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Season 3, episode 2 - "I just like him ok!"
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In the first of four episodes, Lachy and Squin chop and grind the NBL1 East 2025 team rosters ahead of tip off on 29th March.
This episode features eight men's team including Albury-Wodonga, Bankstown, Canberra, CoE, Inner West, Manly-Warringah, Norths and Penrith.
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Transcript
Introduction and Hosts
00:00:18
Speaker
All right, we are live. Let's get that intro music playing, Lockie.
00:00:25
Speaker
Oh, wait, that's at the end. And there it is. Just to remind people where they are and what we're doing and who we are and here we are again.
Cyclone in Queensland
00:00:35
Speaker
Welcome back everyone, another episode of East Got Game, an unofficial podcast about the NBL1 East competition.
00:00:43
Speaker
My name's Jacinta, tuning in live tonight from Brisbane, different time zone, to my very lovely co-host here, Lachie France, down in New South Wales. How are you going, mate?
00:00:55
Speaker
Getting the tail end of your ah cyclone. It's pretty wet here. What's happening? the The side. it's ah It's raining pretty heavy here.
00:01:08
Speaker
it really? Yeah. So time to batten down the hatches up in sunny Queensland, Squin. Yes, yeah, definitely. We are in preparation here for the cyclone to hit southeast Queensland.
00:01:23
Speaker
I think the worst is due to arrive on Thursday. so it sounds like a lot of the schools are already going to be closed Thursday, Friday, obviously for safety reasons and pending whether I'll be able to safely leave my place.
00:01:41
Speaker
Leaving is one thing, but then being able to come home is another thing. It's where I am. I'm lucky enough to be on a hill, but the surrounding roads around me are flood zones. So it's a case of like, if I leave, I might not be able to come back from work and have to spend the night in the hospital. Not as a patient.
00:02:02
Speaker
Get some snacks, bunk down. Yes, yes. It's a bit, I've never had to prepare for a cyclone before. So it's a very unique experience. ah Not really sure what to do and and what to get and how much to get and things like that. So we'll we'll work it out. Fingers crossed it will only last the Thursday to Sunday as
NBL1 East Season Start
00:02:22
Speaker
predicted.
00:02:24
Speaker
Nevertheless, we still have time and electricity and internet access to get on with Season 3, Episode 2 of ESCOT Game. As we mentioned in previous episodes, the next four episodes leading up to the season tip-off on the 29th of March, we're going to try and chop and grind our best ah with some of the rosters that have already been in announced.
00:02:46
Speaker
Mm-hmm. We're going to going to be doing eight rosters over the next four episodes, including today. And this week we'll be featuring eight of the men's rosters, starting with the likes of Aubrey Wodonga men, Bankstown men, Canberra men and COE as our first four.
00:03:04
Speaker
Lockie, before we start, we need to make mention to the great merchandise you have in the background. Tell me a little bit more about what you've got hanging up. Well, of course, the shark scarf.
00:03:18
Speaker
that's That's just obvious. And then but got my Canadian scarf from the 2015 World Cup soccer that I went to and my Canada jersey because all we were Donga bandits sign...
00:03:30
Speaker
Canadian national team player, former UCI i and DePaul college player, Bryn Mastowicz. So I am very happy. Everyone knows I love all things Canadian and all things UCLA. So ah yes.
00:03:44
Speaker
And then I got my Davidson jersey, the number 44, which is now Emily Bessel, but at the time, it well it It was Izzy Morgan's spare jersey. um So it was Izzy Morgan and Millie Pryor's senior day this week.
00:03:57
Speaker
ah got the win on senior day. um so yeah, just two amazing humans, amazing players from North and Manly, and just thought I'd do a little something for them.
Emerging Players Discussion
00:04:10
Speaker
But that's kind of nice that number 44 was Izzy Morgan's spare jersey and now she gets to pass it on to Emily Bessel, you know, from one North's junior to another. I reckon that's quite a nice sentiment.
00:04:22
Speaker
I think it's pretty cool. Yeah, yeah. And um how how's our high pony Izzy Morgan who's just having a great season? I almost didn't recognise because I'm so low used to having a low pony.
00:04:35
Speaker
ah She just keeps getting better. love this Absolutely. Keeps getting better. Keep an eye on the likes of Izzy Morgan and Millie Pry in the future. are Certainly will find themselves on WNBL rosters in the next few years, I'm sure.
Aubrey Wodonga Men's Team
00:04:52
Speaker
not and But however, we are here to talk about the current NBL 1 East season for 2025. As mentioned, we're going to go through some rosters and we're going to start with the Aubrey Wodonga men.
00:05:05
Speaker
Now, just popping up on screen here, we're going to go through some of the team facts that Lockie has kindly prepared for this episode. um Obviously, a lot of stats out there.
00:05:16
Speaker
ah lot of the stats are from last season for Aubrey Wodonga by Will Devo Hickey, who's no longer with the squad. But tell me, Lachie, what are some of the other standout stats on this sheet for Aubrey or for you?
00:05:29
Speaker
I thought what stood out most was that their three-point percentage is in a strength, but their three-point rate isn't room to improve. So they shoot the three better than a lot of teams in the league, but they don't do it as often as a lot of teams in the league.
00:05:46
Speaker
And the fact that both their defensive and offensive rebounding rates are down the bottom, ah something they are might have to ah improve on this season. But last season, great field goal percentage. So they're doing it from twos and threes, and they move the ball a lot. You've got Dave O'Higgie there putting up 8.1 assists on his own. The assist rates can to be pretty high.
00:06:10
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. They had a lot of great handy pieces last season to produce those kind of numbers. They're just unlucky. Now, they didn't make the final eight last season, did they?
00:06:22
Speaker
Yes, they finished. Yes, they did. They made the second week of finals and lost to COE.
00:06:30
Speaker
That's right, correct. I'm going to apologise in advance. My memory of last season is already failing me. I'm going to probably lean on you a lot to jog my memory of the final placings.
00:06:41
Speaker
um But, yeah, assist rate is, yeah, pretty outstanding. um But like you mentioned, pretty interesting that it was Devo, or essentially one
Roster Changes and Strategy
00:06:50
Speaker
person producing the most.
00:06:52
Speaker
um Are you ready to have a look at the roster as a whole? Always ready, Squin, always ready. Sounds good. Sort of. So the roster as it stands and, you know, a good shout out as well to the Aubrey Wodonga Bandits social media team, always keeping us up to date in due process with their roster announcements. Also like that they have had equal roster announcements between the men's and women's team. I think possibly maybe a couple more for the women's team perhaps perhaps.
00:07:27
Speaker
I mean, you can only announce it you've got. I'm not going to, you know light them up for being one ahead on men or women. They're just putting out good content all the time.
00:07:39
Speaker
Yeah, they certainly are. Very consistent. But, yeah, take us through this list, Lockie. Well, I think if we look at the inns, we mentioned them last week, Jasper Rentoy, Matt Gray, Jean-Luc Morel.
00:07:51
Speaker
They also picked up Simon Lafayette, who played for Manawatu in New Zealand last year. And then they've got two new imports. They've got Emmanuel Allen, ah who played over in Ireland, just like our boy Andre Walford.
00:08:06
Speaker
So, yeah. hey He went to college at Abilene Christian, so smaller D1 school, ah six foot four, his best college season, he averaged 10.8 points per game.
00:08:19
Speaker
um He 40.7% and 37.3% in his sophomore and junior years of college, but dipped down to 22% in his senior year of college.
00:08:31
Speaker
And stats for the Irish League, not Not easy to come by, unfortunately. Even Eurobasket.com, I couldn't really get anything,
Bankstown Bruins Overview
00:08:40
Speaker
although maybe i have to shell out for a subscription there.
00:08:42
Speaker
But, um yeah, so if he gets you know he gets his shooting back up to where it was in his junior and sophomore years of college and just scrub off that senior year, yeah, definitely someone who can add to their scoring punch.
00:08:57
Speaker
And then Aaron Freeman, he's out of UTRGV, which is, and know someone went there. Can't remember right now. But he's six seven um He was at Wichita State for his senior year. So that's a ah that's a big, big school.
00:09:16
Speaker
Average 10.8 points per game and 5.7 rebounds in
00:09:22
Speaker
and he' ah Sorry, I didn't say UTIGV. Sorry, not which I was saying. That's someone else. UTIGV, but yes, 10.8 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game in his senior year. Six foot seven. So, you know, as we said last week about Jason Spurgeon, as the leagues get lower down, sometimes you get some... ah Players, you know, 6'7 is probably a pretty good height at UTI TV, but showing off these rebounding and scoring capabilities, shot 60% from the field for his college career um and doesn't shoot doesn't shoot a lot of threes though.
00:10:02
Speaker
I think he was one of nine from three-point range. So definitely going to be taking it to the rack more than a... more than shooting threes.
00:10:13
Speaker
But I think i think we are the elephant in the room is definitely that Davo he is on the TBA list. um Sean Montague and Kev Blalock are also on that TBA list, but I guess they've filled their two import spots. So it's more of an out, but we don't know where they're going rather than a will they come back kind of thing.
