Spartans in SEABL 2009 [Archive] - Ben Does Queensland Basketball

Spartans

08-09-08, 12:38

Spartans Sign Mick Hill

The Southern Districts Spartans bowed out of the SEABL playoff hunt in round one of the 2008 playoffs but have already moved quickly during the short off season securing the signature of former Brisbane Bullets Championship player, Mick Hill for season 2009.

Hill, a ten year NBL veteran began his career with the Canberra Cannons before making the move north to Brisbane. During his time with the Bullets he has averaged 13 points and 6 rebounds, was part of the record breaking 2006 – 07 season where the Bullets won an amazing 28 games straight enroute to the NBL Championship.

The versatile 29 year old stands at 197cm adding size, strength, experience and scoring punch that the Spartans will need to get over their successive round one defeats in the past two playoff campaigns.

A prolific point scorer in the SEABL, Hill’s previous stints in the competition during the NBL off season has seen him earn “top points scorer” award nationally, with an average just under 30 points per game including a host of “All Star 5” selections.

“We are extremely excited to have Mick on board,” Spartans General Manager Allan Ladewig said. “We did pursue him a few years ago and was someone who was on our radars for a very long time. We’re glad to finally have him on board.”

With the demise of the Brisbane Bullets and Hill deciding to stay in Brisbane, his status for the upcoming SEABL season will be “unrestricted.” This is sure to bolster the Spartans side that will now have a restricted spot vacant for the upcoming season with Greg Vanderjagt also destined to be listed as unrestricted.

“I called the SEABL office just to make sure and clarify what Mick’s status would be if he sat out this coming NBL season, and was informed that he would in fact be classed as unrestricted,” Spartans Operations Manager Joe Tertzakian said.

Rumors are rampant that the Spartans are hot on the trail of three other high profile NBL players who have missed out on NBL contracts this coming season, with the collapse of the Sydney Kings, the Brisbane Bullets and most recently the Singapore Slingers in anticipation of setting a solid foundation for the very real return of NBL Basketball to Brisbane in season 2009/10.

ENDS
For further information please contact: spartans.seabl@hotmail.com

Spartans

22-09-08, 17:37

MEDIA RELEASE
19 September 2008
SEVEN SEABL PLAYERS SELECTED TO TOUR CHINA
After a stellar 2008 season with their respective SEABL clubs, Gerard Leonard (Kilsyth), Dallas Jeffree (Mt. Gambier), Andrew Harms (Frankston), Mark Banovic (Hobart), Lester Strong (Knox), Joe Werner (Kilsyth) and Daniel George (Geelong) are preparing to fly out to China as part of an Australian Club Championships representative team.
Ash Cannan and Sedalle Threatt from the Big V join the seven SEABL players on the ACC Select tour roster, which leaves on October 4.
The team will be lead by former Melbourne Tigers’ star and Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze, with former Melbourne Tiger’s assistant coach Matt Ferrier on the coaching panel.
Daniel George represented the side in 2008 and is grateful for the chance to once again tour China. The tour has been extended to six matches in 2008 with George hoping the team can improve on the disappointing 3-2 record last year.
“We tour various parts of China, including Beijing, playing exhibitions games against the Chinese national league teams (CBA) in a warm-up to their upcoming season,” Ferrier explained.
The league congratulates all seven players on their selection.

Spartans

24-09-08, 15:25

Gibbo Stays with Spartans

Recently signed, South Dragons superstar guard Adam Gibson will remain with the Arrow Caravan & Towbar Southern Districts Spartans competing in the South East Australian Basketball League during the 2009 NBL off-season.

Gibson, who has played with the Spartans for the past 3 seasons whilst with the Brisbane Bullets will return to Brisbane at the end of the current NBL season after his first year with new team the South Dragons based in Melbourne.

“It was something we were a little concerned about,” Spartans General Manager Allan Ladewig said. “He’s a true club man, we love to have him around as does the juniors, he’s a great role model and we thought he might have to stay down South during the off season.”

The South Dragons were quick to pounce on the young Championship player once the Bullets demise was confirmed for NBL season 08/09 and the move to Melbourne was swift but the Spartans offer and move to retain his services during the of season was swifter.

“We made him an offer during our 25 year reunion anniversary which doubled as our SEABL presentation night. We went back and forth and came up with an offer that kept everyone happy but more importantly, kept him (Gibson) with us,” Ladewig added.

The signing bolsters an already impressive line-up, which includes former Bullets Championship player Mick Hill.

That Spartans have been defeated in round one of 2007 and 2008 playoff campaigns of the SEABL and are building a team to get over this hump. Openly admitting they were one or two players away from really giving the Championship a legitimate challenge.

Newly appointed returning head coach Bruce Palmer is looking forward to getting this group together.

“I like what we’re doing here. Priority was always to get our core group back and Gibbo is just that. Adding Mick (Hill) to the puzzle certainly helps, it’s just a case of getting them all here in time,” Palmer stated.

The Spartans historically start the SEABL seasons on the back foot with so many NBL players unavailable due to the playoff and this season will be no different. With the South Dragons expected to go deep into the NBL playoffs Gibson will not return to the Spartans until mid March.

ENDS
Fort further information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Spartans

06-10-08, 11:09

Sponsors Back Spartans ‘till 2011

Long time Lady Spartans major sponsor Carina Leagues Club and the Spartans men major sponsor the Arrow Caravans & Towbars have revealed they are both renewing their sponsorship a further three years.

In a major coupe for the club, during the clubs 25 years reunion, doubling up as the Spartans SEABL end of season presentation dinner, both CEO’s of the respective companies made the announcement.

“We are certainly thrilled to have not just one but both long time major sponsors back on board,” Spartans General Manager Allan Ladewig said. “Without these two companies, we simply wouldn’t be able to compete in the best competition available.”

The Carina Leagues Club, located next door to the Carina Basketball Stadium has been major supporters of the Lady Spartans for the past 6 seasons, extending a major hand towards the womens sport to compliment their mens rugby league team based at their venue.

The long association with the Spartans have included the good times and the bad, but with the extension of sponsorship a further three years will allow the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans to attract yet another quality player for season 2009.

Midway through the 25-year reunion festivities, The Arrow Caravans & Towbars CEO, Barry Barker was awarded a Spartans Life Membership to go along with his Southern Districts Life Membership, one of only four people who have the honour of both Life Memberships.

It was during his acceptance speech where he made the announcement.

“…Thank you. It is with great humility that I accept this award and membership. I would also like to say a huge thank you to the Spartans mens team for their efforts all year. You boys really did us proud and I am proud to have been your major sponsor. So proud that I would like to announce a further three year extension as your naming rights sponsor,” Mr. Barker said.

Both Spartans men and Lady Spartans teams will now have the official titles of, The Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans and The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Spartans for the next three years.

ENDS
For Further information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Spartans

09-10-08, 11:56

Sunday 9th November 3 – 6pm
Tuesday 11th November 6 – 8pm
All players who wish to play with the Spartans in the 2009 ABA season MUST attend trials.
The 2009 Arrow Caravan & Towbars Spartans SEABL team will be selected from these trials.

*some players will be absent due to NBL commitments.
Head Coach – Bruce Palmer
Assistant Coach – Mick Conlon

All players are required to bring their own basketball, drink bottle, reversible singlet, towel & mouthguard (if required). Cost for all trial sessions will be $2.
For more information please contact the SDBAL office on 3398 2790 during business hours.

Spartans

17-11-08, 13:02

It was all good news for the Lady Spartans and Spartans SEABL programs last Saturday when the 2009 format, future direction and rule changes were provided to the member clubs.

We as part of SEABL will receive support from channel 9 for recruitment of juniors and promotion of the game. This will also entail a new National major League Sponsorship. Details to be released soon.

2009 sees the end of Australian Club Championship which means that each Conference is now allowed to establish their own player standards. NBL and WNBL players who do not average greater then 50% of game time in teams are now able to play as unrestricted players. in SEABL

The Big V Conference and SEABL also basically agreed to amalgamate in 2010 which mean that there would only be 3 Conferences eligible to compete in 2010, given that Central have now advised they no longer want to play in the ACC structure.

With this situation the ACC is not really an option and we return to the old days where we have State Leagues in NSW, Queensland, WA and SA. The SEABL as part of the greater Basketball Australia plan will become the undisputed second tier competition. I believe that this will allow the future structure of SEABL to be something like this

Victoria 10 teams
SA 2 teams
ACT 2 teams
NSW 3 teams
NT 1 team
Queensland 2 teams
Tasmania 3 teams

Nothing is set in stone but that pretty much is the shape of where the SEABL is moving. I have never seen so many people including respresentatives of Basketball Victoria so focused on the future of our sport .

They also have made it mandatory for all new franchises to have a womens team.

Referees also received a pay rise of $20 per game in both men and women.

As far as SDBAL is concerned we received the reward for toughing it out with a removal of interstate travel costs meaning our second biggest sponsor is now SEABL.

National Finals (televised is the plan) for the SEABL will now be played on the week-end 29th August with a sponsors dinner on the FRiday night.

Mens competition starts March 13th with women starting 27th March.

Things are looking great for 2009 and people wanting to be placed on our Spartans email newsletter need simply email to sdbal@bigpond.net.au

17-11-08, 14:24

Is BIGJOE coming back, now that Joey got the sack in Cyprus?

Spartans

17-11-08, 15:27

Big Joe was always coming back. Now with the other things that are happening it just can not come quick enough.

Exciting stuff above isnt it?

Spartans

17-11-08, 15:28

Unregistered

26-11-08, 05:32

Was at Churchie last night and saw Spartans men training. They have a lot of new faces in the squad with some big boys. Mick Hill looks real good and they have most under 20 State team alsi training which will help, With Gibbo and bubbles to come back into team they will be very strong.

Spartans

28-11-08, 12:01

MEDIA RELEASE

This week SEABL received an application from Dandenong to join SEABL commencing in the 2009 season. The SEABL Board is considering the application and will make a recommendation to its Members in the very near future. Members will be asked to vote on the application through a postal vote.

Also, yesterday the Victorian SEABL Clubs met and have requested SEABL to commence a SEABL Development League in 2009. The D League concept was presented as part of the SEABL / Big V Working Party paper, at the ALM. The application from Dandenong and the D League request has meant that the implementation of the concept paper has been bought forward by a year.

Members are advised that the Office is currently preparing a new fixture which will include Dandenong and ask that you discard the previous fixture release.

Spartans

28-11-08, 13:14

November 28th 2009
MEDIA RELEASE

The Arrow Caravan & Towbar Spartans just got a whole lot bigger with the signing of Ash Cannan from Victoria in preparation for the 2009 South East Australian Basketball League.

“Ash is every coaches dream player who brings hard work and commitment to the team” stated Head Coach, Bruce Palmer. “Ash could or should be playing in the National Basketball League but elected to focus on his career and took up an offer to do his Masters at Queensland University in 2009. When he called I could not believe our luck in getting such a player to join us as we endeavour to move further into the finals series then we have for the last two years”.

Cannan is a product of the powerful Kilsyth Cobras basketball program representing Victoria in numerous teams. As a senior it seems wherever he plays success follows. An Australian University representative at the World University Games in 2000, Cannan has done it all. In the USA College system he played for Colorado Chrstian where he captained the team while being voted “University Athlete of the Year” in 2005. His team even won the Dr Peppers Australian 3 on 3 tournament as a junior in 1999.

The recruitment of Cannan to the Arrow Caravan & Towbar Spartans comes on the top of the signing of former Brisbane Bullet, Mick Hill, and the return of Chris “Bubbles” Goulding from Perth Wildcats.

“We are talking currently to two other current National Basketball League players and are fairly confident we will get them both while also retaining Greg Vanderjagt who is on the Gold Coast Blaze roster” offered General Manager, Allan Ladewig.

“We may no longer have an NBL team in Brisbane but we do have a team of quality and we are more then confident that we can fill the void for our sport in Brisbane starting in March 2009 through to September”.

The South East Australian Basketball league is accepted throughout Australia as the premier program after the National Basketball League. The show is the same on game night but the Spartans also have the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans who are in themselves a powerful program operating from the Clem Jones Youth Centre basketball is moving ahead.

Ends Additional information email: sdbal@bigpond.net.au 3843 3133

Unregistered

28-11-08, 16:03

The South East Australian Basketball league is accepted throughout Australia as the premier program after the National Basketball League

"arguably"

Unregistered

08-12-08, 17:06

Nmac

09-12-08, 22:19

Is this correct are Townsville women now the record holders?

QABL Women's Coach of the Year - Mark Wrobel (Townsville Flames): Led the team to another State and National title, with the team now starting the '09 season on a national record of 48-game win streak.

Unregistered

10-12-08, 09:02

Looks like Townsville will not get to pass the record as there is no longer an Australian Club Championship. The State Leagues that they will compete in next year is not a national competition so no they do not get to break the record set by Lady Spartans. Also I think you may find that no one has taken into account the Cross competition which Lady Spartans played in for 4 years with one lose at the start. The National record will be broken I am sure but not in 2009. Perhaps never given that there is no ACC no matter what spin some people want to put on what is happening. I think you should be more focused on making sure that there is basketball of standard (week to week basis) in Queensland before thinking about records against weakened competition due to the fact that the Lady Spartans no longer play in Queensland. Remember the last four years they did play in the QABL. Oh thats right they won them all. Until Townsville play them in a structured competition I suggest the record is hollow to say the least.

Unregistered

10-12-08, 13:03

Unregistered

10-12-08, 14:25

quote

"before thinking about records against weakened competition due to the fact that the Lady Spartans no longer play in Queensland."

and then

"Also I think you may find that no one has taken into account the Cross competition which Lady Spartans played in for 4 years with one lose at the start."

slight contradiction do you not think?

The sad facts are that both teams were great in what they achieved but neither will probably ever gain the respect they both deserve due to different reasons such as standard of competiotion they play or played against. As far as Cross goes it was part of BQ competition structure so the records sit. Remember Lady Spartans did this prior to the QABL starting the melt down. I would say it is fair to suggest that the record sits with Lady Spartans as National record holders which in time, hopefully when things get better for basketball, Townsville will in turn break that record. Lady Spartans have a State record of nearly 90 wins straight which only Townsville will be able to break. This is most likley only record Townsville team can aspire to break for next few years.

On another comment on the QABL site I see people talking about Cairns and Townsville jumping to the SEABL. If they did the new rules of SEABL are that you must bring your women so the door is open to Townsville women to make the step into tough weekly competition. Can only be a good thing for our women in this state to have 2 SEABL and 2 WNBL programs running around.

Unregistered

10-12-08, 15:24

December 10th 2008

MEDIA RELEASE

The Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans are sure to improve in the coming SEABL season after the signing of Australian Opal, Emma Randall who will join the Carina based club in early April 2009.

After a great year where the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans finished sixth in the National competition all stops were pulled out to add some size to the team for the South East Australian Basketball League in 2009.

Randall who is a 191cm, plays both forward and centre for the Australian Opals and is currently playing in France where she leads her team and league in scoring with an average of 19.5 points per game. Emma was a member for the silver medal winning Opals at this years Beijing Olympics.

Former Australian Opal, Allison Tranquilli, had this to say about the new recruit when the club scouted her. ” Emma is a strong and reliable forward who has very solid post moves but can also move out to the perimeter and shoot the 3 point shot. Emma can run the floor very well and can cause problems for the opposition with her agility and movement. Emma has a strong body for European Basketball and her personality let’s her communicate well with her team mates and coaching staff”.
“We really wanted someone who had the same community based commitments as we did and Emma was everything we were looking for” offered General Manager, Allan Ladewig. “She plays hard and never ever gives in. She wants to work within our junior program and will. Young female athletes who aspire to be the best can now watch one of the best in business on a weekly basis”.
“The recruitment of Randall to our community was made possible by the support of many and especially the Carina Leagues Club who do so much for local sporting and social groups” Ladewig added.
“I wanted to play in Queensland for a long time. I mean who wouldn’t with the weather but the timing was never right. When Southern Districts contacted me to play it was like the stars aligning. I had heard so much about the Lady Spartans and I wanted to play in the SEABL competition on my return to Australia. I am looking to being part of the team.” offered Randall.

The Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans commenced training four weeks ago in preparation for the South East Australian Basketball League which will kick off in March 2009. Season tickets and sponsorship packages available now.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Unregistered

24-12-08, 09:43

Communiqué - SEABL/Big V Working Party Meeting December 15th 2008

At a meeting held on Monday 15th between representatives of Basketball Victoria (BV), the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL), the Big V and Basketball Australia (BA) detailed discussions took place on the structure of the Youth Leagues competitions as part of the previously released Concept Paper, but relative to an introduction in 2009. Various options were considered; in the end it got down to –

(a) A Joint Youth League/ D (Development) League scenario, or
(b) Each league conducts their respective competitions in isolation.

Last Saturday the Big V Board took a decision not to proceed with the option of a joint Youth League/D League structure in 2009, but rather conduct their Youth League competition in its own right. This means that the SEABL will introduce their D League in 2009 with 8 men’s and 7 women’s teams.

Both organizations worked hard to bring about an outcome that would satisfy both markets and remain determined to continue to work in collaboration to further develop the Concept Paper through 2009. Basketball Australia has also committed their assistance and support in this project.

At a time when the sport on the National stage is moving through a period of serious review and redevelopment Basketball in Victoria is looking to take the positive lead by working to develop a clear and concise pathway for players, coaches, referees and administrators. We can best achieve this with the co-operation of all parties. There is a lot yet to be determined in the Concept Paper, however with the stated desire to continue along this path we have a great opportunity to place Victoria at the head of the pack.

The task ahead now is for the leagues to prepare for the new season and although timelines have been reduced they will no doubt proceed quickly.

We wish all teams in all competitions the best for a very successful 2009 season.

Visit www.bigv.com.au and www.seabl.com.au to stay up to date with all the news from across the Leagues.

Unregistered

27-12-08, 17:36

The sad facts are that both teams were great in what they achieved but neither will probably ever gain the respect they both deserve due to different reasons such as standard of competiotion they play or played against. As far as Cross goes it was part of BQ competition structure so the records sit. Remember Lady Spartans did this prior to the QABL starting the melt down. I would say it is fair to suggest that the record sits with Lady Spartans as National record holders which in time, hopefully when things get better for basketball, Townsville will in turn break that record. Lady Spartans have a State record of nearly 90 wins straight which only Townsville will be able to break. This is most likley only record Townsville team can aspire to break for next few years.

On another comment on the QABL site I see people talking about Cairns and Townsville jumping to the SEABL. If they did the new rules of SEABL are that you must bring your women so the door is open to Townsville women to make the step into tough weekly competition. Can only be a good thing for our women in this state to have 2 SEABL and 2 WNBL programs running around.

Im not sure what record Districts are talking about with their 90 games, i can only presume it is consecutive wins within your state?

The only thing Townsville have claimed is the Basketball Australia recognised record for consecutive game wins full stop and they have done this through winning back to back national titles. I think if you speak to the Townsville people they will be the first to acknowledge that the wins within Queensland have come easier than they should have but credit where credit is due, they have been forced to push themselves to a higher level because of the lack of good teams in Qld and have gone on to beat the other best teams in the country for the last two years.

I personally think it is great for Qld that we have such strong female basketballers running around competing for our teams. Maybe since there are no Nationals this year we can have the Districts vs. winners of the QABL challenge at the end of the year.

Unregistered

12-01-09, 16:38

Spartans Men Dealt a Blow

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Spartans 2009 SEABL campaign has been dealt a severe blow, losing the services of former Brisbane Bullets Championship player Mick Hill before the season has even begun.

The 29 year-old prolific point scorer was forced to sit out the current NBL season once it was confirmed the Brisbane Bullets folded late in July 2008.

Former Brisbane Bullets owner, Mr. Eddy Groves ran into financial troubles through his ABC Learning Centre’s and informed Hill and all the Bullets players his intentions to off-load the team.

The “white-knight” in the form of David Kemp and his consortium seemed to have saved the club but pulled out in the last minute forcing Hill into full time secular employment in real estate.

However, after reassessing all his options, Hill made the difficult decision to move back to his hometown, Melbourne.

“We are extremely sad to lose a player like Mick. He has been nothing but professional during the pre-season period and we wish him all the best,” Spartans General Manager Allan Ladewig said.

“I feel really bad for Bruce Palmer (Spartans Coach) as this is the second time I have committed to playing for him in the SEABL but have pulled out in the last minute for different reasons,” Hill said.

Hill is scheduled to leave Brisbane at 4am on Thursday 15 January.

The Spartans have already been hot on the trail for a replacement over the past week or so with a replacement announcement due very soon.

“It’s a massive hole to fill but we are confident we have the right guy for the job and give this thing a real shake late in August,” Spartans Head Coach Bruce Palmer said.

The Spartans resumed pre-season training yesterday with several new faces already impressing Palmer.

ENDS
For further information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Unregistered

14-01-09, 15:11

MEDIA RELEASE

SEABL Inks Crazy John’s As Naming Rights Sponsor

SEABL Marketing Director Matt Nunn announced Crazy John’s as Naming Rights Sponsor for SEABL’s 2009/2010 seasons. This announcement follows recent announcements of major media partnerships with WIN TV, Channel Nine and SEN1116 Sports Radio.

Crazy John’s decision to join SEABL acknowledges the league’s ability to reach basketball’s grass roots participants and spectators. Crazy John’s partnership also demonstrates the strength of the SEABL business model in which Associations are directly linked with the teams representing them.

Matt Scriven, Head of Marketing for Crazy John’s, said Crazy John’s decision to sponsor SEABL was based on the large membership and audience figures of the league and its geographical location - which closely matches Crazy John’s retail footprint.

As Australia’s most successful independent mobile phone retailer, Crazy John’s has over 100 retail outlets nationally employing over 800 staff. The business is renowned for delivering exceptional customer service and the best mobile phone deals in the market and according to Scriven, Crazy John’s was keen to sponsor the sport at a grass-roots level as part of the business’ commitment to supporting the local communities in which it operates.

The sponsorship arrangement between SEABL and Crazy John’s is also reflective of the shared values of both organisations, with both SEABL and Crazy John’s dedicated to delivering a superior product for their members and customers and a strong organisational culture for their staff.

Asked about the future of basketball in Australia, Matt Nunn said no other model in Australia had the demonstrated success of the SEABL.

“Our expectation is that the league will go from strength to strength in the next five years for which the board is considering many initiatives,” Said Mr Nunn. “Crazy John’s sponsorship will allow SEABL, Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League, to promote itself and highlight its position in the basketball community, building on its strong foundation,” Mr Nunn concluded.

For further Information Mark Chivers – 0418 206 623

Unregistered

19-01-09, 12:27

CARINA LEAGUES CLUB LADY SPARTANS

It’s official this year Australian Opal Emma Randall will be suiting up for the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans in the 2009 South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL).

Randall who represented Australia at the Beijing Olympics, where the Opals won the silver medal, joins long serving players, Shona O’Bree, Rebecca Stephens, Melissa Tronc and Holly Smith in the pursuit of the first ever finals appearance within the SEABL.

“We dominated for years the Queensland Australian Basketball League and knew it would not be easy making the step up to the National competition but we are finally ready to make the push playing in Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League” offered General Manager, Allan Ladewig.

“Donna Rinaldi has done a great job with such a young team and with the likes of Cassie Smith, Odette Andrews and Kate Willie returning from a season in the Women’s National Basketball League we are looking at making the finals and from there anything can happen”.

Local players Karlie Currie, Rachel Prior and upcoming talent Tahlia Jeffress will also be part of the program looking to impress as the season moves on.

The Lady Spartans are also looking to seeing a lot more young girls in the crowd to watch Emma Randall who brings size skill and a winner take all attitude to the program.

“We want as many people to see basketball at its best and who better to watch then the Lady Spartans with so many local players involved” offered Head Coach, Donna Rinaldi. “It is a great nights entertainment at the Clem Jones Youth Centre and after we are finished our guests can sit back and watch the Spartans men as they compete against the very best talent in Australia”.

Members of the Carina Leagues Club are able to access promotions and discounts for all home games just by showing the current membership card or talking to Leagues Club staff.

If members want to know more about the Carina Leagues Lady Spartans or want to arrange for the players to attend your school or club contact the office on email sdbal@bigpond.net.au or go to the website www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au

Season Home Draw
March 14th 6pm Lady Spartans v Albury/Wodonga
8pm Spartans v Canberra
April 4th 6pm Lady Spartans v Launceston
8pm Spartans v Albury Wodonga
April 25th 6pm Lady Spartans v Kilsyth
8pm Spartans v Kilsyth
May 9th 6pm Lady Spartans v Sandringham
8pm Spartans v Sandringham
May 16th 6pm Lady Spartans v Knox
8pm Spartans v Knox
May 23rd 6pm Lady Spartans v Dandenong
8pm Spartans v Mt Gambier
June 13th 7:30 Lady Spartans v N/W Tasmania
7:30 Spartans v N/W Tasmania
June 20th 6pm Lady Spartans v Frankston
8pm Spartans v Frankston
June 27th 6pm Lady Spartans v Ballarat
8pm Spartans v Ballarat
July 11th 6pm Lady Spartans v Nunawading
8pm Spartans v Nunawading
July 25th 6pm Lady Spartans v Bendigo
8pm Spartans v Bendigo

Unregistered

29-01-09, 07:58

Spartans Lose “Gibbo”

Only days after announcing the loss of NBL veteran Mick Hill, the Arrow Caravans & Towbars Spartans have suffered another massive blow to their 2009 SEABL campaign, losing superstar guard Adam Gibson.

