LACEY LOWDOWN

The major news out of Australia last week concerning New Zealand international players was that Chevannah Paalvast has extended her stay with the Townsville Fire for a further year.

Having secured a championship during her maiden season in the WNBL the 24-year-old Tall Fern will return to the Fire looking to establish herself as one of the competition’s premier lock-down defenders.

During limited minutes for the Fire last season, Paalvast showed glimpses of her international form.

“I’m extremely happy to have signed with the Fire once again,” Paalvast said.

“It’s great to be back playing with some amazing teammates and coaches and to be able to stay in this community.

“It’s a great place to play basketball,” added the former Waitakere player.

During the WNBL ‘off season’ Paalvast has remained in Townsville playing in the Queensland Basketball League where she is averaging 15.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists for Townsville Flames.

She didn’t quite match those numbers on Saturday although the Flames did take care of business beating Sunshine Coast Rip 74-68.

Paalvast added 4 assists to 6 points as the Flames head into their final regular season game holding equal second spot on the ladder with two other teams.

Over in Perth both Lisa Wallbutton and Toni Edmondson will be involved in State League quarter-final action next week.

Edmondson came extremely close to a rare triple double recording 16 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists as Perry Lakes Hawks downed Kalamunda Eastern Suns 94-72.

Wallbutton was also in fine form nabbing 14 points and 12 rebounds but Perth Redbacks went down 77-65 to Willetton Tigers.

The quarter-finals will be best of three affairs with Perry Lakes facing Mandurah Magic and the Redbacks up against Rockingham Flames.

In Melbourne the Sunbury Jets have earned themselves a week’s holiday!

The Kennedy Kereama coached Jets finished the Big V First Division regular season with an unblemished 20-0 record after two one sided victories at the weekend.

On Saturday it was top versus bottom and the outcome was predictable as the Jets crushed Craigieburn 101-47. It was a little closer on Sunday but the Jets still rumbled over Keilor Thunder 90-56.

Tall Ferns forward Jess Bygate had 10 points and 5 rebounds against Craigieburn and 5pts/7rebs against the Thunder.

The Jets now get to put their feet up and watch the teams placed 3-6 in the league play-off for semi-final spots at the weekend.

Duane Bailey appears to be finding fitness and form at the right time of the season in Brisbane. The former Tall Black scored 13 points and snared 8 rebounds as the Brisbane Spartans staged a come from behind 93-81 victory against Albury Wodonga Bandits after trailing 45-33 at half-time.

With two rounds to play in the SEABL regular season the Spartans boast a 14-7 record and have secured second place on the Eastern Division table ahead of the play-offs later in August.

Double double for Chevannah Paalvast

Overall it was a good weekend for the New Zealand international players based in Australia.

Duane Bailey, obviously making progress from the calf tear he recently suffered, logged 25 minutes for Brisbane Spartans in his fifth game since joining the club at the conclusion of the Southland Sharks season.

The Spartans won a high scoring affair 112-101 against Ballarat Miners in a SEABL Eastern Division tie. Bailey scored 11 points (5/7FG) and added 4 rebounds as the Spartans consolidated second place with a 12-7 record.

Tall Fern Chevannah Paalvast is also based in Queensland playing for Townsville Flames in the Queensland Basketball League.

The Flames split a double-header road trip beating Gladstone Power 88-78 on Friday but then got blown away by Rockhampton Cyclones, 106-91, on Saturday.

The Flames are fourth on the ladder with a 10-4 record.

Ironically Paalvast was relatively quiet in the win on Friday (4pts, 6 rebounds, 3 assists) but close to her best against the Cyclones breezing to a double double of 23 points (10/16FG) and 10 rebounds.

Former Tall Fern Charmian Mellars (nee Purcell) is still getting it done for Gladstone. She produced a team high 20 points plus 11 rebounds.

Lisa Wallbutton was also in good scoring touch for Perth Redbacks as they hammered South West Slammers 100-59 in the Western Australian State League on Saturday.

Wallbutton accumulated 16 points (6/11FG) and gathered 9 rebounds as the Redbacks squeezed back into the top eight with the win.

Sunbury Jets were without Jess Bygate for their visit to Latrobe City but the Kennedy Kereama coached outfit just rolled out another win to remain top of the Big V First Division. The Jets beat Latrobe 78-53 and have now won 17 straight and are yet to be beaten in the current campaign.

Duane Bailey struggling with a calf injuy

Over in Australia the State Leagues are in full swing and a number of New Zealand internationals are featuring strongly.

Duane Bailey participated in something of a SKYCITY Breakers reunion on Saturday in Melbourne.

The Brisbane Spartans duo of Bailey and coach CJ Bruton visited the Melbourne Tigers in a SEABL Eastern Division tie. Melbourne have former Breakers Rhys Carter and Darryl Corletto in their lineup.

The former Tall Black, playing just his fourth game for the Spartans only played the first 85 seconds as his team disposed of the Tigers 87-69 to remain second on the ladder with an 11-7 record. Bailey, recovering from a calf tear (ouch!), left the court early, only started in order to log enough appearances to be eligible for play-off action later in the season.

For the record Corletto (9 points) and Carter (7 points) shot a collective 6 from 24 from the field as the Tigers continue to struggle.

Tall Fern Chevannah Paalvast is playing in the Queensland Basketball League for Townsville Flames.

The Flames had a successful double header road trip at the weekend beating Gold Coast Rollers 105-80 on Friday and South West Metro Pirates 92-72 on Saturday.

Paalvast was in sparkling form on Saturday scoring a game high 29 points (10/20FG) to add to 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals.

On Friday she had scored 16 points as the Flames improved to 9-3 for the season.

Further south the Kennedy Kereama coached Sunbury Jets improved their record to 16-0 at the top of the Victorian Big V First Division.

Sunbury soared away from Chelsea Gulls winning 93-47 with Tall Fern forward Jess Bygate notching a double double of 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Over in the State League in Western Australia Lisa Wallbutton is suiting for Perth Redbacks. The Redbacks are currently seventh, just inside the top eight play-off bracket but slipped to a disappointing 88-79 loss to eleventh placed Lakeside Lightning on Saturday.

Wallbutton had 5points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3steals and 2blocks as the Redbacks slip to a 9 win-9 loss record.

After a double header last weekend Toni Edmondson and her Perry Lakes Hawks side were without a fixture at the weekend. Edmonson is averaging 16 points per game for the Hawks who are sitting fourth on the SBL ladder with a 12-7 record.