Tristan Prentice

NBL RD 3 – Will the sharp shooting Sixers swoop in from States?

Its taken till Round 3 to start their season but the confidence boost of a historic overseas win may be just the sharp shooting start the Sixers need to watershed their season…

Rise over the Phoenix: It was history for the pride of Adelaide as the first NBL team to defeat an NBA franchise in a history going back to the World Club Championships of 1995 - Photo credit to The New Daily

4-Minute Read

NBL ROUND 3

Adelaide 36ers vs Tasmania JackJumpers

When: 7:00pm (ACST), Thursday October 13

Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre – The Ken Cole-seum

Broadcast: Kayo Freebies, ESPN, www.nbl.com.au

SWOOP BACK IN HISTORY

NBL X NBA 2022: PHOENIX SUNS VS ADELAIDE 36ERS

It might have been only last week but we have to swoop back on the moment in history that changed the landscape – and nearly cost us our imports…

For the record I was flying home from the FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup and decided I might just tune into the match just to check on the progress of our team – you haven’t seen that many mini fist pumps in the middle seat of a plane but definitely would’ve not been the only one acting like twitter had melted.

24 of 43 from beyond the perimeter did the damage uncorking the piping shrike genie of SA that CJ Bruton has been building in this team but for one day it all clicked and showed the scary NBL proposition the Sixers could be. The master DJ set the tone from the start with 8 points in the opening stanza and again just defies logic how a player his quality can go for a donut in an NBL1 game then perform on the world stage – but everyone knows he can flick that switch on and off at will now. It lit the spark as every player from Dech to Drmic even Sotto got in on the three point party – it was the imports however that worked like clockwork.

Randall, Franks and Cleveland contributed 35, 32 and 22 for a total of 89 of their 134 and is the kind of production offensively the state has been crying out for since the combination of John Gilchrist and Adam Ballinger in the late 2010s – yes we’ve had some brilliant scoring imports but not with that consistent combo point per game production.

Key Matchups

Antonius Cleveland vs Milton Doyle

The Sixers went hard after Cleveland in the off-season and won out on his services. The 28 year old guard averaged 14.2 ppg shooting it at 46.9, 6.6 rebs and 2.3 assists with the Illawarra Hawks but already from the preseason – those numbers are likely to spike north. Its his ability to defend at the elite level on-top of this is what they got him for players like Doyle who have given the Sixers trouble in the past.

Doyle has started his NBL season with 16 ppg at 42 percent, 5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game and with those “Darnell Mee” like qualities at both ends. His 32 points and 6 assists in the JackJumpers overtime win over the Bullets in 42 minutes showed he belonged and he’ll cause the home side some serious headaches you feel.

Daniel Johnson vs Jack McVeigh

The enigma of DJ continues to flummox all but he is in a race to be fit for the opener tonight. Regardless if he plays again he’ll cause the ants of Tassie some angst with his crafty moves and ability to flick the switch and go into efficiency mode.

McVeigh is the barometer for the Jackie’s and he’s started 2022 very well – despite a lean start for his side in the W column. He will again bring the energy and bounce as he always does but his game has sneakily evolved to a new level as shown by his MVP in the Blitz. I think he’ll spend sometime guarding his old teammate in DJ or switching at least between him and Franks via Fabian Krslovic.

Sunday Dech vs Sean McDonald

Prior to the season I thought how could the Sixers lineup operate without Sunday in the starting five. He was such a key integral part of the defensive setup but with the talented three imports coming in – fitting McCarron and Dech into the starting guard spots was going to be tough. Perhaps the new role of off-the bench for Dech adds to the Sixers depth overall in a way thats “well its a luxury to have” and that could shape the Sixers into a title contender.

Speaking of sparks from the bench – McDonald has been just that for the green and white. He has already played over 100 minutes in four games after a complete 29 minutes across 8 games in 21/22 to notch 24 points including 50 percent from beyond the arc. There’s definitely something Scott Roth likes about the 22 year-old and we are likely to see more of it if he keeps bringing it like he has first few games of the season.

THREE QUESTIONS TO SWOOP ON

Is what we saw in the NBA games the style the Sixers will play?