Gibson, who signed with the South Dragons after the collapse of the Brisbane Bullets, had also signed a contract to play with the Spartans during the NBL off-season, moving back to Brisbane for the 5-month season.

However, due to the current success of the Dragons who are sitting on top of the NBL ladder, Gibson’s commitments to them during the off season have increased, coupled with Australian Boomers commitments which will mean he will miss numerous SEABL games for the Spartans.

“We were happy to have Gibbo miss all the regular season games he needed to for National duties,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “I spoke with our GM and Big Joe and it was all set in place to work around that to have Gibbo back home.”

However, once Palmer had looked over the Boomers schedule for 2009 it was clear the difficult decision was going to have to be made.

“It was a way we didn’t want things to go, none of us. We all tried to manage it any and every which way possible but not having Gibbo available during any of the playoff games would have made it far too difficult for the team to adjust once that time of the season arrived and he was unavailable,” Palmer added.

Palmer’s sentiments were echoed by Spartans manager Big Joe, “It’s difficult for me personally. He’s one of my best mates, we’ve lived together for a long time, been through a lot both on and off the floor and with him in Melbourne for the NBL now, I was really looking forward to having him home during the off-season so it was something I didn’t take too well.”

The hunt for a replacement point guard has begun and whoever fills that roll will have very big shoes to fill.

The Spartans are currently undergoing a stringent 6-week pre-season campaign organised by Acceleration Brisbane ensuring a fit and injury free start to the 2009 campaign beginning on March 14 against the Canberra Gunners.

The new look Spartans lineup and major announcement will be unveiled at the season launch held on Wednesday 25 February at the Carina Leagues Club.

ENDS
For further information please email: sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Unregistered

02-02-09, 14:17

Things happening at carina with some huge signings to be announced later this week. Seems Spartans may have lost 2 greats but picked up 2 more. New sponsor wants to win so team is looking bigger then ever. Womens team also about to make some huge waves with an Opal no less. Slim Joe is the new image also. Make sure you check out our website over next few weeks with one huge announcement to be made which will sure to have people talking. No nothing to do with NBL.

Unregistered

03-02-09, 12:00

The Southern Districts Spartans have elected to allow Kerry Williams to return to Cairns after he had signed with them last week. Williams who had elected to play SEABL in 2009 wanted to stay in Cairns and help the association in its quest to keep basketball as a high profile sport. Southern Districts wish Kerry and the Cairns association the best for the year in the QABL. This now makes the way clear for Spartans to chase down another point guard to lead the team on the floor. It is no secret that the Spartans have chased a big line up for the 2009 year and that the loss of Gibbo and now Kerry will hurt them very much.

Unregistered

06-02-09, 09:18

Spartans lock in Green

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars have put aside the past few weeks of bad news by coming to terms with former Sydney Kings and Melbourne Tigers import, Thalo Green.

Green who had signed a three-year deal with cross-town QABL team, the Logan Thunder found himself in basketball limbo when the club announced it would withdraw from the QABL for 2009.

The Spartans threw out a lifeline that was snapped up once both parties were happy with the terms.

“It took a little longer then expected but we’re very happy to have him on board,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said.

“He brings a wealth of experience in that three spot, he’s a veteran of both the ABA and the NBL so we will utalise him in that roll,” Palmer added. “The young guys will really learn a lot from him.”

Green is expected to fill the Category A import for the Spartans but his stocks will rise in the coming weeks when he is expected to received his Australian naturalization papers before the start of the 2009 SEABL season.

“It makes things a lot easier for us. We lost Mick (Hill) who was a very good unrestricted player. We are looking at Thalo to be that very good unrestricted player we lost,” Palmer said.

The Spartans are remaining extremely tight lipped as to who they have on the radar to fill that Category A restricted spot, with Greg Vanderjagt the only signed restricted player.

With the announcement of the Hawks not renewing their NBL license, the uncertainly in Cairns and Sydney, the Spartans are very confident of filing both vacant restricted positions with NBL quality players.

The Spartans play their first home game on Saturday, 14 March against the Canberra Gunners at the Carina Basketball Stadium

ENDS
For further information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Unregistered

10-02-09, 11:26

SPARTANS GEARING UP FOR LAUNCH

The Arrow Caravan & Towbar Brisbane Spartans are gearing up for what could be one of the best seasons they have had competing in the South East Australian Basketball League competition. With both the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans and Spartan teams in full training there is little left to do but get on the court on March 14th for the first game of the season.

The Lady Spartans scored a massive signing this year in recruiting Olympian, Emma Randall. Randall all 191cm plays forward and centre for the Australian Opals is currently playing in France. Randall leads the league in scoring at 19.5 points per game . The Lady Spartans coached by former playing legend Donna Rinaldi also boasts five current Womens National League players with all team members having represented Queensland at some stage within their playing careers.

The Spartans men’s team also boasts a massive line up with the newest signing Thalo Green who has played with both Sydney Kings and Melbourne Tigers along side Ash Cannan formerly of the Victoria Dragons and Greg Vanderjagt from the Gold Coast Blaze. The trio form a front court which is tall and talented.

Add to this Perth Wildcat newest sensation Chris Goulding with local talent Matt Edmonds and Jeff ”The Ringman” Morton with at least two more National Basketball League signings still to be confirmed the Spartans are looking to improve on the last two seasons where they finished fourth.

The only real issue for the pre-season Spartans is replacing point guard Adam Gibson, who the Spartans had to let go due to Australian duties. Local Peni Nasalo is expected to play a huge role in filling the gap but the search is now on for a point guard.

Both the Lady Spartans and Spartans kick off their seasons on March 14th at the Rowland Cowan Stadium at the Clem Jones Youth Centre in Carina. Prior to the first game however will be the season launch where the final teams will be presented to the media and fans at the Carina Leagues Club launch on February 25th.

ENDS Additional information www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Unregistered

19-02-09, 13:09

KILSYTH BASKETBALL MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
SWINBURNE BECOMES COBRAS NAMING RIGHTS SPONSOR
The Kilsyth Cobras are proud to announce the signing of Swinburne University Lilydale as their new
principal partner for the next two years. From 2009 both the men and women who compete in the South
East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) will be known as the 'Swinburne' Kilsyth Cobras.
The Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale, situated in Melba Avenue, offers a range of high quality
undergraduate courses and postgraduate programs.
Kilsyth and Mountain District Basketball Association (K&MDBA) President Malcolm Allison said “We are
extremely pleased to announce this ground breaking partnership with one of Victoria's leading
Universities. Swinburne University, like the Kilsyth Cobras, are an important and leading Yarra Ranges
community organisation.”
Swinburne University Lilydale offers degrees in the areas of business, communications, design/business,
psychology, social science and tourism. Postgraduate programs cover business systems design and
management, commerce, writing and psychological studies. Research degrees and PhDs can also be
undertaken.
Jane Bartley, Marketing Manager, Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale said, “We are very excited to
announce our naming rights sponsorship agreement with the K&MDBA. The Faculty of Higher Education,
Lilydale was a supporting sponsor in 2008 and made the decision to increase our commitment to the
association this year due to the many synergies that exist between Kilsyth Cobras and Swinburne
University. We both provide opportunities for members of our community; either through tertiary
education or basketball development, utilising the latest in technology and innovation.”
"Swinburne University is a committed member of the outer eastern community, and extremely proud to
be supporting the young people of the region through our sponsorship of the Kilsyth Cobras. The
fundamental principles developed through participation in competitive sport, such as self-discipline,
teamwork, and pursuit of excellence, will apply equally when these young people go on to study at
university, so we see this as a win-win situation. We look forward to a long and extremely successful
collaboration,” said Professor Kay Lipson, Dean, Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale.
Allison is excited about the Swinburne Kilsyth Cobras prospects in 2009. “We have put together an
exciting team on the court and the off court support of Swinburne University Lilydale will ensure a
successful 2009 and 2010 SEABL Season,” he said.
The Swinburne Kilsyth Cobras will kick off their 2009 Season in Bendigo on March 14, with the Men
playing their first home game on March 21 and the Women joining them in a double header on April 5.
Swinburne have shown their support by 'Backing the Black' and we encourage the local basketball
community to do the same and 'BACK THE BLACK' in 2009.
For further information on Swinburne University Lilydale visit www.swinburne.edu.au/lilydale
For further information on the Swinburne Kilsyth Cobras visit www.cobras.net.au

Unregistered

02-03-09, 12:17

Brisbane Spartans Happy with Preparation

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have had the best possible preparation to tip off their 2009 SEABL campaign with a three game series against the Australian Institute of Sport at Carina Basketball Stadium over the weekend.

In game one, on Friday night, the Spartans out lasted the AIS in a 128 – 110 win in front of a packed crowd.

Spartans new recruits Ash Cannan (South Dragons) and Tyson Demos (Gold Coast Blaze) chipped in with 26 and 23 points respectively, while Greg Vanderjagt added 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds.

For the AIS, Brisbane’s Brock Motum lead the way with 26 points while Western Australian Cody Ellis chipped in 22 off the bench.

On Saturday night, the AIS turned things around and were headed towards handing the Spartans a heavy loss on their home floor. Bursting out of the blocks the AIS took a commanding lead throughout the second and third quarter where the lead ballooned out to as much as 29 points before the Spartans comeback began.

However, the AIS help off to record a seven-point win, 112 – 105.

Last week’s Under 20 National Championship MVP, Jordan page lead the way with 23 points including a handful of devastating “in your face” three point bombs. He was well supported by Ryan Broekoff with 14, while Cody Ellis added 12 points.

For the Spartans, Ash Cannan once again lead the way with 27 points with Greg Vanderjagt having another double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. One of the Spartans favorite sons, Chris Goulding found his feet after a long flight from Perth to add in 19 points.

On Sunday, in sweltering conditions, the AIS once again duplicated their efforts on Saturday night to surprise a lethargic Spartans outfit and take a commanding lead in the first quarter.

Spartans big men, Vanderjagt and Cannan were rested however Thalo Green stepped up and mounted a comeback, however, like the night before, the Spartans fell agonizingly short of a series win.

“We were flat and tired today, they are young and fit. No excuses though, we were beaten by a very good team and they will do us proud at the World Champs later this year,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said.

“The things we have gained through this exercise have been invaluable to our preparations for the up coming season,” he added.

After team introductions, the Spartans took the opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous achievements of seven Queenslanders from the traveling AIS team who were recently crowned Under 20 National Champions and thank AIS head coach Marty Clarke and his assistant Paul Gorris for their direction in the development of these players.

“We are extremely proud of what these boys have done and it’s a result of their direction right now. It just proves that the system they are in right now (AIS) is legit,” Palmer concluded.

The Spartans have two more pre season hit outs against Brisbane Capitals and Maroochydore Clippers before their first official SEABL game on Saturday 14 March 2009 at Carina Basketball stadium tipping off at 6pm.

ENDS
For further information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au
Website: www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au
Phone 3398 2790

Bring It On

09-03-09, 14:29

Spartans say, “Bring it on”

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have completed a long and hard pre-season campaign last night with their final hit out against the Maroochydore Clippers from the QBL before embarking on their 2009 SEABL season and they are saying, “bring it on!”

Over recent weeks, the Spartans have played a host of pre-season games against the Queensland Under 20 State team twice, had a three-game series against the Australia Institute of Sport and games against QBL teams Brisbane Capitals and the Maroochydore Clippers.

But all that is behind them now, and the 2009 SEABL season is scheduled to begin at 8pm this Saturday night at the Carina Basketball Stadium against the Canberra Gunners.

In the earlier game tipping off at 6pm, the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans host the Albury/Wodonga Lady Bandits.

This season the Lady Spartans are boasting a very impressive roster with several players gaining WNBL experience here and abroad over the off season, but the major coupe is the prized signing of Australian Opals centre, Emma Randall, however, she isn’t expected to join her new team until mid April.

The Spartans men’s team has also made some wholesale changes during the off season, starting at the top with Bruce Palmer, a former NBL Coach of the Year returning as head coach.

With the unfortunate release of super-star guard Adam Gibson due to his Australian Boomers 2009 schedule, which wouldn’t allow him to play in any SEABL playoff games, the Spartans have recruited Gold Coast Blaze guard Tyson Demos.

Thalo Green, a former NBL import with the Sydney Kings and Melbourne Tigers fills the void left open by swingman Mick Hill who returned to his hometown Melbourne and Sydney Spirit guard Drew Williamson fills the third and final restricted position with the Spartans.

“I’m extremely happy with our preparation so far. The AIS series was amazing and there is a real buzz around the place and excitement about the season ahead. Our team looks good and will look better as the season progresses,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said.

“Come out to the game this Saturday and you’ll see why,” he concluded.

ENDS
For Further information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Unregistered

10-03-09, 12:21

Spartans Lure Williamson

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Spartans have bolstered their already impressive line up with the signing of former Townsville Crocs and Sydney Spirit swingman, Drew Williamson for the upcoming SEABL season.

Williamson, currently with the Sydney Spirit in the NBL, has had a decorated career spending two years under the guidance of former Adelaide 36ers head coach Mike Dunlap at Metro State university, where he was named the 2006 RMAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 17.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in his senior year.

He was also a member of the 2003 and 2005 Australian Men’s World University Games team competing in Korea and Turkey then made the return home to the Townsville Crocodiles for two seasons where he played 58 games averaging 7.8 points per game including four play off games, before moving South to Sydney.

The Spartans have had two large holes to fill during the early preseason losing the services of Adam Gibson and Mick Hill however, Williamson’s inclusion will certainly help plug some of the gap.

“Drew will cover a multitude of positions for us this year,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “He is versatile, can defend and I think will fit in nicely with this group. We will use him between the point to the three spots as I see fit.”

The Spartans have one more major player announcement to finalise their 2009 roster, however need to wait for current import, Thalo Green’s naturalization papers to come through before unveiling their signing.

“We expect Thalo to have his paperwork sorted within the week, which will allow us to register our last import position,” Palmer concluded.

Williamson is scheduled to join the Spartans next Monday before their first SEABL game tips off at Carina Basketball Stadium at 7:45pm against the Canberra Gunners.

ENDS

Unregistered

10-03-09, 12:51

Spartans promo first game

Dear member, visitor and parent

In any sport or activity there must be a senior program for which the juniors and those passionate about the sport aim towards. The Brisbane Bullets may be gone but the action lives on.

At Southern Districts Basketball Association it is our own Brisbane Spartans and the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans which compete in the South East Australian Basketball League, recognised as “Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League” to which the future basketball community may now aspire towards.

On Saturday the 14th March at 6pm and 8pm these two teams commence the season against interstate power house programs Albury Wodonga and Nunawading.

We ask that all members make the effort to attend the game seeing some of Australia’s best athletes in action.

Some of the stars for you to watch in action will be :-

Arrow Caravan & Towbar Spartans
Ash Cannan NBL South Dragons
Tim Coenraad USA College, local junior
Tyson Demos NBL Gold Coast Blaze
Matty Edmonds local junior
Chris Goulding Australian junior, NBL Perth Wildcats
Thalo Green NBL Sydney, Melbourne Tigers
Jeff Morton local junior
Peni Nasalo NBL Brisbane Bullets
Greg Vanderjagt NBL Gold Coast Blaze, Townville
Drew Williamson NBL Sydney, Townsville

Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans
Emma Randall Australian Opal
Odette Andrew WNBL Logan Thunder
Karli Currie Junior program
Tahlia Jeffres Junior program
Shona O’Bree Junior program
Rebecca Shatz Australian junior program, Townsville Fire. AIS
Cassie Smith WNBL Logan Thunder, local junior
Holly Smith WNBL Logan Thunder, local junior
Kate Willie WNBL Logan Thunder, local junior

Unregistered

16-03-09, 10:03

Spartans Win in Two Thrillers

The Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans and the Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans Men have rewarded their fans in the SEABL season opener at the Rowland Cowan Basketball Stadium with two thrilling 3 point, over-time wins against Albury Wodonga Lady Bandits and the Canberra Gunners respectively.

A new look Spartans took to the floor with a full squad for the first time in three seasons, but were shaky from the start. The Gunners were allowed to shoot the ball with ease and made the Spartans pay with deadly accuracy nailing 16 three-pointers at 50% from the three-point line and nearly 56% from the field.

That sharp shooting took the Gunners into the half time break leading by 14 points and had the Brisbane crowd, shell-shocked. After some stern words from Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer, during the main break, the sleeping giant was awoken and poured in 64 points in the second half.

With one second left on the clock, Spartans Chris Goulding was fouled and had two free throws with the score 111 – 113. Needing to hit both free throws to send the game into overtime Goulding was cool under pressure nailing them both and sending the game into extra period.

The Gunners scored 7 quick points in the first two and a half minutes until Drew Williamson and Tyson Demos combined to lead the Spartans to a three point win, 126 – 123.

Spartans had firepower coming from all angles with Goulding at his electrifying best with 26 points. Game MVP Ash Cannan added 23 points and 11 rebounds with Drew Williamson chipping in with 22 points and Greg Vanderjagt, after a slow first half finished with a valuable 18 points and 10 rebounds.

For the Gunners, the ever reliable Zlatko Todorovski lead all scorers with 29 points, Jon Holden added 19 points and centre Glenn Baird a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds.

The earlier game was meant to be a David v Goliath affair, between the Lady Spartans and last years easy-beats the Albury Wodonga Lady Bandits, but someone forgot to tell the Lady Bandits.

At the half time break the Lady Spartans held a slender 6 point lead however allowed the Lady Bandits to out score them 22 – 17 in the third and began the last quarter with just a one point lead.

At the final buzzer the scores were locked at 60 points each and an extra 5 minutes was needed to decide a winner with the Lady Spartans prevailing 69 – 66.

For the Lady Bandits, Alex Duck lead all scorers with 23 points and 7 rebounds and for the Lady Spartans, Holly Smith put the Lady Spartans on her shoulders scoring 22 points and grabbing 12 rebounds on her way to an MVP award, presented by former Lady Spartans National Championship winning head coach, Trish Cockrem.

The Lady Spartans travel to Tasmania next week and the Spartan men travel to Mt Gambier and Kilsyth before returning home on Friday 27 March at 7pm.

ENDS
For further information please contact: sdbal@bigond.net.au
Website: www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au

Unregistered

16-03-09, 15:04

FRIDAY 13th MARCH

Mt Gambier 92 (Benjamin 26, Jeffree 20)

def

Geelong 77 (Lee 26, Muhammad 16)

The Pioneers went into the game missing star recruit Kevin Smith plus Naqqash & Mason, whilst Herbert was missing for the Supercats. During the first half Jeffree, Benjamin & Seebohm provided great offensive pressure for the Pioneers, whilst Lee was the only main threat for Geelong. Rice & George had a great battle in the paint throughout the game for their respective teams. The Pioneers maintained a steady lead throughout the second half, which was due to the fact that they had a multitude of contributors.

MVP – Keith Benjamin (Mt Gambier)

Hobart 103 (Banovic 30, Nash 18, Stewart 18)

def

Knox 102 (Massingale 32, Rigby 28)

MVP – Mark Banovic (Hobart)

SATURDAY 14th MARCH

Sandringham 137 (Dillon 26, Smith 22)

def

Albury/Wodonga 82 (Gange 19, de Koeyer 19)

MVP – Daniel Dillon (Sandringham)

NW Tasmania 82 (Armstrong 17, Harris 15)

Lost to

Knox 105 (Massingale 35, Hill 19)

The first quarter started evenly for both teams, by half time Knox had pulled away to a small lead, with their key scorers slowly increasing the lead at three quarter break. The sharp shooting of Massingale and Rigby kept the Thunder working throughout the entire match and they could not match the speed of the Raiders.

MVP – CJ Massingale (Knox)

Ballarat 100 (Norwood 33, Brown 24)

Lost to

Mt Gambier 110 (Jeffree 24, Rice 23)

Ballarat came up against a confident Pioneers outfit that were on a high after a big win over the Supercats the night before. In the first half it was blow for blow with both teams scoring freely with Ballarat's Norwood (33 points) having 20 points at the main break to give the Miners a narrow 5 point lead. However in the second half Mt Gambier came out firing through Dallas Jeffree's outside shooting and Andrew Rice under the basket to outscore the Miners 34 to 20 points for the quarter to give themselves a handy lead going in to the last quarter. And although Ballarat made a late run it was the Pioneers running away winners.

MVP – Rishawn Norwood (Ballarat)

Bendigo 81 (Trannon 17, Hogan 15)

Lost to

Kilsyth 101 (Cameron 30, Werner 19)

MVP – Chris Cameron (Kilsyth)

Brisbane 126 (Goulding 24, Cannan 23)

def

Canberra 123 (Todorovski 29, Baird 19, Holden 19)

OVERTIME

Gunners played aggressive defence and their ability to hit the three pointer kept them in the game, leading 28-22 at the end of the quarter. Gunners stretched the lead to 14 at the end of the half, 63-49. Spartans again exposed the defensive weakness of the gunners getting them into foul trouble with in 90 seconds of the third but the Gunners still holding the upper hand halfway through the quarter. A see-sawing game in the final period with the Spartans up by 2 with 2 minutes to go. Gunners regained the lead by 2 and sent Chris Goulding to the line with 1 second to go. Chris hit both and sent the game into overtime. Spartans got off to a slow start in the overtime, but come away with the win.

MVP – Ash Cannan (Brisbane)

SUNDAY 15th MARCH

Frankston 106 (Gruber 24, Kampman 22)

def

Sandringham 85 (Dillon 21, Mottram 14)

MVP – David Gruber (Frankston)

Nunawading 82 (Bridgewater 21, McDonald 20)

Lost to

Ballarat 96 (Brown 32, Norwood 24)

Nunawading established an early lead over Ballarat before Ballarat gained more control to be only 3 down at quarter time. The lead swapped hands a few times in the 2nd quarter. The 3rd quarter continued to be very even with both teams scoring freely. The final term saw tempers flare between both sides and with just less than 4 minutes to play, the Spectres trailed by only 5 points. However they could not peg back the Miners and in the end it was the Miners 96 to Spectres 82.

MVP – Jamal Brown (Ballarat)

EAST MEN LADDER

P
W
L
%
Conf

H
A

Kilsyth
1
1
0
100
1-0
W1
0-0
1-0

Brisbane
1
1
0
100
1-0
W1
1-0
0-0

Knox
2
1
1
50
0-0
W1
0-0
1-1

Ballarat
2
1
1
50
0-0
W1
0-1
1-0

Canberra
1
0
1
0
0-1
L1
0-0
0-1

Bendigo
1
0
1
0
0-1
L1
0-1
0-0

Dandenong
0
0
0
0
0-0

0-0
0-0

AIS
0
0
0
0
0-0

0-0
0-0

SOUTH MEN LADDER

P
W
L
%
Conf

H
A

Frankston
1
1
0
100
1-0
W1
1-0
0-0

Mt Gambier
2
2
0
100
1-0
W2
1-0
1-0

Hobart
1
1
0
100
0-0
W1
1-0
0-0

Sandringham
2
1
1
50
1-1
L1
1-0
0-1

Nunawading
1
0
1
0
0-0
L1
0-1
0-0

Geelong
1
0
1
0
0-1
L1
0-0
0-1

NW Tasmania
1
0
1
0
0-0
L1
0-1
0-0

Albury/Wodonga
1
0
1
0
0-1
L1
0-0
0-1

Unregistered

16-03-09, 15:06

CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL WOMEN

RESULTS & LADDER - Week 1

FRIDAY 13th MARCH

Launceston 49 (Jordan 12, Mitchell 11)

Lost to

Knox 70 (Cunningham 29, Graham 12)

In her first game with the Raiders, Cunningham showed she will be a player to watch this year with a sensational game to kick start the 2009 season. Cunningham had 29pts@67%, 5rebs and 1 ass and included an 11pt opening quarter. The Tornadoes just could not stop her.

MVP – Caitlin Cunningham (Knox)

SATURDAY 14th MARCH

Ballarat 71 (Francis 17, Rinaldi 15)

def

Nunawading 44 (Davis 15, Rh Mattinson 10)

With both teams missing key players it was Ballarat who took the early lead at the first break leading by 10 points. And through the hard work of prized recruit Cayla Francis and Kristi Rinaldi, Ballarat increased its lead to 12 at the main break. In the second half again Ballarat kept well in control of the game with coach Kym Cassells rotating her roster to give players some valuable minutes with Ballarat going onto win the game 71 to 44 with Cayla Francis having a game high 17 points along with 7 rebound and for Nunawading Katie Davis tried hard to finish with 15 points and 9 rebounds.

MVP – Kristy Rinaldi (Ballarat)

Bendigo 82 (Chalmers 17, Finnigan 16)

def

Kilsyth 67 (Denson 19, G Kerr 17)

Lady Cobras new import Denson played with a sprained ankle, which she sustained at training during the week, and the Lady Braves eventually ran out 15pt winners despite only holding a 4pt advantage at the half time interval. With 8pts in the third term Kelly Wilson inspired her team to a 25-17 third quarter which opened the game for Bendigo, and Kilsyth ran out if legs in the final term.