00:10:34
Speaker
um And Lockie Cummings, also an out. that's That's a big out. Because once he and Devo sort of worked out how to play together, it was ah looking pretty good for Aubrey Wodonga. And, I mean, they ended up finishing fifth.
00:10:49
Speaker
But ah they've got Jacob Sinkorak back. That's always good to see. He's kind of the... ah yeah he's He's more than a glue guy, but he definitely holds the team together kind of thing.
00:11:01
Speaker
And then Jasper Rentoy, really looking forward to seeing what he can do on the comeback. from that injury that scuppered his chances of playing in the NZNBL last year. But, I mean, they've announced nine players.
00:11:14
Speaker
Obviously, Devo's still a big out. They've got to either bring him ah bring him back or replace him with someone of equal calibre. Then, i mean, pushing for definitely... I've been definitely top eight contenders already, but pushing for that fifth up into top four if they can...
00:11:33
Speaker
Add a couple more pieces, of course. Hey, Mitch Dance coming off the bench last year, and he's not listed. So, you know, yeah, just a couple more pieces to fill. But only nine names so far and still, well, three and a bit weeks left until the season.
00:11:49
Speaker
And... I have faith that if they've got more players coming, we'll hear about from all River Donga, of course, as I said there. They're pretty good on the old social media with not player announcements, but like pumping up their sponsors and getting stuff out.
00:12:04
Speaker
Just really good work by the team down on the border.
00:12:08
Speaker
Yeah, that's correct. And, you know, they have great relationships with their local media outlets as well. So ah they've been posting a lot of the news clips and reports on their social media, which is very helpful for people like us or fans in general that want to take a deeper dive into what to expect from a team in the season.
00:12:25
Speaker
um There was one interview with Coach Matt saying that he was just looking for guys who were hungry. And I totally understand what he means. These are all players who have um
Canberra Gunners' Success
00:12:37
Speaker
who are all very talented in their own right, but have perhaps always been, not always, I should say, but have perhaps sometimes found themselves in situations where they're in the shadow of someone else and they're all ready to step up and take some more responsibility and to showcase what they can really do.
00:12:53
Speaker
ah Based on the clips I've also seen with some of these newer players like Rentois, your Morels, your Lafayels, even Freeman and Allen, there's a little a couple of clips of of their games on the Bandit socials too.
00:13:09
Speaker
This team's going to be pretty quick. I'm expecting this to be a really quick run-and-gun team in transition, ready to push the ball. Rental is going to be ready to get um get the ball to shooters in transition, um getting to the paint in the half court.
00:13:26
Speaker
I'm expecting a lot of ball movement and a lot of versatility from this team. I think they're going to... go away perhaps from that traditional um pick and roll, getting into the big shooters on the outside. I think they're going to play with a lot more ah fluidity than what we've seen in the last couple of seasons. That's what I'm guessing based on the pieces that have been announced so far.
00:13:47
Speaker
um no disrespect to Coach Matt if he's going to watch or listen to this and say that I'm completely wrong because that's also okay. But I'm really excited to see these pieces together, especially Simon Lafelle,
00:14:00
Speaker
ah from New Zealand. I really like his game. He's a forward with guard skills and he's got some serious hops. He's got some great playing experience in the South, New Zealand, and NBL. So he's probably the one I'm most excited for in this roster.
00:14:15
Speaker
I like what Aubrey Wodonga have done that in the last couple of years, gone out and got a New Zealand player that, you know, does you can get basically, if you find a good New Zealander, you get basically an extra import because you can have one Asia Oceania player.
00:14:28
Speaker
Like Bankstown did it with Park Ji-Hoon on their women's side last year. Aubrey Wodonga did it with Aotea Leach. Now they're, you know, gets on Lafayette and they just announced another Kiwi player for their women's side today. So, mean, smart move.
00:14:45
Speaker
But, I mean, Aubrey Wodonga, last year, they had the fastest pace of any team, but their fast break points weren't that high. So we'll see if maybe they get more out on the break and, as you said, get out and run.
00:15:01
Speaker
Yeah, he is hoping. He is hoping indeed. Anything to add from the Aubrey men before we go on to our next team, Lockie?
00:15:12
Speaker
No, I think well think we're we're good. we're goingnna need We're going to need, for the next team, we're going to need 20 minutes just to read out who's actually on the roster because it's pretty long list. Girl, tell me about it. Anyway, let's get into Bankstown Bruins now.
COE's Challenging Schedule
00:15:24
Speaker
And quick off the top, we're going to go into some team stats from 2024. Now, this was a really admirable team last season, true underdogs.
00:15:33
Speaker
They did a lot of the hard work in the back end of the season to find themselves ah in the top eight. um which we love to see. We love those stories. um Local favourite Hayden Blankley was the top scorer in a high tower as a top rebounder.
00:15:49
Speaker
um Points of turnovers wasn't too bad. 11.2 is probably something ah unexpected strength from Bankstown. Unexpected in the sense that I don't remember it from memory as something that I flagged last year just from watching a bunch of their games.
00:16:05
Speaker
What are some of the things that stick out for you? ah Definitely the turnover rate, 20.5%. I mean, that's coughing up a lot of ball. um But I think they might have recruited well to kind of eliminate that issue.
00:16:22
Speaker
what i When I was doing these stats, I think with Bankstown, it was hard for me to find stats because they were pretty decent in a lot of things, like maybe like sixth to ninth or tenth in the league in a lot of things. and you see here they're only second and then fourth in a lot of things.
00:16:37
Speaker
And then they're not right down the bottom in a lot. So I guess that all boils down to them being right on eighth and making it into the playoffs in overtime on the final day of the season. It's because they are, you know, they did everything kind of well last season.
00:16:53
Speaker
Yes, and we're expecting, i think on the plus side with Bankstown. Now, let's get the roster up here.
00:17:02
Speaker
Like you said, we're going to need a second to go through this roster. When I was preparing for our episode today, um again, referring to Bankstown's social media pages, another club that does a great job with posting ah rosters and and player announcements in due course.
00:17:22
Speaker
And so thank you, Bankstown Bruins, for for providing that as well. But, yeah, was going through the post and I was like,
00:17:31
Speaker
How much space have I taken up on my page? but Why am I feeling like I have to double up? It's because there are 20 names announced on their roster. How do you think that's going to work, Lockie?
00:17:43
Speaker
I have no idea. um i don't know. some of Some of these players are still youth league eligible, but if you look at someone like Charlie McBeth, yeah, he's eligible for youth league, but, you he could...
00:18:00
Speaker
He's New South Wales under twenty s you know He's a really good player. He played good minutes for them last year. It's not like he's going to be you know floating in for four or five games and they just want to get him in. he's He's there. He's part of the team.
00:18:12
Speaker
So, yeah, 19 names on the list. um They brought just about everyone back and then added a few more.
00:18:22
Speaker
Yeah, it's it was i mean it's great that they have such a strong squad. You know you often worry about any club in NBL 1 East, especially being able to fill a roster.
00:18:35
Speaker
So the fact they have a healthy 20 squad roster that spans youth league men as well is really, really promising to see. um Yeah, like you said, there's quite a few names on that list who are also Youth League eligible. So the likes of Jesse Edwards is coming up from Youth League as well as Luke V. Now, I'm not going to attempt to pronounce his name in fear of butchering it, but it's V-R-C-E-L-J. Do you want to have a crack at pronouncing his last name?
00:19:06
Speaker
ah Vichelle? Vichelle. Vichelle or Vichelle. I should know this. I went and saw Kristen Vichelle
Inner West Bulls Analysis
00:19:14
Speaker
play basketball against Stanford for UCSD seven years ago.
00:19:18
Speaker
So there you go. I've just butchered the name of two people, including someone I've known for a long time. Cool. That's a deep cut memory as well. and so I went to watch Alana Smith and ended up seeing Kristen there.
00:19:32
Speaker
Yeah. There we go. ah we yeah But yeah, ah so my understanding as well is um You know, you can you can obviously only suit up 12 people at home games, 10 away.
00:19:44
Speaker
um And then you can also have however many other names registered based on injury. But does that actually now include, for example, you can have your solid 12 at home games, but then can that 12 every home game change so you can still have, say, 15 registered, but then based on how people perform at training, injuries,
00:20:08
Speaker
other commitments, you can always change that 12 week by week. Is that correct? Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. um
00:20:18
Speaker
Yeah. So I guess they've got like got options there. And I guess, like, youth I mean, if there's players playing youth league, if you get into that situation where it doesn't match up, your youth league's playing away, NBL1's playing at home, you know, then all your youth league guys can go and play youth league and you've still got a roster.
00:20:38
Speaker
Yeah, that's right. Yeah. So it looks like Bankstown have done a lot of great planning into this program, um encouraging ah sustainability in their programs as well, because often we see teams in the East relying so much on their youth league players that they're sometimes playing better.