We all hope so! The Sixers scored more than 25 points per quarter against the Suns, shot the ball at 55 percent plus and won the rebounds 40-36 and grabbed 28 assists to go alongside 24 of 43 from beyond the arc. Against the Thunder it was a different story with one less quarter under 25 points but still managed to shoot 37 percent and dish 22 assists. Compare that to the season averages of 42 percent from the field and being number three in competition for rebounding with 43.5 per game. Maybe the Sixers are already looking for the extra ball movement and more aggressive attack on the rim highlighted by being number eight in free throw attempts – already its a 21 attempts average in their NBA games.

What will Scott Roth do with import Rashard Kelly?

He does throw it around doesn’t he? Needing to make changes immediately especially without the services of Will Magnay – Roth decided from the start that Kelly he would use off the bench. He’s the do it all so far from what we’ve seen with 15 points, 7.2 rebounds and shooting 42 percent per game and you wonder whether a start at the three or four spot is not too far away despite the solid form of Matt Kenyon.

Is this the second coming of Randall at the Sixers?

Sixers fans fell in love with Jerome Randle when he came to town but like that meme of looking over the shoulder – another “Randall” may steal the limelight. Craig Randall II shoots the blizzards out of it coming from the G-League with an average of 26.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists – as coach Bruton describes a “big guard”. The Long Island Nets DBG (designated bucket getter) was the most improved player and had back-to-back 40 point games – the last Sixer to have a 40 point game was also you guessed it… so there could be some synergy for the Sixers.

So who wins?

A huge home crowd is expected for a mid-week game which is saying something and these fans in the City of Churches have been starved of success. We know the JackJumpers play tough defence but you just feel the Sixers will show some maturity – overcome first game nerves and close this one out with some attack on the rim play, more patience on offence and get the season off to a solid start.

COD Prediction: 36ers by 12 points

Catch all the action tonight at the arena on Cluch Radio with Tristan “TP” Prentice and our special comments guest whether you’re at the game or watching from home

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SA U14s not far off powerhouses of junior basketball

The U14s Club Championship ran recently in Sydney, NSW with a plethora of future NBL1 talent. Here’s the wrap-up, highlights and a snapshot of the SA championship teams.

Our U14 representatives at the National Club Championships were only slightly behind some of the junior powerhouses of national basketball interstate over in Sydney - but showed plenty of spirit on and off court.  Pictures by Basketball South Australia

5-Minute Read

Girls

Eastern Mavericks

Tournament Result: 6th (Girls Championship Division)

Highlights: The Mavs started with a win on day one over the Penrith Panthers 51-33 before a tough double header on day two. That involved a loss to the always strong Nunawading Spectres then a win over the Townsville Fire to take them to 2-1 and the top 12 of the championship division. The Mavs then took on the Warrnambool Mermaids downing them to setup an all SA showdown on day four. The loss to the Flames landing them against the Southern District Spartans – their hot shooting putting the Mavs into the positional playoffs for 5th to 8th. A 10 point win over the Sandringham Sabres 49-39 saw them into a playoff for 5th place against the Cavaliers. The Cavs got the Mavs 41-34 but gave our SA girls the highest finish of the division for their state in 6th place.

This team also took out the Jenny Cheesman Fair Play award for the championships representing the state off-court as well as on it.

Norwood Flames

Tournament Result: 7th (Girls Championship Division)

Highlights: The Norwood Flames went deep into the club championships with some solid wins in their 6 and 2 record for the week. The Flames knocked off some well known junior club names along the way to their 5th to 8th positional games including the Melbourne Tigers 47-26 on day one. Day two was a clean sweep with two wins – over the Willeton Tigers 61-43 and Newcastle Falcons 74-23 before day three saw them overcome the Mermaids 59-41. Day four was the clash of the Grand Finalists from SA with the Flames overcoming the Mavs 61-46 but then suffering their first loss in a tough quarter final to the Mackay Meteorettes 30-55 and landing themselves in the positional games for 5th to 8th.

The Casey Cavaliers are always a tough task and it proved the case in a thrilling contest going down by a few buckets 55-59 but then secured the 7th spot in the overall standings with a strong 67-41 win over the Sandringham Sabres.

Sturt Sabres

Tournament Result: 9th (Girls Championship Division)

Highlights: The Sabres started their campaign securing second spot in their pool taking them through to the final 12. The 2-4 record landed them in the 9th to 12th place playoffs which they won through to finish with a 4-7 record overall. They took out the Illawarra Hawks 49-45 with then a tight two-point win over the Mermaids 37-35 to secure 9th place – the third SA team in the top ten for the division.