MVP – Jane Chalmers (Bendigo)

Brisbane 69 (H Smith 22, Willey 12, Schatz 12)

def

Albury/Wodonga 66 (Duck 23, Wallbutton 16)

OVERTIME

Spartans opened the scoring and Bandits could not score until the Spartans were already up by 9. Bandits put on a spurt just after the first quarter, getting as close as 5 halfway through. The game stayed close up until the half time interval. Lady Bandits were shooting the ball poorly, only shooting 8/31 for the half and continuing into the second half. Lady Bandits redeemed themselves in the third but still down at the end of 3 by 4pts. Albury/Wodonga took the lead in the fourth thanks to some untimely turnovers by Spartans. Close game all round with only 1 point in it for the last 2 minutes with neither team converting opportunities. Spartans took the lead with 14 seconds but Bandits scoring inside the last 3 seconds to put the game into overtime. Spartans hung on with 2 Bandits players fouling out in the overtime period to win by 3 point

MVP – Holly Smith (Brisbane)

SUNDAY 15th MARCH

Frankston 67 (Zavecz 18, Dover 10)

def

Sandringham 57 (Fowler 21, Cohen 14)

Sandringham surprised the Lady Blues, opening the game with an 11-0 scoring spree, and containing Frankston to only 9 first quarter points. Lady Blues coach Lukas Carey urged for more from his team, and they didn’t let him down out performing Sandringham 29-10 in the second term, which included 8pts from game MVP Zavecz. Sandringham only had seven players, and stayed with the Lady Blues for the remainder of the game but the second quarter gap was to big a margin and the Sabres could not bridge the gap on their neighbours in their first SEABL game.

MVP – Hanna Zavecz (Frankston)

Nunawading 45 (Penaluna 19, Carr 14)

Lost to

Dandenong 47 (Todhunter 12, Probst 8)

It was a slow start for the Spectres first home game with both teams finding accuracy an issue. Baskets made late in the quarter saw Dandenong push the score to 15-9 at the break. Dandenong extended the lead, forcing turnovers and capitalising at the offensive end and lead by 9 at the main change. Nunawading could only make 4 baskets for the 3rd quarter as the Rangers lifted the intensity and were in a commanding position. Nunawading pushed their way back into the game and drew level with Dandenong mid way through the final term. In a close finish Dandenong took a 2 point lead with 3 seconds remaining to win.

MVP – Hanna Zavecz (Frankston)

Unregistered

16-03-09, 16:43

SEABL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

ROUND 1

SEABL MEN

DALLAS JEFFREE – Mt Gambier Pioneers

Mt Gambier Pioneers started 2009 in blistering form, thanks largely to the efforts of Dallas Jeffree who averaged 22 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal for the weekend. Jeffree was determined for a great year this season and shed weight and improved his fitness in the off-season. Due to injuries and sickness in the Pioneers camp Jeffree was required to play 45mins against Geelong on Friday night in his first game this season. His impressive off-season fitness campaign proved worth while as he finished the game with 20pts@45%, 4rebs, 3ass and 1stl.

The following night at Ballarat Jeffree played another 43minutes due to injuries in his team, but was still able to help his team to another surprising victory against the Miners. Jeffree started the game in sensational fashion scoring 10pts, and finished with a team best 24pts@61% along with 5rebs, 3ass, 1stl and 1blk.

Other notable performances were;

q 2008 League MVP CJ Massingale continues to dominate at the offensive end averaging 33.5pts on the Raiders 1-1 weekend to Tasmania. CJ recorded 35pts@50%, 13rebs, 3ass and 5stls in the Raiders 105-82 victory against NW Tasmania.

q In his first game back in the SEABL, Chris Cameron tormented the Bendigo Braves with 30pts@57%, 10rebs and 2ass to help Kilsyth kick start their 2009 campaign with a victory.

q Ballarat Miners import Rishawn Norwood showed he will be a player to watch this season, averaging 28.5pts, 5.5rebs and 2stls in the Miners 1-1 weekend.

q With a NBL Championship Ring secured on Friday night, Sandringham Sabres Daniel Dillon had a superb weekend averaging 23.5pts, 4.5rebs and 3ass.

q Despite his team losing 123-126 in overtime in Brisbane, Zlatko Todorovski put up a gallant effort for his Gunners team recording 29pts@60%, 7rebs and 9ass

SEABL WOMEN

CAITLIN CUNNINGHAM – Knox Raiders

Fresh after a season in the WNBL with Dandenong Rangers, 192cm 23 year old Caitlin Cunningham has started the 2009 season in blistering form, helping her new club Knox Raiders to a rewarding 70-49 victory in Launceston. Cunningham started the game well with 11pts in the opening quarter to help the Raiders to a 21-10 advantage, a lead her team held onto the finish. Caitlin finished the game with 29 points @ 68%, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1steal. Caitlin is sure to be a valuable asset to the Raiders line-up this year.

Other notable performances were;

q Playing with a sprained ankle sustained in training during the week, Kilsyth Lady Cobras import Amy Denson showcased her talents in her first game with 19pts, 13rebs and 2stls.

q Despite only playing 28mins, Frankston Lady Blues Hanna Zavecz was the match winner with 8pts in the second quarter to help Frankston establish a lead over Sandringham, which they held onto the finish. Zavecz finished with 18pts, 12rebs, 5ass and 2blks.

q With 22pts@64% and 12rebs Holly Smith helped the Brisbane Spartans to a 69-66 overtime victory against Albury/Wodonga on Saturday night.

For more Information
Mark Quinn

SEABL

League Manager

(03) 9521 9545

Unregistered

19-03-09, 12:39

CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL WOMEN

MID WEEK GAME PREVIEWS – ROUND 2

Dandenong vs Sandringham

Saturday 21st March – 5:30pm

Both teams have a rich history with many exciting clashes between the two teams when playing in the BIG V. Dandenong recorded a surprising victory on the road at Nunawading last week and coach Wayne Pollock will be keen for the win streak to continue at home. Sandringham started their SEABL campaign with a disappointing loss at Frankston, and Lori Chizik will be hoping her girls can put in four solid quarters of basketball this week, and hopefully finish with the victory.

Albury/Wodonga vs Bendigo

Saturday 21st March – 6:00pm

With an overtime loss in Brisbane last week, the Lady Bandits will be confident they can record a victory this week against the Lady Braves. On paper Bendigo don’t look as strong as previous years, and rely on the WNBL talent within the team to get them the victories each week. Alex Duck was the major contributor for the Lady Bandits last week against the Spartans, and she will be one player Bendigo will need to contain. A job likely given to SEABL all time games played leader Andrea Walsh, a proven defence stopper.

Frankston vs Ballarat

Saturday 21st March – 6:00pm

Both teams recorded a victory last week, and confidence will be high in both line-ups this week. Lady Miners prize off season recruit Cayla Francis was a dominant presence in her first SEABL game and the Lady Blues will need to contain her impressive talents this week if they are to continue their home court win streak.

Nunawading vs Knox

Saturday 21st March – 6:30pm

Despite a 0-2 opening weekend, the Spectres will be a different team this week, as star recruit Elyse Penaluna and returning veteran Zoe Carr will have had their first week of training with the team. Their clash in the front court with Raiders Cunningham, Fryters and Dunlap is sure to be an entertaining battle. .

Launceston vs Brisbane

Saturday 21st March – 7:30pm

Tornadoes fans will be happier this week with US import Rhonda Price given the green light to play this week. Her leadership and strength under the basket will be a massive bonus for the Tornadoes as they were out rebounded 29-43 last week against Knox Raiders. A bigger offensive production is required from local veterans Clark and Riley for the Tornadoes to be successful against the talented Spartans line-up.

Knox vs Frankston

Sunday 22nd March – 12:00pm

The Raiders were a poor rebounding team last season, but the addition of 2008 Leading Rebounder Emily Fryters and 2007 All SEABL team member Caitlin Cunningham gives the Raiders a formidable front court rotation when matched with returning US import Ashlee Dunlap. The Frankston Lady Blues may struggle to contain the Raiders three pong attack, as all three players are productive on the offensive glass.

Ballarat vs Kilsyth

Sunday 22nd March – 2:00pm

Kilsyth coach Jason Knight will be hoping a week of physio treatment will help US import Amy Denson overcome an ankle sprain, as she will need to be at her best this week against the Francis led Lady Miners. Sarah Parsons will likely return to the line-up after spending the summer getting experience in the WNBL with Bulleen. Parsons is a critical member of the Lady Cobras success and her productivity is vital for the Lady Cobras this week.

Unregistered

19-03-09, 12:41

CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL MEN

MID WEEK GAME PREVIEWS – ROUND 2

Geelong vs Canberra

Friday 20th March – 7:30pm

After a disappointing loss to Mt Gambier last week, coach Mark Leader will be determined for a better result from his team this week in front of their die hard fans. Arch rivals Canberra are also keen for a victory after losing in overtime last week in Brisbane. Supercats captain Braith Cox sustained a wrist injury last week and is an unlikely starter this week, leaving the point guard duties to Nick Owusu.

Hobart vs AIS

Friday 20th March – 8:00pm

AIS have a full squad travelling this week, and the boys will be keen for a victory in their first game after months of training. New comer Jason Cadee had an outstanding U/20 national’s campaign and his duel with 300+ game veteran Mark Banovic will be a highlight.

Mt Gambier vs Brisbane

Friday 20th March – 8:00pm

Despite only having eight fit players, Mt Gambier produced a stellar 2-0 weekend, and will look to continue their win streak against the powerful Spartans line-up. Jeffree and Rice are proving to be a valuable tandem, and US Import Keith Benjamin is sure to improve as the season continues. Coach Ray de Wit will need all three firing this week if they are to conquer the Spartans.

Dandenong vs Sandringham

Saturday 21st March – 7:30pm

Both teams have been the powerhouse teams in the Big V in recent years, and will look to get the psychological edge over their opponents this week in their first clash under the SEABL banner. Sandringham coach Vince Crivelli is looking for a solid effort from his team after their first full week of training as a group.

Kilsyth vs Brisbane

Saturday 21st March – 8:15pm

Both teams recorded a victory in round one, but Kilsyth will be keen to record their first win on home court. Chris Cameron has fit back into the Kilsyth line-up without a glitch, recording 30pts in his first game back in the red and black after a season in the Big V with Waverley. Spartans new recruit Ash Cannan will be excitied about playing against his junior club in front of his family and friends. His battle in the paint with Cobras Cameron will be a highlight, and a tussle that will likely impact on the games final outcome.

NW Tasmania vs AIS

Saturday 21st March – 7:30pm

Every SEABL game this year is an important stepping stone to World Championship glory for the Australian Emus, and the two game weekend in Tasmania will test the Institute players endurance and fitness. NW Tasmania had a disappointing start to season 2009, and new coach Sam Armstrong will be keen to get his team on the winners list with a victory at home this week. Talented AIS youngsters Young, Motum, & Dellavedova will be thinking otherwise.

Albury/Wodonga vs Bendigo

Saturday 21st March – 8:00pm

Albury/Wodonga fans will be hoping athletic import Fernadez Lockett is wearing a Bandits uniform this week, as he missed the round one loss to Sandringham due to no player licence. He has a talented resume, and is eager to show off his talents in front of his new home town supporters. New Braves import Matt Trannon was solid for them, but local stars Randall, Novak and Bell need to step up at the offensive end if the Braves are to be successful this year.

Ballarat vs Geelong

Saturday 21st March – 8:00pm

One player looking forward to this clash is Ballarat Miners forward Jamal Brown, who relishes his clashes with former club Geelong. Brown was in outstanding form last weekend helping the Miners to a 1-1 result and was unlucky not to receive Player of the Week honours. You can guarantee that Brown will be playing his best this week, against his former teammates.

Nunawading vs Knox

Saturday 21st March – 8:30pm

Knox returned home from Tasmania with a 1-1 result, and coach Graham Longstaff is still nursing his players through pre season injuries. 2008 MVP CJ Massingale once again led the Raiders, averaging 30+pts for the weekend, and looks to be the teams major offensive threat once again. The back court duel between Spectres Shane McDonald and Raiders Sean Carroll is a match up all NBL coaches should watch with interest.

Frankston vs Canberra

Saturday 21st March – 8:00pm

Gruber proved last week that a season in the NBL with Sydney has strengthened his game even further which is a major concern for opposition coaches. David once again carried the Blues to victory last week, and he will be a key contributor for the team all season. Canberra will look to veterans Todorovski, Holden and Baird to guide the Gunners to victory.

Knox vs Frankston

Sunday 22nd March – 2:00pm

Fitness will play a crucial rule in this game as both teams will be playing the second game for the weekend, after tough encounters the previous night. The home court advantage Knox will have might just be the deciding factor in the game. Knox has a team loaded with talent and all players are capable of carrying the team to victory, so a solid team defensive job will be required by Frankston.

Big Joe

21-03-09, 08:09

Brisbane Spartans 117 defeated Mt Gambier 84

Ash Cannan 26 points 22 rebounds
Chris Goulding 23 points
Greg Vanderjagt 18 points
Tyson Demos 16 points
Thalo Green 12 points
Drew Williamson 11 points

Kilsyth tonight for men
Launceston for Lady Spartans Emma Randall playing

Big Joe

21-03-09, 23:37

Spartans defeated Kilsyth by 14, Goulding hit 22 in third quarter.

Lady Spartans defeated Launceston by14. Emma Randall hit 25 points

Results round 2

23-03-09, 09:01

Brisbane Spartans Start Perfect

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have started their 2009 SEABL campaign in perfect form with two rare road wins against Mt Gambier Pioneers and the Kilsyth Cobras to be the only undefeated team in the Eastern Conference of the SEABL.

On Friday night, the Spartans burst out of the blocks early to seal the game after just twelve minutes of play leading 33 – 21 and further extending that lead after another twelve minutes outscoring the Pioneers 41 – 23 to enter the main break up by a commanding 30 points.

Spartans new recruit Ash Cannan was in a world of his own finishing the night with 26 points and 22 rebounds. Chris Goulding added 23 points and Greg Vanderjagt once again overcame a slow start to finish strong with 18 points and 8 rebounds to record a second straight win, 117 – 84.

The following night the Spartans travelled to Kilsyth, a site where last year they suffered a heart breaking one-point loss on the third game of a triple-header weekend.

Both teams begun lethargically with the Cobras ending the first quarter just four points ahead but relinquished that lead at the main break, leading by just one point, 56 – 55 with the game poised for a hard-slog second half.

However, someone forgot to tell Spartans guard, Chris Goulding. After a slow first half by his own standards, Goulding exploded for 22 of his 31 points in the third quarter, which included 5 three pointers and some electrifying, slick to moves to the basket that even drew the eyebrows of the strong Kilsyth crowd.

The quarter allowed the Spartans to pour in 35 points and keep the Cobras to just 19 points and the game was all but over. However, the Cobras mounted a strong comeback to bring themselves within 11 points midway through the fourth but it was all too late.

Former Singapore Slingers center Chris Cameron lead for the Cobras with 23 points and former Spartans forward, Gerard Leonard added a valuable 18 points. The Spartans 108 – 97 win over the Kilsyth Cobras rockets the Spartans to the top of the Eastern Conference ladder.

The Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans are also unbeaten after two rounds. In Launceston, they welcomed new recruit, super-centre Emma Randall to the fold and she didn’t disappoint.

Leading the Lady Spartans to their first ever win over the Tornadoes, the Australian Opal dual Olympian lead all scorers with 25 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and dished out 8 assists enroot to a 19 point win, 81 – 62.

Next week the Lady Spartans enjoy the weekend off while the Brisbane Spartans men return home to Carina Basketball stadium to take on SEABL newcomers the Dandenong Rangers on Friday night at 7pm.

Southern Districts Members will receive free entry on presentation of their registration receipt or number.

ENDS
For further information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Player Week Award

24-03-09, 14:12

WEEK 2 - SEABL MEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK

CHRIS GOULDING – Brisbane Spartans

Helping his team to a 2-0 road record and first place on the East Men ladder, Chris Goulding had a sensational weekend averaging 27 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Goulding is a known offensive threat in this league, finishing second in leading scorer last year. Goulding started the weekend with 23pts, 5rebs, 2ass and 1stl against Mt Gambier on Friday night. The following night Chris continued his hot shooting streak with 31pts@45%, 5rebs, 2ass and 1stl at the Snakepit, helping Brisbane record a 108-97 victory against Kilsyth.

Other notable performances were;

q Frankston Blues Mitch Chapman recorded a MVP performance on Sunday at Knox recording 23pts@59%, 1reb and 4ass, helping the Blues remain undefeated this season.

q Albury/Wodonga Bandits supporters will be excited for the season ahead after new import Fernandez Lockett recorded 38pts, 24rebs and 3stls in his teams 97-112 loss to Bendigo.

q Sedale Threat Jnr came off the bench on Saturday and recorded 34pts@67%, 2rebs, 3ass and 2stls, helping Sandringham record a 99-92 victory over Dandenong.

q Geelong Supercats recorded two victories on the weekend thanks largely to the efforts of guard Nick Owusu who averaged 17pts, 8.5rebs, 5ass and 2.5stls.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Round 1 Dallas Jeffree (Mt Gambier)

WEEK 2 - SEABL WOMEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK

AMY DENSON – Kilsyth Lady Cobras

Kilsyth Lady Cobras import Amy Denson has started her SEABL campaign at a blistering pace, and has been rewarded for her perfect performance on Sunday, helping her team to a 71-61 road victory against Ballarat. Denson finished the game with 26 points @ 63%, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks in only 27 minutes of game time. Amy was also able to contain the Lady Miners prize off season recruit and recent Australian Opal Squad nominee Cayla Francis to only 8pts at 17%. Amy sustained a sprained ankle in training leading into round one of competition, but has shown no signs of pain as she has guided the reigning champion Lady Cobras to a 1-1 season start.

Other notable performances were;

q Caitlin Cunningham continues to torment her opposition for her new club Knox Raiders. Cunningham averaged 20pts and 7rebs for the Raiders, helping them to a 2-0 record and first place on the ladder.

q Bendigo guard Kelly Wilson played the entire 40mins against Albury/Wodonga, and finished with 25pts@45%, 10rebs, 7ass and 3stls in the Lady Braves 76-54 victory.

q In her first game with new club Brisbane Spartans Emma Randall recorded 26pts@63%, 9rebs and 6ass, showing no signs of tiredness after returning from a long summer playing in France.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Round 1 Caitlin Cunningham (Knox)

Pre game review

26-03-09, 11:39

Brisbane vs Dandenong

Friday 27th March – 7:00pm

Brisbane is undefeated and has started the season at a blistering pace. In previous years the Spartans have had to play catch up all season due to a slow start, but the tides have turned and the other clubs look to be chasing them. Dandenong had a disappointing season start losing to arch rivals Sandringham, and will be keen to secure a win this week against the powerful Spartans line-up.

Hobart vs Ballarat

Friday 27th March – 8:00pm

Starting the season with three home games, the Hobart Chargers are keen to have an undefeated record before they hit the road in week 4. Ballarat have been inconsistent and are losing games they should be winning. Jamal Brown is in MVP form early into the season and if he can receive valuable assistance from guards BJ Carter, Zac Cater and import Rishawn Norwood they could record a surprise win.

Geelong vs Frankston

Saturday 28th March – 7:30pm

Frankston have recorded three successive victories, and looking to be the form team in the South competition once again this year. Locally developed youngsters Mitch Chapman, Todd Mitchell and Andrew Harms have been the catalyst of the teams success this season, and will look to continue their early season firm this week against the Supercats at home.

Canberra vs Nunawading

Saturday 28th March – 7:30pm

Canberra is yet to record a victory this season, and have lost two matches by one point. The luxury of home court should be the winning tool, as veterans Todorovski, Holden and Baird are in prime early season form.

Knox vs Kilsyth

Saturday 28th March – 8:00pm

The rivalry between the two teams is very intense, and both teams fight hard in every contest. Raiders coach Graham Longstaff will be keen to have CJ Massingale in uniform this weekend for this crucial match. Massingale required stitches in his ankle after cutting himself after last weeks game against Nunawading.

NW Tasmania vs Ballarat

Saturday 28th March – 7:30pm

After a disappointing 0-2 season start, the Thunder is desperate to record a home victory before embarking on a three game stretch on the road. The Thunder has the talent in the team to win games, but they are yet to put together a quality team performance. Sam Armstrong can not coach and produce 30+ pts a game, so another Thunder player needs to step up and provide the team with quality points each week for NW Tasmania to be successful this year.

Albury/Wodonga vs Mt Gambier

Saturday 28th March – 8:00pm

US Import Fernandez Lockett was outstanding in his first game in a Bandits uniform, and his clash with the Pioneers exciting point guard Keith Benjamin is sure to entertain the Albury/Wodonga fans. Pioneers big man Andrew Rice is sure to receive an unwelcome return, after departing the Bandits in the of-season. Rice is a key player for the Pioneers and will be hell bent on guiding his team back into the winners circle after a loss to Brisbane at home last week.

Sandringham vs Bendigo

Saturday 28th March – 8:15pm

A solid offensive effort from sixth man Sedale Threatt Jnr, got Sandringham the victory last week against Dandenong, and his productivity will be required once again this week against the experienced Bendigo line-up. Import Matt Trannon and Adam Tanner have been to handy additions to the Braves line-up and provide the team with much needed offensive firepower. They have been the key contributors in the Braves two games so far this season, and will be a key defensive assignment for the Sabres.

AIS vs Nunawading

Sunday 29th – 1:00pm

The Institute of Sport have put together another strong line-up for this weeks clash with Nunawading, and will be determined to kick start their home campaign with a win. Guards Page and Cadee were outstanding last week in Tasmania, and Spectres dynamo point guard Shane McDonald will have his work cut out trying to contain the talents of Australia’s best up coming youngsters.

Frankston vs Mt Gambier

Sunday 29th March – 2:30pm

Mt Gambier has struggled on the road in previous seasons, especially at Frankston, but having recorded a road victory in week one, the Pioneers will come to Frankston with confidence. Blues second year import Rob Kampman is struggling with an ankle injury, but is still producing for his team. Hopefully with another full week of physio treatment he is nearing full strength because he has the capabilities to destroy any team on any given night..

Dandenong vs Bendigo

Sunday 29th March – 2:00pm

Both teams will be playing their second game of the weekend, and fitness will be a crucial component of the game. Which ever team has had a more intense off-season will show up in this contest. Rangers imports Jura and Inglima along with Australian big man Brent Hobba scored 85 of the teams 92 points last week against Sandringham. They will not win to many games if they rely on these three players each week, so another youngster will need to step up and help at the offensive end.

Lady Spartans

26-03-09, 17:40

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/2521/38066863.jpg

Unregistered

29-03-09, 08:14

Spartans win Another Thriller

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have won their fourth straight SEABL game in a row in another thriller against newcomers the Dandenong Rangers, 114 – 111 in Brisbane on Friday night.

With the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans enjoying the weekend off, the Brisbane Spartans men were the showpiece event for the night and they didn’t disappoint.

After a sluggish start and six points behind at the end of the first quarter, the Spartans turned things around in the second, outscoring the visitors 39 – 24 in that period, enjoying a nine point lead into the main break.

The lead was reduced to just five points at the end of the third, setting up a mouth watering fourth quarter of SEABL basketball. A fiery clash erupted midway between Spartans Tyson Demos and Rangers Vince Inglima who exchanged words, resulting in unsportsmanlike fouls and many free throws.

A total of 77 free throws were attempted from both teams during the stop-start game.

Last weeks SEABL Player of the Week, Chris Goulding lead with 26 points with Greg Vanderjagt adding 25 points and 13 rebounds with Ash Cannan chipping in a valuable 23 points against his former team.

Vince Inglima led all scorers with 35 points and Dusty Jura close behind him with 29 points for the Rangers.

The Brisbane Spartans have now won four straight games and are yet to taste defeat this season and are sitting on top of the Eastern Conference SEABL ladder.

“It obviously makes a big difference having a complete team at the start of this thing,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “In previous seasons at this time, we are 0 – 3 or 1 – 4 or something like that waiting for NBL players to come in. This is a marathon not a sprint. But I am very happy in where we are positioned right now,” he concluded.

In the post game function, Spartans welcomed back super-star guard Adam Gibson, the current NBL’s best defender and two-time NBL Championship winner, who presented the post game MVP award to his former Brisbane Bullets and Spartans team mate, Chris Goulding.

Both Brisbane Spartans men and women teams will be back at the Carina Basketball Stadium this Saturday night with the Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans playing the Launceston Tornadoes at 6pm and the Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans Men taking on Albury/Wodonga Bandits at 8pm.

In the juniors the Association also showed they are a class act by winning for the second year in a row, the “Harold Peacock Shield”.

This award is presented by Basketball Queensland to the best junior program within the competition in the South East of Queensland in age groups from under 12 through to under 18 in both male and female competition. It started in October 2008 and finished on Saturday night when all grand finals being played at the Brisbane Entertainment centre at Boondall.

