lee and Mikko Vakona and, like, all of those kind of guys, I think, you it's a pinch-me sort of moment, I think. um and And it's just sort of like, you know, you see it and from the past, you see those guys going up against teams that they probably shouldn't be competing with and and beating them and and sort of – so it's like another energy source that, like, you know, they they reach for. and
01:19:02
Speaker
yeah i um Yeah, I really enjoyed that. I think it's it's a hell of a way to start a game, to be perfectly honest.
01:19:10
Speaker
And then this this might be a little bit of a silly question, but given that that was your first time in the tall blacks, and you grew up here, knowing that part of being in the Tall Blacks is doing the Haka before a game. Is it part of your almost like orientation to the Tall Blacks team and culture and program to be taught properly how to do the Haka? Like ah well at what stage do you get pulled aside and go, okay, this is how it goes, this is what you've to do, this is what it means?
01:19:38
Speaker
Because I'm sure they're not going to set you up to be like... oh, wait, it's our first game and you don't know how to do it. like Just follow along. and Make sure you can do it. and And there's specific ones so the All Blacks have their own for rugby and basketball specific to basketball.
01:19:52
Speaker
So... Yeah, they're they're they're different and it it really embraces into the multicultural.
Rituals and Cultural Significance in Sports
01:19:58
Speaker
So yeah, it's ah they they make sure you you understand it and actually know the meaning behind everything you're saying as well, which is super important because, you know, it's not just, obviously it's a a bit of a spectacle and it gets, you know, it's ah it's an interesting thing, but you know, the reason why you're doing it is like a shout out to the past and all the players that have come before you and all the players that ah will come ahead. Like, you know, it's, it's a, it is a real sort of brotherhood type situation. So yeah, no, they, they make sure, and you understand why, what, what it means when you do it as well.
01:20:35
Speaker
And then but following that you um moved into the NBL with the Breakers. Yeah. tell Tell us about that that experience. Yeah, that was awesome. I think I was in a hotel lounge, I think, and just got a tap on the shoulder to chat to Paulie a little bit and, um yeah, got that opportunity coming off um during that sort of Tall Blacks kind of situation. or Maybe it was a select tour or something.
01:20:59
Speaker
So, yeah, like, you know, obviously I think people's basketball careers are all momentum-based and so when you're on a bit of a hot streak, you know, it's, it's, it feels good. And it's sort of like great to get that next thing. um So, yeah, that was awesome. Like, you know, just getting to go in and experience the culture again, there as that team and that year, like another sort of they were really sort of tuned in a lot of the TV's players were playing for that practice team as well. So, you know, I think um just seeing that level and getting to play there and and just sort of experiencing, you the NBL in that timeframe getting trained against those guys and play every day and,
01:21:33
Speaker
Learned from people like, I think, Kirk Penny was on our team, Mika, Tom Abercrombie, you know, like Finn Delaney, you know, all my brothers, all extremely fun to play with and just see what professional basketball was all about. so you know, I think um it was a really cool experience for me and just going around and playing different teams and stuff was
Lessons and Challenges in Professional Basketball
01:21:53
Speaker
was exciting. I didn't play overly much in the NBL, but, you know, it was ah ah still a really cool experience for And what kind of lessons do you learn coming up against those guys? I mean, college a fairly professional environment, but I imagine NBL is, again, another step higher. You just pick up troops sorry tips and tricks. like I think um you know I was chatting to Kirk, who...
01:22:19
Speaker
he he was in X number of years in professional basketball and played in top, he he played in the NBA even, played in top level Spain. And, you know, I think it's just really approaching things professionally and really focusing what you're doing. And, you know, all of their warmups were pretty on point and that, you know, really be,
01:22:37
Speaker
sort of focus on what they were doing. And I think we we actually had a pretty good season, to be honest. we i think we got reasonably close, lost some games we probably should not. But, um you know, that that I think the NBL has come a long way, even since that point, to be honest. Like, it's a big deal now. Like, you know, competing in CBA teams is it's a different thing. But, yeah, I think just getting to experience it, just being around those guys, like, you know, I think it's ah it's a really good sort of place to be.
