37 points from Zara Jillings including 6 threes
The Waikato sisters Charlisse and Krystal Leger-Walker debuted for opposing teams in the third round of the Mexicali Fresh Summer Jam. Continue reading
Mexicali Fresh Summer Jam – Women Round 3
LACEY LOWDOWN
ALL THINGS NEW ZEALAND BASKETBALL
Monthly Archives: November 2015
Braswell, Tait and Ili shine
41 points from Kevin Braswell helps The Birdmen to a win.
Round three of the 2015 Mexicali Fresh Summer Jam opened with a full strength Breakers Development team carrying out a second half demolition of 68NelsonStreet winning 127-85. Continue reading
Breakers v Perth Wildcats media conference and game review
Dean Vickerman
From Murray McKinnon
The Breakers and Perth Wildcats rivalry lived up to its expectations with the Breakers having the upper hand throughout the game running out an eight point winner 88-80. Continue reading
Major milestones for Jackson and Abercrombie
Season high 24 points for Abercrombie in 200th game
A couple of outstanding individual efforts by Abbo and Jacko were rather overshadowed by the controversial finish to the Breakers 87-86 loss to Melbourne United on Sunday.
Tom Abercrombie playing his 200th game for the Breakers scored 24 points, his second 20+ haul of the season following 23pts v Perth last month.
Only Vukona (272), Henare (250) and Boucher (220) have played more games for the club than Abercrombie.
Cedric Jackson, playing as only he can, recorded a triple double (16pts/14rebs/10assists) his second triple D of the season and fifth for the Breakers.
The 16 points took Jackson past Ben Pepper (1,451pts) and up to 6th on the Breakers all time scoring list. Next stop Aaron Olson (1,800pts).
His 14 rebounds took him past Rick Rickert (600 rebounds) to 7th on the all time rebounding list. Only another game or two and he will pass Paul Henare’s mark of 623 boards and move up to 6th on the charts.
The 14 rebounds, all defensive rebounds, equals the most DR’s in a single game by a Breakers player – achieved twice before – both times by Mika Vukona.
Alex Pledger’s 7 rebounds against Adelaide moved him past the 800 rebounds mark. Pledge now has 811 boards only bettered by Abercrombie (880), Pepper (935), Boucher (941) and Vukona (1,840).
Harking back to the 36ers game new dad Tai Wesley slotted in 26 points for the second consecutive game and also became the first Breakers player to score a century of points this season. Abbo followed suit easing past the 100 points mark on Sunday against United.
Breakers leading scorers this season:
Wesley 103pts/7gms @ 14.7ppg
Abercrombie 102pts/7gms @ 14.6ppg
Cedric J 96pts /8gms @ 12.0ppg
Webster 92pts/4gms @23.0ppg
Charles J 92pts/8gms @ 11.5ppg
The good, the bad and the ugly from overseas Tall Blacks
BJ Anthony along with Richie Edwards released by the Plymouth Raiders
The major news breaking over the weekend was that coming out of the UK that Plymouth Raiders have parted company with Tall Blacks forward BJ Anthony and Canterbury Rams swingman Richie Edwards.
Raiders player coach Daryl Corletto put out a statement.
“The new values that we are implementing across the club are not just there as something meaningless on paper. These are about respect, accountability, hard work and honesty. If you don’t buy into these values then it is very simple, you will no longer be a Plymouth Raiders player.”
Raiders CEO Dave Briggs added “The players have had their contracts terminated because of flagrant disregard for club rules and for serious off court issues.”
There was better news on court for the Raiders on Sunday as they recorded their first win of the season, 76-75, against Glasgow Rocks.
Former Breakers player Duane Bailey, who made his Tall Blacks debut earlier in 2015, has flown out to the UK to replace Anthony and should be available for the next Raiders game, at home against the Worcester Wolves, next Saturday.
Elsewhere in Europe Limburg United came within a whisker of defeating Belgium League leaders Ostend on Saturday. Rob Loe had 13pts/4rebs/5assists as United came from 76-69 down at the end of the third period to take the game into overtime before being outscored 18-15 in the extra period to lose 106-103. Limburg sit mid table with a 3-3 record, Ostend improve to 6-1.
Fine performance from Rob Loe in Belgium
Zaragoza are enjoying their best ever start (3-1) in the Eurocup their latest victory a defence orientated 69-59 victory against German club Ratiopharm Ulm. Isaac Fotu continued his good early season form with a 6 from 7 shooting night on his way to 13 points
On Sunday Zaragoza visited Joventut, slipping their third straight loss in the Spanish League, going down 71-70. Only a single point separated the two teams in three of the four quarters but the third period proved costly for Zaragoza as they only managed 6 points.
