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BONUS: Head of the Pack - an interview with Loz Nicholson
239 Plays2 years ago
Surprise!
Welcome to a bonus episode of East Got Game. With Loz Nicholson!
We spoke to Loz soon after the NBL1 East grand final, but some of us also needed a little bit of rest and recuperation., hence the late drop!
Loz briefly takes us through her tremendously successful 12 months on court and gives glimpses into the next WNBL season.
Enjoy.
Recommended
Transcript
Bonus Episode: East Got Game Surprise
00:00:00
Speaker
Hello, MBL One East fans. It's Squin here to surprise you all with a bonus episode of East Got Game. This episode was recorded pretty soon after the MBL One East finals wrapped up. But as you can imagine, as the season ended and amidst our hectic lives, well, particularly my hectic life, it took me a little while to recover and recuperate well enough to be able to edit this episode.
Loz Nicholson's Stellar Year
00:00:27
Speaker
Our very special guest for this bonus episode of East Got Game was none other than an absolute highlight reel of NBL One East in Loz Nicholson. Loz has had a huge 12 months in her career and we were lucky enough to chat to her in between seasons while she had some downtime as she was able to reflect on her last WNBL season
00:00:49
Speaker
MBL1 East Season and her appearance at the FIBA Women's Asia Cup in Sydney, wearing the green and gold for none other than the Australian Opals. We hope you enjoyed this little bite-sized treat of Eastcott Game and once again thank you for supporting the podcast in its infancy and
00:01:17
Speaker
Welcome, friends, to a very special bonus episode of East Got Game where we have an outstanding guest today in Loz Nicholson. Hey Loz, how are you going? Hey, good. Thanks for having me. No problem. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule in between seasons to catch up with us. We can see that you're on the road as we speak.
00:01:39
Speaker
Yeah, heading up to Sydney tonight but no, happy to have a chat to you guys and it's called it's a bonus episode. Of course. Yes, we're going to have a standalone episode just for you because why not, hey? Superstar, MBL1 East, WMBL and the Opals deserve the standalone bonus episode, I think.
00:01:59
Speaker
Well, thank you. You've had a huge 12 months. You recently were awarded the defensive player of the year for the second time in the NBL One East competition and also made the All-Star Five last year. You've come away with another WMBL Championship with the Townsville Fire.
00:02:18
Speaker
You played with the Australian Opals at the FIBA Women's Asia Cup in Sydney not too long ago. I mean, Loz, how do you even comprehend these 12 months that you've had? It's pretty cool when you say it out loud. You know, the last few weeks I've had a little bit of time to reflect on it all and it has been a big 12 months, but definitely a very successful one, which is awesome. One step closer with the sharks would have been nice, but
00:02:46
Speaker
You know, I'll take what I can get. The season with Townsville was unbelievable. And then, of course, always getting the Opals call up and putting on the green and gold is special to be a part of. And then getting to come home and play for the Sharks, I love that as well.
00:03:02
Speaker
Yeah, big 12 months, but you know, I'm hoping that the next 12 will be bigger and better than the last 12.
Townsville Fire's Championship Success
00:03:09
Speaker
WMBL Championship with Townsville. Take us through that, you know, being the leader of the team and yeah, what it's like to truly lead a team to a championship.
00:03:20
Speaker
I actually had a really good feeling right from the get go with the fire. We were coached by the best coach in the country in Shannon. And I mean, I don't know if I can say that leading into next season with Guy, but I truly do believe he is the best coach going around and it's very easy to play for him. We were really lucky. We had a group that had been there for a few years, like Zatina Okuzo and Courtney Wood, Steph Reed. We were all very familiar with each other.
00:03:48
Speaker
I think that plays a big role in being successful. And then, you know, when you nail your imports, we had two really high caliber imports. They were really great people as well. So it was easy to lead that team. To be honest, I didn't really have to do a whole lot. I just had to show up every day and be a part of something special. And then I think it was probably
00:04:10
Speaker
About three quarters of the way through the season you kind of get a feeling and I just knew in the back of my mind That we were gonna win it and yeah, it was it was an unbelievable experience. I remember being in Melbourne for the grand final and the last grand final, you know with about 45 seconds to go looking over at Shannon and it had been an unbelievable journey for three years with him so I
00:04:34
Speaker
to see the smile and the emotion on his face was something that I will never forget and I'm sure he and as well as the whole team will never forget. So a great ride and you know, it's something that a lot of players dream of and never get the chance to do, so I'm very lucky. That Townsville team, the way you came together, I would say like you said, three-quarter way through the season, you guys started to look really scary in a sense where it's like, I can't see anyone
00:04:59
Speaker
stopping this team. Your half court offensive execution was insane. What was it like? What was it like at training sessions? Was it a lot of talking and fine tuning or was it just more repetition? Yeah, I think towards the end, it was just a lot of fine tuning.