“We are continually looking at ways to develop our junior players and I personally want to thank all those volunteers who have coached and managed our teams over the past season” offered Charles Ellis, President of Southern Districts. “The development program, UPPS, we run between seasons is proving the difference between us and the other Associations. Our under 12 girls, under the direction of Mathew Beggs, went undefeated and our under 14 boys Cup team both won with most teams finishing in the top four”.

The Under Pinning Program starts again after Easter and this year will have again the best coaching staff available including many former NBL and WNBL players involved. It is hard work but if a young player wants to get better then they must be willing to do the extra. Persons interested in attending should contact Greg Vanderjagt on 3398 2790 during business hours.

ENDS email sdbal@bigpond.net.au phone 3398 2790 www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au

Uniforms

29-03-09, 08:48

Those Spartan uniforms are the worst I've ever seen them wear ... I hope they are just substitutes until the Spartans get their real uniforms in a few weeks?

Nice

29-03-09, 10:22

Those Spartan uniforms are the worst I've ever seen them wear ... I hope they are just substitutes until the Spartans get their real uniforms in a few weeks?

Actually the players love them which is probably all that matters. The new Spartan gear is always worth waiting for. Big Joe makes sure the Spartans stay with unbeat styles. The new t-shirt is great to. Brings back the smart arse style and swagger that everyone loves to hate.
Heard they are also got a new set coming in May. Expect people to be commenting on this one. hahahahaq

Round three results

30-03-09, 16:41

CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

SEABL MEN - WEEK 3

SAM HARRIS – NW Tasmania Thunder

NW Tasmania Thunder recorded their first victory of the 2009 SEABL season this weekend against Ballarat Miners, thanks largely to the efforts of 221cm centre Sam Harris. Despite starting the game slowly with only 3pts in the first quarter, Sam stood up in the final term and dominated the final quarter to give the Thunder a come from behind 121-110 victory.

Sam recorded 16pts in the fourth quarter, including nine straight mid way through the term to finish the game with a career best 37 points @ 62%, 13 rebounds and a league season best 6 blocks.

Other notable performances were;

q Dandenong Rangers Import Vince Inglima averaged 34.5pts, 8rebs and 1.5ass for the weekend, which Dandenong went 1-1 with a victory at home against Bendigo on Sunday.

q Albury/Wodonga Bandits youngster Matt Gange helped his team to a surprising 100-84 victory against Mt Gambier with 20pts@50%, 7rebs and 6ass.

SEABL WOMEN - WEEK 3

LISA WALLBUTTON – Albury/Wodonga Lady Bandits

With 23pts@56%, 12rebs and 1ass, Lisa Wallbutton guided the Albury/Wodonga Lady Bandits to their first victory in two years with a 83-66 win against Nunawading on Saturday night. Wallbutton joined the Lady Bandits program with a talented resume having represented New Zealand at the Beijing Olympics. Wallbutton hasn’t disappointed as she has been a key contributor in every game so far this season. Lisa was also dominate in the Lady Bandits second game for the weekend with another 24pts@69%, 17rebs and 1ass in the Lady Bandits heart wrenching 61-64 loss at Frankston Sunday afternoon.

Other notable performances were;

q Bendigo Lady Braves Kelly Wilson averaged 19.5pts, 4rebs, 3.5ass and 3stls for the weekend to guide Bendigo to a 2-0 weekend and remain undefeated in the competition.

q Sarah Graham guided Knox Raiders to their fourth victory this season with 23pts@56%, 5rebs, 6ass and 2stls.

Mr bEn

30-03-09, 20:16

Went and caught the Spartans game on Friday against Dandy. A plethora of fouls unfortunately meant that the game wasn't given much opportunity to be a spectacle.

Vandy using his height advantage was best for the Spartans with some nice work around the hoop. Ash Cannan played above his stature and was great in the first half, although a big quiet in the second. Bubbles had his moments and sealed the game with a tough turnaround jumper in the final minute. Demos may have put a few figures on the boxscore but I'm not sold as him being a leader on court or someone who deserves a future NBL gig.

Feel for Peni and Morton. Both quality players who would command 35+ minutes on most QBL rosters. Peni played 7-ish minutes in the third, and Jeff didn't even get a run. Crazy.

Spartans should've whacked Dandy by more, but a few sloppy turnover were costly. Full court defense was impressive though, and got them back in the game throughout the second quarter after a stale first period.

Dandy's Vince Inglima is a whinging dog. Bitch titting to the refs all game long, and saw it fit to give a few dirty shoulders to Bubbles at one stage before hacking him on a fast break layup shortly after.

Halftime entertainment was an old womans drum corps, but the real star was the kid dancing in the stands haha.

Al like what you've done with the stands. None of us could hear the call of the game in the western stand though. Next time you give the stadium a touch up, turn the speakers over the team benches around :)

Unregistered

01-04-09, 08:56

In what can only be described as great for the sport of basketball in Queensland Southern Districts announced last night that they would be rejoining the QBL in 2010.

The Brisbane Spartans currently compete in the South East Australian Basketball League and are undefeated in both men and women. They are one of Queensland largest Associations and dominated the ABA in Queensland for many years prior to jumping to the SEABL.

“We have been three years in the SEABL now and had actually explored our options about returning this year but elected to stay one more year” a spokesman offered. “The SEABL is an exciting league and has some great players in it but at the end of the day our players live in Queensland and that is where our juniors play”.

With currently six National Basketball League players in the men’s squad and five Women’s National Basketball League players in the Lady Spartans squad, including an Australian Opal the Southern Districts Basketball Association is sure to impact on the QBL.

ENDS Additional information 3398 2790 or email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

01-04-09, 10:15

THey will come

01-04-09, 10:45

Let the comments begin!

I'll start off ....

- Joining the SEABL wasn't as successful a venture as the Spartans had hoped, and they have now realised that the QBL is much more cost effective, will draw a larger crowd, and will provide an actual pathway for their juniors in D League.

Lets set the record straight.

SEABL has been successful for us. Have a look at the players we attract to our program. You may not think that this is flowing on to the juniors but we are still holding the Harold Peacock Trophy proof that our juniors are not suffering as some foolishly claim. Having Emma Randall an Opal coaching our junior girls has to have a benefit I am sure even you would agree. Having the Spartans men coaching in the junior boys program is not bad either.

Cost Effective. hahahahah You have no idea. The amount of sponsors that we now enjoy is due only to the fact that we could provide a National market and image. Some are local only but thay recognise that we are playing at a level that most accept is a National competition and standard. Yes we can drop into QBL and still maintain them we are sure. Do you have any idea how much it costs us to be in it? No. It is a one off fee that covers flights and professional administration (they even have sponsors for league) that is less then at least one QBL team in south budgets on. You have no idea. We were going broke in QBL due to hidden costs and lack of media and corporate support. Were doing fine now. hahahah Guys when we were in QABL we were paid by some Associations to play in QABL. Who needs who.

MEDIA Exposure Did anyone notice that channel seven on Sunday morning had our scores going across the screen in early morning sports show. Not the level we want but at least a start. In other States our games ae covered by Channel nine and WIN. This in time we are confident will enable us to attract another major National sponsor. The Quest newspaper group also have come on board. May not mean nothing to the north but we are getting three quarter page spreads now with them as major sponsor conducting competitions and give aways on a weekly basis. They are awesome in how they are working with us.

Pathways Watch out we are about to set a new direction with our pathways for the juniors which will also result in the elite junior teams competing in the D League Championship in Victoria. The best juniors will have a great pathway.

Crowds Are you kidding. We have great crowds and this will continue to grow over the coming years. Enetertainment is not always the best but at least we try to provide something every week. We heard what Ben had to say about the sound system and we wil fix it. That is what we do. Listen to what our membership and supporters want. The best crowd we get is AIS but we expect that when another Queenslnad team jumps (if ever) they will become our greatest gate. Yes home town rivallries are best but in time we will establish other rivallries with interstate powers.

So plesae go away and spread your rumours elsewhere. We are moving along just fine.

Jeff

01-04-09, 10:56

Loved that dancing kid at the last home game ... get him in again for an encore!

Mr bEn

06-04-09, 10:03

The Spartans v Albury game on Saturday night would have to be one of the most lopsided games I have ever seen.

Drew Williams with 14 points in the first 4 minutes of the game, and the Bandits never had a look in. Drew 9/10 all up from outside for 40 points, and Demos went 6/8 to go for 30 on an improved shooting clip.

No Bubbles for the game, which left Williamson and Demos looking more comfortable in their roles. I see in the program that Gibbo may jump on board, which would be great as it will give the Spartans the only thing they could possiby need (legit point guard).

Play of the game was a one-handed hammer alley oop from Vandy from either Williamson or Demos at the start of the third. Apart from that it was just a scoring fest.

Moving that speaker worked well, thanks blokes.

Spartans win easily

06-04-09, 13:38

Ruthless Spartans Make it 5 Straight

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have dismantled the Albury/Wodonga Bandits last night, 143 – 100 at the Carina Basketball stadium, and extend their winning streak to five wins in a row, placing them on top of the South East Australian Basketball League.

The Spartans were without Chris Goulding who returned to Perth for the Wildcats end of season NBL dinner and in his absence, Drew Williamson was promoted to the starting line-up and exploded for 40 points including 9 three point bombs.

A ruthless Spartans team burst out of the blocks early and stunned the Bandits with a barrage of three-pointers not only from Williamson but Tyson Demos, who also joined the shooting party adding 30 points including 6 three pointers.

The Spartans opening quarter included 9 three pointers and a massive 46 points while holding the bandits to just 19 at the end of the first to virtually seal the game in the opening minutes of the game.

The lead extended to 36 points at the main break and the Spartans offense was firing on all cylinders, amassing another 40 point-plus third quarter, which included a further 6 three point bombs.

For the visitors, Matty Gange (39 points) and James Quinn (23 points) worked tirelessly all night but couldn’t contain the Spartans sharp shooting night.

“You get nights like that,” Spartans head coach, Bruce Palmer said. “With Chris out, being our leading scorer in all the games he has played, we really needed someone to step up and tonight we had two of them.”

Demos and Williamson combined for 70 of the teams total 143 but had valuable contributions from Thalo Green (19 points) Ash Cannan (18 points and 10 rebounds) and Greg Vanderjagt (17 points).

In the earlier game, the Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans has also kept their undefeated run going with a 20 points win against the Launceston Tornadoes 76 – 56. This also places them on top of the South East Australian Basketball League Women’s Conference.

Without super centre Emma Randall, who was away on Australia Opals commitments, the Lady Spartans showed no effect with her absence with five Lady Spartans hitting double figure points lead by Kate Willey with 15 points. Shona O’Bree added 10 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assist and 6 steals to walk away with the game MVP award.

As is now a standing tradition the junior representative teams were again presented to the audience during both games. This year the Southern Districts Basketball Association again won the “Harold Peacock Trophy” for most successful junior program in the South East Queensland region.

Past great players Liz Muenchow and Mark Dalton also attended the game as special guests along with the Queensland Firebirds and Gold Coast Blaze owner, Owen Tomlinson.

“I just love the way this club has traditions” offered Ms Muenchow who played a huge role in the games development prior to her retirement over ten years ago. “ I love coming back to watch the teams and I am impressed by the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans. They are very good. Playing in the SEABL competition is the best thing they could have done. The standard is so high now”.

Logan Thunder General Manager, Mark Dalton who played for the Spartans prior to retirement also enjoyed watching his WNBL players strut their stuff in the SEABL competition sitting with Head Coach, Richard Orlick.

Both teams enjoy the Easter weekend off before head to Bendigo and Ballarat then return home on Saturday 25 April against the Kilsyth Cobras at 6pm & 8pm.

ENDS
For further information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Spartan Player the Week

07-04-09, 09:19

Subject: CRAZY JOHNS SEABL PLAYER OF THE WEEK - ROUND 4

MEDIA RELEASE
6 April 2009

CRAZY JOHNS SEABL PLAYER OF THE WEEK - ROUND 4

SEABL MEN

DREW WILLIAMSON – Brisbane Spartans
Drew Williamson joined the Brisbane Spartans this season after spending the last two years in the NBL with Townsville and Sydney, and showed why he was hot property for a position in the SEABL this year. Williamson played 37 mins and produced 40 points @ 76% which included a sensational 9/10 (90%) from behind the three point arc. Williamson also recorded 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 block. Drew started the game at a blistering pace with 4 three pointers in the first three minutes of the game, helping the Spartans to a 30-9 lead within six minutes of tip off and finished the quarter with 6 three pointers. Brisbane were in full control of the game from the tip off and finished 143 -100 winners.

Other notable performances were;
 Brock Motum was outstanding on Sunday afternoon, recording 32pts@100%, 8rebs, 1ass and 1stl in only 29mins of court time, helping the AIS to a 102-94 victory against the visiting Dandenong Rangers.
 NW Tasmania Thunder Sam Armstrong averaged 33pts for the weekend, and guiding his team to a 1-1 record. Sam recorded 40pts@45%, 2ass and 3stls in his teams 107-98 victory at Nunawading on Sunday.

SEABL WOMEN

ZOE CARR – Nunawading Spectres
With her team struggling in season 2009, Zoe Carr stepped up and provided her team with a solid overall performance to guide the Nunawading Spectres to a 66-61 victory at Frankston. In their first victory this season Carr played the entire 40 minutes and recorded 23 points @ 55%, 10 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks. With her team trailing 15-19 after the first quarter, Zoe decided to take over and destroyed the Frankston defence in the second quarter, recording 9pts, helping the Spectres establish a five point buffer, which they maintained for the remainder of the game.

Other notable performances were;
 Amy Denson fought hard for her team all game but was unable to guide her team to victory, losing to Launceston 62-67. Denson finished the game with 23pts@48%, 19rebs, 1ass, 2stls and 1blk.
 With 36pts@63%, 7rebs, 1ass, 1stl and 1blk Myra Donkin helped Launceston Tornadoes to a surprising 67-62 road victory at Kilsyth on Sunday. Donkin finished with averages of 21.5pts and 4.5rebs for the weekend.

Baller

07-04-09, 12:18

Bree Warren, Melissa Jan and Rebecca Parkes - all have been touted as glamours of the QABL, but they don't have a drop on Odette Andrew ..... preach that brothers!!!

Also that kid doing the dancing at the Spartans games is awesome. What's his story?

Unregistered

07-04-09, 15:46

that kid wants a full time gig as the official Spartans dancer, he's just a kid that loves a good time and having fun, good to see at a basketball game for once i think

Dancer

07-04-09, 17:01

Seems the powers listened to Ben about the sound system and will be listening to the crowd as far as the dancer goes.

Perhaps a nick name would be good. Suggestions?

Shepherds Pie

08-04-09, 10:23

Seems the powers listened to Ben about the sound system and will be listening to the crowd as far as the dancer goes.

Perhaps a nick name would be good. Suggestions?

His name's Joel, so maybe Jester Joel or Jazzy Joel could work ??

Unregistered

11-04-09, 00:08

never fear that dancing kid is I and i am now a dancer for the spartans thank you to all my fans out there

Unregistered

11-04-09, 00:10

never fear that dancing kid is I and i am now a dancer for the spartans thank you to all my fans out there

by the way my name is joel and will listen to any nicknames you suggest

Seven in a row

20-04-09, 10:09

Spartans Extend Streak to Seven

The Brisbane Arrow & Caravans Towbars have had the Bendigo/Ballarat road trip hoodoo lifted after their double road wins on the weekend to cement themselves three wins clear of their nearest rivals in the Eastern Conference of the SEABL ladder and extend their winning streak to seven.

On Friday night the Spartans travelled to Victoria to take on the Ballarat Miners. In a tale of two halves, the Spartans opened up strong taking an eight point lead into the first break, however the Miners sharp shooters came to light in the second period pouring in 32 points which included four, three point bombs and enjoyed a six point lead into the main break, 60 – 54.

A refocused and committed Spartans outfit turned it on in the third period with Chris Goulding once again breaking the game open with a flurry of three-point bombs allowing the Spartans to amass a 30 point third quarter with a change of defence restricting the Miners to just 15 points.

“We changed things up and sat in a zone which stopped the Miners ball movement and made things difficult for them,” Spartans head Coach Bruce Palmer said at the post game function.

The fourth quarter just allowed the Spartans to build on their lead outscoring the Miners 38 points and 15 points for a 122 – 90 win.

The Miners scored 60 points in the first half but only managed to score a further 30 points in the entire second half. The Spartans however simply dominated the second half with Goulding leading all scorers with 36 points and 6 assists, Greg Vanderjagt and Ash Cannan provided 32 points and 20 points respectively.

For the Miners, import Jamal Brown, a former SEABL League MVP worked tirelessly, leading his team with 22 points and 17 rebounds to walk away with the post-game MVP award. Former Spartan and current Miner, Zac Carter managed just 8 points and 4 turnovers in 26 minutes of court time against his former team.

The following night, the Spartans faced their “voodoo” team, the Bendigo Braves. In the Spartans short three year SEABL affiliation, these two teams have faced off on five occasions which included a 2008 quarter final, first round playoff and the Spartans have not won one of them.

The Spartans entered the game riding a wave of perfection so far with a 6 – 0 record and brimming with confidence, burst out of the blocks early racing to a 34 – 25 first quarter lead and extended that lead by a further one point at the main break, 63 - 53.

A visibly lethargic Spartans were feeling the effects of the travel involved in the double header weekend, however maintained a 10-point buffer throughout most of the game.
It was only a matter of time before the Braves took advantage and looked to pounce midway through the final quarter restricting the Spartans to just 14 points while scoring 23 points. With seconds left on the game clock, Spartans Chris Goulding nailed a three-point bomb to lock the scores at 97 points each. His next attempt for the win fell short, sending the game into overtime.

The Spartans scored the first 5 points in the overtime period, which included a three-point bomb from Tyson Demos and the Spartans ran away with a maiden win again the Bendigo Braves 107 – 102.

The Spartans men will join the Lady Spartans this Saturday night, 25th April at the Carina Basketball Stadium, attempting to keep both their wining streaks alive against the Kilsyth Cobras and Kilsyth Lady Cobras with games tipping off at 6pm and 8pm.

ENDS
For further information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au

March Awards

20-04-09, 14:03

MEDIA RELEASE

14 April 2009

CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL PLAYER OF THE MONTH - MARCH

The CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL Player of the Month is a hotly contested recognition for each SEABL player to achieve. The exceptional talent that is on court each week playing in “Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League” will be rewarded this season as each Player and Coach of the Month receive a Crazy John’s Mobile Phone pack for their efforts.

SEABL MEN PLAYER OF THE MONTH

CJ Massingale (Knox Raiders)

With three 30+ games in the month of March Knox Raiders sharp shooter CJ Massingale wins his first player of the month award. Massingale averaged 29.8 points @ 46%, 11.3 rebounds and 2 assists for March and helped his team to a 3-1 record when he was in uniform. CJ has also had to contend with injuries throughout the month after sustaining a cut ankle in round two at Nunawading. Massingale, last years Most Valuable Player started the season at a blistering pace averaging 33.5pts, 12rebs and 2ass in Tasmania on the Raiders 1-1 weekend. CJ finished the month with 32pts@46%, 10rebs, 3ass and 2stls in the Raiders 80-69 victory against arch rivals Kilsyth in round 3.

SEABL MEN COACH OF THE MONTH

Bill Runchey (Frankston Blues)

Guiding his team to a league leading 5-0 record and top position in the South Conference, Bill Runchey wins his 10th Coach of the Month Award. Runchey started the month with a 106-85 victory over SEABL newcomers Sandringham Sabres. In round 2 the Blues undefeated record continued with a victory at home over Canberra, and then demolished Knox Raiders 92-68 on their home court. With minimal changes to his team that won the South Conference minor premiership last year, Bill has shown those years of playing high quality basketball together is the ingredient for success as his team recorded another two victories in round three over Geelong on the road and Mt Gambier at home.

SEABL WOMEN PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Lisa Wallbutton (Albury/Wodonga Lady Bandits)

New Zealand International Lisa Wallbutton has been a sensational recruit for the Lady Bandits, helping her team to a 1-3 record for the month. Wallbutton represented New Zealand at the Beijing Olympics and has been a productive player for Albury/Wodonga in every game so far. Wallbutton started her SEABL campaign with 16pts, 8rebs, 2ass and 1blk in the Lady Bandits 66-69 loss in Brisbane. After adjusting to the competitive nature of the league Lisa increased her productivity the following week with 22pts, 16rebs, 4ass and 2stls in a close loss to league powerhouse Bendigo. But in week three with 23pts, 12rebs, 1ass and 1blk Lisa guided her team to a much deserved 83-66 victory over Nunawading Spectres, giving the Lady Bandits program their first SEABL victory since 22nd July, 2007. Wallbutton backed up the following day at Frankston and recorded another consistent 24pts and 17rebs.

SEABL WOMEN COACH OF THE MONTH

Heath Anderson (Knox Raiders)

After putting together a quality team in the off-season, Knox Raiders coach Heath Anderson has been rewarded with his team sensational 4-0 season start by earning his first Coach of the Month Award. With 5 new faces in his team, Heath travelled to Launceston in week one, but was able to record a comfortable 70-49 victory. The following round Heath came up against 2008 runners-up Nunawading and defeated them comfortably 75-49 on their home court. Heath put together a team full of talented youngsters and experienced veterans, and has started the season at a blistering pace with three victories over finalists from last year.

Bring a torch

22-04-09, 14:51

A reminder that we will again be doing the ANZAC memorial service Saturday at this weeks SEABL games.

It should be a great spectacle as well as a lot of fun.

If you have a torch, bring it along as we may be able to use it. When the lights are turned out we want everyone to shine a torch in memory of those who went before us.

Games start at 6pm and the service will be immediately after the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans game finishes.

Lets make this ANZAC Memorial Service the best yet.

Kind regards,

Allan Ladewig

SDBAL

Mid week

23-04-09, 12:59

CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL MEN MID WEEK PREVIEWS - WEEK 7

Canberra vs Kilsyth

Friday 24th April – 7:30pm

Kilsyth are on a two game winning streak and keen to record a victory on the road this week. Cobras leading scorer Chris Cameron will be back for this weekend and his match-up with Gunners Glenn Baird will be a highlight for the crowd. Both players are key contributors for their respective team and will be keen to produce a solid performance.

Dandenong vs Frankston

Saturday 25th April – 7:30pm

Arch Rivals for many years before Dandenong left the SEABL for the Big V, this week’s clash will be a hard fought battle and unfortunately there can only be one winner. Dandenong are on a two game winning streak with wins over Knox and Nunawading in recent weeks and both have been without import Vince Inglima (27ppg, 6rpg). His inclusion this week will be vital to the Rangers as he will need to provide Dandenong with a solid defensive contribution on the Blues Rob Kampman (18pts, 10rebs).

Geelong vs Hobart

Saturday 25th April – 7:30pm

Hobart secured a 98-83 victory last week against the Supercats, but Geelong were competitive throughout the game and will be keen to reverse the result on their home court this week. Supercats coach Mark Leader will be keen to have Nathan Herbert in uniform for this weeks clash as he is a vital component to the teams success.

Albury/Wodonga vs Canberra

Saturday 25th April – 7:30pm

Canberra struggled on the road last weekend and dropped to seventh position. The loss of point guard Ei Woodfy has been a major issue for the Gunners, as he provided the team with court leadership. Albury/Wodonga are seventh on the South ladder and need to secure a win this week to stay in contention with the higher placed teams for a finals berth.

Brisbane vs Kilsyth

Saturday 25th April – 8:00pm

The Spartans are looking untouchable at the moment behind seven straight victories including four on the road. Coach Bruce Palmer is receiving valuable weekly contributions from Vanderjagt (21ppg, 11rpg) and Cannan (21ppg, 10rpg) and the duo destroyed the Cobras in the Spartans 108-97 victory over Kilsyth in Week 2

Knox vs NW Tasmania

Saturday 25th April – 8:00pm

NW Tasmania welcomed back club legend Ben Armstrong from retirement last week, but his addition could not get them over the line against Geelong. With a full week of training with the team, Ben should be able to produce his All Star abilities this week on the road. Coach Sam Armstrong had a shocker last week and will be keen to record a better offensive game for his team this week..

Nunawading vs Geelong

Sunday 26th April – 2:30pm

Struggling at the bottom of the ladder with an 0-7 record, coach Sedale Threatt needs to find something from his team this week. A victory at home is vital as the Spectres travel to Tasmania next round and could be 0-10 after eight rounds which will end any playoff aspirations the team had. Veterans Flynn, Thorp and Todorov have been disappointing this season and need to improve both on court and at training to give the team more offensive firepower.

Frankston vs NW Tasmania

Sunday 26th April – 2:00pm

Both teams will be going into the contest tired after physical games the previous night. Fitness and bench depth of both teams will be tested, with the winner likely to come from the team that can play four quarters of high quality basketball. Gruber (21ppg, 13rpg) has been his usual consistent self, and will be a huge defensive assignment for Thunder import McCade Olsen.

Bendigo vs Hobart

Sunday 26th April – 12 noon

On paper Bendigo should win this game as they have all the advantages, with Hobart having played in Geelong the previous night. Tanner (16ppg, 8rpg) and Trannon (21ppg, 11rpg) have been sensational for Bendigo all season and coach Larkins has been playing second import Keith Davis sparingly due to back issues. As Davis gets acquainted to the league, the Braves are sure to improve and may just trouble the red hot Chargers this week. .

