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Season 4 Episode 16 - One Bite of The Cherry (Qualifying and Elimination Finals Preview)
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NBL1 East first round of the Finals!
Men's finals:
Qualifying Finals:
Illawarra (1st, 16-4) v Manly Warringah (4th, 14-6)
Norths (2nd, 16-4) v Sutherland (3rd, 14-6)
Elimination Finals:
Centre of Excellence (5th, 13-7) v Central Coast (8th, 10-10)
Canberra (6th, 12-8) v Maitland (7th, 12-8)
Women’s Finals
Qualifying Finals:
Norths (1st, 20-0) v Centre of Excellence (4th, 15-5)
Manly Warringah (2nd, 18-2) v Bankstown (3rd, 16-4)
Elimination Finals:
Albury-Wodonga (5th, 13-7) v Hornsby Ku-ring-gai (8th, 10-10)
Newcastle (6th, 13-7) v Hills (7th, 11-9)
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction & Social Media Engagement
00:00:54
Speaker
Welcome back everyone to another episode of East Got Game where we give you the X's, the O's and the insights of MBL One East. Thanks for joining us live on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
00:01:08
Speaker
And remember, you can follow us on those platforms at East Got Game, or you can continue to find out episodes on your preferred streaming platforms. And while you're there, well, i would say check out Cut to the Jace podcast, but they are currently on a one-month break as of today, but you can still go back and listen to their previous episodes, as well as episodes of It's a Cole Worlds, a podcast by WNBL champion Beck Cole.
Celebrating Milestones & Achievements
00:01:38
Speaker
Both brought to you by basketball.com.au.
00:01:42
Speaker
Mr. 150th in the house. Hi, Squin. Yes, it was my 150th NBL1 East game on Saturday night, the men's game.
00:01:54
Speaker
Jeez, that was ah quite the game to have for a one fiftieth Oh, my gosh. Outstanding. Congratulations. 150 games commentating NBL1.
00:02:07
Speaker
ah Is that just East or does that include Nationals too? That's just East. Wow. So including Nationals, it's like 150, 160. Because kind because I got the two games of the wild card series from that thing COE did a few years ago and then...
00:02:25
Speaker
I think nine Nationals games, including the two sideline gigs.
00:02:33
Speaker
That's a lot. Jeez, I would love to find someone in the league that would rival that 150. Oh, James. James Millan, easy, because he did three clubs for a while.
00:02:45
Speaker
Yeah. think James was 20. Last time we compared, James was like 20 clear of me, so. Really? yeah is Wow. it' Speaking of, I have to say a big thank you to James for filling in for me again last week while I was on international duties. ah He ah you know does a great job as always, always very well prepared. So thanks heaps for filling in. um But, yeah, remember to go and follow Waratah on VCR, on Instagram and on YouTube.
00:03:18
Speaker
um But, Lockie, you've come up clutch again tonight, mate. Tonight's episode is going to be slightly different from regular programming.
Preview of Finals Matchups
00:03:26
Speaker
Instead of covering discussion points and an East Coast game of the week, we're going to get right stuck into the finals matchups.
00:03:37
Speaker
Yes, we are, and it's... spicy it's gonna be it's ah like they these finals matches some of them have just fallen absolutely beautifully i know who writes this script because they need a pay rise legit ah The one thing I found interesting for both the men's and women's finals matchups in this, you know, qualifying elimination finals is that all teams, okay, so there's what, eight matchups all together.
00:04:08
Speaker
Only two of the eight matchups are between teams who have played each other twice in the regular season. Everyone else has only played once against each other. ah feel like something like that happened recently.
00:04:21
Speaker
Last year, is either with the men's or the women's, maybe not with both, but yeah, wow. Yeah, which, yeah, I always thought was really, really interesting. um But as you said, the match-ups itself are super interesting. Before we get stuck into it, we will just also say congratulations to the under-17 Sapphires, who won a bronze medal at the recent u seventeen Women's Basketball World Cup in Czechia.
00:04:50
Speaker
uh lots of coe members in that particular team olivia electowitz was named in the all second team and defensive player of the tournament my god can she take some physicality on the offensive end oh she is oh she i mean i'm not gonna say she's gonna be something special she is something special She thrives in that FIBA style of physicality. She's so strong, like just mentally tough, always finds a way to finish.
00:05:23
Speaker
Herself and Isabel Smith has also played for the COE at NBL One East, were, you know, part of the big three with Maddie Ryan. um Super impressive, super impressive from from that team.
00:05:34
Speaker
hundred And, a course can of course, congratulations to Tom Gallup, who's the NBL1 North men's coach, who was also coach of that team to get them to the bronze medal.
00:05:45
Speaker
Yes, 100%. Our first medal for the Sapphires in eight years.
00:05:52
Speaker
i should I think I saw. I think you're right, actually. i think you're right. I'm going to quickly have a quick look, but also, sorry, also have to extend the congratulations to Tracy Peacock, ah who I think is normally the Canberra Nationals manager, and she went over manager for the Sapphires.
00:06:14
Speaker
There we go. East connections all over the shop, including on the commentary team, Squin. Congratulations on yet another FIFA event, a World Cup.
00:06:25
Speaker
So congratulations. Yeah, thank you. I did the men's and the women's u seventeen basketball World Cups this year. I think it's my fourth or fifth year in a row.
00:06:37
Speaker
Look, mate, I don't know why they keep getting me back, but they do. Of course you do it. Well, I don't know, man. Every time I hear my voice on one of those replays, i cringe.
00:06:47
Speaker
ah But I've started to get some great feedback on the YouTube comments. I've got some fans now around the world. So if they like it and if FIBA like it, so be it.
00:06:58
Speaker
Exactly. Exactly. But you're right, the Sapphires haven't won a ah medal at the U17 since 2018, where they had a bronze in Belarus. And then 2016, that's when they won gold in Spain.
00:07:16
Speaker
My favourite team. Your favourite ever. yes um But, yeah, was there anything else from around the ground that we should give a shout-out to before we get stuck into this finals preview?
00:07:32
Speaker
I was just thinking about this. Has Jazz Shelley ever lost an NBL 1 regular season game? Because she's been undefeated the last two seasons.
00:07:44
Speaker
She played half a season in Ballarat before that, and I don't think she lost a regular season game there before they lost to Keylor in the semis. And before that, she was in college.
00:07:56
Speaker
Is she 50 something and O in NBL one regular season games?
00:08:03
Speaker
That is an excellent point again.
00:08:09
Speaker
ah i i mean, i would trust your brain with this stuff. I'm going to have a quick look now. I'm just thinking like. Yeah, 12 games. couldn't find her on the team sheet in a loss.
00:08:22
Speaker
Because she only played the back half of the season when she got back from college at Ballarat. Yeah. So, Jazz, if you're listening, or anyone who can confirm, has Jazz Shelley ever lost an NBL one regular season game in two and a half years?
00:08:42
Speaker
That's incredible.
00:08:46
Speaker
2024 season and she played 12 games. Okay, i I can't do this now, but we'll we'll definitely definitely look into that. Because I think you're onto something there for sure. Because, yeah, I originally wrote down the note she hasn't lost a game since 2024. And I was like, wait, did she lose a game in 2024?
00:09:07
Speaker
Probably not. Yeah, or at least in regular season. But, yeah. Yeah. All right, cool. So, yeah today's episode we're going to i guess, preview is the right way to say it, preview or talk about the upcoming finals matchups because we are now into the final finals phase of the season, starting off with the qualifying finals and the elimination finals. So, essentially, one plays four.
00:09:37
Speaker
The winner will go straight through, of one and four, goes straight through to the preliminary final. Five plays six. And then the winner, oh, sorry, five plays eight. The eight looks like a six. but Five plays eight. The winner of that matchup will go on to play the loser of 1v4.
00:09:57
Speaker
Similarly, on the other end of the table, we've got two versus three. The winner of that will go through to the preliminary final. And then the loser will play the winner of six versus seventh.
00:10:10
Speaker
And then the semifinals will be, you know, whoever, whoever, whoever, whoever. the One winner, one loser, one winner, one loser. And whoever wins those games will play the winners of these qualifying
Men's Matchup Previews
00:10:21
Speaker
finals.
00:10:21
Speaker
Yes. If that doesn't make sense, which understandably it may not, the way I rambled about it, ah there is a very good diagram on the NBL One East Instagram page that explains it beautifully.
00:10:36
Speaker
It is. It's a very good visual aid. And look, basically it's the same as the footy finals, whether you're NRL or AFL, it's the same as the footy finals. Yeah. Footy's good for something.
00:10:47
Speaker
but ah ah I like, I joke, I joke. there's There's lots of good things about the footy. ah But yeah, would you like to do the men's or women's matchups first? I reckon we'll, I mean, let's let's start with the men's matchups.
00:11:02
Speaker
While the bracket is up. Okay, so first matchup in the qualifying finals is between first and fourth, which is the Illawarra Men versus the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. According to my notes, they've only played once in this regular season, which was round 11, and Manly won.
00:11:25
Speaker
It did not write the score. It was eighty two seventy seven and it was only a few weeks ago. ago And it was a start of a kind of ah few weeks in the league where things started happening, you know.
00:11:40
Speaker
Manly defeated Illawarra, then Sutherland defeated Illawarra and Manly and Norse. And suddenly the top of the table doesn't look quite as clean as it did. And that Manly v Illawarra result was probably the one that jammed everything up to start with before Sutherland went on there.
00:11:57
Speaker
they's tear what do you Could you say that was the big catalyst for the change in the league, that one win? A little bit.
00:12:07
Speaker
it It just, yeah, it tightened everything up. It prevented Illawarra from, you know, streaking, they got first in the end anyway, but prevented them from streaking right ahead in the final stages of the season.
00:12:19
Speaker
In that particular game, Manly won three of the four quarters by one point, three points and six points. So that definitely, like, so they were able to get ahead essentially and kind of stay ahead, which was pretty impressive. Slavinsky had 23 points, nine rebounds at 40% overall from the field. And for the Hawks, you had Kone with 19 points, nine rebounds, five assists.
00:12:46
Speaker
Blanchfield had 24, 5, 3 and 2 steals. And Peatling had 17 points and 14 rebounds, which I think half of his rebounds were actually offensive rebounds, which I found interesting.
00:12:58
Speaker
Yeah, especially. No, you go. I say especially considering he's up against Emmanuel Shumunga and Shumunga has plenty of height. on peatling so very interesting that he picked up all those rebounds but mainly in that game had five players in double figures including jack giddens and jamie munro who are like good players but role players in that team also quinn as a lee and shimunga so um you know mainly got it done by committee against
00:13:32
Speaker
Illawarra really was the big three just stepping up. as Well, right three of the big four if you are, don't count Matt Mims there. Yeah, yeah, because what what did Mims have that game again? i don't i don't I don't think he had his most prolific game of the season compared to what we've seen.
00:13:54
Speaker
No, I mean, well, those three combined for 60 points and they only scored 77, so...
00:14:04
Speaker
Mims had 5.6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals. But, I mean, not his best shooting day, but he was on for the full 40 minutes, so he was obviously still contributing in other ways you can't see on the stat sheet.