Fotu scored just the four points (2/6FG) but did chip in with 8 rebounds, a block and an assist.
Meanwhile in the Australian NBL there has been plenty of action in addition to the well publicised finish to the Breakers v Melbourne United encounter.
In their first meeting of the season the Townsville Crocodiles gave Perth Wildcats a 17 points start and still overhauled them. In the second game on Wednesday it was just a ten points buffer, 26-16, but the outcome was the same; 69-59 in favour of the Crocs. Unfortunately Wildcats point guard Damian Martin copped a wayward Brian Conklin elbow and sustained a broken jaw in the closing seconds of the game.
The serious injury to Martin means extended playing minutes in the coming weeks for Jarrod Kenny who in this game provided 5pts/3rebs/2assists in game two.
Leon Henry made the game winning basket in game one but was a lot quieter in game two failing to score but contributing 3rebs/2assists/1block/1steal.
The two teams met for the second time in 48 hours and the third time in 12 days in Perth on Friday. In a frenzied atmosphere, with the crowd booing every Conklin catch, the home side prevailed 85-77 with Jarrod Kenny once more playing a prominent role. The Tall Blacks point guard scored a handy 12 points (4/6FG) and added 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Leon Henry was his reliable self for the Crocs, 2p/3r/1a/1st/1b.
Dion Prewster and the rest of the Sydney Kings guards did their best to contain the dynamic Melbourne United trio of Goulding, Hoult and Blanchfield on Thursday night but when a team puts up 41 three point attempts and makes 20 of them you know it is going to be a long night. Prewster did as well as anyone under fire but probably didn’t shoot the ball as much as he should of scoring 5 points from just the two scoring attempts. Melbourne won their 8th straight game 105-94.
Prewster and his Sydney team just can’t buy a trick at the moment. Against the Adelaide 36ers they were ahead by 25 points in the second quarter and still 85-67 at three quarter time. What followed was a final quarter meltdown as the Kings blew that 18 points advantage allowing Adelaide to record the biggest fourth quarter comeback since the NBL moved to 10 minute quarters seven years ago.
Some consolation for Dion Prewster was that he had 12 points (5/6FG) in the 99-98 defeat.
Dion Prewster shines in King’s loss
Illawarra Hawks blew away the Cairns Taipans 40-15 in the third quarter of their encounter on Friday night going on to record a 96-88 win. Kirk Penney scored 17 points for the Hawks but it wasn’t one of the shooting guards more eye catching performances as he only converted 5 of 16 attempts from the field.
It is hard to keep track of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Steve Adams so congested is the NBA calendar. At the end of week two the Thunder, after playing 4 games in 5 nights, boast a 3-3 record.
Adams missed the final quarter of the 104-98 defeat at the Chicago Bulls with a tweaked back. The 22-year-old centre is doing a very solid job in the starting centre role averaging 6.3pts/5.7rebs/2blocks over the first half dozen games.
Wins for The Suns and Storm in Mexicali Fresh Summer Jam – Women
26 points from Megan Craig for the Sparks
The second round of the inaugural Mexicali Fresh Summer Jam Women’s competition began with The Suns winning their second consecutive game defeating team Sky 69-59.
Tiarna Clarke made the first three baskets for the Suns but Ayla Hoeta and Deena Franklin restored the balance, 22 each at quarter time.
Courtney Le’au’anae made a triple in the second quarter but team Sky trailed 37-33 at half time.
Team Sky had the better of the third period as Hoeta cut the margin and Annabelle Jenkins edged them ahead 48-47.
That was as good as it got for team Sky as the Suns guards Clarke, Claire McCurran and Breeze Leonard dominated the scoring in the final period. The trio scored 17 fourth quarter points to help the Suns, along with young Auckland forward Sharne Pupuke-Robati to a ten points victory.
Final score;
Suns 69 – Clarke 13, McCurran 13, Leonard 12, Pupuke-Robati 10
Sky 59 – Hoeta 16, Jenkins 10, Katelin Noyer 8
Game two was a good contest in the first half before the Storm, paced by 20 points from Jordan Hunter, left the Sparks in their wake to ease to a 70-55 win.
Megan Craig and Stevie Theyers (two triples) were prominent in the first quarter helping the Sparks to a 21-15 early advantage, pegged back slightly at half time 33-30.
Tall Ferns centre Craig (26pts) produced a strong display but she didn’t have it all her own way in the paint as Millie Nathan, Milomilo Nanai and Coola Baudry all demonstrated good touch under the hoop.
The third quarter, won 22-8 by the Storm (8pts from Nanai), proved decisive before Rangitoto College forward Tabitha Jenkins with three early scores in the final period sealed the deal for the Storm.