Ballarat vs Sandringham

Sunday 26th April – 2:00pm

Sandringham fell asleep in the third quarter last week against Knox and will need to play four quality quarters of basketball this week at Ballarat if they are to secure the win and remain in the conference top four. Import Tron Smith was great at the offensive end and will need to produce another 30+ points this week. MVP favourite Jamal Brown (24ppg, 13rpg) will once again face up against a quality big man in Sabres Neil Mottram, but Brown has shown all season he has no fear against the taller opposition and will bring his “A” game once again

Week 8

23-04-09, 13:01

CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL WOMEN MID WEEK PREVIEWS - WEEK 7

Dandenong vs Launceston

Saturday 25th April – 5:30pm

Desiree Glaubitz joins Launceston this week for their double game weekend on the mainland. Her inclusion to the team gives the Tornadoes much needed court leadership and a reliable scorer. Launceston Import Rhonda Price will get the defensive assignment on Rangers frontcourt dynamo and past Tornado Catherine Guest. Her productivity is a vital component to the Rangers success this season and if Price can block her out and limit her rebounding tally the Tornadoes could secure a surprise victory.

Brisbane vs Kilsyth

Saturday 25th April – 6:00pm

Brisbane sit in second position on the ladder but have only played three games so far this season. Emma Randall will be the major focus on offence, and her battle with Cobras Import Amy Denson is sure to entertain the large crowd. Coach Donna Rinaldi is an unlikely starter due to her involvement with the Queensland U/18 team in South Australia.

Knox vs Ballarat

Saturday 25th April – 6:00pm

After a disappointing road loss at Albury last week, Coach Kym Cassells will be keen to reverse the result this week against the third placed Knox Raiders. Lewis and Francis were productive for the Lady Miners last week but they received little assistance from the rest of the team. Ballarat will need to produce a solid team performance if they are to overpower the Raiders at home. Knox twin towers Fryters (12ppg, 11rpg) and Cunningham (19ppg, 6rpg) were outstanding last week and will be keen for their duel with Australian Opal Squad member Francis (14ppg, 10rpg).

Bendigo vs Launceston

Sunday 26th April – 2:00pm

Launceston need to stop Bendigo guard Kelly Wilson (23ppg, 5rpg, 4apg) otherwise they will have no chance of securing victory this week. Wilson has been in sensational form the past few weeks, scoring 20+ three times in her past four games. Should the Tornadoes be able to contain Wilson, they need to be aware of the Braves other offensive threats in King, Finnigan, Chalmers and Teague

Nunawading vs Frankston

Sunday 26th April – 12:30pm

Kristen Veal will play her last game for the Spectres this week as she was registered for only a brief period of the season. Her inclusion to the team has been a real bonus and the team is 2-0 with her in uniform. Frankston will also have Marita Payne in uniform for this weekends clash giving the team a quality presence in the paint. Nunawading recorded a 66-61 victory in round four, but the presence of Payne in the middle for Frankston gives the game a entire new prospective..

Unregistered

23-04-09, 20:17

Are there any promo shots of the Think Pink uniforms? Would be good to get it out there and advertisied....

Spartans win again

27-04-09, 10:20

Spartans Demolish Kilsyth

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have continued on their winning ways, defeating the Kilsyth Cobras 126 – 103 at Carina Basketball Stadium last Saturday night to extend their winning streak to eight in a row.

After an emotionally charged pre-game ANZAC tribute, the Spartans looked rusty and out of sync as the Cobras looked to pounce taking a slender two-point lead into the first break 23 – 21.

However, the sleeping giant awoke midway through the second period and despite being out rebounded 37 – 18 for the half, the Spartans poured in a massive 40 points including five three point bombs.

The Spartans once again dominated in the third period and started playing the defence that has kept them at the top of the table since week one, restricting the Cobras to just 19 points while adding a further 34 points to lead by 23 points going into the final quarter.

The Spartans had scoring contributions from everyone, including six players in double figures and four of them with 20 plus points each. Game MVP Ash Cannan lead the way with 23 points with Tyson Demos and Chris Goulding adding 22 points each. Thalo Green chipped in with a valuable 20 points and 9 rebounds and Drew Williamson added 15 points and 5 assists in an all-round team effort.

Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer was pleased with the win but urged his players to lift another notch on the verge of another road trip this weekend against the Canberra Gunners and the Australian Institute of Sport.

“If we open up sluggish next week in Canberra on the road, we’re going to be in trouble,” Palmer said.

For the visitors, Joe Werner lead with 27 points and 23 rebounds while former Spartans Gerard Leonard added 21 points against his former team.

In the earlier game, the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans have also kept their winning streak alive, putting on a clinic against the Kilsyth Lady Cobras.

Lady Spartans head coach Donna Rinaldi was in Adelaide with the Queensland South Under 18 State team and assistant coach Steve Edwards coached the team to an 87 – 52 win, their fourth in a row.

Like their male counterparts, the Lady Spartans had every player score lead by Australian Opal super-center Emma Randall with 15 points and 10 rebounds in her first home game for the season. Odette Andrew added 14 points with guard Shona O’Bree directing traffic with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

Both team travel this weekend with the Spartans men heading to Canberra while the Lady Spartans will be tested against Ballarat Lady Miners and the top of the table and the only other undefeated team in the women’s conference, Bendigo Lady Braves.

The Spartans will return home in PINK on Saturday 9 May 2009 against SEABL newcomers Sandringham Sabres, women tipping off at 6pm and the men at 8pm.

ENDS
For further information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Weekly Awards

27-04-09, 17:01

CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

WEEK 7

27 April 2009

SEABL MEN

ANDREW HARMS – Frankston Blues

Averaging 28.5 points, 6 rebounds and 5.5 assists for the weekend, guard Andrew Harms was outstanding this weekend, helping Frankston Blues to a 2-0 weekend and remain undefeated this season. Harms guided Frankston to a 97-80 defeat over cross town rivals Dandenong on Saturday night with 24pts@53%, 4rebs and 7ass in 37mins of court time. Harms then backed up on Sunday with another MVP performance in the Blues 109-106 victory at home against NW Tasmania. Andrew recorded 33pts@53%, 8rebs and 4ass and the Thunder couldn’t stop him. NW Tasmania fouled him 10 times throughout the match, but Harms shot well from the charity line and played a crucial role in the Blues win.

Other notable performances were;

q Canberra forward Glenn Baird started the week at a blistering pace with 36pts@57%, 9rebs, 3ass, 3stls and 2blks in the Gunners 95-109 loss to Kilsyth.

q Kilsyth import Joe Werner has found his All SEABL Team form in recent weeks and averaged 25.5pts and 19.5rebs on the Cobras road trip up north. Werner had 24pts, 16rebs and 2blks on Friday at Canberra.

q Daniel Dillon recorded 22pts@67%, 8rebs, 5ass, 2stls and 2blks and helped the Sandringham Sabres to a 108-102 victory over Ballarat.

PAST WINNERS

Week 1 Dallas Jeffree (Mt Gambier)

Week 2 Chris Goulding (Brisbane)

Week 3 Sam Harris (NW Tasmania)

Week 4 Drew Williamson (Brisbane)

Week 5 Not Awarded

Week 6 Mark Banovic (Hobart)

SEABL WOMEN

JASMINE FINNIGAN – Bendigo Lady Braves

Bendigo Lady Braves forward/centre Jasmine Finnigan recorded 24 points @ 60%, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal, earning game MVP honours and Player of the Week recognition. Finnigan was unstoppable in the Lady Braves 94-76 victory against Launceston. With 15pts in the first half, Finnigan helped Bendigo establish a 44-40 lead and was a catalyst in the Lady Braves fight back in the second quarter after trailing 25-27 after the first ten minutes of game time.

Other notable performances were;

q Katie Davis inspired Nunawading Spectres to their third successive victory with 23pts@53%, 13rebs, 1ass, 1stl and 1blk in the 70-44 win against Frankston.

q Julia Tan earned game MVP honours for an outstanding individual performance against Ballarat on Saturday night. Tan recorded 17pts, 2rebs, 3ass and 2stl, and also contained Ballarat sharp shooter Amy Lewis to only 10pts on the defensive end.

PAST WINNERS

Week 1 Caitlin Cunningham (Knox)

Week 2 Amy Denson (Kilsyth)

Week 3 Lisa Wallbutton (Albury/Wodonga)

Week 4 Zoe Carr (Nunawading)

Week 5 Not Awarded

Week 6 Kelly Wilson (Bendigo)

28-04-09, 10:12

I see Todd Meyerding is now a Spartan. Amazing depth, but will he be happy playing 5 minutes in junk time? Also what's happened to Jeff Morton?

Wayne M

28-04-09, 10:15

Another blow out on Saturday night but the dancing kid stood up to produce a few highlights hahaha what a laugh.

Unregistered

28-04-09, 19:56

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/4347/40970450.jpg

Coach & Referees

29-04-09, 12:53

SEABL Games Committee Meeting
Memo to all Clubs, Players, Coaches
Referees, Referee Coaches:
27th April 2009
Introduction
There has been concern throughout the League in recent years that the “Points of Emphasis” have not received a wide enough circulation or diversity of opinion in their compilation.
With this in mind the SEABL Board endorsed the formation of the SEABL Games Committee to meet and make recommendations with regard to assessing the effectiveness of the Points of Emphasis from season 2008 and to assess adjustments that need to be made in order to improve our product for this season.
The SEABL Games Committee for Season 2009 is as follows:
Mark Chivers SEABL General Manager (Chairman)
Mark Quinn SEABL League Manager
Neil Bradbury SEABL Referee Commissioner
Sharon Arnold SEABL Referee Development Officer
Michael Aylen FIBA Official
Grant Wallace Kilsyth
Bill Runchey Frankston
Mike Bainbridge Nunawading
Lori Chizik Sandringham
Dave Gruber Frankston
Julia Tan Knox
Purpose of the SEABL Games Committee
The objectives of the Committee in general terms are:

To formulate policy and philosophy for all factions of the game based on approved SEABL rules and guidelines

To review this philosophy and application on a regular basis in an endeavour to achieve continuous improvement.

To ensure that any legitimate members or interested party of the SEABL is encouraged to input into the process. This to be by way of participation, community survey, consultation etc.
The Committee held its first meeting on Saturday the 18th April to consider specific issues from season 2008/2009 that have been identified as areas of concern to players, coaches and officials. The Committee also considered a number of suggestions canvassed from the League stakeholders and made the following recommendations. (It must be noted that some of these recommendations will take time to implement whilst others will be actioned immediately.)
Games Committee Recommendations
a) SEABL Referee Panel – With the demise of the ACC Championship, a SEABL referee panel needs to be reinstated. The reinstatement of this panel would create clear pathways for referee development from Junior Representative level to D-League, Big V and Interstate competitions to SEABL and then on to NBL and WNBL participation.
b) 3 Man Officiating – 3 man officiating for all SEABL Championship and D-League games to commence in 2010.
c) Lines of communication – Lines of communication between Clubs, Coaches, Referee Coaches and Referees regarding referee assessments need to be more open and transparent.

In the first instance, all queries regarding referee performance are to be made through the Referee Commissioner. Should any further issues arise then the issue should be brought to the attention of the SEABL Office. Requests for review of game management situations are to be made with appropriate edits and break downs of the situations.

The Referee Commissioner will provide a monthly report to the SEABL Office with details of queries from Coaches as well as actions taken to resolve the issues.

Referee Coaches are to introduce themselves to Team Coaches prior to the Game.

Referees are to meet with both Captains ten minutes prior to the commencement of the game to discuss any issues with regards to game management. All questions regarding game management must be discussed at this meeting. Coaches must advise their team captains of any issues they wish to have clarified. Referees are not obliged to further discuss game
management issues with Team Coaches when they introduce themselves prior to the commencement of the game.

Referee Coaches are to instruct referees on the importance of Referee / Coach communication during the game as per the Points of Emphasis document.

Coaches have the right to seek a performance assessment of referees. Performance assessments will not include referee scores.

Clubs will provide a game DVD to attending Referee Coaches at the completion of the game. If no referee coach is present at the game then the copy is to go to the Game Referee.
d) Game Management – All Clubs to standardise game night procedures.

Teams that have lengthy team introductions should re assess their procedures so that visiting teams aren’t standing on court whilst other entertainment (eg introducing cheerleaders etc.) takes place. Cheerleaders and other introductions must occur prior to both teams being introduced.

All teams allow a further 5 min warm up period following the introductions.

Unless there is half time entertainment, a 10 min half time break is taken. If Clubs have half time entertainment then a maximum of 15 mins is allowed with all entertainment to allow teams a 5 min warm up.

Referees to move opposite the score bench on time outs

Referees and referee coaches to attend all post game functions. All Clubs are required to show respect to the Officials at post game functions.
The SEABL, on the recommendation of its Games Committee, have approved the following general and specific principles under which all SEABL games will be played in season 2009.

Part 2

29-04-09, 12:54

SEABL Points of Emphasis Season 2009
Advantage/disadvantage
Advantage/disadvantage principles as documented in “Basketball Rules and Referee Manual” (as adopted by FIBA) specifically Article 47.3, are to be applied by officials at all times and they must strive for consistency in its application.
Specific attention should be given to the following areas:

Illegal contact on the shooter should always be considered a disadvantage

Principles of advantage/disadvantage should be applied in the following areas
-
Post players who play body to body
-
Rebounding situations providing they generally remain within their cylinder.
-
Off the ball cutters and on ball / off ball screens where there is no disadvantage.

Illegal contact in the last minutes of the game must be assessed consistently with the first minutes of the game. Referees should consider players wishing to stop the clock for an opportunity to gain possession of the ball BUT the following should be assessed at all times.
-
The principles of unsportsmanlike foul.
-
The principles of advantage/disadvantage
-
Consistency of application.
During the closing stages of a game the intention is to discourage players from causing fouls with the motivation that they will receive an advantage by having the clock stopped. Hence, under these circumstances an unsportsmanlike foul should be called. The judgement of the official will have to be made only when the player is in an appropriate defensive position and making a legitimate and reasonable attempt to deflect or intercept the ball.
To further clarify this it is no longer acceptable that a player makes a “soft” foul or even a more physical foul, during the latter stages of a closely contested game in order to stop the clock. Players must be encouraged to make legitimate attempts to steal the ball, or to tie up an opponent, or face the prospect of giving away an unsportsmanlike foul. As was the case when “tactical fouls” were made on a player putting the ball in play from out of bounds in order to prevent the clock from being started the incentive for committing these fouls was eliminated when they were to be ruled as unsportsmanlike fouls.
Hand and body contact on the ball carrier

Incidental body contact or incidental brushing of an opponent with a hand in the back court should be considered under advantage/ disadvantage principles.

HOWEVER any hand that is left on an opponent by a defensive player either in the front court or the back court that impedes his opponents progress MUST be assessed as a foul.
Post Play
Although not a new direction the Games Committee has sought to clarify allowable contact in Post Play situations:

A defensive post player is permitted a one arm bar in the back of his opponent.

This must be restricted to one arm only and must not be extended. A two arm bar is to be assessed as an automatic foul

Once the player has received the ball and turns to face the basket the arm bar MUST BE DROPPED.

Players must not be permitted to illegally push off an opponent in order to create space to either receive a pass or obtain position for a rebound

A need to ensure that legal aggressive play is not penalised, but illegal aggressive play is
Travelling
There have been several areas of concern in the amount of travelling that has been accepted in the SEABL over recent years. As such referees are directed to be specific in applying the travel rule in the following areas.

The “kangaroo hop” once the offensive player has picked up the ball.

Dragging the pivot foot on receipt of ball from a lead for a pass.

Moving the pivot foot on a drop step move.

Dragging or lifting the pivot foot which causes the defensive player to shift direction sending the offensive player in the other direction.

Call the travel if a player takes an extra step to gather himself to go up for a shot especially if the travel is blatantly obvious and causes the offensive player to gain an advantage.

Particular focus to be maintained on the “spin move” and the “kangaroo hop”
Palming the Ball
Whilst palming the ball (illegal dribble) is not a huge factor in the SEABL never the less it is important that we are diligent in assessing this illegal action.
An offensive player who in the course of dribbling the ball places the hand under the ball and moves it horizontal to the floor must be assessed as having executed an illegal dribble. There should be no regard for advantage/disadvantage principles.
Unsportsmanlike Fouls
In the determination of an unsportsmanlike foul there are two (2) issues only to be considered
1.
Was the action a legitimate attempt to play the ball?
2.
Was the contact excessively heavy?
If the answer is no to 1 and / or yes to 2 then an unsportsmanlike foul must be called. One only need apply.
Technical foul for flopping
Flopping in the SEABL as a means of over emphasizing contact is not considered a major issue in the SEABL. However we must continue to discourage this action by the defensive player by giving a warning where appropriate.
No Charge Rule
In preparation for the introduction of the “No Charge Rule” by FIBA in 2010 the SEABL in season 2009 will revert to charge/block principles as applied to a defensive player positioning him/herself under or behind the ring.
As such an offensive player causing contact with a legally positioned defensive player directly under or behind the basket will not be charged with a foul if he charges into the defensive player, providing the shot is made. If the shot misses then he may be charged with an offensive foul.
Game Management
It is the intention for season 2009 to reinforce good communication. Coaches should be allowed to ask legitimate questions and receive feedback but only if it asked at the right time and the right spirit ie. stoppage in play, and does not interfere with the referees concentration in doing his job.
Whilst it is not the intention to stifle good communication between players, coaches and officials, the public image of the game must still be upheld.
Therefore the following must still be of prime consideration.
Game management specifically relates to areas of respecting the role of players, coaches and officials and allowing each to perform their role to its optimum.
1.
It is extremely important that the referees and their coaching staff are respected at all times in applying what is considered fair and consistent for everyone involved in the game.
2.
Allowance must be made for errors of judgment by all parties, and respect must be given to the judgment of officials in applying these principles without bias.
Generally coaches and players are to portray respect and constraint towards decisions of officials at all times. .
Officials are still directed to use a discretionary warning or “SHORT SHARP TO THE POINT” explanation if the coach goes beyond these parameters, and if it is considered that further disciplinary action may be avoided. However this is in no way mandatory.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE OFFICIALS TO ENGAGE IN LENGTHY EXPLANATIONS WITH PLAYERS OR COACH.
Therefore officials are directed to call a Technical Foul in the following cases:

Publicly overt and/or demonstrative actions towards official

Where an official considers he/she cannot perform their duty due to unreasonable and avoidable interference.

Audible obscenity by a player or coach.
Consistency
Advantage/disadvantage principles are to be applied within the spirit and intent of the rules and the need to uphold the integrity of the game. Consistency in applying the concept of
advantage/disadvantage where the officials should not seek to interrupt the flow of the game and which does not give the player responsible an advantage nor place him at a disadvantage.
Consistency of application in areas of Game Management will go a long way towards better acceptance by all involved in the on court game and the fans, BUT it must at all times be fairly and consistently applied.
OFFICIALS MUST AT ALL TIMES WORK HARD AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A TEAM TO ENSURE AN ACROSS THE BOARD CONSISTANCY IN APPLYING THESE PRINCIPLES AND ON A GAME TO GAME BASIS.
Referee Coaches are equally responsible in their game assessment and reporting in ensuring that consistency is a prime consideration in assessing performance of individual referees and the referee team.
The SEABL Games Committee plan to meet prior to the end of the season to assess the implementation of the recommendations. Should you have any issues, please do not hesitate to contact the Office or any of the Committee to discuss your concerns.
Cheers
Mark
Mark Chivers
General Manager South East Australian Basketball League

Game Reviews

29-04-09, 14:33

CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL WOMEN MID WEEK PREVIEWS - ROUND 8

Kilsyth vs Sandringham

Saturday 2nd May – 6:00pm

Sandringham will have a full squad for the first time this season, and the addition of Chantella Perera and Opals Squad member Natalie Porter should provide the Sabres with the much needed offensive firepower. Kilsyth have slumped to 9th position after three consecutive losses and need to find an offensive assistance to import Amy Denson who has been the sole threat for the team so far this season.

Frankston vs Knox

Saturday 2nd May – 6:00pm

Knox recorded an 85-59 victory in round two, but the Lady Blues have since added 196cm Marita Payne to the line-up which gives Frankston a solid inside presence. Her battle with Raiders Caitlin Cunningham is sure to entertain the crowd, as both will be vital to their respective team’s success.

Bendigo vs Brisbane

Saturday 2nd May – 6:00pm

Both teams are undefeated this season, but unfortunately only one team can win this week. Lady Braves continue to receive valuable contributions from King, Wilson and Finnigan. If the Spartans can limit the productivity of one of the trio, there chances of securing the road win will increase. Brisbane have never beaten Bendigo at home, but have the experience and talent in this years squad to secure a win this week.

Launceston vs Nunawading

Saturday 2nd May – 7:30pm

Nunawading have stormed into sixth position behind three consecutive victories, but will travel to Launceston with a very inexperienced team this week. The Spectres are hoping to have Australian Opal Kathleen McLeod available this weekend after her European commitments finished this week. Kristen Veal will not suit up again as she was only filling in until McLeaod came back. Launceston are yet to secure a win at home this season and will be keen to end the losing streak this week against the Spectres.

Dandenong vs Albury/Wodonga

Saturday 2nd May – 7:30pm

Albury/Wodonga are sitting in seventh position, just out the top six, and will be keen to secure a victory over a higher placed team this week. Lady Bandits Alex Duck has been quiet this season, but showed in 2008 she is a quality player. If she can increase her offensive productivity she will help her team’s chances. The battle in the paint between Rangers Faith Probst and Lady Bandits Lisa Wallbutton will be a highlight.

Ballarat vs Brisbane

Sunday 3rd May – 12:00pm

Ballarat have been disappointing this season, and need a victory this week against ladder leaders Brisbane to turn their season around. Australian Opal Cayla Francis has been a consistent performer for Ballarat, but has the capabilities to dominate in this league. Her duel with fellow Australian Opal Emma Randall this week will be a true test of her character as she will need to bring her “A” game to carry her team across the line and secure the victory.

Knox vs Dandenong

Sunday 3rd May – 12:00pm

Dandenong recorded the surprising 73-59 victory on Good Friday, but Knox will have revenge on their minds this week as they are determined for a win to level the head to head series. Faith Probst destroyed the Raiders in their round five clash with 30pts, 12rebs, 3ass and 4stls, but Raiders coach Heath Anderson will be keen for a better defensive performance from his frontcourt players.

Game Reviews

29-04-09, 14:37

CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL MEN MID WEEK PREVIEWS - ROUND 8

Hobart vs Nunawading

Friday 1st May – 8:00pm

Nunawading have introduced Craig Simpson as the new head coach today and will be keen to showcase a good performance from his team in the first week. Hobart has been a dominant force at home this season with a 5-0 record, and will be confident of another win this week.

Mt Gambier vs Ballarat

Friday 1st May – 8:00pm

Mt Gambier recorded a 110-100 victory in round one against Ballarat, and will be keen to secure a series sweep this week at home. Ballarat have had a disappointing season start and struggling with Jamal Brown as the team’s only big man. Brown is having an MVP season but needs help if the Miners are to return to the playoffs this year.

Sandringham vs Dandenong

Saturday 2nd May – 8:15pm

Having been rivals for many years in the Big V competition, Sandringham scored the team’s first SEABL victory over their cross town rivals in round two. Both teams have adapted to the new competition well and Sandringham needs to secure another win this week to consolidate a top four position in the South Conference.

Canberra vs Brisbane

Saturday 2nd May – 7:30pm

Canberra took the Spartans to overtime in round one, and will be confident of securing a victory this weekend. Gunners Glenn Baird has been in outstanding form in recent games and will need to produce another top quality game against the talented Spartans line-up.

Bendigo vs Albury/Wodonga

Saturday 2nd May – 8:00pm

Albury/Wodonga is keen to have new import Jermaine Williams in uniform for this weeks clash with Bendigo. His addition will be a huge bonus for the club, as it gives the team another solid offensive threat. Jermaine was a member of the 2005 All SEABL Team when playing for Mildura and if he can produce the same numbers, Albury/Wodonga fans will be very happy.

NW Tasmania vs Nunawading

Saturday 2nd May – 7:30pm

NW Tasmania recorded a 107-98 victory over Nunawading in round 4, but the Spectres have a new coach and this week is the start of a new beginning for the club. Craig spent the past NBL season as an assistant with the South Dragons and is sure to have learnt many coaching skills under Brian Goorjian.

Frankston vs Knox

Saturday 2nd May – 8:00pm

Knox is on a three game winning streak and determined to end the Blues undefeated record so far this season. Frankston defeated Knox 92-68 in round two, but Knox were without the talented CJ Massingale. Raiders guard Sean Carroll has been in impressive form in recent weeks and his clash in the backcourt with Blues Andrew Harms will be crucial to the games final outcome..

Kilsyth vs Geelong

Saturday 2nd May – 8:15pm

Kilsyth are 3-1 in their past four games and the return to form of import Joe Werner has been the main reason for the team’s recent results. Werner was outstanding last weekend averaging a double double and will be looking forward to his clash with Supercats Daniel George as both are rebounding machines.