00:14:16
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, he's always controlling the team and, you know, controlling the offense very well. I mean, as we've we've noted on multiple occasions throughout the season, his ability to control the offense and score is something that's really been unlocked with team.
00:14:31
Speaker
Losing Kobe McDowell-White, who's also having quite a successful season going undefeated in NBL 1 North. So um it's worked out for everybody. That Joel Carlow effect. but um Yeah, because, yeah, this was the ah this was a game too where Manly, as I mentioned, they won three of the four quarters. They won the third quarter 17 to 11. So being able to hold a team like Illawarra to 11 points in a quarter and a quarter is pretty outstanding. Illawarra bounced back and had 26 in the fourth, but obviously just wasn't enough to clinch the win.
00:15:08
Speaker
um Some of the stats that it stuck out for me three-point percentage was pretty low for both teams. a Manly only shot at 28% from the three and Hawks only shot at 20% from the three.
00:15:22
Speaker
And that's from the two best three-point shooting teams in the league. They both shoot over 35% as a team this season. So very interesting that, you know, it was a down day for both. And they're also, I mean...
00:15:36
Speaker
They're both pretty good at preventing oppositions from shooting the three, but not to not to that level, especially against a really really good three-point shooting teams that they are.
00:15:47
Speaker
um i When you've got players like you know Slizinski and Mims out there, you'd expect the shooting to be pretty high on just about every occasion. mean, Sweet Chilly Philly had...
00:16:01
Speaker
Next to the best three-point percentage was he had two from five and Todd Blanchfield had four from ten. thought They were both 40% apiece. um So when Sweet Chilly Philly is racking up some threes, that's got to be helpful at least to try and boost the rest of the team's confidence when youre having a not a very good shooting day.
00:16:22
Speaker
Yeah, but I mean, but the rest of the starting line-up, apart from Blanchfield, went two of 19 for the game, which are... Isn't too crash hot. i Fair play to them, though. 19 of 22 at the charity stripe. So... Squid will be happy with that one.
00:16:39
Speaker
Yes, I did write down that stat. 86.36%. Very healthy. But Manly also had 11 from 15. So I thought it was really interesting that Hawks had stats like they got to the foul line more often. They had 16 offensive rebounds to Manly's 10. But, yeah, really poor three-point shooting day and ah game over. And like you said, Manly winning by committee. So i would expect that Manly would have a very similar game plan coming into this, making sure that as many people contribute as possible.
00:17:15
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. And they're going to have, i like, you can't rely on Kone and Mims going two of 13 combined again. so they're going to have to be well and truly locked in on that. um yeah whether ah whether or not Mims is racking up assists. I mean, he's just coming off 10 threes in his last game. So he's definitely ah found his shooting form. So they're going to have to... ah definitely be all over him because I mean we talked about it James and I talked about it like he's just pulling up from 30 feet and draining them so yeah it doesn't it's and it's not a bailout shot either it actually changes how you can defend this all or a team if Matt Nunes is hitting threes so they're going to have to be really all over him um
00:18:04
Speaker
But, I mean, I i also think, I think Shimunga will be big in this game. ah They're in the middle against, you know, probably against Peatling, who he has the big height advantage, but Peatling's got all that NBL experience and he ripped down 14 rebounds and had 17 points in the last game.
00:18:24
Speaker
But... Yeah. It's... I've got to go into the snake pit as well, Manly. That's never easy, especially in finals. Yeah, totally. It's... um Yeah, and it's but the Snake Pit's interesting because it doesn't have a lot of room around the court.
00:18:45
Speaker
Like it feels like like the the grandstand is essentially built like on the court and built upwards. So when you're playing on the court, you can feel the crowd really kind of enveloping enveloping you into that space. so that's going to create a really fun atmosphere if you're a Hawks fan. Yeah.
00:19:04
Speaker
But yeah, feel like the the crowd is going to be on top of you if you're ah if you're a manly player. But some people really like that though. Some people thrive on that. And crowd on top of you, those people hanging over the ah the barrier at the bar will literally be almost on top of you.
00:19:22
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I imagine that would be the the best seat in the house. Yes. um But some of the matchups i'm I'm expecting Isaiah Lee, who's, you know, a very good defender, um probably one of the top defenders in the men's competition. He's going to be on Mims, I imagine. Yeah. um Do you think Slavinsky is going to be tasked with being that ultimate two-way player of having to take Blanchfield and, you know, be a primary scorer?
00:19:58
Speaker
it's not what i wrote It's not what I wrote down, but I really just like listed by position. He might have to be. um That could be a ding-dong battle.
00:20:10
Speaker
i I wouldn't be surprised to see. Yeah, now that you've said it, I do think it probably, it could be the way it goes. on Just find a way, just shut down Blanche. um And I...
00:20:26
Speaker
and like Yeah, you've talked me into it didn't take much, but you've talked me into it. Yeah, the more I keep thinking about it, I think that, yeah, Blanchfield and Slosinski could just be the battle, I think. It's also, I think Blanchfield's probably the best matchup against Slosinski for Illawarra as well, defensively.
00:20:44
Speaker
Just the two big athletic guys who can do it all, going toe-to-toe. um I don't think they'll... I don't think they'll neutralize each other. um They'll try, it you know, they might cancel out each other's impact a little bit, but I'm not gonna say it'll come down to it, but between that and the Mims versus Isaiah Lee battle, if either team can win both of those,
00:21:16
Speaker
enjoy your week off. We'll see you in the prelim. Yeah, and then great opportunity for the rest of the the other role players to just do the right things, get to the right spots, set the right screens, throw the right passes, making sure we box out all of those things that can sometimes, you know, there'll be so much, so many eyes and so much pressure on the big three of either of those teams that it's a great opportunity for the role players to come and fill in the gaps. That's what finals time is all about.
00:21:45
Speaker
Yeah. And your rotations get smaller. So your role players suddenly play a little bit more. Um, like, and these teams, they do have a lot of good role players. Like when you think of Judah Kami starts a bit, uh, or Ethan Moss, depending on how it works. I think last week for Illawarra against Sutherland, like two rounds ago, I think they basically split the 40. It was almost either Kami or Moss were on and very rarely both.
00:22:13
Speaker
Um, And then you got like guys like Giddens and Munro and Valkovich for Manly Warringah. You know, they these are teams that are built on having big names and then really good role players.
00:22:26
Speaker
I mean, you are yeah you already mentioned Filawara, Phil Dupuj. i he He had 18 minutes for eight points last time these teams played and Fletcher McDonald's in there for Filawara. He actually...
00:22:40
Speaker
He started with peatling out against Sutherland, so he's been a handy addition for them too. Very good. and just quickly before we move on, ah James O.D. Photography, as everyone knows, James in the East, is asking if Jacinta's coming back for East Grand Final on her home court. I didn't even think of that. That's... ah That's very tempting. It would be a really good vibe down there New York Stadium. Would you need team?
00:23:11
Speaker
Just come in and say, do you know who I am? Just walk in. I don't know, man. i was Do you know who my mum is? I mean, that's that's probably more likely going to get me in the door for free. I was at Crewe last round when they played Newcastle and Hamish and I were back on the mic together to commentate the Crusaders women and Newcastle women.
00:23:35
Speaker
And I got to the front door and it was two women that I've known my whole life. And I said, hey, I'm just back to commentate the game. They're like, oh, okay, I guess you don't have to pay. It's like...
00:23:48
Speaker
Well, I'm also the guest of a life member and it's life members around. So there's also that. Thank you. Goodbye. ah So, yeah, we'll see, James. That's a pretty cool idea. I might have to see if I can get maybe a cheap flight or something for the day. But, yeah, I didn't really think of it.
00:24:10
Speaker
But anyway, speaking of crew, should we roll on to the next matchup?
Analyzing COE vs. Central Coast Crusaders
00:24:15
Speaker
The fifth V8s game? yeah the first of the elimination yes yes the coe plays fifth crusaders place eighth oh my gosh crusaders placing eighth is uh history for the men's side it's the first time they've qualified for finals since it's been mbl1 east officially it was Very tense, them making it because they they were under the impression they had to beat Newcastle at home to make finals and then they lost.
00:24:50
Speaker
Elias Caddo was just outstanding. um And also whoever gave him a shout-out on the Waratah for VCR Instagram stories about which East players you get in the NBL, good shout-out.
00:25:04
Speaker
yeah um Caddo, big fan now. to spot So Crusaders were devastated after losing to Newcastle. They were like, oh, we're out, that's it, season's over.
00:25:14
Speaker
And then there were some other results in the round and then were like, you just got to go to Albury and – win by as many as possible and here they are history made they did it yeah crew won and well newcastle lost and everyone else well everyone else once crew won it only matter what newcastle did and they lost they almost got over maitland did the newcastle men it was scary few half palpitations i i have we'll get to the women's later but poor poor hornsby my goodness me Yeah, yeah, that's, yeah, we'll hold on to that because that's a bit a bit um dev devastating. Yeah, so this 5th vs 8, COE Crusaders. Again, they've only faced each other once this season in round six where the COE won 96-74. No, they played on June 13th well.
00:26:03
Speaker
no they? Did I miss that one? Yeah, and crew got up in that one, 98-83. How could I forget? did they did i mean that one so and so crew got up in that one ninety eight eighty three oh how could i forget
00:26:17
Speaker
Blasphemous. i sorry So that means then there's three of the eight matchups that were that actually have played twice. um But, yeah, so that's good. So they're one and one. um Given that you actually looked at the fixtures properly, was there much difference in the roster but of COE between the first outing and the second? Because I know that since the first outing there's a couple of people that may not be there now. Yeah, it's – It's interesting. ah um My first note is who's even turning up for the COE in this game? Because, well, it's not just... um Well, I mean, last time, like when I got a proper look at the COE against Sutherland, that was their work the week before World Cup. So they actually only turned up with with six.
00:27:06
Speaker
ah least for this game they had 10 but the first time they played they had dickerson they had pavoli i think those are the only two that were there that weren't in the second game yes correct yeah so yeah in that first game of dickerson had 11 points and four assists and pavoli probably only played 12 minutes which is uh which is interesting um
00:27:35
Speaker
that Yeah, so that was the only that was the only real difference. In that game, Luke Paul came off the bench and he started in the second game. J.K. Mack came off the bench in the second game. but Sorry, came off the bench in the first game, started in the second game. So there's a bit of change there.
00:27:53
Speaker
But yeah, it'll be interesting to see who's actually going to suit up for the COE in this game. If it's anything like... the roster for the second game still anything like the roster for the second game then you know there's still a still a red hot chance but uh who knows people seem to you know slowly but people are continuing to leave the league for college like bailey mcarthur's gone in a week or two from sutherland rebecca donnelly won't be here for the entire finals for north i'm pretty sure there's
00:28:31
Speaker
probably There's probably others that I just haven't heard about. So yeah, it'll be um very interesting to see because Clue, well, before their three-loss streak that took them from final surgeries to waiting until the final day, they were one of the form teams of the competition.