00:20:55
Speaker
ah four games a weekend or sacrificing one for the other. um But this is very, very promising. And we already mentioned some of the big signings for Bankstown in our last episode.
00:21:05
Speaker
The top four there on screen being Walford, Hightower, Blankley, Caddy. um Like you said, Macbeth is coming back. Akumaki. from Manly is making the trip over to Bankstown, which was an interesting um to see.
00:21:21
Speaker
And then I think the biggest out, though, is still Sharif Saipaya. Not just for the team, but for the league. Because there's been...
00:21:33
Speaker
You know, whispers about where he might go, where he might not go. As far as I know, he's still over in China. I haven't checked his in for a couple of days. got keep an eye on that. But he's definitely overballing in China at the moment.
00:21:44
Speaker
But, um yeah, that's that's an interesting one because wherever he falls, if it is in the east, will be a great in. But whoever has it. And I'm going to throw ah a little bit of a hard one out at you, Lachie. If Sharif were to be back in time to start NBL 1 East, based on the rosters that we know across the league so far, where do you think is going to be the most valuable?
00:22:09
Speaker
Ooh.
00:22:15
Speaker
That's a tough one. That is a real tough one. I'm trying to think of teams that have maybe not built up their roster yet. ah Could we see a return to Hornsby? Ooh.
00:22:30
Speaker
Maybe. Because I think Isaiah Walter, I'm not sure if Isaiah Walter's returning or if he's trying college again or whatnot. But um from what we hear as well, there are some other pieces in the men Hornsby men's team that,
00:22:49
Speaker
are guaranteed to boost their success this season. Yes. So, Hornsby, let's get off the duck egg and announce some players because we know you've got some good ones.
00:23:01
Speaker
Yeah, they really love us, Spence. Back to the team at hand, Bankstown. Yes. um I mean, obviously, Jay Thinker Day, we talked to about last week, massive in. He's going to really help get that turnover rate down. He's going to help the scoring.
00:23:18
Speaker
Haylon Bayer, who was at InterWest last year, he was a really solid piece for InterWest. Had one of what one of the best defensive plays I saw all season, got to call all season, was when he... um picked the ball off really late in the game against Comets that InterWest got up in, which was that game we um we reviewed last year. We said it was scrappy all the way, but it still turned out exciting.
00:23:42
Speaker
And Akumaki, you mentioned him. Yeah, I really liked him a couple of years ago when he was playing for Manly in that in that Manly team that struggled a bit. But I remember calling Sutherland versus Manly. um He sat for a long stint in the third quarter and Jake, my co-commentator, and I, we were like,
00:24:01
Speaker
what's going on he was doing really well and i saw plenty in him that i really liked and they've also brought over um cameron day from inner west so and inner west and bankstown are two teams that pretty much got set rosters now at this stage like 19 or 20 for bankstown and 12 or 13 for inner west so yes team just the team's just players just making the short trip across sydney from inner west to bankstown Yes, yes, mate, perhaps a new crosstown rivalry that you can create a nickname for in the 2020 season. I think we're actually out. No pressure.
00:24:38
Speaker
All right. Are we ready to move to the next team? I think we are, although we can probably ah rehash what we said for in the last two years because not a lot changes with this mob.
00:24:49
Speaker
No, and you know what? I think that's probably one of their strengths. It is the Canberra Gunners, of course, we're talking about finishing the 2024 season with an excellent 18-2 record and also seeing them a spot in the grand final for that inaugural NBL One East men's grand final rematch against Maitland.
00:25:09
Speaker
Like you said, all the usual suspects were performing at their best last season, the likes of Glenn Morrison and Will Mayfield. um They're in the top scorer, rebounding and assist stats.
00:25:22
Speaker
What are the some of the nitty-gritty stats that stick out to you, Lachie? um The fact that they play really good defence without fouling. Top for defensive rating and fewest fouls conceded, and they get defensive rebounds.
00:25:36
Speaker
And one thing I thought about when I was looking at Canberra's room to improve stats, apart from the free throw percentage, boys, in the gym, was was that the offensive rebound rate and the fast break points, and the offensive rebound rate's low, but the fast break points as well, um probably more just of a tactical decision, especially the offensive rebound rate.
00:26:02
Speaker
If you just get back and defend when you know your defense is really, really good, you're I basketball, like most sports, is a game to give and take. You do one.
Manly's Strong Season
00:26:15
Speaker
you do one well, sometimes give out something on the other. So if they're not pulling down ridiculous levels of O boards, but they're getting more stops than anyone else, is it really that big of an issue?
00:26:26
Speaker
And same with the fast break. If they're not getting on the fast break, but their assist rate is 64.5% because they're flinging the ball around the court in the half court, Does it really matter if they're not getting many fast break points?
00:26:40
Speaker
I mean, they are easy points, but it's what whatever they whatever Canberra does works. Oh, 100%. It sounds like as well that Coach Herrick has it down to a fine art of...
00:26:53
Speaker
just playing to their strengths, like you said, that lockdown defence. And, yeah, fast break isn't going to be their strength and they're smart enough to play in the half court. They've obviously got the great team chemistry as well to trust ah each other enough in the half court on offence.
00:27:09
Speaker
Yeah, just keep doing what works for you, especially if you're going to go ahead and get yourself in the grand final for the second time in three years. Exactly. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. ah But one thing I do want to point out that's not statistical related is who they play home and away.
00:27:24
Speaker
it includes Maitland.
00:27:28
Speaker
So they get two games against Maitland in the regular season this year. Wow. it's I mean, um i imagine when they're doing the draw for the the season, part of it has to be random. I don't think anyone is sitting there strategically thinking, right,
00:27:44
Speaker
We have to do a home and away between Canberra and Maitland again. And I think with but with Canberra, though, like you know they're going to give them Aubrey-Wodonga twice and COE twice and probably Illawarra twice for the travel reasons.
00:27:56
Speaker
And then if I'm doing the draw, I'm like, got to be Maitland. One of them's got to be Maitland. And then Penrith is probably one of the easiest Sydney teams for Canberra to get to. So probably a bit of travel um travel consideration there for the Gunners.
00:28:14
Speaker
Getting Maitland and Orton and COE twice. Jeez. nice Yeah, that's going to be really, really exciting for us as fans for all the season.
00:28:25
Speaker
But, yeah, let's get stuck into their roster. Like we already alluded to, there are a lot of usual suspects from the Canberra Gunners. Again, another social media team, Basketball ACT, who are announcing their players in due time.
00:28:39
Speaker
Now, I'm not sure if you noticed this, Lockie, but most of the players that have been announced, at least for the men's team, I haven't checked the women's team yet, have been given nicknames. Did you notice this?
00:28:52
Speaker
i did notice some. I haven't
North Bears' Aspirations
00:28:54
Speaker
committed them all to memory yet, so I'll have to go back in preparation. Oh, I don't think I get Canberra this year. Oh, no. you That's a shame. See, that would be kind of fun that, ah you know, the the club itself have given their own players the nickname that us as commentators can carry on and and use in in a live call.
00:29:14
Speaker
But you don't get that opportunity. Well, neither of us will get that opportunity this year. ah Well, yeah. We'll just have to... Well, if Canberra win it all this year, then we'll have to hope we go to Nationals and get to use it then. but um And the thing about Canberra's roster they've got two ins. One is Will Rice, who is from Canberra and was there two years ago and spent the season in the Luaura last year.
00:29:36
Speaker
And Brooklyn Bruton, who has moved to Canberra. He's not there for basketball. he's As far as I can tell, he has moved to Canberra and is then linked up with the Gunners after his stint living down in Hobart.
00:29:48
Speaker
So... Everyone on this team is pretty much locked in as a Canberran at this stage. So, yeah, they there's a lot to be said for turning up in front of your hometown fans when you have a real connection for it.
00:30:05
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. And again, i'm going without imports. Correct. Yeah, they have, mean, they had Nicol Peters at one point, but.
00:30:18
Speaker
I can't remember the amount of having two imports. No, I don't think so either. And most of the time they do not have an import. Here's how it feels.
00:30:31
Speaker
Yeah, i guess that's right. It just um supports your point you were making earlier that are this is a canber a homegrown Canberra team and a very successful one.
00:30:42
Speaker
And, I mean, when you're the one team for an entire year you know, the entire ACT, you've got the population. In basketball, especially on the men's side there, it seems to be pretty strong who who they're developing.
00:30:56
Speaker
I mean, the surname of that third player. Is there is there another one with that surname you've heard of? Oh, vaguely. Vaguely, maybe. James Toohey. For those of you listening, it's James Toohey and therefore we're talking about Alex. Yeah.
00:31:08
Speaker
Yeah, so they' they're producing Paddy Mills, obviously. And, I mean, withwe we could go all day with players from Canberra, but we've got these ones to talk about. And, I mean, we talked about them getting in the half court and how well they defend. I mean, you lead through Glenn Morrison. He's not called the Brindavella Beacon for nothing.
00:31:26
Speaker
And then, yeah, Will Mayfield, you know, had a cup of
Penrith Panthers' Improvements
00:31:31
Speaker
coffee with Mount Gambier, but, you know, now he's come back. And...