AIS vs Brisbane

Sunday 3rd May – 1:00pm

AIS coach, and newly appointed Australian Boomers assistant Marty Clarke has put together a very strong line-up to try and put a stop to the Spartans 2009 domination on the league. The AIS squad for this weeks clash looks to have a majority of the Australian Emus experienced group with Motum, Young, Page, Dellavedova, Broeckhoff and Greenwood keen to defeat the Spartans.

Ballarat vs Albury/Wodonga

Sunday 3rd May – 2:00pm

Ballarat have a disappointing 0-4 record at home this season, and will look to put a stop to their home court disaster this year. Import Rishawn Norwood is averaging 26.8pts at the Minerdome so far this season and will look to record another solid performance for his team this week.

Knox vs Bendigo

Sunday 3rd May – 2:00pm

In a replay of last years East Conference Grand Final, both teams bench depth will be put to the test in this game as both will be playing their second game for the weekend. Raiders Cam Rigby will be influential in this game, having played for Bendigo last year. Rigby will be familiar with Braves coach Wayne Larkins offensive structure and look for him to be an asset on defence for the Raiders.

Geelong vs Sandringham

Sunday 3rd May – 5:00pm

In a league first Geelong hosts Sandringham in a Sunday evening twilight match. Both teams will be playing their second match of the weekend, and will be thankful for the later tip off time. Geelong have been the yardstick for the SEABL competition for many years with three successive championships, and the Sabres will be playing hard for the victory to make a statement to the rest of the league that they are a threat in this competition.

Pink Power

04-05-09, 13:54

PINK Spartans Remain Undefeated

A PINK Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have won their two road games in Canberra against the Canberra Gunners and the Australian Institute of Sport last weekend to extend their winning streak to 10 in a row and cement themselves on top of the Eastern Conference SEABL Ladder.

On Saturday night the Spartans dawned their new PINK uniforms to raise much needed awareness for the National Breast Cancer Foundation but it was the Gunners who were seeing pink.

After a sloppy first half with an array of comical mistakes from both teams, the Spartans turned it on in the third quarter once again, pouring in 37 points and enjoying a 23 point lead. The Gunners took it right at the Spartans in the final period narrowing the margin to 12 points however the Spartans finished strong to claim the 114 – 97 win.

The following afternoon the Spartans travelled to the Australian Institute of Sport. With less then 16 hours for recovery, the Spartans were visibly sluggish and the AIS looked to pounce, taking a 6-point lead into the first quarter 26 – 20.

In the second quarter the Spartans re-grouped and took a 1-point lead at the main break 49 – 48 setting up the stage for a tight second half.

The Spartans had contributions from everyone once again, proving their depth is extremely difficult to contain. Lead once again by Chris Goulding with 21 points, Greg Vanderjagt added 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Ash Cannan chipping in with 15 points and Drew Williamson, Tyson Demos and Thalo Green adding 13 point each.

Late in the final quarter the scores were tied at 93 each, and the AIS were forced to foul to get the basketball back. However, Tyson Demos hit crucial free throws to seal the 98 – 95 win, the tenth straight for the Brisbane Spartans.

The Queensland contingent at the AIS lead the way with Brisbane’s Brock Motum scoring 23 points, Maroochydore’s Jorden Page and Logan’s Mitch Young added 10 points each and Spartans junior Christian Salecich chipped in with 3 points.

The Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans hit the road also last weekend, travelling to regional Victoria to take on Bendigo Lady Braves and the Ballarat Lady Miners to try to keep their unbeaten record alive also.

On Saturday night the Lady Spartans surprised a WNBL experienced Lady Braves extending their win streak to 5 in a row 82 – 72. Emma Randall lead the way with 29 points and 12 rebounds and Kate Willey adding 18 points and 7 rebounds.

The following afternoon the Lady Spartans took on the Ballarat Lady Miners however suffered their first loss for the season 78 – 73. Emma Randall and Bec Schatz lead with 17 points each.

Both Lady Spartans and Spartans men return to the Carina Basketball Stadium for the next three weeks with games against Sandringham, Knox and Mt Gambier.

They will both unveil their PINK uniforms at home for the first time and a bumper crowd for support is expected.

Games tip off at 6pm and 8pm.

Unregistered

04-05-09, 22:49

Is there anywhere we can see some action shots of the boys and girls in their pink uniforms for those of us who couldn't make the game?

Thanks

PINK is Real

05-05-09, 14:54

30 April 2009

CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL PLAYER OF THE MONTH - APRIL

The CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL Player of the Month is a hotly contested recognition for each SEABL player to achieve. The exceptional talent that is on court each week playing in “Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League” will be rewarded this season as each Player and Coach of the Month receive a Crazy John’s Mobile Phone pack for their efforts.

SEABL MEN PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Chuck Long (Hobart Chargers)

Hobart Chargers athletic import Chuck Long has proved that consistency is a vital aspect of the game. Long has helped the Chargers to 4-2 record this month with his exceptional all round skills on the court. With a double double (points and rebounds) in each game this month Chuck averaged 17.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.3 blocks for the month. Long started the month on the road and averaged 17.5pts, 13.5rebs and 3.0ass on the Chargers 1-1 weekend. His best game of the month came round five with 23pts, 11rebs, 2ass, 3blks and 3stls in the Chargers 98-83 victory against Geelong. Long finished the month with another 24pts, 11rebs and 6ass on Sunday in the Chargers 97-99 loss on the road at Bendigo.

SEABL MEN COACH OF THE MONTH

Bruce Palmer (Brisbane Spartans)

Bruce Palmer has returned to the SEABL and put together an experienced and skilful team, which has recorded a sensational 8-0 record so far this season. The Spartans recorded four wins in April at an average winning margin of 26pts, and included a sensational two wins on the road in Country Victoria. After guiding the Spartans to the finals in 2007, Palmer coached in the QABL last year, but has come back to the SEABL this year as he believes the league is a quality competition and wanted to be a part of it again. Palmer started April with an easy 143-100 victory over Albury/Wodonga, and finished the month with another easy victory, defeating Kilsyth 126-103.

SEABL WOMEN PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Kelly Wilson (Bendigo Lady Braves)

Despite only playing two games for the month of April, Bendigo Lady Braves Kelly Wilson was a dominant force in both games and deserves her recognition. Kelly earned Player of the Week recognition in round six for her sensational performance in the Lady Braves road victory against Knox Raiders. Wilson played the entire 40mins of the game and finished with a league season best 38 points @ 64%, and also recorded 4 rebounds and 2 assists. The following week against Launceston Wilson continued her offensive surge recording 26pts, 6rebs and 9ass in the Braves sixth consecutive victory this season

SEABL WOMEN COACH OF THE MONTH

Mike Bainbridge (Nunawading Spectres)

Nunawading Spectres coach Mike Bainbridge had a disastrous start to the season as his team finished March with a 0-4 record, and lost the services of star off season recruit Elyse Penaluna. Bainbridge has kept a level head and knew that a victory was in sight, and finished the month of April with a 3-0 record. Bainbridge guided his team to a 66-61 win against Frankston in round four to start the month, and then finished off with another 70-44 victory against rivals Frankston in round seven to finish the month. Mike also guided Nunawading to a 58-55 road victory against arch enemies Dandenong in round six.

Spartans

06-05-09, 12:14

MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS & SISTERS

This week the Southern Districts Basketball Association again will be trying to make a difference within the community when we have both our women and men playing in pink uniforms as part of the awareness campaign for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

The doors will be open at 5:30pm for the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans game against the Sandringham Sabres at 6pm with the Arrow Caravan & Towbar Spartans also playing the Sandringham Sabres men at 8pm.

Ladies who have a pink “breast cancer bracelet’’ on or are wearing the “pink ribbon” will be admitted free.

This is such a great cause that we are asking all members of all Associations to get involved. Pass on this letter/email to get a full house showing our support for such an important issue.

Remember it could be your mother, sister or even a daughter who needs this support next.

Show you care today.

Enquiries Allan Ladewig 07 3843 3133 email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Unregistered

06-05-09, 21:05

How bout gettin some promos of the boys 'in the pink' uniforms and really create some interest for Sat night

Local Media

07-05-09, 07:12

How bout gettin some promos of the boys 'in the pink' uniforms and really create some interest for Sat night

Huge interest already with local media with stories and photos on page 8 and in sports section. Carina Laegues Club doing right thing by presenting a cheque for research on Saturday night.

Game Reviews

07-05-09, 09:04

CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL WOMEN MID WEEK PREVIEWS - ROUND 8

Ballarat vs Launceston

Saturday 9th May – 6:00pm

After a sensational victory against the undefeated Brisbane last week, confidence will be high in the Lady Miners camp this week. Amy Lewis was outstanding in round eight but will be tested this week against Tornadoes defensive spe^^^^^^t Desi Glaubitz. Ballarat have had a inconsistent season start and coach Kym Cassells will be hoping the victory last week against Brisbane is the start of a run of victories and a move further up the ladder.

Albury/Wodonga vs Frankston

Saturday 9th May – 6:00pm

Frankston recorded a 64-61 victory in round three, but are currently on a three game losing streak and in danger of falling out of the top six. Albury/Wodonga will go into this weeks contest fresh and keen for revenge, having played Frankston as a second game for the weekend in round three. The Lady Blues are yet to record a win since Hanna Zavecz has been on the sidelines with an injury.

Brisbane vs Sandringham

Saturday 9th May – 6:00pm

Sandringham played with a full squad of healthy players for the first time last week, and coach Lori Chizik will be keen for an improved performance from her team after another solid week at training. Star recruit Nat Porter will be keen for a better performance after playing her first game in a number of months last week. Sabres Tegan Fowler will need to be at her best in the paint as she will need to contain the talents of Australian Opal Emma Randall.

Bendigo vs Dandenong

Saturday 9th May – 6:00pm

Both teams recorded a loss last week and will be keen to return to the winners circle this week. Dandenong will need to produce a solid defensive game this week against the Lady Braves offensive trio of Wilson, Finnigan and King. The threesome is a vital component in the Lady Braves success this year and need to be stopped if the Rangers are to secure the win.

Nunawading vs Kilsyth

Saturday 9th May – 6:30pm

Nunawading will be keen to have Jenna O’Hea in uniform for this week’s Grand Final rematch with Kilsyth. O’Hea is due back this week from France and her combination with MacLeod is going to make the Spectres a strong team. Davis and Carr have been providing quality numbers all season and will trouble the Lady Cobras frontcourt. Carr will likely get the task of containing Lady Cobras import and major offensive threat Amy Denson. If Zoe can limit Amy’s offensive productivity, if will give the Spectres a bigger chance of securing the home victory.

Knox vs Launceston

Sunday 9th May – 12:00pm

Knox has recorded four consecutive victories and will be confident of securing another win this week against the 10th placed Launceston. Knox defeated the Tornadoes easily 70-49 in week one and although the Torns have added more experience with Glaubitz, Donkin and Price since that game, the Raiders have the talent to counter the Launceston additions. Fryters and Dunlap were a dominate force on the glass last week, and have the skills to contain Tornadoes import Rhonda Price.

Kilsyth vs Bendigo

Sunday 9th May – 12:30pm

Both teams will be playing their second game for the weekend, and will look for a big impact from their bench players to provide quality minutes when required. Both teams rely heavily on four or five players each game, making the impact of the bench players even more crucial in a second game for the weekend. The return of Clare Papavs to the Lady Cobras is a massive bonus to the team as she gives them an extra scoring option.

Mens game reviews

07-05-09, 10:42

CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL MEN MID WEEK PREVIEWS - ROUND 9

Geelong vs NW Tasmania

Friday 8th May – 7:30pm

Geelong have moved into third position on the South ladder after three consecutive victories and keen to keep the winning streak alive. Geelong recorded a 101-84 victory in round six and will be eager for a clean sweep. Nathan Herbert has returned to the Supercats line-up after a few weeks holiday, and his offensive impact is a major bonus for the Supercats team.

Mt Gambier vs Knox

Friday 8th May – 8:00pm

Knox has hit a purple patch at the moment and after two terrible losses on the weekend, need to turn the tables with an improved performance this week. Knox have a talented team with extreme depth on the roster, however they are struggling to gel and play as a cohesive unit. Massingale had a poor offensive display last week and the team needs other players to step up and provide the team with a threat at the offensive end if CJ has a poor shooting night.

Canberra vs Frankston

Saturday 9th May – 7:30pm

Can anybody stop the red hot Frankston Blues? Canberra gets a second crack at the Blues this week having lost 76-89 in round two earlier this year. The loss of point guard Ei Woodfy has hurt the Gunners since his injury, and coach Greg Evans needs to find a solid defender to stop the talented Andrew Harms who is having an MVP year.

Dandenong vs Geelong

Saturday 9th May – 7:30pm

Dandenong have struggled since import Vince Inglima has been watching the games from the sidelines due to injury. Dusty Jura and Brent Hobba are carrying the team in his absence but two players are not going to win you a game, it needs to be a solid team effort in this league. Geelong had six players in double digits scoring last week at home against Sandringham.

Bendigo vs Mt Gambier

Saturday 9th May – 8:00pm

Bendigo has moved into third position on the East ladder behind a three game winning streak, and will look to secure another win this week to pressure the AIS for second position. Trannon and Tanner are a quality combination and sure to give opposition coaches many headaches. Mt Gambier will need to produce a solid defensive job on the two players if they are to record the upset.

Albury/Wodonga vs NW Tasmania

Saturday 9th May – 8:00pm

The addition of Jermaine Williams is sure to benefit the Bandits greatly as he provides the team with another quality offensive threat and relives some of the pressure from MVP contender Fernandez Lockett. Coach James Madigan now has a full squad to work with and will look to be a force in the competition for the remainder of the season. .

Ballarat vs Hobart

Saturday 9th May – 8:00pm

Chuck Long has been the team’s standout player this season, providing quality number sat both ends of the floor. He is one player the Miners will need to concentrate on at the defensive end. However the Chargers have a number of players capable of winning a game on a solo performance as Banovic, Stewart and Nash have shown in the past.

Brisbane vs Sandringham

Saturday 9th May – 8:00pm

Even with the change of uniform colour to Pink to support Breast Cancer awareness, the Spartans winning streak continues to get better. Australian’s best U19 year old’s couldn’t beat them last week, and league rookies Sandringham will have their work cut out for them this week.

Nunawading vs Kilsyth

Saturday 9th May – 8:30pm

New coach Craig Simpson had a disastrous opening weekend in the job, returning home with an 0-2 record from Tasmania. With a full week of training, and the dramas of last week all behind them, the Spectres will be a better team this week and may trouble the Cobras. Kilsyth are on a two game losing streak and are vulnerable.

AIS vs Frankston

Sunday 10th May – 1:00pm

AIS tried hard to stop the Spartans winning streak last week, but came up short. This week they get a chance to end the Blues undefeated streak if the Gunners can’t do it the night before. The AIS boys have an Australian Emus camp all week, but coach Marty Clarke will relish the chance to play another high quality and talented team. .

Knox vs Hobart

Sunday 10th May – 2:00pm

Both teams have changed since meeting in the Championship game last year, and Knox will be keen to continue their good results at home against the Chargers. Hobart have struggled at Knox Stadium in years gone past, but have a talented team this year and should go into the contest as favourites. Hobart recorded a 103-102 victory in round one, but both teams have made changes to the line-up since this game and need to secure a win to stay in their respective conference top four.

Kilsyth vs Bendigo

Sunday 10th May – 2:30pm

Experienced guard Matt Shanahan returned to the SEABL last weekend after leaving his coaching role at Waverley in the Big V. His leadership and experience gives the Cobras a vastly experienced line-up full of talented veterans (Wheeler, Taylor, Shanahan, Jackson) with workhorse imports Werner and Henderson. Once he gets his offensive groove back Shanahan could be the offensive threat that the Cobras need to be successful.

Congrats

07-05-09, 14:49

COREY DAVIE JOINS 300 GAME CLUB

Hobart Chargers forward Corey Davie joins the SEABL 300 game club this Saturday night, when his beloved Chargers play Ballarat Miners at the Minerdome.

Born and bread in Hobart, Davie has been a valuable member of the Hobart Chargers club, having played all of his 299 games so far with the club. Corey will be the first player to play 300 games for the Chargers.

Corey played his first SEABL game on 28th April 1996, but played limited minutes. Corey scored his first SEABL points on 15th June 1996 against Mildura.

Corey played on a Championship team in 1997 and 1998 as the Hobart Chargers collected the SEABL Conference title both years. Playing behind quality frontcourt players like David Biwer, Jason Pepper, Brad Williams and Willie Joseph, Corey was never required to score big numbers.

He has always played an influential role for his team, and was always known to do the things on court that didn’t show up on the stats sheet.

Corey scored his career best 24 points on the 8th March last year, and has a career high of 13 rebounds recorded on 20th June 2003. Corey was also a member of the Chargers National Championship teams in 2000 and 2002. Corey has a total of five SEABL championships, having secured the Championship also last year.

In his 299 games to date, Corey currently ranks 14th on the All Time Leading Blocked Shots list with 219 blocks, and has also recorded 1751 points and 1050 rebounds.

Corey is having his best season statistically since 2004 averaging 11.0pts, 6.2rebs and 2.0ass, due partly to the role he is now required to play. Davie is an important player in the Chargers team this year and has taken on the role of educating the promising Hobart youngsters coming through.

Although playing on the road this week, Corey will celebrate the milestone with his family as brothers Joel and Dwain are members of the Chargers team, and dad Paul is an assistant coach.

Unregistered

07-05-09, 15:44

Page 8 of what and sports section of what?

Brisbane Spartans

07-05-09, 16:14

South East Advertiser. Page 8 has the photos of the Pink Uniforms. Sports pages have results and photos also.

In latest news Joey Wright names as Blaze Head Coach will be coaching the Spartans men tonight at Carina.

SEABL

09-05-09, 16:46

Game live tonight.

http://courtlive.net/seabl.php

10-05-09, 19:36

I watched the games on file. Well I tried to. I have a high speed connection, and there's no way you can watch a full file before letting it load for an hour to avoid the stop/starts. Can only imagine what a live game would be like.

What's the go with Palmer not playing his bench last night? Spartans up 20 early in the fourt, and Bruce not giving any benchies a run until two minutes left - poor form. Did they shit in his shoes?

SEABL

11-05-09, 12:09

Spartans Slay Sabres

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans and the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans dawned their PINK uniforms for the first time at home and disposed SEABL newcomers, Sandringham Sabres at Carina Basketball stadium last Saturday night to maintain top spot on both SEABL Ladders.

The Spartan men burst out of the blocks early taking a 34 – 22 point lead at the first break and never looked back. Scoring consistently in the other three-quarters with 32, 34 and 34 points respectively, they record a 134 – 109 win, the Spartans 11th straight win.

For the visitors, Daniel Dillon shone with 21 points and American import Tron Smith added 20 points. Former Australian Boomers forward Neil Motrem fought hard with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

“It was a great game to get,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “On paper they are solid so we were expecting them to come at us hard, and they did,” he added.

The Spartans left Canberra the weekend before without Greg Vanderjagt, Chris Goulding and Tyson Demos who stayed on until Thursday to assist the Australian Emu’s Under 19 training camp for practice games.

You wouldn’t have noticed with Greg Vanderjagt in a world of his own leading the way with 29 points and grabbing 14 rebounds with Drew Williamson adding 25 points and Ash Cannan chipping in 24 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists. Demos and Goulding also added 18 and 19 points respectively.

In the earlier game, the Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans returned back to their winning ways with a hard fought 82 – 71 point win against the Lady Sabres.

With star point guard, Shona O’Bree unavailable, the task looked ominous, against a star studded line-up of big names including Natalie Porter, Michaela Domkins and Jo Myers but the key match-up between Opals team mates Natalie Porter and Lady Spartans Emma Randall was well worth the entrance fee alone.

Both ladies went at it form the start with Randall edging out her opponent with 20 points and 5 rebounds while Porter worked hard for 16 points and 5 rebounds also.

Four other lady Spartans scored in double figures with Cassie Smith adding 15 points, sister Holly Smith had 14 points and Kate Willey and Rebecca Schatz adding 11 and 10 points respectively.

These wins have locked both Spartans Men and the Lady Spartans at the top of their ladders and take on the dangerous Knox Raiders this Saturday night at Carina Basketball Stadium. Tip off 6pm & 8pm.

This week the Association will be honouring all past players and officials with the game being dedicated to those that made the sport great. Masters players still involved in the game have been asked to attend and enjoy where the game has progressed to.

The Spartans “Think Pink” initiative is continuing during the month of May and once again, everyone is encouraged to wear anything pink in support of this great cause.

ENDS: Additional Information 3398 2790 email sdbal@bigpond.net.au www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au

Mens Results

11-05-09, 16:17

FRIDAY 8th MAY
GEELONG 122 (Lee 27, Muhammad 26)
def
NW TASMANIA 105 (Olsen 37, L McGaffin 20)
MVP – Ismail Muhammad (Geelong)
MT GAMBIER 96 (Benjamin 20, Jeffree 19)
Lost to
KNOX 98 (Massingale 27, Strong 23)
Knox lead for all but one second of the game, but needed a 3 point buzzer beater by CJ Massingale to clinch the win.
MVP – Lester Strong (Knox)
SATURDAY 9th MAY
DANDENONG 107 (Hobba 37, Jura 22)
Lost to
GEELONG 137 (Lee 27, Muhammad 25)
MVP – Ismail Muhammad (Geelong)
BENDIGO 100 (Probert 26, Trannon 17)
def
MT GAMBIER 99 (Benjamin 24, Jeffree 20)
Kevin Probert scored two free throws with only 3seconds remaining in the game to give the Braves the victory after Mt Gambier led for the majority of the match.
MVP – Kevin Probert (Bendigo)
BALLARAT 96 (Goodgame 24, Norwood 21)
def
HOBART 94 (Stewart 25, Smith 22)
Ballarat started off strong under new coach Leigh Gooding and held Hobart scoreless for the first 4 minutes. The second quarter was much the same with Ballarat rotating there roster and Norwood doing it at both ends of the floor and Banovic scoring freely for Hobart. The third quarter was basket for basket until Hobart cut back the lead of the Miners and eventually led 75-74 at the last break. The 4th quarter was entertaining and the Miners grabbed the lead, and held on for the victory.
MVP – Brett Goodgame (Ballarat)
BRISBANE 134 (Vanderjagt 29, Williamson 25)
def
SANDRINGHAM 109 (Dillon 21, Smith 20)
MVP – Greg Vanderjagt (Brisbane)
NUNAWADING 94 (McDonald 21, Whitehead 16)
def
KILSYTH 94 (Leonard 22, Werner 17)
An entertaining 1st quarter played at a frantic pace, with the Spectres too strong up and up by 13 at the break. The pace continued in the 2nd quarter with both sides giving everything they've got. Solid work inside saw Kilsyth claw back 56-49 at the half. Kilsyth staged a comeback through strong inside moves, with Spectres in foul trouble early. Kilsyth came out the aggressor in the last quarter pegging back the score to within six midway through the term, both sides put their bodies on the line. Nunawading notched up their first win under new coach Craig Simpson.
MVP – Shane McDonald (Nunawading)
ALBURY/WODONGA 106 (Williams 27, Gange 26)
def
NW TASMANIA 96 (Olsen 24, Haywood 18)
The Bandits started fast and the Thunder were able to keep the pace with them untill halftime. Third quarter saw the Bandits still playing hard to open up a 10pt lead at 3/4 time. The last quarter saw the Thunder come out shooting to close the gap to 4pts and then the Bandits again got their offence going and opened up a 15pt lead half way thru the last only to see the Thunder again close to within 6 pts.
MVP – Fernandez Lockett (Albury/Wodonga)
CANBERRA 85 (Baird 27, Holden 19)
Lost to
FRANKSTON 101 (Kampman 32, Gruber 23)
MVP – Rob Kampman (Frankston)
SUNDAY 10th MAY
AIS 105 (Cadee 25, Motum 21)
Lost to
FRANKSTON 118 (Kampman 36, Gruber 26)
MVP – Rob Kampman (Frankston)
KILSYTH 110 (Leonard 22, Cameron 20, Werner 20)
def
BENDIGO 95 (Trannon 30, Davis 25)
Kilsyth opened the game with a 24 - 14 start & never looked back. Bendigo had a good contribution from both their imports with Trannon & Davis having 30 & 25 points respectfully. Kilsyth were solid all over the team with 3 players in the 20+ points & 3 others in double figures..
MVP – Chris Cameron (Kilsyth)
KNOX 75 (Payne 17, Carroll 16)
Lost to
HOBART 90 (Stewart 22, Banovic 14, Nash 14)
MVP – Anthony Stewart (Hobart)