00:28:49
Speaker
Yeah, totally. And I guess as well the other difference for Crusaders from their first outing to the second outing against COE is that they had Garrick Young on the second outing.
00:29:01
Speaker
So he was still injured when they first played COE in round six. ah And the likes of Aaron Redhead stepped up and had 26 points and five rebounds, which included five from nine from the arc.
00:29:14
Speaker
But that game in round six, COE had 39 free throws throws.
00:29:25
Speaker
I can't recall a game that's had so many free throws. They were 32 from 39 from the line. So 32 of their 96 points was just from the free throw line. That's what, literally a third.
00:29:37
Speaker
That is. And it wasn't even a close game where you're failing to stop the clock late on and giving up like six free throws in the final minute to pad the start. Two of 19 from three-point land, but as you said, made up for it with 32 of 39 from the line. 28 fouls by crew. Yeah.
00:29:57
Speaker
Yeah. They still had, I think, 17 from 25 from three throws, but when COA is shooting at 82% from the free throw line, like, you do not foul that team.
00:30:08
Speaker
<unk>s Like you would rather Rith than making a layup and be like a chump at social comp and do the clapping or something behind them when you run after them. But either way, they're going to make it. Like that's tough. 39 free throws.
00:30:22
Speaker
Yeah. And in all that, big Aaron Redhead played 32 minutes without fouling. Get a camera in his team, pal, 28 times. For a guy like as respectfully as I can say, this is sometimes foul prone. Yeah.
00:30:37
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. um And so they had a third of their points from the free throw line and 56 out of 96 of their points were from inside the paint, which is 88 points, leaving only eight points to be made up elsewhere. Of mid-rangers. Or two yeah two threes and one mid-ranger. And a mid-range.
00:31:03
Speaker
Hey, at COE, it's all about threes and layups. We know that. And if the three threes aren't hitting... It's got to be all layoffs. Goodness me. That was some outstanding stats, but it must have been literally one three or it must have literally been two threes. for c wheat The COE 10.53% from the three, which is woeful.
00:31:24
Speaker
Yeah. But crew shot 41%. forty one percent Yeah. i'm sorry So that that's that's a plus. yeah um But, yeah, really turned it around when they it played again ah for the second time. Garrick Young was back. He had 30 points, seven rebounds, shooting at 53% overall. um Maker was in the mix. He had and like, doing a bit of everything. He shot at the floor.
00:31:56
Speaker
and ah tommy aka he had seventeen four four and four however He is now in a boot. He's in a boot.
00:32:08
Speaker
Yes. When I was for the game against Newcastle, he's in the boot, arguably having his best season. I think I've seen him play. Unfortunately, in a boot. That sucks. Yeah. We still Ryan Abbott in a boot this week as well for Sutherland, but sounds like it's more precautionary than anything. So hopefully he's back.
00:32:27
Speaker
He's back soon. If not for this game, Sutherland has still got the ah second chance, but yeah, Tommy in a boot. That's, ah It sucks for Tommy because he is playing he was playing really well, but it's going to be tough for Crew to make that up because, ah yeah, he's been putting up good numbers all season. what's he yeah He's averaging, yeah, 12 points per game.
00:32:49
Speaker
Yeah, shooting at a reasonable clip as well. And I believe Sypeya hasn't been on the roster for a few weeks now, so yeah I'm not expecting him to come back either.
00:33:02
Speaker
No. So guess it's going to be a as, yeah, as the team was in recent weeks. Yeah. So, however and for COE though, i think they'll have a similar roster. The difference being is that they're now also, ah ah had also won a bronze medal at a world championship. So they're going to be coming with that experience under their belt.
00:33:29
Speaker
Yeah. which is definitely going to give them an edge. ah Hamish, our boy Hamish, the voice of the Central Coast Crusaders, says that Crew is coming for the title, baby.
00:33:41
Speaker
Oh, no, we don't got play in news. We've just got absolute confidence in his team. Crew is coming for the title. All right. Coming for the title. He's been going for that home final.
00:33:53
Speaker
Wasn't Callum Jenkins' famous tip at at Central Coast? That was the... James and I were talking about last week. Wasn't it the first time a host team had ever won the men's Waratah Championship?
00:34:06
Speaker
Now, Lockie, I refer to that moment in sporting history as the tuck of God. It was literally... And not just because of his haircut. if That's what adds to it because he has the Jesus beard, the Jesus statue, the Jesus haircut.
00:34:23
Speaker
He swans in on the buzzer and tips it in to win or at home and it just, the the roof blew off the place. i immediately started crying like unconsciously. The tears just started to flow.
00:34:38
Speaker
It was incredible. And I think it maybe was the first time a whole a home team came won the grand final. This was pre-NBL one, of course.
00:34:48
Speaker
They beat Manly. Manly were up in arms about it. They were still talking about it for months after. People were trying to put up the footage and say it shouldn't have counted. it was great.
00:35:00
Speaker
How good. How good. It was great. I remember exactly where I was. yes i was standing in the bar above the stadium looking directly from the opposite baseline at it happened.
00:35:13
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, it no, it happened at the... No, sorry, looking down. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. was at the bar looking down at it happened. Yeah. I remember exactly where I was standing as well for that moment. Incredible.
00:35:26
Speaker
ah But, yeah, so I think from the two, this crew and COE, one and one with each against each other, very high scoring quarter as well in the second time they played against each other when the Crusaders won 31 to 26 in quarter one. Third quarter was thirty two twenty two So I imagine it's going to be a very fast-paced game because crew love to play fast.
00:35:52
Speaker
Crew do play fast, yeah. They love to play fast. The career brand of basketball men and women is kind of stops and runs, stops and run. ah They had five players in double figures.
00:36:04
Speaker
um They cat managed to keep Luke Paul to three points in that particular game, but a Jack Nguyen had 24 and nine. Hamilton had 18 and six.
00:36:16
Speaker
And Antonio Brown had three, five and five and three. I think I'm expecting a bigger game, obviously from Luke Paul, all-star five from the U17s. But also Antonio Brown, like i think i think everyone, understandably people like to talk about Luke Paul, comparing to Josh Giddey.
00:36:36
Speaker
I see it. He's got great court vision for a 16-year-old. But Antonio Brown needs to get his flowers too. 100%. hundred percent um Back to the pacing just for a second.
00:36:47
Speaker
It's going to be massive for COE to make their shots because they play with some of the slowest pace in the league. Crew are number one and COE are at 14th.
00:37:00
Speaker
So if you want to slow crew down, you're going to have to put the ball in the basket. That is very interesting and very surprising. That COE, the youngest and the freshest of the legs, should be the quickest. Well, not really. But you would expect them to be a lot quicker than that, especially that COE style of play where it's either all layups or all threes.
00:37:25
Speaker
Yeah, 14th air forty eight surera but pace according to our official stats we get from the league each week. Yeah, 80.1 possessions per game. Crew, 86. So that's ah that's a significant difference.
00:37:44
Speaker
Yeah, that really is. um So hopefully each coach will listen to this and pick up on that and do what you will. ah Also, Crew committed 22 turnovers in that first outing.
00:38:00
Speaker
And in the second game, they only committed 15, which is much better. but And they forced COE to commit 28.
00:38:09
Speaker
So Antonio Brown, as much as I was seeing in his praises, he had nine of the 28 turnovers. It was almost, ah um not complete reversal, but 31 free throw attempts to 12 in the second game. So Cruz certainly turned things around there.
00:38:26
Speaker
Yeah, and maybe that's reflective of that pace too. Yeah. So, but, however, crew have to travel. How much do you think COE at the AIS Arena or the AIS Training Hall um is going to be a factor for this game or do you think it's not really a and a thing?
00:38:47
Speaker
i don't know. Like, it's... It's one of those scenes where I think it's almost the inverse of the snake pit. we We were just talking about the snake pit's going to be rowdy as hell.
00:38:59
Speaker
The AIS is not. does that Is that going to make it harder to get up for the game in general because there's just not as much energy? And I mean, I know players are always like, oh, you know, every game's a game. doesn't matter where I play. I'm going to get up for But unconsciously.
00:39:16
Speaker
Yeah. yeah it's an and It can be an unconscious thing. where there's just no energy in the building or not as much energy in the building. And obviously the AIS training hall, they're not going to get as many people there. But it could go one of two ways.
00:39:30
Speaker
There's no one cheering the COE or not as many people cheering the COE on. So Central Coast come in there and, you know, don't feel any kind of, you know, anyone's against them kind of thing, or there's no energy in the building and it's harder to get up to the game.
00:39:44
Speaker
So... how well Central Coast can create their own energy might be a big part of it.
00:39:53
Speaker
But it's also Central Coast's first trip to the finals in however long in either league. So they've got plenty to be up for. There's going to be guys you know guys like Redhead, like Cassidy, who going to be drilling into these newer guys like, we're doing this for the Coast kind of thing.
00:40:16
Speaker
And I'm pretty sure a crew are organising a bus, a supporters bus. How good. Yeah. So I think crew are going to be. yeah Get the old pull-out bleachers out down at the training hall for the ah the crew fans. Yep.
00:40:29
Speaker
Yep. So and they're rowdy. They are rowdy. So I think crew are going to be taking at least one supporters bus. I mean, it would be cool cool if the other COE AIS athletes could turn up for this game as well and make a bit of an atmosphere, unless some of the other Canberra fans, like from the Gunners or Nationals, will go and watch too, um if there's no clash in the draw. Yeah, it's 4pm at COE and then Gunners are 7.30 at Tuggies.
00:40:58
Speaker
Perfect. Plenty of time to watch both games and go to Kingsley's Chicken on the way to Tuckrub. Perfect. Although you're the Canberra local of sorts, though.
00:41:11
Speaker
Of sorts, yeah. It's been a while. um All right. And obviously we're not we're not really... tipping each team either. We're just going through. not we we we can't do that. No.
00:41:22
Speaker
i Also, once eat one thing I think worth mentioning is the form of Garrick Young just overall. I mean, you mentioned he's 30 points in the most in the most recent matchup, but he also won Player of the Week this week. So he is...
00:41:33
Speaker
on an absolute tear and he and uh maker have both been really consistent throughout the season they're at their scoring averages whether it crew win or lose are very similar so um no matter what the occasion no matter what the game no matter what the opponent you can expect both of them to turn up yeah uh let's try and keep them as well for next season crew if we can have a team next season the end ah Because there is the the crew in financial trouble.
00:42:08
Speaker
Oh, yeah. They're 150 K in the hole. Yikes. And they have till august to August get it back. Yeah. And what I'm saying is public knowledge. So i'm not kind of okay but speaking ill. Yeah.
00:42:25
Speaker
It's out there. Yeah. So they got a lot to play for. They got a lot to play for. Yeah. um Now, the next elimination final, when we spoke earlier about whoever wrote the script of NBL 1 East Season 4 needs a pay rise, Canberra Gunners, Maitland Mustangs, elimination
Elimination Finals Preview: Gunners vs. Mustangs
00:42:47
Speaker
final. Yeah, elimination final. Wow. Good Lord.