00:31:37
Speaker
Yeah, start with those two. start and Add James Toohey and build from there, and it's looking real good. They've Cam Pender. ah Yeah, he's um yeah he's he started 17 games last year, so and he's still really young. So really looking forward to his development this year as they look to go one better, which I'm sure they are feel they should have last year.
00:32:08
Speaker
Yeah, and like we said before, it's a lot of usual suspects and a lot of that existing chemistry and good culture that has been cultivated over a long period of time through Coach Herrick
Episode Recap and Season Expectations
00:32:19
Speaker
and then obviously on court with Morrison, Toohey, Mayfield. to To be fair, Rhys Kaye as well was part of that as well at the start before he stepped away to focus on coaching.
00:32:29
Speaker
And now this is also a very nice organic progression that this core senior group and so and coaching staff can start to cultivate the same good culture into the younger players like your Penders and your Smiths who are going to be in the future um responsible for keeping this going.
00:32:48
Speaker
And based on a lot of stuff we've said in terms of the population and the devotion of the of the local fans, good argument for an NBL team to return to the nation's capital.
00:32:59
Speaker
Yes, very much so. And you mentioned Reith. Reith is now coaching the Gunners Academy and Ted Bigwither just ah moved up. I mean, lots of these young guys have spent at least some time with the Gunners Academy. So great program to have playing Waratah League there, one level below.
00:33:18
Speaker
Yeah, it sounds like they've got a couple of good bigs. You know, um obviously Morrison in the centre, Big Wither is going and is going to be a developing centre next to Lucas Schmidt, it seems like. the Lucas Schmidt's nickname is The Big Show, according to Basketball ACT's Instagram page. The Big Show. We love it yeah Big name to live up to. so we'll keep an eye on him in the upcoming seasons. Yeah.
00:33:46
Speaker
All right, so going to stay in the nation's capital now and we're going to have a look at the Centre of Excellence for 2025. And talking about ins and outs when you get to the next page is ridiculous.
00:33:58
Speaker
ah And a lot of these stats that were from the last season you have showcased here is going to be very looking very different perhaps in terms of not so much numbers but who's putting up those numbers. So,
00:34:11
Speaker
Luke Fennell, though, top scorer for COE last year. ah James O'Donnell, top rebounder, 11.1. And Josh Dent with 5.2 assists per game.
00:34:22
Speaker
That just runs in the family, so that's a given. Talking through some of these other more specific ones, Lockie. Yeah. yeah Well, one other point, Josh Dent only played eight games last year, and the next best was Shea Brogan, who is back this season.
00:34:38
Speaker
um Again, probably what you'd expect from an institute, a center of excellence kind of program with their statistical strengths. You know, efficient offense, low turnovers, shoot the three as well, shoot your free throw as well.
00:34:52
Speaker
I thought their assist rate might be a little bit higher. um And I think we we've mentioned this before about COE, never high on the steals. And it's more a don't gamble on defense thing.
00:35:07
Speaker
You know, don't get caught with your hand in the cookie jar. Don't try to pick off the path across the top of the arc and end up with a five on four because you're 40 foot down the other end of the court try to take her trying to take an intercept and run for a 100-metre try.
00:35:25
Speaker
But, you know, again, they i finished 14-6. They made the prelims and lost to Maitland. I mean, what can you say? And as always, centre of excellence are always up against it.
00:35:37
Speaker
because they're always got planned they're playing doubleheaders and then they're going to national team tournaments or under-20s or whatever else, and then they come back and play more doubleheaders. um This year, I think I saw they only play on 10 weeks, so they play pretty much a doubleheader every week.
00:35:53
Speaker
But they're not got weeks off. They're representing states or countries or whatever else in those other weeks. So always, you know, yeah, they're young kids, but it still catches up to you even when you're young.
00:36:06
Speaker
So... i We have 14-6, lost a prelim final to Maitland. always Always good to watch, always ah tough tough opponent for any team, as they should be. They're the best young players in Australia.
00:36:19
Speaker
Yeah, always super exciting. And let's have a look at that roster. But just going off the back, what you said about their very intense schedule, um within the NBL 1E season, there will be an under-19s World Cup as well this year.
00:36:35
Speaker
I'm sure there's going to be a couple of and NBA basketball without borders camps and alike as well. um But sure, they're young and they can probably, you know, run everyone off their feet despite playing doubleheaders most weekend. But that still puts them at high risk of those overuse injuries and those major injuries that are going to see them out for a long time like your chin splints, distress fractures, et cetera. so So we still got to we still got look out for look after our emerging talent.
00:37:04
Speaker
ah But, yeah, here we go, ins and outs. um I thought there were a lot more ins on this roster. A few more names that I didn't recognise. Well, the thing is,
00:37:17
Speaker
COE drafts players in sometimes during the season. and They play at the back end only. Or like the women's team, they had Kira Juffmans and Hannah Lomu and Daisy Nooses playing three or four games here or there. So they might not have been part of the COE. Maybe they're in the Global Academy, some of these guys, and they just had a few games with Centre of Excellence.
00:37:36
Speaker
And that's pretty much why the outs list. is so long some of these guys have gone to college some have gone to the nbl some just were filling in and then the global academy's closed so all your international players like manalo and kawashima they're not based in there's no global academy for them to be based in this year so um yeah so yeah that's really sad yeah But, yeah, like like you said, lots of outs. are Just a side story. Kai Savage, who was one of our guests last season on East Scott Game, as we know, went on to play for the Brisbane Bullets.
00:38:13
Speaker
And I was hoping that now that we're in the same city we would cross paths, but I never expected it to be at a bus cross stop in suburbia. ah So this is a, I've told you this story before, Lachie, but to share with everyone else.
00:38:29
Speaker
Basically, I caught the bus back from the city late on a Sunday afternoon and young Kai Savage was there waiting at the bus stop because he was heading into the Brisbane Bullets facility to to have a shoot around on a Sunday Arvo and his roommate had taken the car.
00:38:43
Speaker
So of all the places. but it makes commitment we guess That's that's ah at a bus stop. That's, yeah, it is a serious commitment. ah Sunday Arvo, your roommate's taking the car, you're getting the bus to the facility to get your shots up.
00:38:57
Speaker
but I mean, that's that's the kind of commitment you've got to have if you get to the COE and then get and on an NBL roster. So no excuses. well I mean, with some Sydney public transport, maybe some kids do have an excuse. But, yeah.
00:39:13
Speaker
yeah, some of the... Some of the ones that I'm quite excited for from the COE for the next season, obviously Emmett Adair. He's been stepping up more and more in this COE squad as becoming one of their leading lights.
00:39:28
Speaker
Indy Cotton is a really great young, talented player from the Gold Coast. I think he may be currently injured, unfortunately. i think he i think I saw online he has a rolled ankle because he still went to the school's nationals to support his school, but I think he was in a boot.
00:39:45
Speaker
And Raw Accor is the other one I'm most excited about as well. What about yourself? Oh, Alex Dickinson also just had a really great NBA Global Camp. But ah how do you see it here, Lockie? Who are you most excited for?
00:39:59
Speaker
Oh, I wrote down Marcus Vaughn's was the one I wanted to... ah I was looking at. um So son of former Geelong Supercat and 1987 Milwaukee Bucks draft pick Brian Vaughans recently got an offer from LSU.
00:40:16
Speaker
So of course, that is where Ben Simmons went to school as well as Shaquille O'Neal and Pete Maravich and last tier power. And Angel Reads.
00:40:28
Speaker
Okay, I'll stop there. So 6-7. Yeah, so he's got an offer from LSU. read in an article the other day that he's also been in talks with Providence, who are in the Big East, and then Texas A&M in the SEC, and Houston in the Big 12, who are currently, think,
00:40:49
Speaker
ranked top five top ten in the nation and have been really strong for a good few years now ever since they made that move up to the big 12 from the aac and since their last year in the aac um so some very high profile programs um i mean played under 20s at the bottom age of this year for victoria never easy to get minutes in a victorian team no matter how good you are you have to fight but um Played 17 minutes per game.
00:41:21
Speaker
Did plenty of his scoring from close to the rack, so getting to the basket. um Took a few mid-ranges. Didn't shoot a lot of... Shot a few threes, didn't hit a lot of threes. That's the one thing I'd say.
00:41:34
Speaker
want to see improve. But six seven getting to the rack. um Yeah, and he's got big offers, so I just want to see how he goes. He's not someone I've seen a whole lot of, but if those kind of schools are talking to about him, I want to watch him.
00:41:53
Speaker
Absolutely. someone to want Perhaps one of those players that we love to see as a junior and thrive as a junior representing Australia and then so many years later they are just ah ah almost reaching the pinnacle of their career or or really reaching some high milestones like playing D1 college, getting picked in the NBA draft, and we can always look back and reflect at the time when we watched them play in NBL1 East.
00:42:20
Speaker
Oh, still get goosebumps thinking about Alex Tui in the Sutherland versus COE wildcard game. My goodness me.