00:05:15
Speaker
I think we already knew how good we could be. It was just about executing it when it mattered. But training is also very competitive. I felt like a lot of people coming off that bench are contenders in any WMBL team to start. Courtney Woods just won MVP of the North and she was our sixth or seventh man. I think that's why we were so tough as well, the depth in our team.
00:05:40
Speaker
Yeah, trainings were always tough, but towards the end, just a lot of fine tuning. You mentioned the depth your team had, but that comes from the development that happens at Townsville. There's players up there who, like Steph Reed could barely get a run, playing for Southside. And she's up there in Townsville, absolutely killing it. And other players are doing the same. You know, Laura McSpadden has only gone on in leaps and bounds, so has Courtney.
00:06:06
Speaker
seemingly everyone who goes up there comes back a better player. What's it like playing for a coach and a coaching staff that is so keyed in on player development? I think Shannon does a good job of recruiting people who are willing to put in the work. And, you know, Steph Reed, she's a prime example of that. You know, when she played for Southside, no one really knew how good she was or how good she could be.
00:06:28
Speaker
And I'm not sure when she came to Townsville, you know, she definitely wasn't the player she is now. She really put in, you know, that's credit to Shannon and credit to her as a player. And I do believe that people develop really well under Shannon and he finds a way to get the best out of people. And that's happened for so many of us who have been there.
Return to Sydney Flames
00:06:48
Speaker
fresh up a championship you're coming home to play for the flame too you've also won a championship with. Tell us more about that decision to come home. It was a no-brainer for me. Home is home and I was just joking around the other day that I think it's been about 12 years since I have lived in the same place for more than six months so I can't wait to
00:07:08
Speaker
you know, actually have a home somewhere for longer than that. And, you know, the Flames is a really great organization. I think they've come a long way in the last couple of years in terms of the management side. And I'm looking forward to that opportunity. And I'm playing alongside like
00:07:29
Speaker
some really great Australian players. I'm not sure who our imports are yet, but playing with Kayla and playing with Tess Madgin, I didn't know if I would ever get the chance to do that in the WMBL, but it's really cool that it's come now. And it was definitely a hard decision leaving Townsville. I loved it there. It was like a second home to me, but
00:07:49
Speaker
There's something about being home and getting to play for the Flames in front of my friends, in front of my family, all of that that is really special and I'm really looking forward to it. Have you played with Tess Magin or Kayla before outside of Opals duties? No, I never have. Yeah, just done all the Opals trainings and games with them but
00:08:07
Speaker
never any other team. So it'll be new, but I'm very excited for it. You mentioned before you're going to be under coach Guy Malloy after being three years with Shannon. Has Guy had any conversations with you yet about what your role will look like in this Sydney Flames team?
00:08:24
Speaker
I think it will be, you know, much, much the same as what I've done before. I don't really go anywhere else but playing the two or the three spots, I'm hoping to just bring the same thing that I've always bought and hopefully guys on board with that. Well, I'm sure he certainly obviously signed you for a very good reason and for a very good piece in his championship puzzle. So it'd be great to see how that all pans out next to Tess Magin and Kayla George, of course.
00:08:53
Speaker
But then part of the 12 months, like we mentioned earlier in the episode, was you got to play in the green and gold again in front of your home crowd in Sydney, part of the Opals squad at Asia Cup.
FIBA Women's Asia Cup Experience
00:09:07
Speaker
We got to speak very briefly in the mix zone one day at the Asia Cup, but that was just off your bronze medal actually. But what was the experience like as a whole? Yeah, it's always a pleasure putting on the green and gold.
00:09:22
Speaker
I'm not going to sugarcoat it though. It can be really tough. You know, training's always really tough. You're playing against the best players every single day. And we did have a lot of pressure on us to qualify for the Olympics. So I think everyone felt that a little bit when we were there. I love playing for Australia.