00:42:51
Speaker
Like not even a qualifier, not even someone gets a second chance, whatever. Elimination, the end. Yep, the end. Jesus Christ. ah Well, what I don't. It's a game where I really, I just want to watch it and be totally invested, but it's also a game I don't want to watch because I'll be too nervous.
00:43:13
Speaker
Okay, that is fair. That is fair. Because like when my mum used to watch Rafa in the tennis, she would watch him and feel like then he was playing badly because she was watching. So then she wouldn't watch and just watch the replay the next day and then he'd won.
00:43:27
Speaker
he Chris from Sutherland dot doesn't watch doesn't watch the men's games.
00:43:35
Speaker
jerry Actually, jury he was he was part of the crew for the Sutherland-Norths game, and he said, during the last draw, I went out into the other room and let Scott deal with everything. Yeah, he's like, bye, I can't. Yeah, and when it's away games, he'll drive down with Marilyn, because she's team manager, his wife, and then he'll go to Macca's or go to the pub and work on something during the game and then come back.
00:43:57
Speaker
He can't do it. Love that. Love that. But, yeah, Canberra, Maitland, elimination. The rivalry continues. They have only played each other once this season and it was round three.
00:44:13
Speaker
it was a year ago in round three and when the Gunners won on the buzzer with that three-point shot in the corner from James Toohey. It's like write a better script.
00:44:25
Speaker
Oh, you couldn't.
00:44:29
Speaker
So in that in that outing in round three, Gunners, you know, each team had full roster. The Gunners closed out the fourth quarter, winning at 13 and 21, which we know the Gunners are generally pretty good at closing out games.
00:44:44
Speaker
Mayfield only had 20% from the field. ah Parsons had 21 7. Sherry had 19 and 19. Mayfield still had 22 points and 9 rebounds despite the 20% from the field.
00:45:00
Speaker
Hoskins Jr. and Morrison, though, were very quiet. Gunners only had 5 assists for the game. 5 assists. Maitland had 14 assists.
00:45:12
Speaker
maitly had fourteen assists However, Maitland shot 4.73% from the three-point line. One of 21.
00:45:26
Speaker
one One of 20-something or two of 40-something. I hope it was one of 20-something and not two of 40-something. Yeah, I think the deal your instinct of the former is more accurate. Oh, yeah, here we go.
00:45:39
Speaker
Yeah, wow. Gunner's only shot 12%. Yeah, wow. I remember it was not a good shooting night for either team. And I mean, you as you'd probably expect from a game that finished 75-73 between these two teams, it's, a you know, from teams that put up pretty gaudy offensive. For the teams, you know, they both have ah pretty good offensive ratings and played at a reasonable pace. So, yeah.
00:46:11
Speaker
Yeah. not not pretty our favorite photographer from maitland jacob has said in the youth instagram live we don't talk about that game sorry but someone's got to sorry mate sorry buddy but yeah we got to revisit it yeah so yeah gunners 12 percent from three-point line gunners had 16 second chance points and 18 points from the bench and that was a bit of an edge as well over maitland but
00:46:43
Speaker
Wow. There's some making up to do and some rivalries to keep ah fueling. Again, this is this is our heated rivalry of NPL 1A.
00:46:55
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, i don't see either team shooting the three ball that badly. i You know, i don't see Cranston, Leon and Rain Smith combining here 0 of 13.
00:47:07
Speaker
I don't see Darnell Huston playing 10 minutes for four points. Yeah.
00:47:15
Speaker
Cam Pender had eight points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes, but a lot's changed since then because ah the Brindabella beacon is currently has a ah scaffold on him.
00:47:26
Speaker
a Well, the last time I saw him, he was on crutches. I haven't seen, haven't been able to point him, scope him out since, but...
00:47:38
Speaker
Yeah, but he didn't play he didn't play last week. And in that game, he had he was 4-12 from the field, but he still had 10 points and nine rebounds. And just his presence in general is is literally and figuratively massive.
00:47:53
Speaker
Especially going up against something someone like Myles Cherry, who was just like textbook center. um Yeah, I mean, that's your old school center love to watch it matchup in this league.
00:48:08
Speaker
I still remember there was one season, maybe it was the 2023 season, where he had shot maybe, i think, I think 98, sorry, I think about 98% of his shots were from inside the paint all season.
00:48:26
Speaker
I think he shot two shots the whole season. but was truly about like 60-something percent or whatever as well. Yeah. The guy knows what he's good at and he and he's very good at it and he sticks to it. And but like, I love that. Like no notes.
00:48:43
Speaker
No. Why not? That's ah as easy it needs to be. ah So yeah, this game, man, it's going to be, it's going to be a hell of a game. I think it's probably of the four games in the men's competition,
00:49:01
Speaker
I think that was if I had to only choose one game to watch of the four, it would be that one. Purely because what's riding on it, the history and the context of how each team really didn't perform their best in lots of ways in the last time that they played and the last time they played was like months ago.
00:49:22
Speaker
yeah A long time ago and a lot has changed since then. i think that would be the one. Yeah, 100%. Tuggies is going to be pumpy. for that game.
00:49:34
Speaker
Yeah. Um, but yeah, what have you got some more notes about this matchup? I mean, speaking of Glenn, the Gunners went seven and three without him and five and five without, which are, which I did find interesting. I just, I don't think this, like it was a very close game. I think it's going to be very close game again. These teams are just so, I mean, like they play almost identical pace.
00:50:00
Speaker
Um, One team, you know, Maitland are slightly more up there on the offensive side, but Canberra are more up there on the um defensive side. Yeah,
00:50:16
Speaker
yeah I mean, i hit but they're like, you know, they they're like two people who were who dislike each other because they're so similar and they don't realise it.
00:50:29
Speaker
Yeah, it's like you're either going to best friends or worst enemies. Yeah. Yeah. yes Yeah, so that's going to be... it's gonna be yeah Yeah, and they just some of these shooters that the team both teams know they have just need to come out and start hitting some shots because I don't think either team's really shot the three ball as well as they probably would have expected to, to be hovering just above 30% for the season as a team, both of them.
00:50:56
Speaker
Some of the players you've got out there, you should be... Like, there are players out there who should be carrying your team to better three-point percentages for games regardless how everyone else is doing almost. Yeah.
00:51:06
Speaker
and kind And in the meantime, Maitland have added Matt Gray. oh yes. ah Yeah. And it'll be interesting to see Canberra, how Canberra are going to play around with matchups and combinations if Morrison is still out, because even in the last game that we previewed where they lost, well, sorry, we reviewed and the Gunners lost and there was just some interesting combos where, you know,
00:51:35
Speaker
Teddy was doing really well, but other people were then getting the court time in the clutch and they were kind of like ended up being exploited a little bit more. Yeah. um So i think I think it's going to be some pretty different combinations coming from the gunners to help compensate for no Morrison.
00:51:56
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, as I said, probably going to bring it up ah more than a couple of times is your rotations get smaller in finals and it might actually be the best thing for Canberra if they're not playing around with rotations so much. If, you know, they just like probably the same for a lot of teams, just lock in and just say, these are our eight, maybe a nine if we get into foul trouble.
00:52:17
Speaker
But who's going to be matching up? So match-ups in terms of who's going to be guarding, say, your Will Mayfield from Maitland? Is it Billy Parsons? Is it Matt Gray? Is it Milburn? Like who normally would match up on a Mayfield from this Maitland team?
00:52:35
Speaker
I think in this, like this Canberra team, I think Billy's probably a position bigger. Hey, Ben Matthews did the job on Todd Blanchfield.
00:52:47
Speaker
He did. I'm mostly asking because put Mayfield in the post.
00:52:55
Speaker
if If someone like lends out, um oh, yeah, so Jacob said, Ben, the floor general, Matthews, will match up on Mayfield. Put Mayfield in the post.
00:53:08
Speaker
it doesn't You don't have to be a Glenn Morris and a Miles Cherry to play post. Yes, they're ideal and they're great. Anyone, though, can post up. if you If someone like a Mayfield has got someone that he has advantage over, you know, size, put him in the post.
00:53:26
Speaker
Go to work. There we go. It's my hot take. He's a trader. He knows how to work. ah Exactly. He's got the tools ready.
00:53:38
Speaker
um So yeah, that one's going to be amazing. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes to overtime.
00:53:48
Speaker
It's a big call. Yeah, you after what James did in Hornsby a few weeks ago, I've scarred for life over people calling overtime before a game. Oh, yeah, maybe not. Maybe that's way too early. Way too early. I'm very conscious of doing it too early.
00:54:05
Speaker
um But any more notes on Canberra, Maitland, before we talk about the last matchup? No, I think that's just about covered it. As you said, it's going to be... It's the game of the week just above the one that we're about to... um that we're about to preview for the reason you said, especially the fact it's an elimination final.
00:54:30
Speaker
Just put so these two teams, and they would be absolutely hating the fact they're even in a position to go home after week one of the finals. Yep. There's just so much more story and narrative and history with these two teams in this still young league that you cannot ignore that they are in an elimination final together. Like, amazing. um But, yeah, so the last...
Qualifying Finals Analysis: Bears vs. Sharks
00:54:59
Speaker
Of the four finals this weekend in the men's competition is another qualifying final. Second place, North's Bears and third place, Sutherland Sharks. Haven't they just swam to the top in the back end of the season?
00:55:12
Speaker
Nine wins on the trot. Wow. Are they going to it ten? Well, they beat North on the weekend. Yeah, so this is really interesting. They're also only... North and Sutherland have only played each other once this season, right? And it was literally last week.
00:55:31
Speaker
No. Did they not play each other earlier? North Sutherland? Yeah, North beat us. North beat us way early, really early in the season. I think maybe the same week as this Canberra-Maitland game.
00:55:44
Speaker
Well, that's that's funny. And yeah, before before we had Tyler Robertson, I think Spurgeon was just back. Sean was back, but, yeah, not a full roster for, not sure i even Norse. Did Norse have everyone? yeah and They might have just had Chris Levic. I'm not sure. Sorry, that you did they did play ah each other in round 13.
00:56:07
Speaker
thirteen so my whole theory of, like, everyone's only played each other once is now at only 50%. So it's the opposite of last year where there were lots. Yeah. Yes. so yes, they did play each other in round three and North won at home 83 to 73. Sutherland won the first quarter, though, 14 to 22, and then North stormed back in the third, winning 29 to 17.
00:56:34
Speaker
North had Iggy Mitchell, Matty Waiter, Lockie Boffinger, Bailey Hanson, um Weinstein, Chris Levich, and all the regular players.
00:56:48
Speaker
And Sutherland had Cabrera, Hutchinson, Abbott, Spurgeon, MacArthur, and all the other regulars, all your classic hits. So, no, yeah, just everyone except Tyler Robertson basically at that stage.
00:57:03
Speaker
Yeah. Spurgeon had 21 and 18 in this game in round three. Iggy Mitchell had 20 and 6. Boffinger had 28-9-2, and Bailey Hansen 15-12-4.