The Eastern Mavericks represented both SA on and off court not only finishing in 6th place but also chosen as the Jenny Cheesman fair play award recipient

Boys

Woodville Warriors

Tournament Result: 8th (Boys Championship Division)

Highlights: The Warriors went 1-1 on the first day before grabbing a second win to be top of their pool. They hit a snag with a tough 20-point loss to the Spectres 60-80 then winning an SA showdown to the South Adelaide Panthers by five points 56-51. That placed them into the finals drawing a quarter final against the Rockhampton Rockets going down 67-81 to land them in the 5th to 8th playoffs. The Whittlesea Pacers won the tough contest 71-81 to setup a 7th place finish for the Warriors but couldn’t strike the final bit of gold against the Ballarat Miners. Nevertheless the Warriors finish was the highest of all SA teams in the boys division in a tough set of teams in 2022.

An individual highlight was the naming of Lucas Li in the top 5 players for the division averaging 20 points across all 8 of their games.

Norwood Flames

Tournament Result: Runner Up (Shield Division)

Highlights: It was huge week for the Flames boys representative side – they did start with a day one hiccup to the Bankstown Bruins 53-62 but then got on the board with an 83-38 win over the Kilsyth Cobras. Day two saw them take on Northwest Tasmania Thunder and the Flames struck them down 53-26 then on day three blew away the Darwin Cyclones 67-29. Another win on day four over the Penrith Panthers 69-39 setup a quarter final stoush with the Canberra Gunners. The Flames continued to burn bright with a 57-35 win over the Gunners to progress them to the semi-final. Their third NSW team in days saw them bring down the Sydney Comets 51-30 and into the Shield Final.

A dramatic finish to the tournament saw an overtime thriller 49-56 win to the Bendigo Braves but an effort all of SA can be proud of from these boys in the Shield division.

South Adelaide Panthers

Tournament Result: 11th (Boys Championship Division)

Highlights: The Panthers started their championship hunt with a tough loss to the Spartans 47-61 but then bounced back on day two with a win over the Gunners 59-48. A two game block followed with a win over the Hawks 64-47 to finish second in their pool before meeting the Warriors in the playoff for for 9th to 12th – going down by 5 points.

It was a thrilling finish in the playoff for 11th with the Panthers…

https://fb.watch/g4CuXJpOZw

The Norwood Flames only just came up short in the Shield Division in an extremely competitive performance

For all these young athletes it is a privilege and a pleasure to represent your state no matter how they individually went, congratulations to all U14 Boys and Girls for representing our state against some quality national athletes…

Lets hope we get to see this talent at the NBL1 Central level in the distant future…

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NBL1 2022 NATIONAL FINALS PREVIEW

It’s the West Adelaide Bearcats Women and the South Adelaide Panthers Men that will take on the might of the Warwick Senators Women and Rockingham Flames Men of NBL1 West first up before potential dates with the Womens Champions (Albury-Wodonga Bandits, Ringwood Hawks, Southern District Spartans and Townsville Flames) and Mens Champions (Canberra Gunners, Frankston Blues, Hobart Chargers and Gold Coast Rollers).

Let’s get an insight into who these teams are and where they all stand coming into the inaugural NBL1 National Finals for 2022…

12 teams, two titles: The best from east to west come together to fight it out for the NBL1 National Championship in the finals tonight - photos by NBL1

5-Minute Read

Women’s National Champions

Warwick Senators (NBL1 West)

Watch out for!!!

The superstar that is Stacey Barr has had a huge season. In 22 games she scored an average of 25.1 points and 7.5 rebounds and has been a big reason for the Senators winning it all this season. Expect a matchup of Jasmin Fejo to quell her at both ends of the floor though Skye Langenbrinck could also see some time on the star Senator.

You would know them…

A known quantity is recently retired WNBL and Perth Lynx centre in Natalie Burton and at the NBL1 level she’s still producing the same type of numbers. Catching the ball close to the hoop keeps her average of 59 percent from the field and in a balanced lineup the Senators have – it’ll be up to Jennie Rintala or Madelynn Utti to stop her.

A familiar face is…

A South Australian that provides some serious kick off the bench for the Senators is Jessica Goodluck. Brother Dan also played over in WA but Jess who’s just returned from the University of Hawaii in Division 2 gives the Senators some quality. She averages 3.73 per game in 11 minutes per contest and I’m sure SA fans will be hoping to see some quality courttime for her over the weekend as part of the Senators rotations.