00:42:31
Speaker
Yeah, they're the moments we live for. Yeah. All right, coming up next, back in New South Wales, we have the Inner West Bulls, another team who has very good with keeping their men's roster up to upto date on social media and have announced essentially their full squad.
00:42:49
Speaker
But looking at some of the stats here from 2024, the likes so of Alexander Higgins, Titcher and Zachary Hudson leading the way for the side last season, but unfortunately not returning for the 2025 season.
00:43:02
Speaker
ah ah Excellent offensive rating as ah the first in the league. um And they finished last season with a win-loss record of 13-7, placing six overall.
00:43:15
Speaker
What did you find in the nitty-gritty of the stats here, Lockie, for the Inner West Bulls men? um Well, it's funny that despite their, like, low defensive rebounding rate, they're not giving up a whole lot of second-chance points. So they're giving up offensive rebounds, but...
00:43:34
Speaker
The teams aren't doing a whole lot with them, which I found very interesting. Obviously, not doing yeah doing everything great, but, I mean, making the best of a bad situation on that and that end.
00:43:46
Speaker
um And their bench points, getting 28.4 bench points per game So and is ah Sorry, 28.4 bench points per game, which is a pretty decent decent clip. And I don't know why that says first for offensive rating. It should say fourth, but it's still pretty good, 109.8 per 100 possessions. It's still very, very good. But ah probably, yeah, need to do the things that complement that offensive rating if they want to move above six this year because you really want to get in the top four and get that second chance at finals.
00:44:24
Speaker
Right, yeah, I'm glad you clarified that their offensive rating was fourth because it's like, huh, they came first in offensive rating and finished sixth. So was like, what happened there? That makes sense. But, yeah, de ah defensive rebounding rate too, you're not – yeah, you're not – finishing sixth with ah being 15th in defensive ah rebound rate is pretty – that's an art form in itself.
00:44:47
Speaker
ah Look at their schedule. Canberra away, Bankstown away, Crewe away, Albury away. It's a pretty nice mix of some high-caliber away games for them.
00:44:59
Speaker
Yeah. And then a good mixture of some of the home games as well, I think. I have... It's funny, I look at who they play twice and it's, you know, Penrith, Hills, Manly, Sutherland, Illawarra. But then you see, oh, well actually, Illawarra have announced three really good players. So getting them twice in one season might not be the, r you know, the cupcakes.
00:45:23
Speaker
Sorry to Illawarra, but you did finish 2-18 last year, you know. Might not be, you know, we're chalking up two wins quite as easy as it might have been last year. And same with Penrith, as we'll talk about later. Yeah, so getting stuck into this Inner West Bulls men's roster for 2025, I think in their favour they have a lot of core pieces returning from their 2024 season.
00:45:45
Speaker
So perhaps when they come across against a at some of the high calibre talent of an Illawarra, I think on the downside of Illawarra, I mean, and I'm basing this purely off two signings, I'm hoping that Illawarra are able to bring back a lot of their local core as well.
00:46:01
Speaker
But in Inner West's favour they have a lot of their core back. So, you know, Tolevi, May Edwards, Tim Anira, Ramon Cowell. I think I saw Johnny May Edwards got married today on Insta. Oh, pretty cool. That's what it was.
00:46:17
Speaker
Very cool. I think there have been a few marriages and and birthing of children and stuff in the off-season, which you We certainly have. See the family grow. um And additions here that I really like in this squad is Corbena Brefo and Josh Morgan, two up-and-coming talents that have gone, probably had some experience with various clubs and various clubs um modes of basketball i think you know brefo plays a lot of that a lot of with those some of those self-made academies out there uh the one a name escapes me but i think he actually also played in the under 21 summer jam uh team as well i think i saw some clips online which was really cool i think he was in the winning team perhaps
00:47:04
Speaker
um But outs, as we mentioned, Cameron Day over to Bankstown. Villamai has gone to Comets. Zachary Hudson has gone to Hills. Teams that we will get into, well, Comets and Hills we'll talk about in a future episode. Big TBA around Alex Higgins' teacher. Yeah.
00:47:23
Speaker
um ah My guess and also the guess of one of our very loyal listeners is perhaps he's just going to stay in Cairns. Have you heard anything to confirm where Higgins Titcher might be playing Lockie?
00:47:36
Speaker
haven't heard a thing, but I... i I mean, he's done so well as a development player up there. It would make a lot of sense to stay around the program in a similar vein to what Kobe McDowell-White is doing at Illawarra and NBL1 East this year.
00:47:53
Speaker
And, I mean, more power to it. You know, take a flyer. You know, the team takes a flyer on you, but you take a flyer on the team by going all the way to Cairns as a development player and making the best of it, which he really has done.
00:48:10
Speaker
And I would like say 100% staying up in Cairns would be the best thing for him. Sorry to the NBL 1 East, but it's it's because he has the NBL 1. He's with the NBL team. But, yeah, like he cook literally went up there, tried out with everyone else for those DP spots and was awarded a DP spot with Dylan Stythe from South who was naturalised so he could count as ah a local.
00:48:36
Speaker
Like the fairy tale story of it, you know, a kid from Sydney, Worked hard, um you know, cut his teeth in his conference and was Defensive Player of the Year, what, two years ago.
00:48:47
Speaker
And it's just completely flourished under Adam Ford up in Cairns. Like, what a fantastic fairy tale story. Like, full power to him. I totally agree with you. Yeah.
00:48:58
Speaker
Like very, very happy for Higgins Titcher and all of his success so far. But back here at the current roster that we have, um it looks like Andrew Swanson is also getting a bit of a promotion from the Bulls Youth League team up into the main roster, and he plays centre. So that's going to be a really nice match.
00:49:19
Speaker
front court development for this squad because I think sometimes it's not that they have I think they've kind of lacked a true centre sometimes like sometimes CB had to play a little bit of out of position as a five so having someone like Swanson come in in that spot um in the next few years will be great um Also Joseph Kodahi is coming up from the Youth League squad.
00:49:44
Speaker
um He had a bit of injury last season, so he's probably chomping at the bit to get a full season under his belt again. And it was and one of these imports that have listed for Inouye Bulls actually played for Wichita State that you mentioned before.
00:49:59
Speaker
Do you want to go through that one, Lockie? Yeah. Yes, that's Dalen Ridgenal. He's just out of Wichita State. So he went to, he was at junior college, at Cowley College, where he was a cu Duke All-American.
00:50:13
Speaker
um He posted 20 double-doubles as a freshman in junior college in one season. Then he went to Georgia, which is a really big, really big school, obviously.
00:50:26
Speaker
Not as big basketball as they are in football, but still SEC. You're coming up against some monster opponents. So you think of the way, obviously, Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee are all elite at the moment.
00:50:40
Speaker
It's just a... massive, massive conference, one of the best in the nation. um So he was there, didn't get as much run there, but then when he went to Wichita State, he, sorry, he was at Missouri State for a year and then went to Wichita State for his final season.
00:50:56
Speaker
So every 7.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6'6", and graduate students. so straight out of college, but he's had that extra year in college as well. So little, you know, one year older, you know,
00:51:12
Speaker
We like to think about college players as, oh, they're young, they're coming out of college. But some of these guys can be, you know, 23, 24 and really, like, growing into their body. Yeah. Yeah, so he started 20 games at Wichita State, which is a pretty solid program. So it's always interesting to see, you know, the small college guys the the small college guys who might have had to play 38 minutes a night and take 40% of the shots compared to the guys who were rotation players at bigger colleges and see how it all pans out for each of them.
00:51:45
Speaker
and Yeah, yeah're looking forward to seeing how he goes, particularly because they've got two new imports to replace Stack Hudson, who's gone to Hills, and then, well, we don't know where Jack Omer is, but if they fill two import positions, then obviously he won't be returning.
00:52:02
Speaker
Yeah, so the other import is Max Clark, who comes to Inner West from Georgia. He played NIA. N-A-I-A, but from Georgia via Tamworth because he did play for the Tamworth Thunderbolts in the Waratah League last season, now getting bumped up to the NBL One East with the Inner West Bulls. In a similar way that Andre Walford went from Port Macquarie to Bankstown, we now have Max Clark, who's also appea a point guard.
00:52:31
Speaker
coming by a Tamworth to Inner West Bulls. So going out classic frontcourt and backport for the imports this season. And we can't go past Mirko Derek.
00:52:43
Speaker
Now, I read that he's 29. twenty nine Is that right? Is he only 29? Feels like he's been around since Adam was a boy. That's what I was thinking. I'm pretty confident I read online that he's he's only 29, which I found surprising. 29. Made his debut for but war that were still the Wollongong Hawks back then in 2012. Yeah.
00:53:07
Speaker
See, that's why I feel like he's been around for, you know, we just have known him for a long time. He even played in the NBL when Townsville still had a club. So he played 170.
00:53:19
Speaker
yeah Look, I'd love a vintage Townsville jersey if anyone's got one lying around. Send us a DM and on Instagram at escottgame. But, yeah, 171 NBL games for Illawarra, Townsville and Cairns.