00:57:20
Speaker
That kid, amazing. yeah um So, yeah, so then it kind of turns around a little bit to when they played last week, right, which was a slight, both teams had different rosters, and Sharky's won by one.
00:57:33
Speaker
They did. It was the story of Norse can't hit a three versus Sutherland. Please stop turning the ball over. Oh, my word. 19 turnovers from the Sharks?
00:57:45
Speaker
Yeah. What's going on there? That's unlike them. Yeah, but North couldn't hit a three to save themselves. um They were one of 23 from three-point range at some stage, I think was the number. They finished seven of 37. And Sullivan were one of 16, which is highly unusual when you've got ah Harrison Rainer on the lineup. That is one thing also that has – I mean, he only had two points in that game, too.
00:58:11
Speaker
ah against Norse, but he he played like five minutes in that first matchup and now he is starting alongside Lachlan Hutchison. It took Sutherland a few weeks to get the whole Hutchison-Rainer in the starting lineup dynamic working, but now it And Rainer's shooting 50% from three-point land for the season.
00:58:31
Speaker
He is... Very nice. Look, I said it last week. I'll say it again. He might be my favorite player on that Sutherland men's roster, Harrison-Rainer. That's a big call from you, 150.
00:58:43
Speaker
yeah
00:58:46
Speaker
That's a big call. I like that. I like that a lot. I just not i love the way he plays. But, um yeah, salt it I mean, it looks – I mean, the defences were both very good last week.
00:59:01
Speaker
I will say that. But also – the shooting from Norwich. Neither team is going to be able to rely on the same thing to happen again that happened in this game if they are, if they want to come away with the win. There's no way Sutherland could come out, you know. They can be like, okay, we got the win in spite of getting 19 turnovers because, you know, the opposition shot absolutely terribly.
00:59:32
Speaker
And also Norwich aren't going to be able to, you know,
00:59:37
Speaker
ah rely on Sutherland coughing the ball up for fun again. So I think we'll see, we'll probably see a higher scoring matchup. um I think it'll be it'll be close again.
00:59:52
Speaker
Sutherland 11 and 1 since Tyler Robertson a lot arrived. Robbo, turn it up. Yeah. Big fan.
01:00:03
Speaker
Yeah, and he was 10 of 11 the line. the other night as well, and had the assist for the game winner. Nice. Love that. It was a beautiful play as well.
01:00:14
Speaker
um But what I find interesting about this matchup is Chris Levit and Spurgeon, the two big men. You've got two big men who both love to step out and shoot the three. Mm-hmm.
01:00:30
Speaker
Chris Levitt shoots more threes than anyone on the Norse roster. And Spurgeon is, apart from Robertson, who shoots like nine, he's around there with Hutchison and Rainer shooting around three and a half, four a game as well. So very interesting to see these big men sort of go at each other, but not quite because they're, you know, always stepping out to, or not always stepping out, but kind of regularly stepping out and making themselves an option on the perimeter.
01:00:58
Speaker
That's kind of cool then for Norse, if they can have, Krzysztof and Gudryk on at the same time, switching between who's playing four, who's playing five, and then if Krzysztof keeps stretching to the four,
01:01:11
Speaker
That might, you know, if he hits a couple, that's going to draw out the defense, maybe free up Goodrick a little bit or having the defense to decide, you know, do we go and help on Goodrick? Do we go and down and help out?
01:01:24
Speaker
Or do we go out and get Chris Leavitt? That could be really fun kind of dynamic to play with, with those two on the court at the same time. Yeah, and he was, yeah, he was three of six from three-point range on the weekend. So, and don't know what Spurgeon's, what's,
01:01:42
Speaker
Spurgeon was, he was 0 of 3 in three-point range, but 3 of 4 from closer to the basket. I mean, as we said, Sutherland shot 1 of 16 as a team, so it wasn't exactly Spurgeon's fault by himself that they didn't shoot the three-ball well.
01:02:00
Speaker
They were 20 from 24, though, from the free throw line, and Tyler Robertson had 11 of those 24 attempts. So i was going to ask how much. I do notice that four primary players for Norse men last round were in foul trouble, in Mitchell, Swakala Bullock, Boffinger, and Goodrick.
01:02:24
Speaker
Did that have much of an impact on the game or the way that Norse could go about the business? Yeah, it did a little bit. um Late on, Iggy picked up his... Oh, not late on, but in the early he was early in the fourth. Iggy picked up his fourth.
01:02:40
Speaker
They sent Boffinger back out with three. And then Boffinger got his fourth not long after. but then they sort of had to pick... Well, do we turn down Iggy with four or Lockie with four? And they they chose Iggy.
01:02:52
Speaker
um And, yeah, so it did have a little bit of an impact. Yeah. the guy The guys on three fouls, it wasn't too much too much of an issue, but it definitely had an impact, especially on Lockie's playing time. um and you got play He only played around 20 minutes in the end. So it did have a little bit of an impact. on i mean, it always does.
01:03:12
Speaker
um I don't think it wasn't a um yeah a game changer or anything like that. I mean, especially the fact you've got you know Hunter Goodrick there on the bench who...
01:03:25
Speaker
well, easily played, is basically like having a six starter anyway there. And Bailey Hanson, I mean, he was playing 25 minutes earlier in the season. He played 12. So, you know, Bailey, and and even at his age, is already ah a reliable option if things things go a bit pear-shaped for them.
01:03:45
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. you've got You've got a team where a guy like Robbie Moore is playing four minutes. that's So you know they've got depth. Yeah, they definitely have depth.
01:03:59
Speaker
they've Yeah, they've always essentially had depth. um And I noticed Indiana Faithful was coaching the Norsemen while Tom was away. i had no idea that he was.
01:04:11
Speaker
in the coaching In the coaching world. Yeah. So he's he and former Sutherland Shark slash Sutherland Sharks junior coach, Jaden Gibson, are the two assistants. And Jaden likes to tell me that Indy was away for their game against Canberra. So Jaden is 1-0 as an NBL1 head coach. So congratulations, Jaden, on your head coaching debut and win the other week against Canberra.
01:04:35
Speaker
Love that. Good for him. not Not a bad basketball mind to have a step in when your coach is away winning a bronze medal. Yeah, oh a World Cup bronze medal.
01:04:50
Speaker
But, yeah, this I mean, i I understand as well on paper this is going to be another really great game of the four because you've got so – this is probably the game that has the most NBL talent of all of the match-ups.
01:05:05
Speaker
um in terms of current experience or previous experience. I mean, even looking at the Sharks roster, obviously you've got Hutchinson, Robertson, Spurgeon,
01:05:19
Speaker
um James Hunter, Lucas Walker. And Luke Jameson. Tom Gleeson popping up and ah doing a set. That's interesting. um not not Nothing sauce about that.
01:05:33
Speaker
Nothing's us about that. He actually, um against, sorry, can we get back to Tommy just for a second? Because he actually made his NBL one debut against Penrith the previous night and got his first points, splashed the three for his first points as well. So shout out to Tommy Gleason.
01:05:48
Speaker
hes He actually, he won an award last year um for the senior program, even though he did, did even though he didn't, so Even though he didn't actually get on court because Sean Rogers said he was just a sponge. He was so like, he just, do you need extra players to train?
01:06:07
Speaker
You know, do you need someone to travel with the team? What can I do to, you know, be more involved to get a spot on this roster? He was just like, anything I got to do to get in this NBL one roster, I will do. So he actually got an award last year before even touching the court.
01:06:20
Speaker
And this year he finally got to make his debut. Because i hear but he has suited up a few times. That's a great, that's awesome. Great attitude to have. And then obviously the NBL talent for Norths, you've got Iggy Mitchell, Wani Swakala-Bulik, Chris Levic, Goodrick. I mean, Bailey Hanson will play NBL one day. Yeah.
01:06:45
Speaker
Boffinger, I mean, he's... He can't be far away, Kenny. He can't be far away. He's definitely of calibre. So on paper... And in terms of that, obviously this is a really, really good matchup. But compared to the matchup between Gunners and Maitland in terms of history, what's at stake, likes for likes, still a great matchup. But each team will have, you know, the the loser of this North Sutherland matchup will have a second bite at the cherry and the other going straight through. So another great game.
01:07:19
Speaker
But I'm happy to watch that one on replay. Maitland only got one bite at the cherry. but o Woo-hoo! Episode title.
01:07:30
Speaker
All right. Any more notes on the Norsemen, Sutherland Sharksmen match ah a qualifying final before we move on to the women? um No, not on the match, but it's going to be an electric night because Norse have got home games of both. So if you can get down to it, I would highly suggest doing so.
01:07:48
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, we get so spoiled that we get to watch such high-caliber basketball literally in our backyard. NBL talent, WNBL talent, ah players who have had experience playing for Australia. And you can just go down and get yourself a bucket of chippies and some nuggets and enjoy enjoy the show. 100%.
01:08:09
Speaker
What's not to like? All right.
Women's Qualifying Finals: Norse Bears vs. COE
01:08:13
Speaker
moving on to the women's competition, exact same format. ah We have in first place with win-loss record of 22-0
01:08:27
Speaker
is the Norse Bears, obviously placed in first position, and they're going to play the COE who placed fourth. So probably two teams where we're kind of oh ah bit disappointed that they're playing each other early, but it is a qualifying final. So the loser will obviously have the second chance.
01:08:45
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Now, i have I have written down that they've only played each other once in round eight, so I'm hoping that's correct.
01:08:56
Speaker
That is 100% correct. Cool. And the result from that round eight game was surprising. Not surprising that Norse won, but by the margin. They won 92 to 66.
01:09:08
Speaker
Yeah, that was that was surprising. Yeah. i I mean, I know Norse have been smacking a lot of teams around, but, like, that's That's a fellow top four team. So,
01:09:21
Speaker
Yeah. um So that was surprising. ah the first The first quarter of that game, though, Norse came out and blitzed at 25 to 9.
01:09:32
Speaker
And essentially, COE had a tough time, understandably, trying to and i'll get that deficit back. think in the second quarter, they did come back and win 18 to 28. So they certainly started to kick into gear early, but just wasn't enough.
01:09:48
Speaker
No, Norse just, yeah, barely took them apart after halftime with a 49-29 second half. That's our it's pretty dominant. Yeah.
01:10:00
Speaker
This is a game where Jazz Shelley had 32 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, shooting at 50% overall from the field, including 6 from 12 threes and 100% from the free throw line.
01:10:14
Speaker
oh um Hell of a game against someone like COE. Caitlin Martin had 16, 2 and 4. Emma Donnelly had 11, 6 and 2. And Brugler had 14 and 13. And she shot at 46% overall. But the shooting percentage overall for Norse was pretty good.
01:10:34
Speaker
um 46% overall, but you had the likes of Shelley shooting at 50%, Peggy Shell shot at 80%, Caitlin Martin had 16 points at 50%, Donnelly had 11 points at 50%, so pretty impressive.
01:10:51
Speaker
Oh yeah. And what I found most interesting about this game was the incredibly low free throw count. Yeah, you're right. 11 for North, and they 11 from 11.