00:09:39
Speaker
It's what I've wanted to do since I was a kid and now that I'm here I just try to live in the moment a little bit when I'm doing it. It was a good tournament. I've ruined with Shyla which is always a really fun time. We did a really good job at qualifying for the Olympics.
00:09:54
Speaker
bringing home that bronze medal and get to come home and show a lot of people the medal. It's pretty cool. You haven't brought it to a sharks game. I haven't seen it. I'll wear it for you lucky next time I see you. I'll have it around my neck. Alright, I'll see you at sharks presentation.
00:10:09
Speaker
Yeah, OK, I'll wear it there. Holding her accountable, they're lucky, I like it. So after you won a bronze medal with the Opals at Asia Cup laws, what was it like then, like psychologically and I guess physically as well, then turning around and having to come back to MBL 1 East? It's always tough physically after a tournament like that. And mentally, you know, you've got to come down from a little bit of a high of winning a bronze and then get straight back into playing and
00:10:35
Speaker
I'm just really lucky. The girls I was playing with for Sutherland are a great bunch of girls and I was a little bit worried going into that first game back because I hadn't really, I know this sounds crazy, but I felt like I hadn't touched a ball in a really long time because we're just playing games and not really training and I don't know, there was a lot going on. It doesn't take long to find your stride back in a team that is so happy to have you there. So that part is really easy.
00:11:03
Speaker
A weird vibe like, cause you know you've got two goals cause you want to win the Asia Cup, but you're also, it's part of a bigger process cause you've got to qualify for the Olympics through Asia Cup. So how do you kind of like reconcile those two goals? Yeah, I think that the gold is kind of put to the back burner for a little bit. We knew that first and foremost qualifying for the Olympics was the most important. And you know, when we dropped that game against Japan, it just became that little bit more pressure to win against Korea and
00:11:32
Speaker
We could feel it amongst people, but I think we also had full belief that we were going to do that. So I think getting through that game was super important. And then after that, you know, refocusing and wanting to get the gold medal was the next thing on the cards. But, you know, I think to finish with a bronze, Asia is so tough now. China, Japan, they're really excelling in basketball and making leaps forward. So I think to be in the top three,
00:11:59
Speaker
in the Asia Cup is a pretty successful tournament. Especially when China and Japan brought their full strength World Cup teams. Well, even the Japanese team that was at Asia Cup was actually better than the team that they took to the World Cup. So I think in that context, still coming third against those two top teams that are ranked probably second and third or close, at least in the top five, I think is still a great result. Especially China, they came into that tournament looking really good.
00:12:29
Speaker
They have great guards, great bigs, and they were just as strong as they were at the World Cup.
00:12:36
Speaker
I mean, we went down to them. I felt like it was a closer game than what it looked like on the scoreboard, but it's a good result for Australia considering that there were a lot of players unavailable. And just before we move on to some more questions specifically about NBL One East, given we are an NBL One East unofficial podcast, are you allowed to tell us what's next in the Opals program?
00:12:59
Speaker
Yeah, I don't really know, to be honest. I think that there is a qualifier in February for the Olympics. I have no idea where it is or anything like that. But I would say before then that they'll pick a squad, maybe do a camp and then select based off camps and performance in the WNBL or whatever that people are playing in. I don't know. I guess just some camps and then a selection for the Olympics. It's right around the corner, which is really exciting. I feel like
00:13:30
Speaker
The last one only just went by. But I mean, it has. It was a year later than... Yeah, I know. Everything's compressed. I know. I wish they were three years apart. Wouldn't that be nice? Playing for your hometown, Sharkies. What does it mean to play for your hometown team? Especially for someone like you who has been at the one club for so long?
00:13:54
Speaker
Yeah, I love coming back to the Sharks. You know, I've played there since bottom-bottom age under 12s and I still love it as much as I did then. If not even more now, I think I appreciate it now more than ever. I just love that I get to first and foremost play in front of my friends and family. That's really special to me. I have a little niece that's two years old that comes to every game and
00:14:18
Speaker
you know, sits in the stands yelling go Lozzy and I can hear her and I've never looked in the stands so much in my life. Also, I get to play with girls that have grown up through the Sharks program and have been there a long time like Maddie Norris and Emily Garland, Jordan Dewhurst, Hannah Clinton, all these girls who have been there for ages that I've watched as young kids playing and now I get to kind of come back and be their mentor a little bit and get to play alongside them and
00:14:45
Speaker
I love doing that. It's so much fun at Sutherland. I think that's a big part of why I always want to go back there as well. Yeah, it's just fun environment and I love being a part of
NBL1 East: Local Talent and Young Fans
00:14:56
Speaker
it. And in your opinion too, Loz, how important is it for clubs in a developing league like NBA One East to keep their homegrown stars at home? Yeah, really important. I think if clubs can get their homegrown people back to the clubs,
00:15:14
Speaker
only enhances their program. I mean, there's young girls in particular. We're talking about the women's side that can aspire to be these people who have played in the WMBL who made a bit of a career out of basketball. And it's cool that they can go to games every weekend and see these people play week in week out.