The Crossover Closer

The Champions were number one for scoring (92.8), assists (23), field goal (47.3) and three-point percentage (37.3) and steals (11.8). That’s a lot of indicators that the Bearcats who they’ll meet on opening night need to be aware of as they face off in the first clash of the evening.

Albury-Wodonga Bandits (NBL1 East)

Coaches: Matt Paps, Sam McDonald, Brad McNeil

Watch out for!!!

She’s a unique talent and its Unique Thompson’s game that’s been super impressive this season. The Grand Final MVP has averaged 29.67 points at 66 percent, 15 rebounds and averages 2.8 steals per game which contributes to the bandits 92 fast break points. Expect Madelynn Utti to see plenty of time on the talent of the East if the Bearcats meet them.

You would know them…

If she suits after Opal’s camp (highly unlikely but we can hope) “The GOAT” Lauren Jackson will be a privilege to watch after the comeback of the decade. She averaged 31 points at 58 percent and pulled in an average of 12.64 rebounds per game. This is an assignment for Rintala that would be a significantly mission impossible-esque challenge about it, but you know she’d give it a crack.

A familiar face is…

Basketball aficionados will have noticed a Japanese star in the lineup in Ai Yamada. She’s a member of the youth team and one to watch for the rise of the national team in coming years. Yamada runs the point for the Bandits averaging 19 points, 5.8 assists and 4 rebounds – that’s efficiency.

The Crossover Closer

Regardless of whether LJ plays this one – the Bandits have looked a gelled unit all season. They are one of the favourites and if LJ does play then they’ll be a treat to watch.

Townsville Flames (NBL1 North)

Watch out for!!!

She finished the WNBL season in a blaze of glory and continued it into the NBL1 North season. Steph Reid has been the go-to for the Flames as she had been for the Fire under Shannon Seebohm. In 22 games she’s averaged 22 points and hit 93 triples making her always a dangerous commodity. If she meets the Bearcats – expect Fejo to come under plenty of attention from her.

You would know them…

She had some big games against the Adelaide Lightning last season so it’s no surprise that Courtney Woods has comeback stronger than ever. Woods averages the most minutes for the Flames and shoots the ball at nearly 50 percent from the field including 44 percent from beyond the arc. That’s a job for either Langenbrick or Jasmine Simmons to stop her getting heated up early.

A familiar face is…

The artist formerly known as Newley is a South Australian product that recently has joined Chris Lucas at the Melbourne Boomers and it’s no surprise. Mia Murray is still providing the impact for the Flames meanwhile and continues to be a useful veteran presence in this lineup. It’ll be a job for Simmons to make sure she doesn’t catch fire.

The Crossover Closer

The Flames are a little cooler without Alanna Smith (Europe) but don’t let that fool you of their potential. There’s a reason that Reid and Woods have improved under Seebohm and continuity with plenty of WNBL experience – that makes them a huge favourite for this weekend but one team could be in just that slightly better form.

Ringwood Hawks (NBL1 South)

Watch out for!!!

I can’t wait to watch this import live. Marta Hermida turned it one in the Grand Final for the Hawks in the second half and did some special things. The Spanish import has averaged 16.2 points in 25 games but winning form is good form for the guard who dropped 19 points. It’s a Fejo or Langenbrinck job again if they meet this weekend.

You would know them…

The energy spark and Grand Final MVP has elevated her game to another level. Marena Whittle dropped 33 points and 19 rebounds in the decider and is a hot tip to be most improved player in the WNBL this season. This feels like a Utti job but a teammate in Fejo is a solid matchup given she can match that energy on the glass as well.

A familiar face is…

Jacqueline Trotto for those who follow their WNBL is a rookie player with the Melbourne Boomers. As we know at NBL1 level often these rookies have more key roles, and the young forward is starting to grow into her role through the Hawks averaging 7.8 and 8.68 rebounds per game.

The Crossover Closer

The fact we haven’t been able to even include Digna Strautmane, Zoe Jenkins, Bella Niven-Brown, Paige Price and Toni Farnworth in this list suggested that this Hawks side is one of the most stacked of the weekend – that’s why I have them favourites to take it all out.

Southern District Spartans (NBL1 North) – Wildcard Winner

Watch out for!!!