01:11:04
Speaker
And COE only got to the line seven times. Yeah. I mean, COE don't get to the – COE averaged this season only 13 free throws per game, but still sevens, you know, even half of that. And North, they average more makes than 11 per game. They average 17.3 free throw attempts per game. So, yeah, both teams are – I imagine like these teams, well, we just watched Olivia Oleknovic win defensive player of the tournament, and you've got players like Izzy Morgan out there playing defensive.
01:11:40
Speaker
These are players that play really good defense without fouling. So I guess it,
01:11:48
Speaker
if anything, i would have expected the offensive firepower to be drawing more fouls than the defenses straight up just committing, you know, playing bad defence. I just thought, that you know, between these two teams, the offences would, you know, find their way to the free throw line more, but it didn't transpire that way.
01:12:07
Speaker
um that Yeah, I totally agree. That's what I would have expected as well is that, yeah, that that both teams have ah still got great scorers, can play with physicality and would still get to the rack.
01:12:22
Speaker
But I think the defence, it just looks statistically, was just better. Yeah. Yeah, 100%. And also, no Norse, I mean, Norse did attempt, oh and why not, 15 of 33 from three-point range. So had no troubles knocking them down from deep. So, i i mean, you're not going to draw many fouls, but they're still getting plenty of scoring done there. You know, 6 of 12 for Shelley, 4 of 8 for Martin, and it's only 3 of 4. So, yeah,
01:12:53
Speaker
yeah interesting. Yeah. o I think the other thing that stuck out for me, though, we were just talking about expecting COE to get to the free throw line more but perhaps just better defense. They still had 44 of their 66 points were still from the paint. So they were still getting to the rack really well. The likes of Isabel Smith had 22 and 5.
01:13:19
Speaker
Aleknewicz had... 13-3, 2-3. Everyone else. Antisevic. I already said that wrong. She had 12-7. Antisevic had 12-7, I should say.
01:13:35
Speaker
Zara Russell had a quiet game, but she's going to college now, so she won't be around for the next one. Yeah. And. Yeah. There was no Jemima Maniok for COE in this game.
01:13:47
Speaker
i Yeah, I expect her to be back. That'll That'll be our. I'll be a bit of a game changer. um Yeah, definitely. Just the height. I mean, she she is still a bit raw, but she is the height alone just, you know, um makes make such a massive difference, especially right in this COE team. though These COE teams are usually pretty big, like, position for position, but that's just outright size.
01:14:16
Speaker
Oh, yeah, totally. So she'll she'll be back. And a lot of this roster that will be back also will have that World Cup experience under their belt. And I imagine that now facing the same Norths team for a second time after...
01:14:31
Speaker
the teams that they got to face at the World Cup, they will be feeling a lot more confident with what they can do in terms of ah managing North's very tough defence, very mature type defence. I think COE are going to be way more confident because they had to play Spain in the semi-final and Spain had them locked down yeah in that semi-final. mean, what they scored, 51 in that semi-final?
01:14:58
Speaker
Yeah, it was a pretty low scoring semi-final. I think it was probably the worst shooting performance of the Sapphires of the tournament. But Spain's defence was just so good. so But I imagine that that you know now that those COE players coming back have faced that, it's going to be very um relative and transferable to this game against Norse.
01:15:26
Speaker
And hey, there's a lot to be said for going in somewhere and having done something before, which is exactly what a lot of players on this COE team did in the preliminary final last year, beat North.
01:15:38
Speaker
That is correct. That is correct. Of this roster that we'll see on the weekend, how many, though, of this roster were there for that game last season? ah Crace, Aleknovic, Smith, Maniok were all there.
01:15:56
Speaker
Russell, but now she's gone. So that's that's the point maybe not may not be the quantity, but the players that are there that did it because Aleknewicz and Smith and Kreis were big parts last year and they're going be big parts this year. yeah Yeah.
01:16:12
Speaker
Yeah. So that is ah yeah, that's that's going to be exciting. um So yeah, that would be a good match up. I think that's pretty much all the notes I have on that one. Have you got anything else to add before we move on?
01:16:25
Speaker
I think we can ah just about move on. Interesting, I just, because I'm loving pace at the moment, because I think it speaks to team styles, is both these teams amongst the slowest pace in the league, 13th and 14th.
01:16:43
Speaker
Really? power According to the stats we've ah been given by the ah Scout Builder, yeah. Oh, actually, no, that makes sense. I mean...
01:16:54
Speaker
Because i know I feel that Norse women in particular, and I'll mostly comment on them because I have watched more of their games than CLP. Sorry.
Elimination Finals: Bandits vs. Spiders
01:17:06
Speaker
that they do They will push when they can, but they still play with pace in the half in terms of two feet in the paint, like drive, dish, kick, their ball movement. That is still played with pace, but that's not how pace is measured in those stats.
01:17:24
Speaker
So that that makes sense. That makes sense. Yeah. They move the ball quickly, but they'll take their time finding a shot kind of thing. Yeah. Yeah. It's not just playing with pace in terms of stops and run, stops and run, make and layups all the time. which are Which they did to Sutherland last week. and it was It was unfortunately very pretty to watch.
01:17:49
Speaker
um yeah Very interesting. Very interesting that those about that. ah But, yeah, the next matchup, the first elimination final is between fifth place Aubrey Wodonga Bandits and eighth place Hornsby Keringi Spiders.
01:18:07
Speaker
So i did I do remember on the record saying that I thought Spiders were going to be edged out. But here they are. So that's great that they made it in eighth because, gee whiz, between Hills, Hornsby and Maitland to fight for those last few spots was intense. um And it's really like you've got to feel for Maitland missing out because they went on to beat Newcastle at home. Yeah.
01:18:36
Speaker
And then they still missed out. And they led Bankstown at a time. They were right in it.
01:18:47
Speaker
Yeah. And lost by nine in the end. Yeah, they were right there. Because, yeah, they they ended up on nights. They had the same win-loss record as Hornsby. They had a better points percentage, but I'm guessing it came down to splits. It came down to the split, which Hornsby won.
01:19:06
Speaker
It came down to the overtime win Hornsby had against Maitland. That game goes the other way. Maitland are in, Hornsby are out. that's When your season comes down to that, oh, that stresses me out.
01:19:18
Speaker
Yeah. Poor Maitland. At least they got to finish on the high of beating Newcastle. That's true. Hey, you picked that.
01:19:27
Speaker
You said Maitland could beat Newcastle. Did I? yeah Ah, sick. that's Well, that's good. Then I'll take that. i um I didn't remember that bit. um But yeah, so Aubrey and...
01:19:40
Speaker
Hornsby, first elimination final, they're going to play down in the hideout. They've only played each other once this season and that was in round 12. And by then the likes of Perkins, Lucy Meade and Jesse Mayhall already left for college.
01:19:58
Speaker
So and last year Poa had already joined the Bandits. So at least the the rosters that have played in round 12 are going to be similar rosters to now. There's not going to be too much change or too much too much um for Hornsby especially to have to adapt to yeah um In that round 12 game, Unique Thompson had 27 points, 10 rebounds, and last year poa had points, rebounds, Whereas Ayanna Bay for Hornsby had 23 points, 18 rebounds and three assists.
01:20:33
Speaker
But Christina Moore was held to only three points.
01:20:37
Speaker
Yeah, and she was one of ten from the field as well, which is while ah highly irregular. Yes. So obvious. And I had a question. Where's Nicole Hutchinson?
01:20:54
Speaker
I have no idea where Hutch is.
01:20:57
Speaker
I'm not sure if I was just late on the uptake, but has she not been playing the last few rounds? Because she definitely didn't play round 12 in this game. Yeah.
01:21:09
Speaker
So I'm not sure if I've missed something there or if she's injured what's going James, we know you're watching. Message us. I did message him ask before the show, but he's he's ah he's booked and busy.
01:21:22
Speaker
Oh, I think he played he played social comp on Tuesday. He does. That's right. He took he actually took it he took a note on Social Comp to come on the pod last week. Yeah, i bless him. um That's very, very nice of him.
01:21:34
Speaker
um So, yeah, Hutch at least would be able to disrupt you Unique under the basket a little bit in terms of strength and size. And Hutch is also foul prone.
01:21:45
Speaker
So Unique would probably draw quite a few fouls, but sometimes it's enough just to rattle someone a little bit. Yeah. ah But, yeah, in that last game, Aubrey had of their points inside the paint.
01:22:02
Speaker
Each team surprisingly had 49 rebounds apiece, but they both shot not so great from the three-point line. Aubrey shot 24% and Hornsby shot 29%. And the the quarters didn't seem like there were any blowout quarters despite Aubrey winning eighty six to sixty two I think it was just incrementally just working on what they had and chipping away at it.
01:22:28
Speaker
So perhaps it was one of those games where the score didn't always reflect the quality of the game. Yeah. i mean you know you've I mean, now that you've got Last Hit Power in there, you can you've just got i've got such a settled lineup now, I feel, the Oriwodonga Bandits. They've just got players who can play their role really well just...
01:22:51
Speaker
like And I think that's probably what we're going to more of from them, just incrementally chipping away at things, which we've kind of seen from Aubrey Wodonga over the years, when you know aside from when they've been absolutely you know dismantling teams in previous seasons. is it's It feels like that's been how they've won games. It's just getting through things, getting things done, chipping away, and before you realise you're down 15. Yeah.
01:23:19
Speaker
Yeah. yeah It just can happen so quick. And now LT, we did see, I'm not sure, um ah you may have seen it on someone's Instagram story from Aubrey, but Unique was carrying LT off the court in one of the last home games with an injury. So she may be a question mark for the weekend. I'm pretty confident that with the Bandits' depth of bench.
01:23:47
Speaker
Oh, actually, having said that, are they still going to have... um McCowan. Because I know that, is I know McCowan is committed to Mary's, but it's 27. Okay, that's good. sure it's 27.
01:24:02
Speaker
So at least the Bandits have started a really great season without LT. So they've already got that foundation in their younger players, in their bench players, to be able to fill the gap for someone if LT perhaps doesn't suit up this weekend.
01:24:16
Speaker
Mm-hmm. So if she does, great, but if she plays limited minutes, I wouldn't be surprised if she plays limited minutes or doesn't play at all, knowing that the Bandits could are confident with winning this one.
01:24:30
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, they are 6-1 with her in the lineup, though. um o So Hornsby-Karingai, they were nine and five with Ruby Perkins. So they were 7-2 with Jessie May.
01:24:44
Speaker
And with Jesse May and Ruby together, then they were two and three with Ruby, but no Jesse May. And then one and five without either of them. So, I mean, i'll even without LT, I would be more confident in Auburn Wodonga getting the win, but it's going to be, it it does make it more difficult, but I just want Sammy Mack to get a finals win as a head coach.
Coaching Highlights & Recruitment Strategies
01:25:11
Speaker
yeah on Yeah, you're right. You're right. so it's right Sorry, Hornsby, but I just i just wanted it to happen.