00:15:37
Speaker
So yeah, I think it is very important getting people back to their own club. I know that that has happened a little bit this season, which is really nice to see. I know I love it. I got to do a couple of girls camps at Sutherland, which were really successful and I hope to be able to do more of them in the future.
00:15:57
Speaker
Because I think, especially like being around Sutherland, being at every game, you see so many kids who have got posters up for their favourite NBL1 players and big signs. And not just for the WNBL players, but just players who, you know, come off the bench and play maybe 15 minutes. There's kids there with signs for them. Just if you maintain that club culture, it's just so massive for your program, isn't it?
00:16:20
Speaker
Yeah, I think that we're seeing more and more, you know, little under 12s, under 14s getting behind all of the girls. And I think that it also comes back to a lot of the NBL ones go and give back to the younger kids, which
00:16:35
Speaker
You know, you see it when you look at our stands, it's just filled with kids. And that's what you want. That's what you want out of basketball. You want these kids to keep playing, bring their friends, all of that kind of stuff. And because you've played in MBL1 South before for Kill Size. And so is there anything you feel like now you've played in two different conferences for MBL1? Is there anything you feel like the East can improve off to try and maintain their homegrown talent?
00:17:07
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. That's a, it's a hard one. I feel like the South were a bit ahead in terms of the MBL one. A lot of their teams were tough teams. I think that the East, you know, that it's improving, but I think that we need to get to a level where every team is competitive. You know, in terms of like talent and I mean, I just,
00:17:33
Speaker
So some of those quarterfinals, semifinals and finals games, I mean, they were really tough games and high quality. And I think it's the same as playing in the South. I don't think that it's any less of a league, that's for sure.
Innovations at Sharks and Future Prospects
00:17:47
Speaker
And this season was your first season back with the Sharks, but under Coach Jez. So shout out to Coach Jez, who is a loyal MRE Scott game listener. What were some of the things that he implemented that you enjoyed the most this season?
00:18:02
Speaker
Oh, well, he always let us play a fun game at the start of training. I love that. And often I picked it, so that was good. No, Josie's great. You know, he's just a really lovely guy. So it's always easy to play for someone that is really great. And one of the things I will say about him that he brought to an MBL One team that I have never really done before in the MBL One is we watched a lot of video.
00:18:32
Speaker
And I think that that's a really professional thing to do. Yeah, he was also just really passionate about the game and about the games. And I know that he definitely took the losses and the wins harder than all of us. So yeah, he's a lovely, lovely guy.
00:18:48
Speaker
It's funny you talk about watching film because I always see him on his Instagram story, he's always in front of his TV with a basketball game on. He was watching a Eurobasket women's game and I saw him on Saturday. I went to talk to him about it. He was like, oh, I was just watching it to get some ideas for players. I don't actually know anyone. I was just like soaking up the basketball. I was like, oh. So he's evidently putting in, you know, as far as scouting and ideas for, you know, things to run.
00:19:16
Speaker
Yeah, he's always, he loves watching basketball. I don't believe him when he says he doesn't know any players. He for sure knows every player. He watches so much, he must know. But yeah, he's always, you know, looking to grow and I know he's interned with the Kings at the moment, so I'm sure he's learning a lot there as well.
00:19:39
Speaker
So yeah, yeah, he certainly, uh, you know, when I spoke to him at NBL one East finals as well, he certainly has a strong commitment to coaching, but also to promoting NBL one East as well. So I'm not surprised lucky to hear that whenever he's posting something on Instagram, he's watching some kind of basketball because I think, uh, and maybe laws, you may have seen this as well with all the quality coaches you've had over your career.
