It has been eight years since Jeff Green secured a win in the Bartercard NBL and it will be at least another week before he enjoys the taste of further success. Green is back in the coaching saddle having not coached in the New Zealand National Basketball League since 2007. Continue reading
The inaugural ABSL State of Origin basketball game was held at the Auckland University Sports Centre on Tuesday night. The composition of the teams was based on where the team members played their junior basketball with Auckland taking on the South. Continue reading
A crowd of over 6,000 was on hand at Vector Arena last Friday to farewell the ‘old’ (sorry CJ) and usher in the new. The SKY CITY Breakers sent CJ Bruton off in style with a commanding 101-80 victory against Adelaide 36ers. Corey Webster led all scorers with 23 points ably assisted by Tom Abercrombie, Cedric Jackson, Tai Wesley and Ekene Ibekwe who all made double digit contributions. Continue reading
During the 2014 Bartercard NBL season a number of players put their hand up for the overall Rookie of the Season award at various times.I have taken a look at the individual performers from each team. Continue reading
The thirteenth and final round of the Batercard NBL accorded many of the rookies around the league a little extra court time as senior players were given some time on the bench. Continue reading
All the NBL teams that missed out on the 2014 play-offs will be reflecting on a season of missed opportunities. For three of the teams the post-season review will be containing a host of ‘if only’ statements. Continue reading
There were three main contenders for Rookie of the Week in Round 11 of the Batercard NBL Continue reading
The Tall Blacks obviously face a dilemma caused by the well-documented misbehavior of the Southland Sharks trio Reuben Te Rangi, Leon Henry and Shea Ili.
It will be difficult, probably impossible for the NZ management team to select any of these players given that the sentencing resulting from their recent court case will not be handed down until August 1st.
By then the Tall Blacks preparation for the upcoming World Cup in Spain will be well underway. Three home internationals will have been completed against South Korea and the team will have departed on the overseas section of their pre World Cup build up.
Te Rangi and Henry were due to contest the back up three spot behind Tom Abercrombie at the upcoming Tall Blacks trials. That opportunity will now surely be given to other players.
One who may benefit is Duane Bailey, the James Blond Super City Rangers forward has had an outstanding NBL season. He is the leading Kiwi in the NBL rebounding stat category, pulling down 9.5 rebounds per game. In addition he is the second highest Kiwi point’s scorer, averaging 20 points per game. Only Corey Webster has scored more points amongst NZ born players in the NBL. His free throw shooting (56%) is a concern but his three-point percentage (41%) is up there with the best in the NBL.
At 199cm the 22 year old is probably undersized to play the forward spot at international level and possibly even in the Australian NBL. The three spot is perhaps his better position long term, is Bailey about to profit from the misconduct of the Sharks duo?
A couple of contenders for Rookie of the Week squared off in the opening game of round one of the Bartercard NBL on Wednesday. If it was boxing the contest wouldn’t have taken place, the diminutive Derek Albertsen giving away to many kilos and centimetres to the towering Tohi Smith-Milner. Continue reading
A couple of contenders for last week’s Rookie of the Week squared off in the opening game of round 11 of the NBL on Wednesday. Continue reading
LACEY LOWDOWN 