Lady Spartans results

11-05-09, 16:19

SATURDAY 9th MAY
BALLARAT 82 (Francis 25, Lewis 19)
def
LAUNCESTON 66 (Donkin 23, Jordan 15)
The first quarter opened up slowly but by quarters end the Lady Miners had control leading 24-15 with Francis dominating with 15 first quarter points. The second was dominated by the Lady Miners, as they held the Tornadoes to just 5pts. The fourth quarter was scrappy but the Lady Miners ended up winning 82-66 with and Cayla Francis recorded a triple double with 25pts, 16 rebs and 10ass.
MVP – Cayla Francis (Ballarat)
BRISBANE 82 (Randall 20, C Smith 15)
def
SANDRINGHAM 71 (Perera 21, Porter 16)
Spartans shot well getting a quick start, but the Sabres came back late in the first quarter. Spartans went into the first break up by 9. Sabres continued to dominate in the second term and bridged the gap to be down by one at the half. Sabres took the lead shortly in the third but the Spartans tied the game up at the end of the 3rd, 57 a piece. Spartans slowly crept ahead in the final quarter and finished up taking the win by 11 points.
MVP – Emma Randall (Brisbane)
BENDIGO 77 (Finnigan 26, Wilson 26)
def
DANDENONG 52 (Penalua 12, Todhunter 9)
MVP – Jasmine Finnigan (Bendigo)
ALBURY/WODONGA 75 (Wallbutton 28, Edmondson 26)
def
FRANKSTON 51 (Payne 22, Bermingham 8)
The Lady Bandits started the game shooting from the arc and pushing the ball up the court to force the Lady Blues into playing catch up basketball. The 2nd quarter saw the Lady Bandits attacking hard and making shots at will against a poor Lady Blues defence. The Lady Bandits took a 13 pt lead at halftime 45 - 32. The Lady Blues made some adjustments to their defence, but it was all to no avail as the Lady Bandits continued their fast pace and superior defence. The Lady Blues tried to bridge the gap in the last but could not get any closer than 12pts before the Lady Bandits went on a 15 - 3 run to close the game out.
MVP – Lisa Wallbutton (Albury/Wodonga)
NUNAWADING 75 (Macleod 24, Davis 15)
def
KILSYTH 74 (Denson 28, Papavs 11, G Kerr 11)
**OVERTIME**
In a quarter that saw both teams make a number of errors, the Spectres gained a narrow 4pt lead. In a tight second quarter, the Cobras reduced the Spectres lead to just 1 point. In an outstanding 3rd quarter by the Cobras on the back of 14 points and 8 rebounds from Amy Denson the Cobras held a slender 1 point lead. In an exciting 4th quarter where the lead changed several times, at the end of the 10 mins the teams couldn’t be separated and the game went into OT. The Cobras held a 2 point advantage throughout the OT period but with 5 seconds remaining a Spectres 3 point prayer from Zoe Carr landed to give them the win by 1pt.
MVP – Kathleen Macleod (Nunawading)
SUNDAY 10th MAY
KILSYTH 84 (Denson 27, G Kerr 18)
def
BENDIGO 75 (Wilson 32, Finnigan 16)
Kelly Wilson started the first half on fire hitting 24 points in the first half. Then Amy Denson came to play notching up 27 points & 12 boards to lead the Lady Cobras to a very handy win after a tough OT 1 point loss the previous night.
MVP – Kelly Wilson (Bendigo)
KNOX 96 (Dunlap 16, Cunningham 16)
def
LAUNCESTON 62 (Price 13, Edwards 12)
Knox jumped out the blocks quickly, leading 9-0 after the first five minutes against Launceston. They continued their dominance, leading 26-4 at quarter time. Although Launceston fought back in the second, the game was effectively over at half-time with Knox leading 55-30. In an even contribution Dunlap and Cunningham led the scoring with 16 each and Knox ran away with a 96-62 win.
MVP – Ashlee Dunlap (Knox)
LADDER

Player the week

11-05-09, 18:23

CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – ROUND 9

11th May 2009

SEABL MEN

ROB KAMPMAN – Frankston Blues

Frankston import Rob Kampman had a sensational weekend averaging 34pts, 13.5rebs, 1.5ass and 1stls, helping the Blues remain undefeated in the competition after a successful 2-0 trip in the Nations Capital. Kampman started the weekend in blistering form, scorching the Gunners with a season best 32pts@71%, 14rebs and 2stls to guide the Blues to a 101-85 victory. Kampman turned up at the AIS the following day and gave the youngsters a lesson as he increased his season best to 36pts@59%, 13rebs and 3ass.

Other notable performances were;

q NW Tasmania Thunder lost both games on the road this weekend, but import McCade Olsen had his best weekend of the season, averaging 30.5pts, 14.5rebs and 1ass.

q Ismail Muhammad guided the Geelong Supercats to a 2-0 record averaging 25.5pts, 5.5rebs, 3ass and 2stls.

PAST WINNERS

Week 1 Dallas Jeffree (Mt Gambier)

Week 2 Chris Goulding (Brisbane)

Week 3 Sam Harris (NW Tasmania)

Week 4 Drew Williamson (Brisbane)

Week 5 Not Awarded

Week 6 Mark Banovic (Hobart)

Week 7 Andrew Harms (Frankston)

Week 8 Fernandez Lockett (Albury/Wodonga)

SEABL WOMEN

CAYLA FRANCIS – Ballarat Lady Miners

After a slow start to her SEABL career, Australian Opal Squad member Cayla Francis has stepped up her productivity in recent weeks. Cayla was a standout performer this week in the Lady Miners 82-66 victory against Launceston. With 15pts in the opening quarter Cayla finished the game with a Triple Double recording 25pts@40%, 16rebs, 10ass, 2stls and 3blks.

Other notable performances were;

q Bendigo Lady Braves Kelly Wilson averaged 29pts, 4rebs, 3ass and 3stls helping her team to a 1-1 record.

q Amy Denson averaged 26.5pts, 15.5rebs, 1ass and 1.5stls for the weekend and helped the Kilsyth Lady Cobras to a 1-1 record.

PAST WINNERS

Week 1 Caitlin Cunningham (Knox)

Week 2 Amy Denson (Kilsyth)

Week 3 Lisa Wallbutton (Albury/Wodonga)

Week 4 Zoe Carr (Nunawading)

Week 5 Not Awarded

Week 6 Kelly Wilson (Bendigo)

Week 7 Jasmine Finnigan (Bendigo)

Week 8 Ashlee Dunlap (Knox)

Unregistered

11-05-09, 23:34

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/6146/28992324.jpg

Mr bEn

12-05-09, 00:31

Watched both games against Sandringham on Saturday night.

Women's had a lot of skill. Dandenong hadn't won a game to this point, but I suspect they may not have had Nat Porter, Chantella Perera and Mickaela Dombkins on board for all those games. Tight game until after 3/4 time when the home side got clear by a few buckets. Cassie Smith made some great athletic layups, older sister did Holly whe she had position and Emma Randall showed some classy shooting. Kate Willey got them out of a tight spot when things were close with a few unlikely buckets of her own. Perera best for the visitors with some deadly outside shooting when she was set. Nat Porter was very very average after halftime, and I suspect she could've played a lot better.

Mens was again a no contest, with the Spartans getting out quickly in the first quarter, with the result never in doubt. Greg Vandy had a great game with some surprising attacking dunks right in Mottram's grill. I too felt for the Spartan bench squad - thought Palmer could've put them in much earlier .... the game was sealed and delivered very early into the fourth. Play of the game was Tron Smith's reverse jam from one side of the lane to the other from outta nowhere .... I can't remember a better in-game dunk in recent times.

Question time

12-05-09, 07:22

Below is an article from Adelaide. What do people think? Should the Spartans have a go at playing in the interim league. If they are successful it could lead into a real NBL program back in town. Would all basketball community support and attend the games?

BOTI NAGY
May 11, 2009 11:30pm
THE Adelaide 36ers will be part of any new men's national basketball league competition which, contrary to widespread speculation, is still alive.

Basketball Australia chief executive officer Larry Sengstock today was expected to announce the new-NBL would go on hold until a mid-year tip-off next year, with a possible "interim" semi-professional season active over this summer.

That followed in the wake of Melbourne Tigers withdrawing from the proposed new-NBL yesterday, leaving the competition without a Melbourne-based team after the NBL champion South Dragons withdrew on Friday.

But yesterday when the final deadline for expressions of interest closed at 5pm, six clubs had put up their hands to go forward with an October season, with Adelaide's seven-member working consortium invited to join the competition.

"We're prepared to go with a seven-team league and without a Melbourne presence, if that's the way it has to be," a spokesman for the owners said.

Perth, New Zealand, Wollongong, Cairns, Townsville and Gold Coast yesterday reiterated their intention to be part of a new competition.

Previously, Sengstock and BA have said less than eight teams and no presence in Melbourne would not make the league viable but owners are adamant the new competition should tip off in October.

Adelaide's SOS - "Save Our Sixers" - consortium met yesterday and agreed to be part of an eight-team competition if the Tigers retained their position. But in the volatile landscape which is basketball today, SOS was contacted by team owners asking if their team still would be "good to go" without the Tigers?

That came in the wake of consortium personnel meeting with existing 36ers players yesterday to inform them a league would not go ahead in October.

"It's been an amazing day," a spokesman for SOS said last night.

"Late today we were approached by owners of the six clubs who are ready to play and asked if we could suit a team in October.

"We believe in principle we can and we will be represented at an owners' meeting on Wednesday."

SOS, however, does not yet have the approval of 36ers owner Mal Hemmerling - away on holidays - for a transfer of his existing licence.

BA and Jeff Van Groningen, who is acting on Hemmerling's behalf, have already approved the transfer in principle. But it still requires Hemmerling's final seal.

While the new-NBL's obituary is being written across Australia, last night the bid to keep the elite men's competition alive was gaining serious momentum. The Brisbane Spartans, unbeaten leaders of the second-tier SEABL competition, are also being sounded out as a possible addition to a new league.

"There is a hell of a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff going on at present and the reality is owners of existing clubs who have reiterated their expressions of interest want the competition to go ahead," the SOS spokesman said. "Their attitude is that if teams from Melbourne don't want to be involved at this time, then so be it.

"They can pay $1 million for a licence in a year's time.

"They don't want to go without Victorian representation but they won't be held to ransom either."

Unregistered

12-05-09, 07:48

Just scrap the whole comp for a year!!!!!

Living

12-05-09, 08:51

Just scrap the whole comp for a year!!!!!

If there is no competition what are the players going to live on in the mean while. I personally believe anything that has the game being played is better then nothing no matter who is playing.

landy

12-05-09, 21:55

With about 500kbps there was a bit of buffering when watching the gladstone Rocky game but it was very watchable.
The seabl game on the other hand i couldent watch but my internet had slowed to about 350 kbps, i tried the next day but still was to much buffering to watch. any one see it with faster internet. i tested my download speed at speedtest.net

Mens game reviews

13-05-09, 15:08

Bendigo vs AIS

Friday 15th May – 8:00pm

Bendigo is 4-1 in their last five games and will be keen to give the AIS youngsters a lesson. This is the Institute’s last road trip before venturing overseas so coach Marty Clarke will be keen for a solid contribution as his team gain valuable experience travelling on the road. The AIS are travelling with an experienced line-up and will look to Motum, Young and Cadee to produce at the offensive end.

Mt Gambier vs Nunawading

Friday 15th May – 8:00pm

Mt Gambier was in winning positions in both games last week but failed to stamp their authority in the game and was beaten by a buzzer beater in both games. Imports Benjamin and Smith have been improving week by week, leaving Rice and Jeffree to play a supporting role. Although both Rice and Jeffree need to be contained on defence by the Spectres as both are capable of winning a game by sheer individual brilliance.

Hobart vs Kilsyth

Friday 15th May – 8:00pm

Hobart has returned from a mainland road trip 1-1 three times this year and is undefeated at home this season. The Chargers team are loaded with offensive threats and import Chuck Long continues to play under the radar as opposition teams concentrate on Stewart, Banovic and Nash.

Dandenong vs Canberra

Saturday 16th May – 7:30pm

Dandenong need to find another offensive threat other than Jura and Hobba quickly, otherwise they could tumble further down the ladder. The loss of Inglima to injury has hurt the squad badly as no other player has stepped up to fill the void. Youngsters Kirtley, Godfrey, Witherden and Illangakoon need to have more impact at the offensive end if they are to trouble the Gunners this weekend.

Frankston vs Albury/Wodonga

Saturday 16th May – 8:00pm

Frankston on a 12 game winning streak face an Albury/Wodonga team on a two game winning streak and full of confidence. The Bandits are 2-1 since the addition of the talented Jermaine Williams, and keen to end the Blues undefeated status. Frankston however will be determined to win this game and celebrate the massive achievement of captain Grant Dennis as he plays his 300th SEABL game.

Geelong vs Ballarat

Saturday 16th May – 8:00pm

Geelong recorded the victory in round 2, but Ballarat have a different structure under new coach Leigh Gooding and are determined to secure the win against their arch rivals. Supercats Imports Muhammad and Lee have been the team’s major contributors in recent weeks and seem to have adjusted to the SEABL style of play. Their impact in this game will reflect greatly on the overall game result.

NW Tasmania vs Kilsyth

Saturday 16th May – 8:00pm

The value of Sam Armstrong to his team was evident on the road last week as his team struggled to score and lost both matches. With a week of physio treatment Sam will be keen to wear the uniform again for an important clash with Kilsyth. The Cobras have guards with extreme defensive skills that can contain the Thunder sharp shooters, so import McCade Olsen will need to produce another standout performance to get his team over the line. His battle in the paint with MVP contender Joe Werner will be a highlight.

Brisbane vs Knox

Saturday 16th May – 8:00pm

Newly wed Mick Hill returns to the Raiders this week, and will need to showcase his veteran leadership on a team that is struggling at the moment. Knox is 7-7 this season but is yet to show them as a threat to the top teams in this league, despite the array of talent they have on the team. Brisbane is undefeated this season and has beaten teams comfortably on their home court. On current form, the Raiders look to be another casualty on the Spartans list.

Sandringham vs AIS

Saturday 16th May – 8:15pm

This is the first clash ever between the two teams and the Sabres will be hoping the unfamiliarity of their home court will give them the edge in this game. Sandringham are 5-5 this season but are currently on a two game losing streak and another loss this week could see them fall out of the conference top four. AIS are a quality unit and will be a tough team for the competition rookies.

Ballarat vs Frankston

Sunday 17th May – 2:00pm

With both teams having big games the previous night, home court advantage may play a crucial role in the games outcome. Although the Blues are undefeated, the Miners are a totally different team with experienced coach Leigh Gooding in control and may trouble the Blues. Miners recorded a surprising victory over Hobart last week, and will look to defeat another championship contender this week to give a warning to all other SEABL teams after a disappointing season start. .

Nunawading vs Canberra

Sunday 17th May – 12:30pm

Having secured their first victory this season last week against arch rivals Kilsyth, the Nunawading Spectres will be keen to record another home victory this week. Canberra are 1-4 so far this season and need to record at least one victory this week to remain in finals contention. Gunners Todorovski is having a quiet year, and will need to lift his offence this week to help his team across the line.

Womens Game Reviews

13-05-09, 15:10

Bendigo vs Frankston
Friday 15th May – 6:00pm
Bendigo dropped to third position after a disappointing loss on the road at Kilsyth last week. Frankston have also dropped to ninth position on the ladder after four consecutive losses. The loss of Hanna Zavecz to injury has been a major concern for the Lady Blues, as they lack a true offensive threat. Marita Payne has been giving great productivity, but needs support for the Lady Blues to be successful.
Sandringham vs Dandenong
Saturday 16th May – 6:00pm
Sandringham has had a full squad for two weeks and seems to be starting to gel together as a unit. Perera and Porter are the offensive threats the Sabres needed and they will trouble the Rangers this week. Dandenong will be without Elyse Penaluna due to Australian Opals squad tour of China, therefore Moody and Probst will be required to keep the scoreboard ticking at a consistent pace.
Brisbane vs Knox
Saturday 16th May – 6:00pm
Ladder leaders Brisbane will be without star player Emma Randal for the top of the table clash with Knox Raiders. Randall is away on Australian Opal commitments and will be a major loss for the Lady Spartans. Brisbane coach Donna Rinaldi will also be hoping to have guard Shona O’Bree in uniform after missing last week due to injury. Shona is a solid defender and will likely get the task of containing Raiders sharp shooter Sarah Graham. Sarah is a Brisbane Spartans junior and will be keen for an impressive performance against her old team mates in front of family and friends.
Launceston vs Kilsyth
Saturday 16th May – 7:30pm
Kilsyth will have revenge on their minds as they head to Launceston this week having lost to the Tornadoes 62-67 in round four. Myra Donkin scorched the Lady Cobras with 36pts in this contest and will need to be a major force again this week if the Tornadoes are to be successful.
Ballarat vs Sandringham
Sunday 17th May – 12:00pm
Cayla Francis has been in outstanding form in recent weeks and will relish the match-up with Athens Olympic medallist Natalie Porter. Both players provide their respective teams with much needed offence and will be crucial to the teams success this weekend. Ballarat have moved into fifth position behind two consecutive wins and will be determined to hold on to their current position.
Nunawading vs Albury/Wodonga
Sunday 17th May – 2:30pm
Nunawading will be without Kathleen MacLeod for this match as she departed for China on Tuesday with the Australian Opals. Her inclusion gave the Spectres much needed offensive, so the team will need to change their game plan and other players will need to step up and provide the productivity they will miss due to the departure of MacLeod. Jenna O’Hea has returned from France and will play this week before heading back to Europe with the Australian Opals..
LISA WALLBUTTON (Albury/Wodonga Lady Bandits)

Spartans struggle

18-05-09, 10:13

Spartans Struggle but Win 12 Straight

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have extended their win streak to 12 in a row, defeating a determined Knox Raiders on Saturday night in Brisbane, 121-112.

The Knox Raiders are one of Australia’s elite programs and fans flocked in to see the return of former Bullet Michael Hill who leads the team. Hill had signed with the Spartans for the 2009 season but had to return to Melbourne for personal reasons.

After a tight first quarter, both teams were evenly matched with the Spartans taking a 1-point lead into the first break. The game was broken open in the second period with the Spartans finding their shooting touch from the three-point line and pouring in 37 points while restricting the Raiders to just 22 points.

The Spartans took that 16-point lead into the main break and win number twelve was almost a mere formality. However, someone forgot to tell the Raiders who reversed their second period form to score 37 points and cut the lead to just a single point and the stage was set for a tight final quarter.

Despite the visitors Nick Payne leading all scorers with 36 points and last season’s SEABL Most Valuable Player, CJ Massingale adding 28 points, the Spartans showed why they are one of the top teams in the SEABL.

“We played that final quarter with absolute poise,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “I am extremely disappointed to have blown a 16 point lead but we’ll certainly take the win,” he added.

Greg Vanderjagt has continued his fine recent form with 27 points and 11 rebounds, Chris Goulding also added 27 points and Ash Cannan supported well with 20 points and 15 rebounds.

In the earlier game the Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans have slipped to second spot on the women’s SEABL ladder after being defeated by the Knox Raiders 70-64.

Without centre, Emma Randall, who is away on Australian Opals duties in China, the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans struggled to rebound the ball well and despite Holly Smith leading the way with 15 points were unable to contain the Raiders big girls.

Lady Spartan captain, Shona O’Bree, carrying an ankle injury fought hard all night to contain the Knox guards but the lack of her natural quickness was obvious. Team mate Kate Willie also played injured but kept running and played a huge role in defence against much bigger opponents.

For Knox, Emily Fryters collected 18 rebound, while Lill Keane lead the way with 23 points for the visitors.

Next week the Spartans are at home again with the Lady Spartans playing the Dandenong Rangers at 6pm and the Spartan Men playing Mt Gambier at 8pm.

This week local schools have been invited to the games in a “back to school” promotion. Spartans players will be making themselves available to visit schools promoting the sport to the children. People interested in having the Spartans attend their child’s school should contact Greg Vanderjagt on 3398 2790.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au Phone 3398 2790 email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Weekly mens results

20-05-09, 09:13

FRIDAY 15th MAY
BENDIGO 95 (Randall 20, Probert 19)
def
AIS 90 (Motum 17, Dellavedova 16)
MVP – Warren Randall (Bendigo)
MT GAMBIER 94 (Smith 20, Jeffree 17)
def
NUNAWADING 77 (Bridgewater 22, McDonald 17)
MVP – Kevin Smith (Mt Gambier)
HOBART 108 (Banovic 37, Stewart 18, Long 18)
def
KILSYTH 92 (Cameron 17, Jackson 16)
MVP – Mark Banovic (Hobart)
SATURDAY 16th MAY
FRANKSTON 88 (Harms 25, Gruber 18)
def
ALBURY/WODONGA 77 (Quinn 17, Lockett 16)
MVP – Andrew Harms (Frankston)
GEELONG 113 (Lee 31, Muhammad 25)
def
BALLARAT 88 (Norwood 33, Brown 13)
In an up tempo first half, Geelong sharp shooting was the difference at 53% from beyond the arc and took them to a 57-46 half time lead. Muhammad had a great first half with 16 points and Norwood led the visitors on 18. The pace stayed on in the third and Lee imposed himself on the contest with some exceptional shooting as the Supercats stretched their lead to 15 at three quarter time and they continued the scoring in the last to run out winners.
MVP – Clifton Lee (Geelong)
NW TASMANIA 110 (S Armstrong 37, Murfet 22)
def
KILSYTH 102 (Leonard 29, Henderson 16)
The Thunder got out the blocks quickly and had a comfortable lead. Maintaining their strength in the paint, Harris and Olsen managed to get Werner into early foul trouble and that changed the way the Cobras had to play their game. The emergence of Murfet off the bench was evident with some great shooting from behind the arc. The Thunder led for the entire match, despite a comeback from the Cobras in the last quarter.
MVP – Sam Armstrong (NW Tasmania)
BRISBANE 121 (Vanderjagt 27, Goulding 27)
def
KNOX 112 (Payne 36, Massingale 28)
Raiders starting the game strong taking the lead, but the Spartans clawed back to lead the quarter 29-30. A tech foul by Raiders coaching crew saw the momentum swing to the Spartans helping them to a halftime lead 67-51. A comeback by the Raiders saw them only 1pt down at the end of the quarter 89-88. In a see sawing game in the final quarter the Spartans took the lead and won the game.
MVP – Greg Vanderjagt (Brisbane)
SANDRINGHAM 84 (Mottram 17, Rzechta 17)
Lost to
AIS 88 (Motum 14, Salecich 13)
MVP – Brock Motum (AIS)
DANDENONG 83 (Jura 23, Godfrey 16)
Lost to
CANBERRA 92 (Miller 33, Baird 23)
MVP – Jono Miller (Canberra)
SUNDAY 17th MAY
BALLARAT 93 (Norwood 28, Brown 17)
Lost to
FRANKSTON 116 (Gruber 29, Kampman 28)
In the first quarter the Blues showed why they are currently undefeated with a 44-26 opening quarter. In the second quarter it was much the same with some great shooting from both Kampman and Harms to give the Blues a 70 - 43 lead at the main break. In the second half Ballarat did its best to salvage some pride with some hard work under the basket from Brown and great shooting from Norwood but it was not enough as the Frankston Blues ran away winners.
MVP – Rob Kampman (Frankston)
NUNAWADING 89 (Greer 35, Bridgewater 20)
def
CANBERRA 83 (Miller 20, Baird 18)
**OVERTIME**
Canberra got out to an early lead after Nunawading struggled to put points on the board. The second quarter saw the contest level out until Canberra got the upper hand to maintain a solid 44-36 lead at the half. Canberra failed to make a field goal until the 6:16 mark of the third quarter, allowing the Spectres to take the lead. Both teams continued to trade shots until a last second 3 pointer by Spectres new recruit Tommy Greer tied the game and forced overtime.
MVP – Tommy Greer (Nunawading)
EAST MEN LADDER
P
W
L
%
Conf
H
A
Brisbane
12
12
0
100
9-0
W12
6-0
6-0
Bendigo
13
8
5
61
2-4
W1
4-2
4-3
AIS
9
5
4
56
2-2
W1
3-2
2-2
Knox
15
7
8
47
2-4
L2
3-4
4-4
Kilsyth
13
5
8
39
3-3
L2
2-3
3-5
Canberra
15
5
10
33
2-5
L1
3-3
2-7
Dandenong
11
3
8
27
2-4
L4
3-4
0-4
Ballarat
13
3
10
23
1-1
L2
1-6
2-4
SOUTH MEN LADDER
P
W
L
%
Conf
H
A
Frankston
14
14
0
100
7-0
W14
7-0
7-0
Hobart
13
10
3
77
4-1
W2
7-0
3-3
Geelong
15
10
5
67
4-4
W6
5-2
5-3
Mt Gambier
11
5
6
45
2-2
W1
4-3
1-3
Sandringham
11
5
6
45
2-2
L3
3-3
2-3
NW Tasmania
13
4
9
31
2-6
W1
3-3
1-6
Albury/Wodonga
11
3
8
27
2-3
L1
2-4
1-4
Nunawading
13
2
11
15
0-5
W1
2-4
0-6

Weekly womens results

20-05-09, 09:14

FRIDAY 15th MAY
BENDIGO 72 (K Wilson 28, Finnigan 13)
def
FRANKSTON 58 (Reid 14, Payne 12)
Lady Braves Kelly Wilson continues to dominate the league as she played another full 40mins and guided Bendigo to another victory. Frankston started the game well, but Bendigo outscored them 15-4 in the final five minutes of the first quarter to grab the lead. Bendigo were in control for the remainder of the game as Frankston struggled on defence shooting at a poor 29% from the field.
MVP – Kelly Wilson (Bendigo)
SATURDAY 16th MAY
SANDRINGHAM 84 (Dombkins 23, Porter 15)
def
DANDENONG 63 (Moody 14, Fitzgerald 9)
Sandringham put together four quality quarters of basketball and recorded their first SEABL victory. Sabres scored the first basket of the game 34secs in and held the led for the remainder of the game. Five players scored in double digits for Sandringham with Dombkins recording a season best 23.
MVP – Mikaela Dombkins (Sandringham)
BRISBANE 64 (H Smith 15, Schatz 13)
Lost to
KNOX 70 (Keane 23, Tan 19)
Spartans start strong and got to an early lead before the Raiders came back to be 2 down at the quarter. Both teams scoring evenly in the second and both teams tie going into the half. Both teams scored pretty consistently in the third with Raiders taking a 5pt lead within the last couple of minutes. Spartans attempted to come back but the lead never dropped below 5 and the Raiders run out the game winners and moved on top of the ladder.
MVP – Emily Fryters (Knox)
LAUNCESTON 76 (Glaubitz 21, Price 19)
Lost to
KILSYTH 85 (Denson 27, Moffatt 14)
In a close physical encounter Kilsyth had the edge on the Tornadoes. The first three quarters there was nothing between the sides but a sustained effort during the fourth quarter saw Kilsyth run out eventual winners by 9pts.
MVP – Amy Denson (Kilsyth)
SUNDAY 17th MAY
BALLARAT 73 (Francis 27, Rinaldi 17)
Lost to
SANDRINGHAM 83 (Perera 20, Dombkins 17)
With some great match ups in the game with Porter and Francis and Lewis and Perera going head to head the game promised big things. In the first half it was Sandringham who went into the main break with a slight 5pt lead with both sides having an even scoring spread. In the second half it was Ballarat who came out hard to bring the margin back and even the scores up going into the final period. But it was the visitors who came out firing in the last going onto win the game by 10 points.
MVP – Chantella Perera (Sandringham)
NUNAWADING 64 (O’Hea 17, Davis 14)
Lost to
ALBURY/WODONGA 71 (Edmondson 18, Wallbutton 16)
Both teams came out strong in the first quarter, with neither team able to take control early. The second quarter was again level scoring from both teams, taking them into the half with Spectres slightly ahead 35 to 29. The third quarter saw the Bandits struggle to reduce the Spectres lead. The Lady Bandits stepped it up and kept the pressure on in the fourth quarter, running out eventual leaders at the final buzzer.
MVP – Lisa Wallbutton (Albury/Wodonga)

SEABL

20-05-09, 16:50

Media Release

20 May 2009

Basketball Booms in SEABL

SEABL (South East Australian Basketball League) with national sponsor Crazy John’s Mobile Phones is defying the current doom and gloom about the future of basketball in Australia. With teams in Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, and Hobart along with key regional centres, SEABL is booming. SEABL is expanding, not contracting, as more community-based associations join SEABL to provide their senior and junior players access to an elite national basketball competition.