01:23:03
Speaker
Because it's so easy for us to talk about your career or an athlete's career on paper of like, you know, yeah, played at a high level as a junior, made some Australian junior teams, went to college, had a good college career. went So like explaining the steps up to the pros sounds easy, but when you're doing it in practice, it's actually very different.
01:23:26
Speaker
Like ah even when athletes go from playing youth league for a few years and they may be starting five main score in youth league, just to go up to NBL one is a big jump.
01:23:37
Speaker
I don't think people realise. So in your experience of going up a level each time in your career, so like going from college to NBL like Lockie was talking about, what are some of those things that you noticed that was so different? Like for me going from ABA level up for WNBL, the biggest difference for me was was pace yeah and and physicality.
01:24:00
Speaker
yeah Like I remember there was a time at a training session where I was literally sprinting as hard as I possibly could where I felt like if I was a machinery, my joints would be busting.
01:24:14
Speaker
And I still couldn't keep up with Nat Hurst, but to be fair, it's Nat Hurst. Like, you know, she's got jets in her shoes. And that to me, I was like, well, this is really the pros now. Like this is really like that ah level up from ABA. Did you have any of those kinds of moments or times when you know the shows where you're like, this is a big jump?
01:24:34
Speaker
for sure definitely I think um you know when you when you even make that jump sort of like you know ABA or NBL1 let's say to the pros like that's people's full-time jobs like people are there to make a living for their family like you know it's it's a it's a make a point sort of you know it's it's get after and practice you know take someone's spot type situation like you know obviously you're competing to win a championship as a team but I think the more competitive and the best sort of yeah environments probably around the NBL are those where it's sort of people are coming in and getting challenged or trying to challenge and, you know, and I think you're right, the physicality and the pace with just the speed of everything, it just moves faster.
01:25:12
Speaker
know, you've got guys that have been around the league for a long time. You've got, you Kirk Penny's shot was instant almost. He'd have it and he'd just let it go and it'd be like, a blink, like it's like, but and and he was automatic for so many years. So like, you know, just, um and then I think also like, as you're competing and trying to break in and ah like, I know for a lot of guys like who are on the fringe or really close, like learning what it is you do that can, can like can contribute to an NBL team, I think is super important. Like, you know, obviously if you're on an NBL one team to absolutely killing it, you're probably not going into an NBL team.
01:25:49
Speaker
sort of to have 30 points, you know, you you you probably are the hustle guy or you you rebound really well. So I think that's a really important thing just to be keeping in mind because, like, if you know what you do really well and you do it really well on a day-to-day basis and, you outperform people, like, that's that's how you sort of look at Tish, Alex Tisha, like, you know, he did exactly that this season. so So, yeah. no But, yeah, definitely, you know, it's a humbling experience. There's some pretty talented people running around NBL for sure.
01:26:17
Speaker
It's a very humbling experience. That's a great way to describe it. And even though you mentioned before that you didn't play lots of minutes, you were still there, and I'm sure your name is still on the alumni, NBL alumni list, so it still
Maitland Mustangs' Road to Victory
01:26:31
Speaker
counts.
01:26:31
Speaker
The Tall Blacks have a number. I don't know what number Tall Black I am, but, you know, I'm i'm still there. And, you know, I'm still very close to a lot of those guys. Finn Delaney, Ethan Ross-Fatch, like, Daron, a lot of those guys, you know, I consider my brothers and catch up with them whenever I can. So, yeah, it's ah it is a real sort of family sort of thing. But, yeah, no, 100%.
01:26:53
Speaker
It's all exciting and learning experiences and things you can just sort of take with you as you go. That's right. Still counts. Still counts. Count it. Still count it. In 20 years I'll started, so don't you worry about it
01:27:06
Speaker
and Now coming coming back home to talk about the beloved Maitland Mustangs. It took the Mustangs three attempts to finally get over the line in the grand final, having lost the previous two our grand finals by three points each. so where does that moment when where was that moment that you realised you wouldn't win last year's grand final? Wait, am I reading this right?