00:20:06
Speaker
But to be a good coach, you have to really immerse yourself in it. Yeah, definitely. I mean, I'm surrounded by a lot of coaches and they live and breathe basketball, that's for sure. Yeah, they have to really love it or there's just no point in doing it. And Jeremy is a great example of that. You know, Shannon was exactly the same. Loves basketball, was always thinking about it. What can we do better with this, that, anything really basketball.
00:20:35
Speaker
We always joke around that when you have a coach that's truly invested, you can't go five minutes without talking about it. Coaches in the car included. Yeah, coaches in the car included. I hope he's getting the message.
00:20:53
Speaker
So your Sharks women's team this year, blend of youth experience and I guess young players who have experienced as well. Is there a lot of optimism for the future of the Sharks program? Yeah, a lot of optimism.
00:21:11
Speaker
You know, I would love to come back and play for the Sharks again. So long as the stars align and everything works out, it should happen. Yeah, we do have a lot of experience. You know, I've played with Olivia White for a lot of years and she is the eptimum of experience and just, you know, what it takes to be a really great MBL1 player. And she is that. So it's really cool to be able to play with someone like her again. And then I mentioned before, like,
00:21:37
Speaker
You know, we have the Maddie Norris's, Hannah Clinden, Jordan Dewhurst, all these girls that have been around the Sharks for a long time. And I think that it's kind of like we're right there, but we're just not quite there to win the championship. And I think maybe, you know, adding one more piece of the puzzle is probably necessary. And I don't know, I don't think it needs to be
00:22:01
Speaker
an import. I'm not really sure it needs to be that, but maybe an older head that, you know, a steady brain or whatever it is that we're missing, if we add it, I think that we'll have a more successful season. But, you know, even having Eliza Fabro down from Townsville, she was a great piece for us this season. I think sometimes people forget she's only 21. I certainly do. I would get frustrated at her for
00:22:30
Speaker
little mistakes she'd make and then I would remind myself, hold on, this girl's running a team and she's 21 and never had to do that before. So I think that if I reflect on that, she actually did a really great job. Um, you know, she hasn't ever ran a team before in the point guard spot, um, like that. So I think that she'll only get better and improve if she chooses to come back. I think that that would be awesome for us, which I'm hoping that she does.
00:22:59
Speaker
playing another year together with relatively the same team with maybe one more piece. And I think that we would be right there in contention for a championship. And speaking of championships, the men got up. Does that add a little bit of fuel to the fire for the women? I mean, I don't want to say that. I'm so happy for the men. They truly deserved it. And I absolutely love Pat, the men's coach. He is just wonderful. So I
00:23:28
Speaker
And you know, a lot of those guys have been around for a really long time playing for the Sharkies. So I think that they truly deserved it this season. But yeah, there's a little bit of me like, Oh God, I wish that was us. As there always is, but no, very happy for them. But
00:23:44
Speaker
It will be us next season. Like you said, you're able to recruit Eliza Favreau from Townsville. Maybe missing piece for a championship for the Sharks women is another recruit from Townsville. Is there any chance we can convince Tiana Hawkins to come down to the East?
00:24:02
Speaker
You know what? There's no harm in asking. I mean, what's the worst she's going to say? No. So, I mean, if she played in the NBA 1 East, I could almost guarantee a championship. She is an absolute beast. That is not the direction I thought you were going, Squir. I thought you were going to go with Sharks Junior Courtney Woods.
00:24:23
Speaker
that would be nice also yeah i was leaving that one open for you like he brought it up in our last episode as well so i was like surely he's gonna he's gonna say this again so i left that open for you i was actually going to suggest zatina and then i thought you know what i'm going to aim higher and just go for hawkins
00:24:42
Speaker
That's the best. So we'll put it out to the universe. Tiana Hawkins, you know, I know you will probably never listen to this podcast, but that's fine. I'm just going to put it out there anyway. Definitely be sending her this podcast after it's done. That's for sure. You have lots of fans ready and waiting down here. Never mind the WNBA.
00:25:05
Speaker
Don't worry about that. No, it's all about MBO1 East. It has been such a pleasure talking to you, especially as MBO1 East for 2023 has just wrapped up. Thanks for also representing the MBO1 East this season as well as you did last season because you're certainly boosting the profile of our
00:25:29
Speaker
little old competition over here in New South Wales. So it's great that you show so much passion for the league and especially for your beloved sharkies. And thanks for taking the time out to chat to us. Yeah, no, thank you for having me. And thank you guys for, you know, doing this podcast and giving people a platform to listen to some really great content. So thank you.