00:53:33
Speaker
He since played in Serbia and Sweden, and he's just come back from playing with the West Adelaide Bearcats in NBL1 Central. Like, what a hell of a career before you're 30. Really?
00:53:45
Speaker
is He's done a lot and he's been, yeah, no he said he's been to Serbia, he's been to Sweden, he's played in half of Australia across NBL and NBL 1 slash Warratah League. so just a just a great, great pickup.
00:54:01
Speaker
um
00:54:04
Speaker
Yeah. yeah when When I saw it, I was like, wow, this is... but This is real good. I know he's from he's from Sydney, but Bankstown boy through and through, isn't he?
00:54:17
Speaker
I think so, actually. That's definitely where he played Waratah before he um started playing NBL. Yeah, but, yeah, just with that wealth of experience, hoping to be able to pass that on and be an anchor for this team and really just complement the core group that are returning from 2024.
00:54:37
Speaker
I mean, this team has potential to make top eight again, but it just depends how much firepower I think some of the imports and the likes and in if Derek can be consistent scorer for InterWest Bulls I think will help determine if they're in the top eight or where they place in the top eight.
00:54:58
Speaker
Definitely. And, of course, um we've already pinned Bankstown as a big improver, who did finish in the top eight, but they'll be, know, probably much more competition for those spots higher up than they were to Inner West last year.
00:55:14
Speaker
So it could get crowded. Yeah, definitely. can definitely get crowded. So let's go. Northside to Manly Men.
00:55:26
Speaker
Here's some of the team stats from the 2024 season. Record of fifteen and five placing third overall. Some very entertaining games last season. Probably one of the most...
00:55:39
Speaker
Enjoyable teams to watch in the men's competition for me in the 2024 season. We had Jonas Harper leading the way ah with 20.1 points per game. Matthew Eldridge, their leading rebounder, and Mason Bragg. Like, imagine averaging nearly 10 assists a game. That that is bragging rights.
00:55:59
Speaker
And on love I love that it's one of them topped each stat.
00:56:06
Speaker
Yeah, Jonas top scored. Matt got the rebounds. Well, they all kind of got the rebound. Well, Mason and Matt did. but And then Mason just dishing and switching. Yeah, very well put together team of players knowing their roles, sticking to their roles, and the coach, Tim Hill, doing a great job of recruiting the right pieces and putting them in the right places.
00:56:29
Speaker
um So, yeah, they were really, really impressive last season. um What about the nitty-gritty stuff? What are you looking at here? um What are you looking at for the lot from last season for Manly?
00:56:40
Speaker
I'm looking at steals in the viewpoint of 10 per game Jonas Harper average 3 per game and he's not yet being announced obviously with players like yeah they've got with Harper and Bragg in the backcourt of course your defensive rating is going to be good and your turnovers are going to be low then you get all that many blocks which I don't know if that's just people being scared of Matthew Eldridge's wacky waving inflatable arms because ah I wouldn't want to try shoot over him
00:57:16
Speaker
ah And I thought their points in the paint would be higher with Eldridge, but and even looking at his shooting stats, I know he loves to like, he can like get his shot up really high so he can shoot from out a bit further, but even his shots in the mid-range area weren't that high. So, um ah yeah, and just be nice to see them get to the line a bit more.
00:57:40
Speaker
Just, you know, they're called free throws for a reason and they sure they shoot them well by NBL1 standards. And that's the thing, when I see statistical strength and then a complementary stat in the room to improve, that's what I don't like. If you do one thing well, but you don't do it a lot, or you do it badly, but also to but you do do it a lot, they're the things you've got to figure out. One's got to go up or one's got to go down.
00:58:12
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. i Yeah, it's it's just that's exactly how how it is, to be honest. But looking at their schedule, got some pretty, I think, their doubleheaders, their home and away games, Bankstown, COE, Inner West, Maitland Norths.
00:58:27
Speaker
Oof, the split on them is tough. That is a very bad group of teams. It's something like the combined record is something like 10 wins more than any other team has to face this season.
00:58:40
Speaker
It's... Like, the combined 2024 record of those five teams. So out of 100 games played, it's 10 wins more or something silly like that. It's huge.
00:58:52
Speaker
it's Yeah. yeah like there There's some teams that are playing... Sorry. Those teams combined for 65 in 100 games last year. whereas nor the five teams in a West player. We did mention that they were going to get better, but those five teams that in a West will play twice combined for 37 wins.
00:59:15
Speaker
So it mainly had to repeat a 15 and five record. They're doing it the hard way schedule wise.
00:59:26
Speaker
Yeah, that's wolf yeah. I mean, I know you've got a, you know, it beat the path in front of you to get, do whatever it takes to get a championship. But I mean, come on, this is, this is a pretty, and well that's a very, yeah, that is a very tough road.
00:59:44
Speaker
So let's have a look at the skit, at the roster apologies. Um, couple of inns and for those looking at the rosters online for the Manly Warringah Seagulls men's and women's team what they I noticed is that they'll post one player but they'll do ah multiple photos in one post so you have to kind of flick through um because I was like oh they've only announced four players but it's like four players in one post so Hence why they've actually announced quite a few.
01:00:12
Speaker
ah Big ins, again, Mason Bragg and Eldridge are back. Locals, Mitchell Evans is back. Zachary Kimball is back. um Looking already, looking really good. Again, another team that has managed to secure quite a core a good call from last season and a lot of key pieces.
01:00:31
Speaker
um But we can say that he's back because he's a Manly junior. Isaiah Lee, as we mentioned in our last episode, big signing that's in. ah And also I really like the additions of Jamie Munro and Jack Giddens from Hills because think last season and we did preview, I should say, we did review, think it was a Hills Manly game perhaps where Hills won away And we're just really impressive with some of the young guys coming off the bench and their team concepts and their IQ. So really keen to see Munro and Giddens under Coach Tim Hill.
01:01:09
Speaker
Yeah, I think Munro was one of the players we were really impressed with in that game. um remember oh Honestly, you you watch so many teams over the season, but i know there were definitely some games where I was impressed watching Munro play for Hills and hopefully he can... ah get a bit more burn. But um I think as it stands in terms of this team's makeup, it's Isaiah Lee in and he's not an announced. So working on the theory that it's Isaiah Lee in Jonas Harper out in the starting lineup, basically.
01:01:47
Speaker
So but eat Isaiah doesn't have to replace everything Jonas does, but... between make him up in the aggregate money ball, my favorite movie.
01:02:01
Speaker
Well, I think at least on the defensive end, Isaiah Lee's definitely got very similar skillset and intensity as Jonas Harper. I'm not sure. I'm hoping that Isaiah will be able to shoot the ball and take on the role as a scorer a little bit more. Like when I watched Isaiah last season up here in NBL1 North, he played for Logan, also a talented team, Sean Bruce, Callum Dalton, but sometimes ah Isaiah Lee wasn't really...
01:02:30
Speaker
given much scoring options and we know that he's super quick and that he can he can drain us three so i hope that he has a bigger uh role in the scoring for this manly manly squad this season but yeah 12 man squad looking like no jonas harper unfortunately having said that bankstown have announced 20 so never say never ah But also let's keep an eye on Ollie Hammond because he is an up and coming talent from Manly who's apparently making some waves in the youth league. So we need to see how he goes if he if he gets some opportunities to play minutes this season.
01:03:08
Speaker
All right. So that's Manly looking very strong again. ah and Now it's only fitting that we're going to now showcase their rivals, the North Bears.
01:03:19
Speaker
The Spitbridge style. Yeah, that's the one. North Bears in 2024 had a win-loss record of ten and ten putting them at 10th place.
01:03:30
Speaker
Didn't qualify for finals, obviously. Mandrell Worthy, they're in port on his debut season in NBL 1 East, averaged 24.5 points per game. Lewis Holy, typically top rebounder for the team.
01:03:44
Speaker
Mikey Young, top assist with 4.5 average per game. um Now, they're scheduled to me. Doesn't look too bad so far. Home Games Canberra, COE, Hornsby, Illawarra, Sutherland, so a little bit of a good mix as well for them. um But talk to me through some of their stats, strengths and rooms to improve.
01:04:08
Speaker
Yeah, so obviously when you've got someone like Lewis Hawley on the roster and his running mate, Badalassie, your rebounding rates are going to be pretty good. So i really high on the defensive and the offensive end with the rebounds.
01:04:22
Speaker
And they converted that into second chance point C. You get your offensive rebounds up and then you do something with them. There you go. Two point, yeah you know, didn't...
01:04:35
Speaker
Didn't shoot and shoot from close range as well as they'd really have wanted to. um and just, I guess, steals and blocks, both pretty low. And I know you can't judge defense only on steals and blocks, but if you can, you low steals and low points from turnovers, know, I mean, they're not denying the opposition as many shooting opportunities, but at least they're getting their own at the other end with those high offensive rebounding rates.