You know a coach like Shane Heal is onto a good thing when NBL1 form gets you across the line as a signing which is the case for Madelyn Allen. Allen who has signed with the Flames and was a development player replacement for the Townsville Fire in 2018/2019 – is the do it all player with 17.30 points, 6.85 assists and 5.05 rebounds on average this season. As a scoring guard again it’ll be Fejo/Langenbrinck combination likely if they meet.

You would know them…

Another former Lightning name and WNBL known figure in Nadeen Payne has been stacking her usual solid numbers shooting the highest percentage from the field for 10 games or more (58 percent) and her usual clip of 41 percent from beyond the perimeter. Given her ability to get to the perimeter you need mobility and Simmons would be a solid matchup for her ability.

A familiar face is…

We only just saw her recently for New Zealand in the Commonwealth Games however you would most recognise Kalani Purcell from her WNBL career. She hasn’t travelled around for a player in the WNBL much having represented mainly the Melbourne Boomers and only just shifting to the Flames last season. Purcell is a bang and crash operator and is the number one rebounder for the Spartans which creates plenty of second chance opportunities for her team.

The Crossover Closer

Don’t sleep on the Spartans just because they are a wildcard team! They have a rematch of their dogged semi-final with the Flames first up and that could put them in battle mode for the weekend ahead. There’s plenty of quality on this roster to really throw the Womens draw wide open.

Men’s National Champions

Rockingham Flames (NBL1 West)

Watch out for!!!

There might be suddenly no Devondrick Walker (Bullets), but Marshall Nelson has shown he can mix it with the best at the top level. Nelson in his 20 games averaged 21.85 points, 6.50 rebounds and 4.50 assists notably though he had a key hand in the Grand Final with 19 points in 22 minutes off the bench. He’ll need to step up to get the Flames across the line and is likely to wear a fair bit of Jeremy Smith tonight.

You would know them…

The king of the glass himself former Perth Wildcat Greg Hire is definitely the kind of player coach Ryan Petrik likes in his team. Hire hasn’t lost any of his ability hauling in 44 offensive rebounds for the season. We know the veteran is one of the craftiest and intelligent players under the basket – It’s a big job for Codey Ellison to make sure he stays on the ground.

A familiar face is…

Another former Wildcat still commands the centre position in Tom Jervis. Back to where it all started when he was plucked out of obscurity selling radiators at mining sites by Trevor Gleeson – Jervis continues to deliver his usual output averaging 9.86 and contributing a handy 13.33 points as well.

The Crossover Closer

The Flames may have been burned by the absence of the league and Grand Final MVP in Walker, but they are still man to man one of the toughest teams of the weekend. If the Panthers can overcome them tonight – that gives us a clear picture as to how much of a real chance the Panthers are overall.

Canberra Gunners (NBL1 East)

Watch out for!!!

The backs to the wall Gunners team channels much of its punch through William Mayfield. The forward has been a focal point with 18.1 points and 6.6 rebounds rebounds per game. It’s another assignment for Ellison if the Panthers meet them over the weekend.

You would know them…

You can drop the extra R from Glenn Morison as he’s already shown he’s a rising talent. 28 points in the Grand Final along with 11 rebounds already tells you that. You’d know him as one of the teammates of Bul Kuol and Tre Armstrong over at California Baptist in the USA – of course it’s a big assignment for none other than Alex Starling if they meet.

A familiar face is…

James Toohey you may not know directly but his sibling Alex is making waves at the COE. They’ve played each other this season too the former Marist College players but James ain’t no joke either. He’s still dropping 12.9 per game and a big part of the Gunners starting five. Todd Davies seems the likely matchup for the weekend ahead.

The Crossover Closer

The Gunners are rolling now and with all their travel together over the season, that connection may cause some headaches for teams this weekend. The talent pool compared to other squads may be the issue for the Canberra team – but you just never know.

Hobart Chargers (NBL1 South)

Watch out for!!!

A hungry Amos Harris Junior will be keen to have a huge weekend after a quiet Grand Final. He’ll need to have a big one too with no Sam McDaniel, Harry Froling and Jared Bairstow on NBL duties. Harris had 7 points but has been important this season averaging 14 points, 4.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game. He’s likely to see plenty of Jeremy Smith if they matchup.