Final score;
Sky 55 – Craig 26, Theyers 10, Rebecca Hughes 9
Storm 70 – Hunter 20, Nanai 18, Jenkins 10, Nathan 10
38 points for Shea Ili in Mexicali Fresh Summer Jam Round 2
Ili scored 38 points but Breakers development were still defeated
Round two of the 2015 Mexicali Fresh Summer Jam began with the hosts, Breakers Development, beaten 107-95 by MaiFM Sixers at Atlas Place, on Saturday. The Breakers were short handed as a number of the Academy players were absent due to injuries and both Jordan Ngatai and Tai Wynyard were in Melbourne with the SKYCITY Breakers.
Adam Dunstan opened the scoring with a three for the Sixeres but the early stages were even, 22 apiece at the end of the first quarter. Impressive Rangitoto College forward Sam Waardenburg splashed 13 points in the second quarter to give the Breakers a 45-41 half time lead. Hayden Allen, missing from the Sixers line up last week led their scoring with a dozen points at the break, forward Nick Barrow not far behind with 10 points.
For long stretches in the second half it looked like Shea Ili against the rest as the Breakers point guard continually challenged the defence of the Sixers with penetrative drives and pull up jump shots. Ili scored 27 second half points, swingman Liam Thornton helped out with 11 points but with just a two man bench, and foul trouble a concern, the Breakers eventually ran out of steam.
Barrow in the paint, Allen on the perimeter and the slashing drives of Houston O’Riley kept the Sixers in front once an Anthony Jones triple had given them a ten points buffer, 62-52, midway through the third period.
Final score;
Breakers Development 95 –Ili 38, Waardenburg 21, Thornton 15
MaiFM Sixers 107 – Barrow 25, Allen 25, O’Riley 20, Dunstan 9
The second game was a free scoring affair with the veteran pairing of Lindsay Tait and Dillon Boucher leading the NelsonStreet 68’s to a 117-100 victory against the Birdmen.
Recently announced as the new signing by the James Blond Super City Rangers Tait had 23 points and 13 assists displaying his full range of deft passes and probing drives. A Casey Frank triple helped give the Birdmen an early 9-4 lead but a couple of long range efforts from Sam Everitt propelled the 68’s to a 30-21 quarter time lead.
The spoils were shared in the second period, the Birdmen trailing 68-57 at half time despite 19 second stanza points (including two threes) from shooting guard Brook Ruscoe.
The Birdmen were well served by Frank, Robson Tavita, Chris Duthie and Isaac Davidson in the second half but could do little to halt the three point barrage of NelsonStreet. With Westlake Boys High School Sportsman of the Year Matt Freeman (7/11 3PG) leading the way as the 68’s unleashed 33 three point attempts and converted 18 at a highly respectable 55%
Final score;
68 Nelson St 117 – Freeman 35, Tait 23, Everitt 15, Boucher 15, Inga Solofuti 12
Birdmen 100 – Ruscoe 28, Tavita 18, Frank 13, Duthie 12 Zac Easthorpe 12
Bailey replaces Anthony at Plymouth Raiders
BJ Anthony along with Richie Edwards released by the Plymouth Raiders
The major news breaking over the weekend was that coming out of the UK that Plymouth Raiders have parted company with Tall Blacks forward BJ Anthony and Canterbury Rams swingman Richie Edwards.
Raiders player coach Daryl Corletto put out a statement.
“The new values that we are implementing across the club are not just there as something meaningless on paper. These are about respect, accountability, hard work and honesty. If you don’t buy into these values then it is very simple, you will no longer be a Plymouth Raiders player.”
Raiders CEO Dave Briggs added “The players have had their contracts terminated because of flagrant disregard for club rules and for serious off court issues.”
On court the Raiders were defeated at Leeds Force 91-72 on Friday and face Glasgow Rocks at home later today (Sunday).
Former Breakers player Duane Bailey, who made his Tall Blacks debut earlier in 2015, has flown out to the UK to replace Anthony and should be available for the next Raiders game, at home against the Worcester Wolves, next Saturday.
On court the Raiders were defeated at Leeds Force 91-72 on Friday and face Glasgow Rocks at home later today (Sunday).
Tait joins James Blond Super City Rangers
Tait joins the Rangers on a three year deal.
The James Blond Super City Rangers did their NBL title aspirations no harm at all this week by signing Tall Blacks point guard Lindsay Tait on a three-year contract. The signing of Tait will likely herald major changes to the Rangers roster as the Auckland franchise build a team capable of winning the 2016 championship Continue reading
Tall Ferns coach on the move
The major news of the week was that Tall Ferns coach Kennedy Kereama has been appointed coach of Sunbury in the Victorian Big V League.
Tall Ferns coach on the move
LACEY LOWDOWN 