01:05:04
Speaker
and um
01:05:07
Speaker
They're to replace a fair chunk of scoring, as we'll see in the roster. And also, I want to mention that Mikey Young had 4.5 assists per game, but Brennan Riemel was right behind him. So they had two guys combining for almost nine assists per game.
01:05:21
Speaker
Yeah, wow, that's outstanding. That's really good. That's really good consistent numbers for that squad. um But, yeah, let's get into their roster, actually. ah They've only announced, ah I'm not going to say a handful because it's a pretty great handful of players.
01:05:37
Speaker
Waiter, Iggy Bichel's back. Hunter Goodrick is back from his college career. Lewis Holy is back from retirement. very short retirement that seemed to be.
01:05:48
Speaker
Must have got an offer he couldn't refuse perhaps. Robbie Moore's back, Pietro Badalassi, Cooper Wilkes, Jake Weinstein. So with the additions of Waitsharp, Iggy Mitchell and Goodrick, three very talented players to an already talented core group.
01:06:04
Speaker
Norse Bears, they're looking like they don't want to be out of that top eight for very long. I think they're gunning for, they're looking pretty good for a top eight spot so far, even though they haven't announced their full roster.
01:06:15
Speaker
That's correct. It's a very good eight to start with. They haven't announced Reimer back. They haven't announced Mikey Young back either or Mike Golding, interestingly. um Don't know what's going on with any of them, but to have Weicher and Iggy Mitchell already signed, it's a It was really good start. And, of course, adding Goodrick.
01:06:38
Speaker
we we own We talked about Mitchell and Goodrick last week. And then i rob i think Robbie Moore is a really... i He's probably not underrated at North. I think they know exactly how good he is.
01:06:50
Speaker
Just doesn't get talked about as much. um That's probably our fault as the NBL1 East media. we should Maybe we should talk about Robbie Moore a bit more. And we're going to right now. was Because he did average 11 points per game in just over 20 minutes, and he only started four games.
01:07:08
Speaker
So shot a reasonable clip from three, 32.5%. And in this league, not many teams shoot much above 35%. So, know, you can't really fault a guy for shooting at least low to mid-30s.
01:07:24
Speaker
um And just, I mean, every time you watch him, he just... Looks hungry, his job well. um Yeah, I just like him, all right?
01:07:36
Speaker
I just like him. Definitely. That's the vibe I'm getting. That's the vibe I'm getting. And, you know, those shooting percentages for a team that doesn't practice shooting at their team practice as well, where it was, you know, put upon them as their own responsibility to get shots up during the week.
01:07:51
Speaker
um As, you know, Coach Burke said himself, I'm pretty sure, and two seasons in our debut season of e e g um But, yeah, you make a good point. Given that Weicher and Mitchell are already signed, where you know, Brennan Rimo has been solid and very like an anchor for this team for the last couple seasons. So how do you how do you fit those three together, if possible?
01:08:16
Speaker
um And also Mikey Jung as well. I imagine if Jung re-signs, he and Weicher will be taking point guard duties, but then does that mean Robbie Moore slots back into the two spot? Iggy's at the two spot.
01:08:31
Speaker
Are we playing positionalist basketball? What is this going to look like? Because there's a lot of talented people in the same spot and it's going to be hard to piece it all together.
01:08:42
Speaker
Well, I'll tell you what, there's not many blokes I'd rather have trying to figure it out than the man that North have got in charge now. I mean, the the the absolute coaching phenomenon that is Tom Garlop.
01:08:56
Speaker
And, you know, Iggy Mitchell and Hunter Goodriff both said in their statement about signing to North for 2025, they both named Tom in those statements essentially as a reason of why they were excited to play and sign. So, like, he Tom Garland is a big, big pool for players to come and play for North. I mean, Robbie Moore and Matty Waiter played under him for Sydney Uni as well in the past. So I imagine that's what was attracted Matty Waiter to come over too because Waiter's been a Comets boy through and through for a long time.
01:09:32
Speaker
ah Part of the furniture, entire family. Yeah. So I'm sure he wouldn't have made that decision lightly, but knowing that you're going to have Coach Gallop again oh makes that decision easy.
01:09:43
Speaker
but ah So you mentioned and Mikey Golding, Mikey Young, yet to be announced, hoping they do return. Yeah. Nathan Musters, I'm hoping, still comes back because I think he's still got a a few playing days left in him.
01:10:00
Speaker
Oh, 100%. Yeah, he's still got lots of playing days. So hopefully Nathan Musters is coming back. Yeah. Now, Patrick Fraser was someone who played ah in a previous... im pretty Did he play Hills before he came to Norths?
01:10:15
Speaker
So he's from... I believe he's from Norths, went to Hornsby 2023. Hornsby, And then, you know, did enough to secure a spot on the Norths off the last year. That's right, Hornsby. He was... Yeah, I mean, he was real good for Hornsby. And, I mean, I imagine that's why he, you know, was welcomed back by Norths in 2024.
01:10:39
Speaker
Yeah, I hope that he returns, if not for Norths, I hope he returns to team in the East because, yeah, he's got some serious potential to be, you know, ah really great, outstanding player for any team. So, um yeah, Patrick Fraser, can give us a heads up with what your plans are. That would be great. Thanks.
01:11:01
Speaker
I mean, there's just a lot of players there that you'd just like to still see in the league. they don't sign for Norths, well, You know, that's another story. But it's just players that you don't want lost for the league.
01:11:13
Speaker
They're young enough. They still produce and they're still young enough, a lot of them, to have long, long careers. Yeah. Yes, definitely, definitely. And I'm excited to see between Godric, Holy and Badalassie.
01:11:31
Speaker
Jeez, good luck coming across them from either your backcourt if Badalassie is going to play small. Well, he is not really a 4-5 anyway. But between imagine if you had Badalassie as three, Holy at four, Godric at five.
01:11:46
Speaker
Like absolute defensive shutdown. is ah Oh, and you chucked Matty Waiter are in there in the backcourt. Yeah, of course. And Mikey Young. There you go. Defensive All-Star 5.
01:11:58
Speaker
There we go um All right. Lucky last team we're going to feature in this first of four episodes looking at the rosters of NBL1 East 2025. We're going to head over to the Penrith Panthers. Let's look at their team stats, actually, before we get stuck into The roster? 2024, we did see in 2024 the return of some Penrith hometown heroes like Benny Kearans, who was their top scorer with 16.1 points per game. Win-loss record of 1-19, however, certainly performed ah better than the previous season and showed a lot of promise and great chemistry ah last season. So lot a lot of promising signs despite the win-loss record. Yeah.
01:12:46
Speaker
So the 2025 schedule, um home and away, Bankstown, Canberra, Inner West, North Sydney, that's all going to be super tough in terms of getting a split on those teams.
01:12:58
Speaker
um But tell me more about these statistical strengths and rooms to rooms to improve. Well, obviously at 1 and 19, it's going to weigh you know towards the rooms to improve offensive and defensive ratings, which leads to a low net rating.
01:13:17
Speaker
um And then the turnovers are a problem as well. So 19.4 per game. yeah right right at the bottom 16th overall. i think bank I think Bankstown had a higher turnover rate, but fewer per game, so much of a muchness.
01:13:37
Speaker
um But they did crash the offensive last well, got a lot of offensive rebounds. You know, they know what there are know what they're good at, and The Fatui part of my way boys, Zeke Evans, Brodie Schwartzer crashing the offensive glass, though. And that got them some second-chance points.
01:13:59
Speaker
um And then, of course, you've got someone like Benny Kieran's running point. High assist rate. So at least when they're scoring, it's you know they're getting it through ball movement, getting it through assist.
01:14:10
Speaker
And the interesting thing is here, when I was looking for these stats, it wasn't like it was just... Penrith, 16th in everything or 15th in everything. You know, i actually had to go looking. And that's why I think worst record in 2024, but I think they were a better team than in 2023 despite losing more games. And I think they'll be better again in 2025.
01:14:36
Speaker
Yeah, definitely not a team to take lightly in 2025. I totally agree. On the upward trajectory, quite significantly and in just over one season from 2023 to 2024. I totally agree.
01:14:48
Speaker
Love that they're first in bench points and second chance points. Like, you've got to love the hustle and the contribution from the whole team. I think as well, having being first in bench points and second chance points amazing.
01:15:00
Speaker
perhaps reflective of how much ah Coach Jaron Moore, you know, instils faith in his team and trust in his team and wants to um cultivate that really good culture amongst his young players. So that's very promising signs. And hopefully, again, similar to what we said with Bankstown, hopefully a Signed that the men's program will be sustainable for a little while for Penrith.
01:15:22
Speaker
um But, yeah, let's look at this roster now that they've got. Also announcing quite a healthy roster, um quite a few ins and a couple of TBAs. Who sticks out for you so far for the ins for 2025 for Penrith Panthers?
01:15:36
Speaker
There's a couple. um Oliver Amajoyi. um So he's an import. He last played in Albania.
01:15:46
Speaker
He played for two. He was playing for a mid mid-level team and getting some good run and then moved to the top team in the league and didn't get as much playing time there. But shot at it above 55% from a two-point range in his time in Albania.