01:27:33
Speaker
Where does that moment... Where does that moment... didn't win. I hope we won. I think we won. Yeah. So where does that moment when you, you know, it's fourth quarter and you're up by 20 hours, when you realise you're actually going to win it, where that moment?
01:27:49
Speaker
Ah, okay. There you go. Lucky landed the plane. 100%. You know, I think... two years losing by three you know there was a lot of slow to snipe it's a lot of anxiety about that sort of situation like you know it definitely fuels the fire like um to to have that happen two years in a row and you don't really feel like basketball that's yeah that is the game it is right like one team shows up on one day and will can win a championship like it it really is that so canberra always super tough to play like you know they've got their core guys and
01:28:22
Speaker
they're always a challenging team to play. So, and I've heard like people chatting about the game before and like, you know, obviously watched it a few times and stuff, but um yeah, we were sort of expecting that comeback sort of thing and and sort of ready to hopefully sort of keep pushing. And then, yeah, I don't know exactly what point, but there was, it was seemingly out of reach and and and just sort of looking around and seeing guys' faces and stuff. And, you know, when you've been in the trenches, I guess, for that many years with,
01:28:50
Speaker
the same group, like, it it it means a lot. It definitely means a lot. you know, winning a championship is always a huge thing. And it was scenes after that. was ah It was excellent. It was excellent after that.
01:29:04
Speaker
And, I mean, losing two so close, do you ever, does doubt seem to start to seep in? Do you start thinking, you know, what if we don't get one?
01:29:15
Speaker
I mean, I feel like it does a little bit. But, like, you know, if you just went in, blind confidence the whole time and just deb never had that thought. Like, you know, some people might do that and it might work for them. But, you know, think they're all learning experiences. Like, you know even though we lost sort of both grand finals, both seasons, I look at really positively because, you know, I got to be with those guys and sort of we got to work towards something and, you we got so close twice.
01:29:41
Speaker
So, to keep everyone around and sort of keep fighting for it. I think, you know, obviously we lost Willie and Matt this year, but, you those guys were massive for us. And, yeah, I think it just, it's all just learning experiences. You know, every season it's it's the same thing and I've been lucky enough to win win before and like I won in New Zealand with the Southland Sharks, which was huge as well. So, you it's, it's, that's, yeah, it is basketball in the end. Like you win games, you lose games. You've been thinking about it for a long time, but yeah, it's, it's all just, it's all, it all comes out in the end. So it's fun.
01:30:20
Speaker
And how much do you think your role has changed? So this is now your fourth consecutive season with the Stangers. um And we forgot to ask, actually, sorry, Lockie, you forgot to cover your question.
01:30:32
Speaker
um But what helped you decide to sign with Maitland initially? And then what helped you decide to stay? Of course. Yeah. So um I came back to Sydney after that Knox Raiders season to have a baby. Well, I didn't have a baby. My wife had a baby. And then... um we just to be around family and be close to that. And then, so Comets was my junior club. I was actually playing with Comets while at Cranbrook as well.
01:30:55
Speaker
um So, yeah, played with them for a season. Then COVID happened and, you know, the whole world literally went on pause. So um they decided not to have a team in the league the next year. So I was sort of,
01:31:09
Speaker
looking around and wondering where that lay it left me and then um was having a few chats to some of the teams and then actually i think i just received a call out of the blue from uh old lukey boyle coach boyle and he said uh do you want to come be a mustang and i said that sounds pretty fun like how how how would that all work and we just got to chatting and you know he's he's yeah been super supportive of the whole thing and got me out there and um being from the country i think there's a certain culture around country clubs like all the fans get super behind it.
01:31:41
Speaker
you know, it's a tough place to play, like Same with Albury, same with Canberra. Like, you know, there's a culture around country clubs and all the juniors come up through it and just seeing the kids' faces on game days and stuff. Like, you know, it's it's it it obviously means a lot to all of that community. so So to get around that culture I think is really good. And I think so the city clubs are sort of really improving now as well. But, yeah, like it's just been a really good environment, super family friendly.