01:25:20
Speaker
You're right i'm right. I'm pretty sure he would agree with you there. i hung
01:25:26
Speaker
am. Yeah. Yes. i let So that's a good point. Sammy Max is due for his first finals win. um But we also have to say that Shaq Chora has – he's probably – mean, you've it's interesting if you want to talk about Coach of the Year.
01:25:42
Speaker
Renee's Bears have gone undefeated. Similar to what Sammy Mack did, however many, like two seasons ago, but didn't get coach of the year. Shaq Shorer, first time as head coach in the NBL One, recruits a hell of a team, able to bring out the best of all of those players, including the players who were already at Hornsby the last two seasons.
01:26:06
Speaker
That's also, for me, a coach of the year. Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, i always talk about when you talk, like people go, oh yeah, but the coach had a super team. It's like, well, what do you think? Jazz Shelley just rocked up to North.
01:26:19
Speaker
The reason, like if Renee wasn't there, anything, she's just rolling into North. oh yeah Yeah, exactly. So yeah it's the same with, you know, when Sammy Mack recruited everyone, obviously LJ local, but you know, the players he's recruited over the years, you know, 20
01:26:38
Speaker
Yeah. They're just de there's rolling in because they want to hang out on the banks of the Murray for five months. Yeah, want to go down to s Sweethearts for a piece of late night pizza. no And it's the same with Shaq. Like, yeah, he he had i he had the relationship with some of these guys, like Ruby from Youth League.
01:26:58
Speaker
And, you know, he was able to recruit, you know, with some some contacts around the way, Leia Hartman. um Yeah. So, and but keep get me bring Christina Moore home, keep Ayana Bay. like it Coaching, recruiting is part of coaching.
01:27:15
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. hundred percent. think it's the one part that we forget about. Yeah. Like you think, you think Gina Auriemma and Dawn Staley aren't great recruiters? Yeah. Cool. So yeah, any, any final questions?
01:27:34
Speaker
thoughts on that one? not I mean, i'm yeah I'm interested to like throughout I think just Hornsby, I'm just constantly interested in how the point guard role is filled. Because in the last time they played, it was Jolene Impresso, think.
01:27:52
Speaker
Oh, the last time they played Aubrey Wodonga, sorry, it was Jolene Impresso. Then last week, I think, Nicola Sainsbury came into the lineup. She came off the bench and had 12 points the last time they played Aubrey Wodonga, though. So, um yeah, who plays the point guard, whether it's a bit by committee, just how it all pans out in the backcourt is just going to be Whether this is their final game of the season, whether they roll into week two, that's going to be the one question mark um throughout because there are some elite backcourts throughout this league. And, i mean i mean, you win this and you play either Norse or COE, so you're either going to face someone like Izzy Morgan for Norse if they somehow lose, or someone like Aleknovic. There's going to be ah really elite defender who's going to be
01:28:37
Speaker
He's going to be making it hard for you to get it over half court. So, um Godspeed, Longsby career guy spiders. Yep. I mean, it's great. it's I mean, it's funny though. like The spiders are totally playing with house money here.
01:28:53
Speaker
They knew what they had. You know, get Ruby in, get Jesse May back, gather all the wins you can get until they leave for college and hang on.
01:29:04
Speaker
And they've hung on. And now they can just... play with without pressure. i don't know if that's how they feel, but they've definitely got less pressure on them than the Norby Wodonga Bandits.
01:29:16
Speaker
Correct. Totally agree. So the next matchup in the second elimination final is Newcastle Falcons and the Hills Hornets.
Newcastle Falcons vs. Hills Hornets Analysis
01:29:28
Speaker
for up Perhaps maybe a matchup I didn't anticipate, Because I think I'm so used to Newcastle not being in an – I'm so used to Newcastle being in a qualifying final and not an elimination final.
01:29:40
Speaker
Legit. this is probably a position that Newcastle haven't seen themselves in before for a while, probably since the inaugural season, I think.
01:29:52
Speaker
um But, again, based on my research, which, as we have discovered during the episode, was a little bit flawed, but these teams have also only played each other once, but in round one.
01:30:08
Speaker
Yeah, it was a very, very long time ago. and I'm just looking, I don't think Newcastle ever finished in an elimination. Oh, sorry, season one when it was 16 finals.
01:30:20
Speaker
So that was the only time their week one final has been a knockout. Yeah, the seventy six sixty but and I'm just like my first notes are no Sheree or Piper for Hills versus no me or Heidi for Newcastle.
01:30:34
Speaker
Yeah. like Like, what do you want us to say about this, Gaye? And of the teams in the women's competition right now, I think Hills are the ones that are peaking at the right moment.
01:30:48
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, 100%. And I mean, it's um like they're eight and five since Piper Anderson came in after starting the season three and four. So, and the way that team's just all gelled together and now you bring Kennedy Johnson off the bench if the situation's so determined that it's, ah they ah they're sneaky good.
01:31:10
Speaker
They are sneaky good. ah Newcastle certainly can't be taking this game lightly. Newcastle, however, when I saw them play against Crewe, I know that Crewe obviously second to the bottom of the ladder, but still just an absolute clinic because sometimes when you're a top team playing against a team closer to the bottom of the ladder, it's easy to get caught up in their style of play.
01:31:33
Speaker
But Newcastle were just on a mission, clinic, Beautiful to watch. um So they can't take this game lightly against Hills and rest on any of those laurels or any of the laurels that is Nicole Munger.
01:31:45
Speaker
yeah um But Kurosame is just coming into her own at the right time. Anderson and Shez, we know are besties off court and their chemistry is starting to really click on court.
01:31:59
Speaker
And just being able to balance Shez and Jade Kurosami because they are ah are similar where they could both be the number one kind of top dog point guard. But when you have them playing off each other or just having Shez primarily be the PG and let Jade be more of a shooting guard and then you've got Piper being the small forward.
01:32:21
Speaker
that's That's looking pretty good to me. yeah Like I think we said in the game review we did for Hills a couple weeks ago, Pajelko for me, another textbook centre, her matchup against Heidi and or Jefferson I'm really looking forward to.
01:32:38
Speaker
Yeah. i The defensive... matchups that Hills come out with is what really interests me here. Well, first up, the the first part of call is who do you put on Munger?
01:32:53
Speaker
Kurosame. That was immediately my thought was Kurosame. um And then so you'd have Heidi and Belko on Heidi and Ella Gale on Meg Jefferson?
01:33:09
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, well, i do we know if Ella Gale's okay? ah she play she She played in the final week of the season. Okay, good, good, good, good. yeah um Okay, yeah, Ella Gale and Meg Jefferson. I think because also well know that game between Crew and Newey, Meg Jefferson...
01:33:29
Speaker
diversifying her game, really been working on the handles, showed off some guard skills, got a couple of baskets, you know, from the wing and rather than her, you know, from from a pick and roll type stuff under the rim.
01:33:43
Speaker
So I think now people have to be more conscious of who they're going to put on Meg because now that she's able to flex some of those guard skills, they're going to have to find someone a little bit more diverse defensively that can do both.
01:33:57
Speaker
Well, I mean, if you think if it's Kurosame or Munger and Belko and Heidi, your options are Kalaya, Anderson or Gale.
01:34:08
Speaker
It would have to be Gale.
01:34:12
Speaker
think Gale's got more experience playing inside compared to Anderson. Yeah, 100% and probably – probably take the physicality better. I mean, Anderson will get up and down floor really quickly and stay in front, but when it comes time to bang in the paint, I'd rather have Gale there.
01:34:30
Speaker
Yeah. And Shez will give it a red hot go, but I think she'll just be outsized. Yeah. So then that'll leave, what, Kingham versus Kalaya and Anderson. I think Waihape Andrews has been the other starter for Newcastle.
01:34:43
Speaker
a Yeah, I think that's pretty good, actually. i think... especially Kalea on Kingham. Kingham we know is a three-point shooter. she She still hesitates to drive more. I think Kingham can still add that more to her game. I know that she can do it.
01:35:02
Speaker
Plus, if she gets fouled, you know she's making free throws. Yes. i think I think Shez won't let Kingham hit a three in her face. no No. And she's all, as we know, you know, Kalea's very good at guarding the ball full court.
01:35:19
Speaker
So I think the the drive will be covered. So Kaleo able to afford to close out long on Kingham to limit those three-point opportunities, knowing that she'll have a ah drive covered.
01:35:31
Speaker
e Yeah. And then I guess first off the bench, Brennan. Brennan and Kennedy Johnson as first off the bench options. That is that is luxury.
01:35:42
Speaker
Yeah. Brennan, so underrated. yeah. Everywhere except here. Not here and not in Newcastle. Yeah. Said it on the call as well down at Crewe where I'm like probably one of the most underrated players in the women's competition. Yeah.
01:35:58
Speaker
Yeah. um Yeah, so she's super solid. ah I just wonder as well like
01:36:09
Speaker
depth-wise they're pretty similar. Yeah. Yeah, they don't. Newcastle, like, usually have quite a bit of depth, but they've got some even more younger players now coming through. Yeah, and, I mean, the question mark is Saffron Shields, eligibility, availability, is she playing? Oh, of course. they always forget because she didn't suit up against Crew, but I think her name was on the sheet.
01:36:38
Speaker
Yeah, so. um So, yeah, is she going to pull up? Yeah. That throws everything, you know, because I guess she'd slot in there.
01:36:51
Speaker
ah She'd probably come off the bench, but...
01:36:56
Speaker
Yeah, but still that's... You take that five and probably slot her in for White-Hoppe Andrews, and then... And if there's a reason for her, if there's any time for her to now pull up, it's now. it's Yeah, isn't that the whole point of like bringing someone in late is to have them for the finals? so Yeah, yeah. Yeah. yeah Oh, gosh, I forgot about that. The twist.
01:37:16
Speaker
Yeah.
01:37:19
Speaker
um But yeah, that that I think that game's going to be a lot closer than what people think. yeah interestingly one one stat i found was manga is scoring 17.9 per game in wins and 23.6 in losses and jefferson is almost steady 17 points per game and win 17 points per game in losses Kingham and Heidi almost only score half as much in losses as they do in wins. So Kingham drops from 17 to nine, Heidi drops from 15 to eight and a half.
01:37:54
Speaker
So it's when Munger and Jefferson aren't getting scoring support from others that Newcastle have been dropping games.
01:38:07
Speaker
That is so interesting. You are coming up with some nuggets today. HoopsDB. I love HoopsDB. Oh, yeah. that's That is the yeah the absolute saviour of the league, that website. Yeah.
01:38:20
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, that's some really great nuggets you got there. Thank you for your outstanding preparation. But, i you know, we expect nothing less. um But, yeah, any more thoughts before we get into the last one?
01:38:36
Speaker
I think like you, I think it's going to be, it's going to be real close. new kind and new Newcastle dropped game to Maitland last week and hills are hills are flying.
01:38:47
Speaker
Hills are flying. that i think on the plus side is that the game's at Newcastle. Yeah, that, yeah, Broadmeadow is going to be, or Broadmeadow, yeah, Broadmeadow, sorry, is going to be absolutely jumping.
01:38:59
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I think you would need to line up early in the morning to get your seat for the game at night. Like it's going to be pumping. Yeah. um All right. So, yeah, that one's going to be certainly a lot closer than I think people are expecting.