01:16:03
Speaker
um He also played Big V Div 1, so the second level of Big V, for Giftsland United a few years ago and averaged 13.7 points and 8.4 rebounds. So definitely ah someone who can ah grab the ball off the glass.
01:16:20
Speaker
I have no idea, i will say it right now, I have no idea what level the Albanian league is. yeah Yeah, i think i think very few i think very few outside of Albania will be able to confidently say. Because um legitimately I I don't even know any other players who have played in Albania to compare him to.
01:16:44
Speaker
Like at least with players who played in Ireland, I'm like, all right, well, that's where Andre Wolfe would play before he came over. So if you've got similar record to Andre in Ireland, I might be able to at least kind of know a little bit about what level you're at.
01:16:59
Speaker
But so he's 6'7". He's listed as a power forward centre, 6'7". So I guess Brody Schwartz is there, Zeke Evans, Adam Walker is back.
01:17:11
Speaker
maybe Maybe the fourth spot. They can all work it out, I guess. But I would think it's six seven in in this league. I guess a ah especially...
01:17:23
Speaker
But there are, as we mentioned last week, there's few teams with some legit seven-footers now. So um and we'll see see how it all pans out. But good to have Adam Mulcahy back.
01:17:35
Speaker
Penrith boy went over to the University of Albany and played there, but haven't heard his name in a few years. So he's another player add to the frontcourt stocks and a Penrith local. so And they also brought back, block they got Lockie Charlton back. So they got Ben Kearans and Josh Carley back from Hills last year. And then the third member, Lockie Charlton, back this year.
01:17:58
Speaker
So... And Miguel Campos, he was at Bankstown, but I believe got injured. So, real like it's I mean, you talk about um Canberra having local play, but well, Penrith aren't too far behind now. these This is pretty much all Penrith boys apart from far from the import, just to about.
01:18:19
Speaker
Yeah, which, we we again, we love to see. And I do like that they've got a few new additions that's going to strengthen their bench as well, if a little bit more perhaps than last season.
01:18:30
Speaker
And they've also gone for a little bit more size. I think sometimes Penrith in the last couple of seasons have probably lacked true fours and fives and a little bit of size compared to other teams.
01:18:42
Speaker
Yeah. But, yeah, it looks like that they've tried to target that. So their second chance points may even go be boosted again. That would be a pretty cool stat, obviously, depending on coaching styles and what coaches want to focus on. But um to be able to go back-to-back first in second chance points I think would be a pretty cool goal for a team like this um just to maintain that high intensity and hustle um to keep them obviously in touch of the game if they find themselves in deficit, but also just to keep up that energy, be a pest, kind of get under the skin of your opposition, be be that team where your opposition's like, ah this team is relentless.
01:19:26
Speaker
They're going to wear me out. be like To be that team, I think, is is a pretty cool thing. Yeah. Just... On the size, Jack McWilliams listed at TBA. He's back at college where he was last year and then came back and played a few games. So they could still add a guy who's listed at 7-1 to this roster he comes back and plays for Penrith again.
01:19:45
Speaker
Interesting to see no Etienne Chewell announced yet because he was it was solid for them last year off the bench. only started two games. But... ah He definitely, he was actually high. He was their fourth. He only started two games with their fourth leading scorer last year.
01:20:05
Speaker
Hmm. So.
01:20:08
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, 11 players announced, so certainly room for him to be the 12th. Hmm. And then obviously McWilliams isn't going to be there until May or June, even if if he does play at all. So, yeah.
01:20:24
Speaker
Definitely, are ah yeah, definitely room to add someone else or maybe they're saving that spot to see who they can get. Yeah, absolutely.
01:20:35
Speaker
So that being the last team ah that we're previewing for this episode, just to recap the teams that we've covered so far, we had the we obviously had we had the Canberra Gunners, we had Manly, Warringah Seagulls, Centre of Excellence, Albury Wodonga Bandits, Inner West Bulls, Bankstown Bruins,
01:20:58
Speaker
Norse Bears and, of course, kind of Panthers that we have just finished up with. I reckon off i mean of that eight, at least five of those teams are going to be really pushing for a top eight spot, and that's only half of the teams that's going to be featured this season.
01:21:17
Speaker
Definitely. I mean, you've got to think Bankstown are going to improve from where they were last year. North should have been higher last year, and I think... they put it all together can be as well.
01:21:33
Speaker
So I know there's a couple of teams there like Manly and Inner West who are going to have, and even COA who are going to have, and probably all River Donga as well, who are going to have to raise their level if they don't want to be in a, you know even tighter, it's tight every season, but it could be even tighter.
Reflecting on Past Challenges
01:21:50
Speaker
I mean, we were, last year we were Hayden Blankley throwing the ball into the speakers. away from Bayside missing finals, all those missing finals. Yeah. And we don't want to be, we don't want to have another dreaded three-way tie for fifth.
01:22:06
Speaker
No. We've done that once. We're not going to do it again. No. Yeah. So yeah it's probably way too early for predictions, but I think once we have covered all of the teams ah based on the rosters that have been released at the time of recording, making that very clear,
01:22:24
Speaker
I think once we get stuck into the first couple of weeks as well, perhaps it's going to be safer to make our our predictions. We don't want to fall into the trap of the way too early predictions trend because even just based on the the eight teams that we've featured, i mean, most of them are already potential top eight contenders. So it's going to be a tight race in the men's league this season.
01:22:48
Speaker
Certainly will. we've got...
Unanalyzed Teams and League News
01:22:50
Speaker
And we haven't even talked about Maitland yet. so No. No, Maitland or Comets because Comets have also signed some of their outstanding performers from last season as well.
01:23:02
Speaker
um but Before we wrap up this episode, Lockie, do you have any, perhaps have any news or gossip or anything else that you would like to share this episode before we wrap it up?
01:23:12
Speaker
ah Shout out to half the league that got married over the summer. Well, actually, in the last few weeks. So, yes, congratulations on your wedded bliss.
01:23:26
Speaker
um No, I mean, there's just been more signing news, which you can, as always, find on the East Scott game roster track. We had, I think, two or three signings on the women's side over the last couple of days. I mentioned Bryn Mastowicz for Aubrey Wodonga. They also signed... Who did they sign? They signed...
01:23:48
Speaker
a Kiwi player I mentioned earlier. I can use my own roster tracker. Hannah Lacey-Rameka from New Zealand, who played for Mainland in the New Zealand Women's League last year.
01:24:01
Speaker
So i good signing. And then Hills added Sienna Clark and Newcastle, the signing I've been waiting for, Sophie Brennan back for Newcastle.
01:24:14
Speaker
Ah, very good. i will mention this to anyone who doesn't even ask in that in 2022, when we commentated Nationals, KC Ardern didn't win MVP, but Aubrey don't win that grand final without her.
01:24:30
Speaker
Last year, Sophie Brennan didn't win grand final MVP, but they don't win that grand final without her. And just that one player that steps up and adds that little bit more on the biggest day can be what gets you over the line. And we know that game was tight.
01:24:46
Speaker
Tight. sorry unsung Unsung heroes of NBL One East. you Few signings going around.
Commentators and Social Engagement
01:24:52
Speaker
ah and congratulations to the two feet in the paint boys who are going to be calling games for Penrith this year as well as Hornsby.
01:25:01
Speaker
busy boys. Wow. Very busy boys, not two clubs that are really close together as well. So I hope you've got your time management and scheduling skills on point. Definitely.
01:25:13
Speaker
And just back on our Newcastle Women, we know that there's going to be another big signing coming out from them if anyone's been paying attention to certain social media accounts but hasn't been officially announced. So we'll get to that when the time comes.
01:25:27
Speaker
We will. But before we wrap up tonight, thank you again for everyone who has messaged us on our ins via our Instagram page at EScott Game with some of their insights into the league so far. We really appreciate and enjoy ah interacting with other fans of NBL1 East.
01:25:44
Speaker
Remember, you can follow us on Instagram at EScott Game. You can find us on Facebook as well. And you can also subscribe to our YouTube channel if you search EScott Game.
01:25:56
Speaker
ah ah We're also on X, but I don't know if anyone uses X anymore. But we're Even I, I look at, I don't post email. I just look at it because some accounts won't get off it and post in other places. So I need to use it to find some news, which is quite annoying, but oh well.
01:26:13
Speaker
Yes. I had my first NBL1 East Interaction on Blue Sky the other day. Yes. Very nice. Maybe that's the new territory we have to explore as well.
Listener Engagement and Streaming
01:26:22
Speaker
ah So, yes, Gary, like and subscribe on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram. And remember, all of these episodes are live for this season, as you can tell with us streaming, but you'll still be able to find them on regular podcast platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
01:26:40
Speaker
And as always, what how do we what what's the ethos we like to live by, Lachie? Don't sleep on the A's. That is correct. Do not sleep on the east without our permission.
01:26:53
Speaker
Thanks again, everyone, for tuning in and we will definitely see you the same time