01:32:08
Speaker
My son loves going up on game days and playing with the Cliffy's kids and coach's kids and stuff. So it's just a really good culture. I'm not even his favourite player. So, you know, we won't talk about that necessarily. But Cliffy or or Will Cranston was his favourite. So I'll have to check with him this season. Maybe it could be me, but we'll see.
01:32:25
Speaker
We'll see. Yeah, wow. That's savage. That's savage. Yeah, he says what he likes. We walked into the North basketball stadium for the first time Maitland game. for a maland game And he looked around and the lights were in his eyes and he said, I love this.
01:32:39
Speaker
He said, love this. Oh, wow. Wow. Start him young. Got to get him young. Off you go. Let's get you signed up. But, yeah, like just the the love from those guys and and just being around. like It's a family.
01:32:52
Speaker
It does feel like a family when you're playing with them. Yeah, that's what's kept me around.
01:32:57
Speaker
So how soon are we signing up your son for Learn to Play? Right now. He's signed up. No, he's doing little boomers. It's actually, we've got to talk about that. East Sydney needs some more opportunities for ah food for the young fellas.
01:33:13
Speaker
In terms of court space or programs, do you think? There's some programs that I think is picking up, but, yeah, just like there doesn't seem to be a lot of basketball games. Like you can do cant like little trainings and stuff, but like soccer, there's, you look at every soccer pitch around Sydney and there's like 1,000 kids playing soccer. But I think, you know, it's obviously a space issue as well, like available courts um causing stuff. But, yeah, there's I think there are people trying to do it. Like there's a Cranbrook thing as well, but we'll get there.
01:33:40
Speaker
I'll start my own. Yeah, not a bad idea given that I think there's an ongoing kind of debate or kind of a current affair, if you will, in the basketball landscape. However many thousands of kids are on wait lists to either enter a team or start a comp or something, but there's just not enough court space to meet the demand. So, look, good stuff. Knox Raiders game Melbourne had the biggest junior, um like most junior teams of any club in Australia, I'm pretty sure. So,
01:34:09
Speaker
You know, I think if the court space is there and there's enough coaches, like, you know, I think there would be, the demand would be there for sure. yeah i went Yeah, I went down to Noct a couple of years ago and was blown away by the size of the joint. Crazy, crazy. Like every junior squad has like to three or four, like, you know, and it goes down and down. It's it's crazy.
01:34:31
Speaker
It's crazy down there. um And I was interested to know as well, how do you feel like your role has changed over the last four years with the Stangers? um It has changed a bit. I think um think I was originally brought like, you know, I'd been playing for a few, like a number of years and, you had some good experiences and, you know, I think... um we had a few early, like not every season is a clean sort of, you with a powerhouse every year, like by any means, like I think the first year we squeaked in and seventh maybe, or like whatever it was after a point differential type thing.
01:35:05
Speaker
But like, you know, we we started the season pretty hit or miss and, you we had this, we all had to sit down and sort of, you know, talk about what we what we needed out of each other and stuff. So, yeah, definitely try to bring sort of a leadership element to the team. But, um you know, I just try and get after it every day. Like I think,
01:35:22
Speaker
you don't know how many years you're to play basketball for. And it's it's super fun to get out there and play. I joke with the refs every, before every game, I say bit organized sport. Like, here we go, a little bit more organized sport. And of them love it. And some of them look at me with a blank face, but you know, it's, ah it's still, it's still fun. So yeah, you know, I think I can, I'm still an option in the post. I can still score and get after it and, and it keeps me fit. So yeah, like my role has changed somewhat in the team, but,
01:35:48
Speaker
you know, with um the scoring from Will and Maddie leaving as well. Like, I think we all have a slightly different role this year as well.
01:36:00
Speaker
Lockie, I know that I've pinched one of your questions, so I'm going to handball the next one. Well, the next one is actually yours, to be fair. The next
Family's Musical Influence and Personal Life
01:36:08
Speaker
one is mine. I know you want me to ask this one because we're switch to away from basketball because you come from a very musically talented family because your dad well oh still is member of the Dragon.