You would know them…

Ole Angerstein is going to be fun to watch this weekend and if you didn’t know them – you’ll work out above the rim is where this kid likes to play. The “Dunk machine of Deutschland” has dropped 14.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and no doubt is on the radar of many teams. I’d love to see Starling matchup on this guy and see them go toe-to-toe.

A familiar face is…

Jacob Richards will need to step up for Bairstow and Froling – but he’s already used to doing this. He played alongside Harry’s brother Sam and other NBL faces in Callum Dalton, Tamuri Wigness, Wani Swaka-Lo-Buluk and incoming Kody Stattmann. Richards is highly efficient with 52 percent from the field and 6.5 points per game – expect those numbers to be slightly higher with more court-time.

The Crossover Closer

Two teams have really lost a bulk of what got them here to the NBL but Anthony Stewart has had this group together for some time and they haven’t missed a beat. Finishing top of the tree again in South means they are a real smokey to take out this whole weekend.

Gold Coast Rollers (NBL1 North)

Watch out for!!!

It’ll be no easy task to replace Jason Cadee but Jaze Morris is going to bring it his hardest. The Rollers impact player’s numbers look small but with extra time out on the floor he’ll be someone that can light it up quickly. He’s a 40 percent three-point shooter and will likely see some Davies if matchups occur.

You would know them…

There’s no NBL contract at this stage for Lamar Patterson who seems to have settled for Australia as a location to play hoops – but this veteran ain’t done yet. He’s coming off pine now but don’t be surprised to see him into the starting line-up this weekend in place of Tanner Krebs. Patterson still is giving 16.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game so it might be time to call on the NBL “Lockdown” man in Sam Johns for this one if the Rollers see them this weekend.

A familiar face is…

Coach and player what can’t this man do? Anthony Petrie with the number of important outs is likely to suit as a player this weekend and is the only player coach this whole weekend for the finals. “Peach” all Adelaide fans will know having played under Joey Wright here and at the Gold Coast Blaze – a storied 11 season career before retiring in 2018. If the Gold Coast get their NBL licence in the future – who knows we might see the first player coach suiting for the NBL since Matt Flinn for the Illawarra Hawks in the mid-2010s…

The Crossover Closer

Plenty of “Bullet” holes in the Rollers but that’s why they are called what they are – they are rolling as well as anyone. They still have plenty of depth and any team out of NBL1 North is going to be competitive. They currently in my mind have the slight edge on most teams and are my favourite to win the weekend.

Frankston Blues (NBL1 South) – Wildcard Winner

Watch out for!!!

There is a distinctively Melbourne NBL flavour to the Blues and Dillon Stith is one that immediately jumps off the page of this team. Continuously called upon as a roster player – Stith will once again be looking to prove to everyone he deserves another recall. He averaged 15.8 points and 6.8 rebounds but his explosiveness off the dribble in this powerful team will worry opposition. It’s a matchup for Starling to go head-to-head if they meet.

You would know them…

Daniel Trist has been on the fringe and shown his potency as a low block player. The former NBL player with South-East Melbourne Phoenix and New Zealand Breakers has been solid yet again with 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in a very even team. Ellison will likely see some time on a player who may yet still at least become and injury replacement selection for an NBL side.

A familiar face is…

It wouldn’t be the national finals preview without pulling out a character of the team such as Igor Hadziomerovic. You’d recognise the former Melbourne Tiger and United player who has an important role off the bench energising his side. Averaging 10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and shooting it at 46 percent – Igor is another not to ignore.

The Crossover Closer

The fact this team is as stacked as it is and still isn’t talked about in the conversation for the title this weekend is flabbergasting. While they may be wildcard winners – this team has the potential to go very deep into Sunday and could even pull off the unlikely victory in a Mens draw.

I’m obviously hoping for the SA double

But if you truly ask me, in the Women it’s hard to go past the Albury-Wodonga Bandits with or without LJ, I’ve seen a bit of them this year but my smokey is the Ringwood Hawks. For the men, the ‘Bullet’ holes in the Gold Coast Rollers hurt and it evens out the candidates. Rockingham Flames looks solid even if Devondrick Walker doesn’t play – Hobart Chargers have been a consistent unit under Anthony Stewart so I’ll take them as a smokey but despite the outs, the Rollers would still be a huge favourite to win it.

Catch all the NBL1 action tonight on the NBL1 website, app on Kayo and Kayo Freebies

NBL1 – Australia’s League

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