Manly Seagulls vs. Bankstown Bruins Games
01:39:15
Speaker
And I think the last matchup we have is the other qualifying final between Manly Warringah Seagulls and the Bankstown Bruins. So these two teams have met twice before in the regular season, once in round six, which is a game that we reviewed as our EGG game of the week where Bruins demolished.
01:39:37
Speaker
manly 82 to 65 when they put on that defensive clinic I was going to do a reel or two about that defense and I reached out to coach curtain said hey what are you playing here and then she you respectfully chose to keep her cards close to her chest and I was like you know what fair enough yeah And then I just got too busy to post anything, so it kind of worked out.
01:40:03
Speaker
But in that game that we reviewed, Bruins had four scorers in double digits. Heal had 18 points, three rebounds, 10 assists. Alex Delaney for Manly had 21 and 11 points.
01:40:16
Speaker
Manly shot at only 28.95% from the field overall and 33% from the three, which was unheard of from them. Bruins had 23 assists as a team and obviously Shiloh having 10 of those 26. So that was that was the one where we were like, okay, Bruins put the league on notice.
01:40:36
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, know um but andly already but then they were up by 31 at one point in that game. and That was just – Yeah. Yeah. They were like, what ah what is going to happen? How are they going to come back from this? um And risk understandably, they did it because Basetown just played a hell of a game. ah But then Manly, to their credit in Manly fashion, their revenge was sweet because they came back in round 12 and won 93 56. So not only did they win, but they won by a bigger margin and they scored more points.
01:41:09
Speaker
Yeah, they dominated throughout. It was, I mean, there was talk that Bainstown kind of put the cue in the rack early on, but don't think it matters.
01:41:22
Speaker
You know, you realise you've got it, you know, the rest of the season sorted, but I don't know. Does it matter? I mean... not like they It's not like they sat every one for extended minutes. So, yeah.
01:41:37
Speaker
Anyway, yes. I mean, yeah. 30 12 first quarter. Bankstown shot, what, 25% from two-point range in that second game?
01:41:48
Speaker
Or 26%, sorry, from two-point range. Whereas, I mean, Manly Warringal were all but unstoppable, up around 60%. And Alex Delaney, 11 of 12 free throws in that second game. Just amazing.
01:42:01
Speaker
and the team 27, they were just, they had revenge on their mind. Yeah, they were 24 from 27 from the free-through line, so a healthy 89% for Manly. They had 17 fast break points.
01:42:17
Speaker
um They had Delaney on 19 and 10 and 5, Zari Mowbray on 16 and 5. She had 4 from 6 from the three-point line and Zoe Miller had 15, 3 and 5.
01:42:29
Speaker
What I thought was really interesting, though, in terms of how we talked about Bagstown completely locking down on defense against Manly in that round six match. Round 12, we talked about obviously Manly won, but they kept Heal, Dale and Tupiah, they kept them, all of them, to eight points and five rebounds each.
01:42:53
Speaker
what a and like Sorry, I love the... like The stat is great in the work they did. I just love that it's identical for all three. Identical, like yeah. like They played such good defence that they forced them all to do exactly the same team. They weren't able to control them that much.
01:43:12
Speaker
You only get this much, you only get this much, and you only get this much, and that's it. Yeah. um yeah yeah in that In that first quarter where it 30-12, Manly had three threes,
01:43:26
Speaker
ah Eight twos and the rest, I guess, were free throws. yeah Yeah. Yeah. 80%, 80%, eight of 10 from two point land in the first quarter. Wow. Yeah. And every Bruin scored in that round 12 game except for Davis White.
01:43:44
Speaker
Yeah. Wow. yeah ah Yeah, they were 27% overall from the field. Bankstown, Manly, 47% overall. um But Bruins, because everyone got on the score sheet bar Davis White, 30 of their 56 points were actually from the bench.
01:44:01
Speaker
Oh, that's ah that's a healthy number. Yeah, so I can see why some people thought that maybe the cue is in the rack, as you say, for Bruins where they didn't necessarily need to win. Maybe was an opportunity for the Bruins bench to come in and get some reps up and prep for finals. But I don't see Lauren Curtin coaching that way.
01:44:22
Speaker
No. I don't see that would be her style. Her style would be we always play our best, i get especially against tough competition, and that's still going to be the best preparation for a final.
01:44:34
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. Especially, yeah, you know this is a team you're going to have to face somewhere down the line. and at the very And here we are. Yeah. I don't know that the split was in play because I think if Manley won that, they probably wouldn't have been able to.
01:44:49
Speaker
It would have been very difficult for Bankstown to catch them after that. But you'd still. I think they just wanted to pay back. Yeah. Now they've got to do it again. war and against Yeah, and at least they get it at home as well.
01:45:03
Speaker
Yeah. um So, yeah, that's going to be super interesting. i think of these four matchups, the likes of North and COE, again, will be really great game of basketball given the level of talent from both teams.
01:45:23
Speaker
And like you said, COE have the experience of beating North in a finals matchup. Love seeing Hills making their NBL 1 East finals debut. Mm-hmm.
01:45:35
Speaker
They're peaking, but they're playing away against Newcastle, so definitely see that as good matchup. And also this manly Bankstown game. lot riding on it, but also a qualifying final, so each team can have a second bite of the cherry, as we say, a second chance.
01:45:51
Speaker
Of these four games... Again, I feel like if I had to pick one, I think I'd pick the Newcastle-Hills game because of the because it is one of the first times in a while Newcastle's had to be in an elimination final because Hills are peaking and the match-ups are going to be quite consistent.
01:46:12
Speaker
And Newcastle will have the six-man of the home court advantage. I think that would be the one that i ah I'm tossing up between that and the Manly-Bankstown game. Maybe because Manly-Bankstown is qualifying.
01:46:24
Speaker
Yeah, and also that Newcastle Hills game was so long ago as well. Yeah. It's completely different. There's been so so many players come in for both, well, at the moment, what but big pieces, like me or Heidi, and then is is one piece, but a very big piece, and then Piper and Cherie. So, yeah.
01:46:47
Speaker
um Also, on the Manly game, have you seen Josie Redan's hand?
01:46:53
Speaker
No. What happened? It is in bandage. Oh, she posted a story with one finger was black and bent, and then she's posted pictures of her hand in a giant bandage. So, um yeah, did not look good. Oh, I see.
01:47:12
Speaker
I can see. It's a shooting hand too. oh damn. Oh, no. Well, she's still getting around the gym, though, it looks like. So that's good. She's staying fit.
01:47:27
Speaker
Oh,
01:47:30
Speaker
something oh and I was like, what's happening here about untrained limb during periods of immobilization? oh okay. So that's just a very well kind of educated um think she's doing there. um Yeah, so that is a question mark there.
01:47:49
Speaker
ah her last, her most recent post from four hours ago was just injuries suck, but as an S&C coach, I love the challenge of problem solving and figuring it out.
01:48:00
Speaker
you're dealing with an injury, it doesn't automatically mean your training has to stop. ah But no real comment on said injury. and then...
01:48:11
Speaker
Eric on the mic from yeah CEO North. He's commented on it just with a question mark. Yeah. um So, yeah, will she be pulling an Alicia Frawling and just playing with her left hand?
01:48:30
Speaker
wouldn't put a pasta. True. mean, if she can't play Kim Dickinson into the starting lineup, not exactly the worst stuff. Worst player to bring in, but it does it does affect your depth, obviously.
01:48:44
Speaker
Yeah, and I think Dickinson will just have to play more minutes than what she has been throughout the regular season. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, so that's a tough one. If you had to pick one game to watch, what are you picking? I'd probably go Newcastle Hills as well.
01:49:01
Speaker
Yeah. i think i I mean, it's the jeopardy of the elimination final at that big stadium. with a be You know it's going to be a big crowd. They always get, like, like Nicole Munger could run for mayor in Newcastle. And you know what? She should.
01:49:20
Speaker
Yeah. Maybe then they finally get the new stadium built. Yeah. um Yeah, it's the it's the elimination final part of it. Same with Canberra Maitland in the man.
01:49:32
Speaker
mainly based on like it's going to fall somewhere between the two results that they've already had it's going to be a lot it should be a lot closer but yeah i just you know i like you gotta love it i'd love a du a do or die game yeah yeah especially as a fan not so much as a player for me
01:49:52
Speaker
Could handle the
Excitement for Upcoming NBL One East Finals
01:49:53
Speaker
pressure. um Yeah, so we again, we are spoilt with great basketball again in NBL One East. ah Lots of stories and narratives as well coming from each matchup, whether it's the star-studded lineups of WNBL and NBL talent, future professional talent, or homegrown heroes doing it tough.
01:50:16
Speaker
getting to the final eight for the first time in the crewmen and the Hills women and the Hornsby women. And let's see. And finals basketball is different to regular season basketball. is always something that magic in the air. Yeah.
01:50:31
Speaker
Who knows what's going to happen? So there's lots lots to look forward to. There certainly is. um But, yeah, otherwise all we can do now is watch and come back again next week and talk about The next round and then the and this round's results.
01:50:50
Speaker
How good. good How good. do you have Do you have any games this weekend commentating? No, so i'll have if Sutherland lose this weekend, I'll be on next weekend because we'll host week two. Or if we win against North, then we get the week off and we'll host in week three. So I do have one more game this season in NBL 1 East. No idea if it's next week or the week after that. I'm actually running a Harbour 5K this Sunday.
01:51:18
Speaker
Good for you. yes And all of our mbl a lot of our NBL 1 North finals are north-north. Oh, okay. Oh, well, you've got Cairns obviously won regular season. It's like Cairns and Townsville and Mackay and all up there.
01:51:38
Speaker
Oh, geez. Yeah. So after commentating what feels like 50 games in the last three weeks, I think I may also be having a weekend off.
01:51:51
Speaker
Nice. Yeah. Yeah. So I think this weekend for us, no, that's all backwards. I don't know. I don't know if you noticed this too, but on the NBL One website when they've now listed the finals, it's backwards.
01:52:07
Speaker
Oh, no, they fixed it now. Oh, okay. um Yeah. So for us, we've got qualifying finals up in the north this weekend. We've got Townsville hosting the Southern District Spartans for the women.
01:52:21
Speaker
The men is Logan and Mackay and then Sunshine Coast and It's Switch 4. So that's relatively local. But then for women's, again, it's Mackay and Northside Wizards. so no no games for me.
01:52:34
Speaker
ah ah Logan Northside, two clubs I have been to. The only two in the other North clubs I've been to.
01:52:43
Speaker
Yeah, so we'll see what happens up there. So we're going to enjoy a weekend off and maybe give our brains and our voices a bit of a rest. But not our heart rates because these games are going to be legit.
01:52:55
Speaker
Yeah, that's right. That's right. we We'll still be sweating. Yeah. Yeah. Otherwise, Lucky, I think that's all from me. Have you got anything else that you want to add?
01:53:08
Speaker
Look, it's pretty much impossible at this stage, but just don't sleep on the East.