01:36:23
Speaker
Yeah, thanks for the dragon. And your mum wrote Age of Reason by John Farnham, as well as a bunch of dragon songs. them Did you pick up any of that talent?
01:36:35
Speaker
I mean, look, i I dabble. I dabble here and there. Like, you know, I yeah i was never going to try and pursue it full time, i guess. But um yeah, no, it's like growing up, music was a massive part of ours.
01:36:48
Speaker
We actually weren't allowed to listen to to loud music in the car. It's like they'd had too much music. So they were like, just ah wait till we get to the highway. i think there is a blown out from all the music. But um yeah, no, it's crazy. Like, you know, i think Dragon was still together when we were young and we went up and saw show as a three-year-old, four-year-old type stuff. So, you know, all...
01:37:12
Speaker
crazy memories and you know they still gig so to go to gigs and watch and play and stuff is it's pretty crazy um and people are like you know it's crazy like you must be so happy to be the son of a dragon i'm like you're talking about like it's just dad but um yeah no it's it's you hear in every kind of funny pub or uh you know walking to the supermarket or something it's like that sort of music it's like yeah your radio tunes, your cover band sort of songs and stuff.
01:37:40
Speaker
And then Mum, yeah, super gifted songwriter, wrote for John Farnham. And I think they wrote the first song for Keith Urban as well back in the day. So, you know, some big songs, but yeah, no, I can pick up the guitar, but like, you know, I'm not gonna do it now because I know you want me to, but no.
01:38:01
Speaker
but speaking Speaking of picking up guitars, ah my dad was actually a roadie for Dragon. No way. Full circle. How good? How good? Back back when i right when they first moved to Sydney.
01:38:17
Speaker
I love it. I love it. The stories are insanity from that era. Like just playing for like mincemeat and stuff at the pubs and like just like, you know, they've And, like, I mean, yeah, I guess I pursued basketball, so it was kind of good to chat to him about, like, you know, how like how do you keep going? Like, how do you make it and stuff? And he just, you know, randomly gave me little pieces of advice, like, just keep going until someone keeps you gives you an opportunity. just You just don't stop, essentially, is what you did.
01:38:48
Speaker
But, um yeah, no, it's it's ah yeah it's it's cool to see him still play. Yeah, and, look, I did read, obviously, on your detailed Wikipedia page that, oh, maybe it was actually the link to one of your parents' Wikipedia page that your mum also wrote the theme music. Who writes Wikipedia? Who's on there doing this? Because all my details are on there and i it's it's always concerning.
01:39:13
Speaker
That's all right. And we did it. Luckily, we did establish, so also thank you for clearing that up before we went to air, that it says on your Wikipedia that you grew up in New Zealand, but you didn't, as you clarified. I might have. It was on Wikipedia, so who knows?
01:39:27
Speaker
Who knows? So who knows? It could be true. I'm outside in high school, so yeah. But is it true that your mum wrote the theme song to the original Heartbreak High TV series?
01:39:39
Speaker
Dad. oh Well, I mean, mum might have wrote it. I'm not sure, but dad did the music, so um in between... that Dragon disbanded for a while and didn't play after, like basically when we were in high ah primary school, but yeah, he did all of the music for the original Heartbreak High. So, you know, he'd be over in the studio watching the, like, I'd see all the B-roll of Heartbreak High and he'd be like playing something or like,
01:40:04
Speaker
he He got pretty exotic in that. If you ever go back and watch it, there's like some pretty interesting like transitional bits. But, yeah, yeah, no, he did all that all that music for, and that song slaps, to be very honest. It's a great one.
01:40:18
Speaker
Oh, yes, great. And I'm glad that you recognise it straight away when I played it before as your intro. I should put it the new one. It's on Netflix. It's back. But they I don't think they use the the same song.
01:40:28
Speaker
No, no. I think it's a different different theme song. But to be fair, they have been playing the original Heartbreak High during the day, I think, on one of the ABC channels because when I'm on my lunch break in the staff room, that's what I'm turning on.
01:40:43
Speaker
she Smashing Heartbreak High. Yeah, yeah, in my lunch break. It's the 90s TV shows. I love it. Yeah, educating all the new grad nurses of what this is and why you should watch it.
01:40:58
Speaker
But, yeah, full circle moment there for our audience ah that hopefully now makes sense as to why we played that theme song earlier. um But you did mention that you do dabble in a little bit of guitar here and there, but can we go as far to say that you're the Isaac Humphreys of the NBL1 East or maybe not quite yet?
01:41:17
Speaker
Absolutely not. i'm I dabble. I do dabble. Like I pick it up at home and I noodle if you will but no i uh no it's it's ah it's more just a hobby like you play blackbird by the beetles that sort of stuff that's pretty hard that song so that's impressive yeah but you learn one song and then that's all you do so yeah that's that level if you're gonna play learn one song though yeah i'm glad you made it a good one and a challenging one very true very true
01:41:50
Speaker
But, yeah, that was a really nice ah kind of lightbulb kind of shocking moment when we learnt that about you. So that's very, very cool that you had.
01:42:01
Speaker
It's got me from cab rides in the past. the teachers Sometimes my teachers were like, is it's is someone with your dad's? Like it's it's it's a hilarious. like It's almost like a bit of pub trivia or something. like guess it's It's good to bring out at different times.
01:42:16
Speaker
Yeah, I hope one day they say that at Pub Trivia because I'll be loaded with the answer. Exactly right. Exactly right. Yeah. For a change. have you Have you gotten any other perks from ah being the the son of the parents that you are, you know, in terms of did you ever get out of having to do homework or did you get extra marks on an assignment or anything like that?
01:42:38
Speaker
why not None of that sort of stuff. so Like i i they just mention it. Like ah they just be like, I went to school listening to your dad's music. Like I drove in the car listening to the mix. out I never really, know, I've had it.
01:42:51
Speaker
funny one when we were young were in abominable words or something and the the checkout guy was like are you todd from dragon and that just all blank faces like no sorry mate
01:43:08
Speaker
just just called allf it all good He's just like, I don't want to be Todd from Dragon for today. Today I'm just going to be James' dad getting the groceries. I just want a day off. Have a day off.
01:43:23
Speaker
He's a low-key kind of guy. I love him. Oh, that's a very, very cool, very cool part of your family history as well. and Such a breadth of talent in your family. You've covered creative and sporting talent in your family.
01:43:38
Speaker
Yeah, my but and my brother's owned a creative agency. So, yeah, there's lots of creativity, music, sort of, you all that sort of stuff in the family. Yeah, very, very cool indeed. ah And the last question that we like to bookend our athlete interviews or our guest interviews with is tell us a little bit more about James Hunter off the court.
01:44:00
Speaker
The man, the myth, the legend. um I'm a dad, so i've got a five-year-old, so, you know, a lot of time spent sort of running around with him and he's just started school and he's doing a great job and and sort of really going well in there.
01:44:15
Speaker
Husband, I guess, you know, good good support from the family to, i actually live in Sydney, so I drive to Maitland to play. So there's ah there's a lot of um travel, I suppose, with the with the role. but um And then, yeah, did creative recruitment and for for a job as well, fell into recruitment, like literally everybody, but yeah.
01:44:36
Speaker
but yeah and then devil music. don't know. Yeah, I try to be pretty around the place doing different things. When you say creative recruitment, is that, tell us a bit little bit more about that. What does that mean? So designers, digital designers, UX, creative directors, basically any marketing or creative services for agencies or in-house or any brands.
01:45:00
Speaker
People come to, companies come to us and get us to find talent, essentially. So I work with, them yeah, just find permanent roles of freelance for different companies. Yeah, that's really cool. um I imagine as well, yeah being recruit recruiting in that industry or being a creative in that industry and trying to make yourself available to find to find work and go from contract to contract has probably changed a lot in the last 10 plus years because of the internet.
01:45:31
Speaker
hugely and ai and what that all means and and sort of like you know it's a and i think when big you economic things happen i think you know creative and marketing budgets are sort of maybe early on sort of the things to be sort of slimmed a bit but yeah it's a it's a crazy space i got into it because hey my brothers had a creative agency so i was like i'm gonna get you some people no worries and then um Also, just to have a tangible thing to look at, like a portfolio. So we'd look at some design work and be like, it's all subjective anyway. But, you know, I felt that was more my speed than i was doing aged care before that. Nursing, actually. Did you say you you you're a nurse or becoming a nurse? I'm an occupational therapist, but I just like to... OT.
01:46:16
Speaker
Even more in demand. Yes, They were super in demand when I was doing aged care recruitment. Yeah, look, if you if you need an OT, you know one. hit me up about five years ago and I probably would have found you some different stuff.
01:46:31
Speaker
It's good doing, doing good work. You know, I just like to, um, uh, influence the, uh, pop culture references of yesteryear onto the new grad nurses, because I know they're not going to know what I'm talking about and it's fun to make them, uh,
01:46:48
Speaker
Part of the onboarding, yeah. Yeah, it's part of the onboarding. Watching Heartbreak High for 30 minutes. Yeah, sir right it's a rite of passage. I did have an OT student last year in her early 20s and I had to explain to her the show Come Dine With Me because she'd never seen it before and it was on in the break room and i was like, what do you mean?
Team Preparations and League Insights
01:47:06
Speaker
yeah yeah How have you not ever seen this show and how old are you making me feel right now?
01:47:11
Speaker
Yeah, it's alarming. It's alarming. But, hey, look, we we push on. we We push on. Yeah, we' we've got bigger fish to fry, um let's be honest, um including you've got Easter break as well now for the Stangers, which hopefully I can't imagine Coach Boyle is going to be.
01:47:33
Speaker
having any training on Easter or is it all season's go for the thing? We'll have normal training sort of across the two weeks, I believe. Yeah, there'll be a little break, obviously. Get home, everyone see their families and stuff. but um But, yeah, I think it's a good – always the Easter break is a good time to just sort recess, see where you're up to, see what's happened in the last three games.
01:47:53
Speaker
We're watching a lot of film as a team, so, you know, trying to pick apart where we can improve and stuff because, yeah, it's – you know, you can be a bit hot and cold in certain – certain games and stuff. But, yeah, it's ah it's an exciting time and I think, you know, big things from the Stangers. I'm sure this is big things.
01:48:09
Speaker
Stangers. Because you've got, when we come back on that Anzac Day round, you know, for round four, you've got a game at home against the Spiders. Yeah.
01:48:21
Speaker
And then, yep, and then you've got a game away. Comets, right? With Comets, yeah. So. um See you there. See you there.
01:48:33
Speaker
Lockie will be on the mic excellent for your Comets game. So they'll be very lucky. Maybe that's a game that I'll also have to tune into. ah But, yeah, any um how are you feeling ahead of those two games in the next in round four?
01:48:48
Speaker
I just think the level of the league's picked up, like, hugely. I think, um obviously, all the big signings and stuff, like, you know, you want to play against the best possible people you can and and sort of, yeah, I think... um ah like getting to play against those guys and and sort of, you even i just don't think there's easy games anymore, to be perfectly honest. Everyone's sort of bringing in on different different weeks and, you know i think, um'm yeah, you saw in UE beat Illawarra. Like, yeah, it's it's it's a really, you've got to show off and you've got play your game and you've things the way you you scouted them and really focus because, um yeah, there's no there's not really any easy games anymore.
01:49:26
Speaker
Yeah, very well said, very well said. But, ah yeah, it's been an absolute pleasure having you as a guest, especially representing the Stangers, as we always like to have, try and um cover nearly every team as we can, as best we can every season. and But, yeah, thank you for volunteering to be a guest on EGG. Thank you for listening and following along as well online.
01:49:48
Speaker
ah But, yeah, and we wish you the best of luck for round four and enjoy your Easter break. Appreciate You too, guys. Have a lovely one. Thanks for having me. Thank you. Thank you kindly. ah and I think just before we, as we wave goodbye our friend Jim Hunter, um just before we wrap up, Lockie, we do need to cover our ah good eggs of the week.
01:50:13
Speaker
We certainly do need to cover our good eggs of the week. And I think we've both gone for teams rather than players this week. Again, our telepathic powers are coming to fruition.
01:50:27
Speaker
Who have you got this week for round three's good egg? ah So, well, you already had a men's one written down, so I chose a women's one. And I went with the Hornsby Keringi Spiders.
01:50:40
Speaker
Because, mean, last year they were on the come up a little bit in the back end, but this year they've gone out, they've started 3-0, they've taken, you know, they beat Comets, they took advantage of a Bankstown side that was missing a couple of players.
01:50:57
Speaker
They've just come out and started really well and already put themselves right amongst it. And when we talk about the league getting better and better, and we were talking about...
01:51:09
Speaker
during pre-season, every time we mentioned, oh, this team could make finals, and then you go and look at five others have improved. Hornspin were one of those teams where you just think, okay, this is a team that's improved. They went out and got, they brought back Nicole Hutchins. Jesse May Hall is going to another level.
01:51:26
Speaker
Kira Hudson, her running mate, is looking good as well. They've got other pieces around there. And, I mean, this is a team that, you know, when you think,
01:51:37
Speaker
2013, they went undefeated in the regular season and lost the Grand Final Illawarra. 2014, they won it all. Central Coast came in and stole a bunch of their players. Well, stole them back. The other half went to Norths.
01:51:49
Speaker
And since then, they've basically been, you know, scraping together half-decent teams. But now they're looking good. They've got Ayana Bay back, so they've got good import.
01:52:01
Speaker
They picked up Lucy Meade. I think that is an absolutely stellar underrated signing.
01:52:08
Speaker
Yes, very good Hornsby Keringai Spiders. Looking forward to seeing what's to come. Yeah, I reckon that's a really excellent pick for good egg for round three, Lockie. I have to completely agree with everything you mentioned about Hornsby.
01:52:23
Speaker
And the only thing I'll add is that it looks like they're having so much fun and really enjoying playing with each other as well, which is something that you don't always see in teams when you get to this level.
01:52:34
Speaker
And the best part is they look like they were having fun last year. but even before they went on that winning streak at the end of the season, like 10 games in, they were low down the table.
01:52:47
Speaker
They still look like they were having fun. Yeah. I think that's really important for developing a good team culture. But yeah, like you mentioned, I also picked a team for good egg of the week and it was the Newcastle Falcons men's team for that huge win over Illawarra.
01:53:03
Speaker
um Primarily, A, because they looked like they were... really struggling at the start of the season and to really get their engine going and firing for this 2025 season. I mean, we just heard James Hunter say there are no easy games anymore in the East. The competition level and calibre keeps getting better and better with every year.
01:53:25
Speaker
um So they were really showing early signs of being left behind. ah But to turn it around within two weeks, to take out a top dog like the Illawarra Hawks in such convincing fashion as well,
01:53:38
Speaker
ah tick, tick, tick, tick. tick So that's why the Newcastle Falcons men get my good egg for round three. ah Well done, fellas. Very well done.
01:53:49
Speaker
Great work, Falcons. Great work, Falcons. Falcons over Hawk. It's the battle of the birds of prey. Well, I call it the Steel City Showdown because the avian of prey is manly Newcastles.
01:54:02
Speaker
There's just so many bird teams. So many bird teams. The Steel City Showdown makes a lot more sense. Now, just before we wrap up, I just wanted to say that we have 14 subscribers on YouTube, so we are slowly going up every episode. So just reminder to please hit that so subscribe button on YouTube.
01:54:22
Speaker
We do have the... ah I'm not going to say unrealistic, but we do have the very ambitious goal of getting to 1,000 subscribers on YouTube.
01:54:33
Speaker
But ah while we did reach another milestone this week, Lockie. We've ticked over 700 followers now on Instagram, so I reckon that's worth celebrating for us. Yeah, good.
01:54:43
Speaker
That's real good. Yeah, so thanks, everyone, for tuning in as always, following us on Instagram as we do our best to bring you all the X's and O's and insights from the NBL One East week to week.
01:54:57
Speaker
ah But, Lucky, sign us off. Don't sleep on the East.