This year SEABL introduced to Victoria the SEABL Development League. The focus of the D League women’s and men’s team is on players younger than 23 years of age. With the D League SEABL members give their players a pathway to move easily from elite junior level competition to elite senior level competition.

SEABL games offer basketball fans the chance to watch outstanding players in a high standard competition. Many women’s national team members play in SEABL, Emma Randall of Brisbane Spartans, for example.

Imports for both women’s and men’s teams play a significant role in SEABL by raising the level of the competition to further the development of Australian players. By their presence national team players and imports lift the standard of SEABL as well as demonstrate the high level of the league. As a proof of this, the AIS men’s team has chosen to play in SEABL due to the league’s high standard.

SEABL and Court Live are 4 weeks away from offering live game coverage of a SEABL game of the week. This exciting initiative will give basketball fans around the world the chance to log on and watch SEABL games. The Court Live partnership allows SEABL to promote basketball and to raise the profile of the league. The partnership will further enhance the ability of SEABL members to create pathways for their junior and senior players.

SEABL director Matt Nunn was quoted as saying SEABL is currently investigating a pay-per-view subscription scheme for SEABL games. This business model would potentially reduce the league’s affiliation fees.

The SEABL website, is a place for fans to find information on SEABL. The SEABL website has details of the fixture, updated results, and information on individual SEABL members as well as links to other basketball news.

With more than 17,000 hits a month, the SEABL website is one of the leading basketball sites in Australia. Through internet tracking analysis SEABL has identified nearly 20% of those monthly hits on its website as originating from overseas.

Since Crazy John’s SEABL teams play in community-based venues, nearly every metropolitan suburb and regional centre are within a short distance of SEABL games. A bonus for spectators is SEABL’s common practice of scheduling two matches together. A women’s match might be paired with a men’s match so fans have a chance to watch two games rather than one.

Go to the place where basketball booms, Crazy John’s SEABL, your local game.

Mens game reviews

21-05-09, 11:17

Hobart vs Bendigo
Friday 22nd May – 8:00pm
Bendigo are 4-1 in their last five games and keen to put a stop to the Chargers undefeated streak at home which currently stands at nine dating back to last season. Hobart is loaded with offensive options and currently average 102 pts per game, compared to Bendigo’s 98ppg. Braves second import Keith Davis is slowly overcoming his back injury which has hindered his performances this year. If feeling fresh at game time, he has the ability to destroy the game offensively.
NW Tasmania vs Bendigo
Saturday 23rd May – 7:30pm
Another victory this week by the Thunder is vital as they currently sit in sixth position two wins outside the conference top four. It is the first meeting between the two teams, so both coaches will be unclear on the opposition’s weakness. Sam Armstrong returned to the line-up with instant success last week, scoring 37pts. He will need to produce another fine effort this week against the defensive minded Braves.
AIS vs Ballarat
Saturday 23rd May – 7:30pm
Playing their last game before a two month break, the AIS will be keen to record a victory and head overseas with confidence. After a victory in his first game as Miners coach Leigh Gooding had a weekend to forget in round ten losing two games by an average margin of 24pts. Import Rishawn Norwood is getting more looks on offence and his battle in the back court against AIS youngster Matthew Dellevadova will be a great tussle and a good lesson for Matthew before heading overseas.
Nunawading vs Sandringham
Saturday 23rd May – 8:30pm
Sandringham have fallen out of the conference top four for the first time this season. Behind three successive losses the Sabres are desperate for a victory and return to the top four. Nunawading are 2-1 in their past three matches and playing with a renewed enthusiasm and will trouble the Sabres this week.
Kilsyth vs Dandenong
Saturday 23rd May – 8:15pm
Kilsyth are 1-4 in the past five games and dropping down the ladder fast. The inclusion of veteran Matt Shanahan hasn’t been an instant success, and coach Grant Wallace should be concerned. Dandenong are struggling at the moment also and need a victory desperately otherwise their finals campaign will be over. Vince Inglima returned from injury last week and with another week of training should produce a better performance this week
Albury/Wodonga vs Knox
Saturday 23rd May – 8:00pm
Raiders coach Graham Longstaff returned from Brisbane last weekend happy despite losing to the Spartans. The Raiders put up a gallant effort and could have won the game and will take renewed confidence into the game this week against the Bandits. Raiders Nick Payne was outstanding last week and will be keen for another fine offensive display in front of family friends against his old team.
Frankston vs Geelong
Saturday 23rd May – 8:00pm
Frankston will be without guard Mitch Chapman this week, leaving the sole point guard duties in the hands of MVP contender Andrew Harms. Geelong is on a six game winning streak and with the backing of a large parochial home crowd will be determined to end the Blues undefeated win streak of 14 games.
Brisbane vs Mt Gambier
Saturday 23rd May – 8:00pm
Mt Gambier is 1-3 on the road this year and has yet to secure a win in Queensland since the Spartans joined the league. Confidence is at an ultimate high in the Spartans camp after 12 straight wins and Coach Bruce Palmer will be keen to secure another win at home before hitting the road next week for a tough triple header.
Canberra vs Ballarat
Sunday 24th May – 1:00pm
Canberra is a tough team and has troubled Ballarat on numerous occasions in the Nation’s capital. Jono Miller was outstanding last week on the road averaging 26pts, well above his career average of 8.2ppg. Another high quality team performance will be required by the Gunners if they are to win for the sixth time this year.
Dandenong vs Mt Gambier
Sunday 24th May – 2:00pm
Both teams will be coming off tough games the previous night, but with a two hour flight from Brisbane prior to tip off the Pioneers could arrive a little tired. The Rangers will need to take full advantage of this as the Pioneers play a high tempo style game with guards Benjamin, Mason Naqqash and Seebohm all quick in transition.
Sandringham vs Kilsyth
Sunday 24th May – 2:15pm
Both teams sit in fifth position on their respective conference ladders desperate to record a victory to stay in contention of a top four placing. Both teams are coming off losses last weekend and keen to stamp their authority on the opposition in the team’s first clash this season.

Womens Game Reviews

21-05-09, 11:19

Brisbane vs Dandenong
Saturday 23rd May – 6:00pm
Dandenong have dropped their past three matches and are in danger of falling out of the conference top six. A victory on the road this week against third placed Brisbane will rekindle the confidence within the team and may be the turning point the team needs to consolidate a finals berth. Megan Moody has been the major offensive threat for the team, and will need talented guards Todhunter and Burns to improve their offensive production if they are to win this weekend.
Albury/Wodonga vs Knox
Saturday 23rd May – 6:00pm
Albury/Wodonga have moved into fourth position on the ladder behind two successful victories. The Lady Bandits will be tested this week against new ladder leaders Knox. The Raiders will be without Sarah Graham and rebounding machine Emily Fryters, and import Ashlee Dunlap is under an injury cloud. If all three players are missing, Coach Anderson will need another solid contribution from veterans Julia Tan and Lil Keane to get over the line and remain on top of the ladder. Unknown for her defensive capabilities Caitlin Cunningham will need to be strong at the defensive end and contain the Lady Bandits scoring machine Lisa Wallbutton should the Raiders Dunlap and Fryters not play. This could be the crucial factor in the games final outcome.
Kilsyth vs Ballarat
Saturday 23rd May – 6:15pm
The showdown between two of the best post players in the league will be the highlight of this match. Lady Miners Cayla Francis (16.7ppg, 9.2rpg) has been in sensational form in recent weeks and her duel with Lady Cobras Amy Denson (21.3ppg, 11.0rpg) will be a feature. Both teams have a 4-5 season record and a victory will put them a game clear of their opposition. Clare Papavs is slowly returning to her stellar 2008 season form after starting the year with a stress fracture. Papavs is providing valuable contribution off the bench and is a player the Lady Miners will need to address.
Launceston vs Frankston
Saturday 23rd May – 7:30pm
After three successive losses the Tornadoes will be keen to secure a victory this week against the out of form Frankston. The Lady Blues have lost five straight and need a victory to rekindle their season. Frankston shot a disappointing 29% last week against Bendigo and will need a better offensive performance this week.
Sandringham vs Kilsyth
Sunday 24th May – 12:00pm
Confidence is high in the Sabres camp after producing two great victories last weekend. Kilsyth recorded a victory over the Sabres in round 8, but Sandringham are playing quality basketball at present and will be hard to beat at home this week. Lady Cobras MVP contender Amy Denson dominated the Sabres with 22pts and 10rebs, and will need to be stopped this wee

Spartans win again

25-05-09, 10:57

Spartans Make It Lucky 13!

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have made their thirteenth game in the SEABL Championship a lucky one with another win against the Mt Gambier Pioneers are Carina last Saturday night 124 – 106 to extend their win streak to 13 and maintain top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Spartans dominance at home continued from the tip with 36 points in the first quarter, taking a 7 point lead into the first break and the Spartans never looked back. The lead doubled to 14 points at the main break and the Spartans poured in another 36 points in the third period.

Greg Vanderjagt continued his blistering form winning back to back Most Valuable Player awards with another double-double performance scoring 25 points and grabbing 18 rebounds.

Tyson Demos added 24 points, Chris Goulding and Ash Cannan chipped in with 19 and 18 points respectively with Drew Williamson and Thalo Green joining the scoring party with 16 and 15 each.

For the visitors, import Kevin Smith lead all scorers with 32 points.

The game was also a celebration for Spartans Chris Goulding and Greg Vanderjagt after being named to the Australian Boomers squad. “We are so proud of both guys” offered Charles Ellis, Spartans president. “The fact that these guys were fringe players in the NBL and after playing with us in SEABL they are now invited to the Boomers is proof of our commitment to play in the South East Australian Basketball League”.

In the earlier game, the Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans returned to their winning ways with a 10 point win over the Dandenong Rangers 70 – 60.

Australian Opals centre Emma Randall returned to Australia after suffering a calf injury but was unable to play, however the Spartans were lead by Rachel Pryor who had 17 points.

Despite going into the first break down 4 points and losing forward Bec Schatz after just 7 minutes of play with a back strain, the Spartans rallied and enjoyed a 5 points halftime lead.

Odette Andrew added 13 points with Holly Smith and Kate Willey supporting well with 12 and 11 points respectively.

Both Brisbane Lady Spartans and Brisbane Spartans men will hit the road this weekend for a tough triple-header before returning back to Carina Basketball Stadium on Saturday 13 June.

SEABL mens results

25-05-09, 14:58

FRIDAY 22nd MAY
HOBART 98 (Stewart 32, Inches 13, Johnson 13)
def
BENDIGO 81 (Trannon 17, Davis 13, Probert 17)
Chargers got away in the first quarter & maintained a comfortable lead in a scrappy game highlighted by turnovers & low shooting percentages
MVP – Anthony Stewart (Hobart)
SATURDAY 23rd MAY
FRANKSTON 128 (Harms 34, Kampman 33)
def
GEELONG 115 (Herbert 33, Reardon 21)
MVP – Andrew Harms (Frankston)
AIS 100 (Ellis 20, Motum 17)
def
BALLARAT 90 (Norwood 27, Brown 23)
MVP – Cody Ellis (MVP)
NW TASMANIA 108 (Olsen 30, S Armstrong 24)
def
BENDIGO 90 (Trannon 23, Randall 22)
In what was a physical and tough encounter, the Braves set the tempo for the game with accurate three point shooting from the beginning and the Thunder responded. McCade Olsen was tough for the Thunder, whilst Matthew Trannon was a strong presence. The Thunder was able to contain the Braves and went into the main break up by 8 points. The Braves challenged but the Thunder were resilient and able to ride out the come back and take the game by 18 points.
MVP – McCade Olsen (NW Tasmania)
BRISBANE 124 (Vanderjagt 25, Demos 24)
def
MT GAMBIER 106 (Smith 32, Jeffree 24)
Spartans opened up an early lead but the Pioneers rallying to come back. Pioneers had a hard time keeping in the game with the Spartans leading at the end of the third, 99-73. Pioneers finding a neat run in the fourth quarter but the Spartans finished the game well to win 13th straight game.
MVP – Greg Vanderjagt (Brisbane)
KILSYTH 109 (Werner 27, Cameron 18)
def
DANDENONG 100 (Jura 31, Inglima 29)
MVP – Joe Werner (Kilsyth)
NUNAWADING 80 (McDonald 21, Bridgewater 16)
def
SANDRINGHAM 77 (Dillon 19, Threatt 17)
The game started and remained an entertaining fast flowing skilful display from both sides. The tempo of the game picked up in the second term with both teams executing to perfection. A physical and bruising third term with solid work from both sides inside. The fourth quarter never let up with both teams trading blows. 3 pointers from both teams kept the scoreboard ticking and a late bomb from Nunawading sank Sabres hopes.
MVP – Shane McDonald (Nunawading)
ALBURY/WODONGA 80 (Williams 23, Lockett 18)
Lost to
KNOX 110 (Payne 34, Massingale 25)
The first quarter saw the game change hands numerous times. The Raiders continued to produce offensively to take a 16pt lead at half time. Second half saw the Raiders break away only to see the Bandits rally to close 14pts down at three quarter time. Last quarter saw the Raiders perimeter game come to the for as they ran away victors.
MVP – Nick Payne (Knox)
SUNDAY 24th MAY
CANBERRA 88 (Simpson 23, Baird 20)
Lost to
BALLARAT 96 (Goodgame 22, Carter 18)
Miners trailed all game until one minute into the last term, as they outscored Canberra 12-7 in the first six minutes of the last term. Once the Miners gained the lead they forced the Gunners into costly turnovers and were able to hold for a much needed victory.
MVP – Brett Goodgame (Ballarat)
DANDENONG 111 (Shepherd 24, Hobba 22, Jura 22)
def
MT GAMBIER 104 (Rice 23, Jeffree 17)
Dandenong had five players score double digits and were able to hold to secure the victory despite trailing 77-79 after three quarters.
MVP – Dusty Jura (Dandenong)
SANDRINGHAM 102 (Rzechta 21, Mottram 21)
Lost to
KILSYTH 105 (Werner 21, Shanahan 15, Cameron 15)
Sandringham led 77-71 at three quarter time and looked to be the better team in this game, but got out played in the last term as Sandringham scored only 25pts to the Cobras 34.
MVP – Neil Mottram (Sandringham)
EAST MEN LADDER

SEABL Women Results

25-05-09, 15:00

BRISBANE 70 (Pryor 17, Andrew 13)
def
DANDENONG 60 (Burns 16, Meyer 13)
Brisbane struggled to convert in the early stages of the game and Dandenong took full advantage, running out to a 19-15 first quarter. Andrew and Pryor provided the Spartans much needed offense in the second term and held their team grab a 40-35 lead at the half. The Spartans were able to remain in front for the remainder of the game.
MVP – Kate Willey (Brisbane)
ALBURY/WODONGA 58 (Duck 20, Edmondson 19)
Lost to
KNOX 74 (Bone 28, Keane 11)
Knox played without Fryters, Graham and Dunlap and were still able to secure a 16pt victory. Knox bench outscored the Lady Bandits 35-2 as little used rookie Danni Bone showed she will be a star of the future with 28pts. Game started very tight defensively by both teams with the lead changing several times but the Raiders with good shooting from the perimeter took a 9 pt lead at quarter time. Second half saw the Lady Bandits try to close the gap but Raiders were to strong.
MVP – Danni Bone (Knox)
KILSYTH 84 (Denson 18, Parsons 17)
def
BALLARAT 76 (Lewis 21, Francis 20)
Ballarat held the lead for the first 39secs of the game, but the Lady Cobras took over and increased the lead for the remainder of the game. Kilsyth outscored Ballarat 13-8 in the last 5mins of the first quarter to edge clear 23-15 and force the Lady Miners into playing catch-up for the remainder of the game. Ballarat could not bridge the gap despite great contributions from Francis and Lewis.
MVP – Sarah Parsons (Kilsyth)
LAUNCESTON 59 (Price 16, Clark 15, Glaubitz 15)
Lost to
FRANKSTON 60 (Butler 11, Reid 11)
Launceston started the game strongly and held a 19-10 lead after the first quarter, but let the Lady Blues back into the game in the second with poor shooting and costly turnovers. The game remained close for the remainder of the game and Glaubitz had the chance to seal the victory but missed two free throws with 10secs, and allowed Frankston guard Dee Butler to drive the entire length of the court and score on the buzzer to snatch a 1pt victory.
MVP – Deanne Butler (Frankston)
SUNDAY 24th MAY
SANDRINGHAM 64 (Dombkins 25, Perera 15)
Lost to
KILSYTH 74 (Parsons 15, Denson 12)
With a pleasing 17-12 opening quarter, the Sabres looked to be playing great team basketball. The Lady Cobras stepped up in the second quarter behind consistent shooting from Parsons and Denson to grab the lead with a minute remaining. Kilsyth held on to secure the win as the Sabres shot poorly in the third quarter and were forced to play catchup in the last quarter.
MVP – Sarah Parsons (Kilsyth)

SEABL Men Review

28-05-09, 16:37

CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL MEN Week 12 Preview

HOBART vs SANDRINGHAM

Friday 29th May – 8:00pm

Hobart will look to inflict home court advantage on the Sabres in the first ever clash between the two teams. Hobart have a imposing 8-0 home court record this season and will go into the contest confident of securing another win. Sandringham could be without import Tron Smith for the clash due to a hip injury.

BENDIGO vs DANDENONG

Friday 29th May – 7:30pm

Bendigo returned home from Tasmania last week with a disappointing 0-2 result and need to secure a win this week otherwise they could tumble down the ladder. Vince Inglima has returned from injury and the addition of talented Aussie Jon Shepherd gives the Rangers much needed offensive power. The battle inside the paint between Rangers Brent Hobba (19ppg, 9rpg) and Bendigo’s Matt Trannon (21ppg, 11rpg) is sure to entertain the crowd.

ALBURY/WODONGA vs BRISBANE

Friday 29th May – 8:00pm

Spartans undefeated status will be tested this week with three games on the road against quality opposition. Albury/Wodonga were embarrassed by Brisbane in round four losing by 43pts, and will be keen for a better performance this week and regain some respect. Bandits have since added talented import Jermaine Williams and his addition makes the team a tougher opponent this week.

MT GAMBIER vs KILSYTH

Friday 29th May – 8:00pm

Mt Gambier had two losses on the road last week and will be hoping the home court luxury will get them over the line this week against Kilsyth. The Cobras have been inconsistent this year and have a 4-5 record on the road which they would like to improve. .

NW TASMANIA vs SANDRINGHAM

Saturday 30th May – 7:30pm

NW Tasmania import McCade Olsen has returned home to USA, and leaves a massive hole in the frontcourt for the Thunder. A lot will be expected of Australian youngsters Sam Harris and Dwayne Ratcliffe to provide the Thunder with a much needed offensive presence for their team. Sandringham has added talented five man Simon Conn this week giving the Sabres a formidable frontcourt rotation with Mottram and Patrick.

FRANKSTON vs NUNAWADING

Saturday 30th May – 8:00pm

Playing without point guards Nener and Chapman, the Blues were still able to grab a victory over Geelong. This week Chapman is back, and will have a tough task at the defensive end defending Spectres dynamo point guard Shane McDonald. Frankston guard Andrew Harms is firm favourite for the MVP trophy at the moment, and a major factor behind the Blues 15-0 season start.

CANBERRA vs BENDIGO

Saturday 30th May – 7:30pm

Canberra have a team filled with players capable of producing a game winning effort, meaning the Braves will need to be solid on defence. Glenn Baird has been the key contributor for the Gunners all season, but has been receiving valuable contributions from Holden, Miller and Todorovski. Canberra is also hoping to have a NBL quality player registered and available for this weekend.

GEELONG vs ALBURY/WODONGA

Saturday 30th May – 8:00pm

Geelong will be determined to return to the winners circle this week after a loss against Frankston last week. Albury/Wodonga is on a three game losing streak and desperate to secure a win this week and stay in contention for a finals berth. Two losses this week could end the teams finals aspirations.

KNOX vs BRISBANE

Saturday 30th May – 8:00pm

Brisbane defeated Knox 121-112 in round 10, but they didn’t have it all there own way and will be concerned about the match this week. Although Knox has a disappointing 3-4 record at home, they have the talent in the team to end the Spartans winning season. Nick Payne has averaged 30+ pts in his past two matches including 36 in Brisbane. Another strong offensive game from him will be required if they are to stop the Spartans.

BALLARAT vs DANDENONG

Saturday 30th May – 8:00pm

Despite a 4-11 season record the Ballarat Miners still have a slim chance of securing a finals berth but need to start collecting some wins starting from this week. Miners Import Rishawn Norwood has increased his scoring output since the addition of coach Leigh Gooding. He will need to be the major defensive assignment for the Rangers.

KILSYTH vs BALLARAT

Sunday 31st May – 2:30pm

Both teams will be playing their second game for the weekend, and will need to rely on bench depth to get them through the contest. Kilsyth is loaded with veteran experience and coach Grant Wallace will be hoping for some leadership from his veterans to guide the Cobras to a much needed victory. Two wins this week could see the Cobras move into third position.

NUNAWADING vs BRISBANE

Sunday 31st May – 2:30pm

Nunawading are on a 2 game winning streak but will be coming off a tough game with another undefeated team the previous night. Brisbane will be playing their third game in three days and after two tough games will be tired. Nunawading have a few injuries to key players, but with the possibility of being the first team to defeat the Spartans, expect Nunawading to be playing to their full potential. Nunawading have the front court strength and capability to contain Spartans Greg Vanderjagt (21ppg, 12rpg).

Unregistered

30-05-09, 09:38

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9374/97620240.jpg

Wow

30-05-09, 10:20

hahahhaha.

Unregistered

31-05-09, 15:32

What a massive effort by the Lady Spartans - on a 3 game road trip to win 2 and just go down by 1 point in the final game of the weekend. Mighty mighty effort ladies.

Spartans Lose One

01-06-09, 14:38

Spartans Lose One on the Road

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have returned home from a gruelling three-game road trip with a 2 – 1 record, having suffered their first loss for the season against a determined Knox Raiders.

On Friday night the Spartans travelled to Albury/Wodonga where the Bandits kept pace with the league leaders for the first quarter, behind by just 4 points at the first break.

Spartans Chris Goulding was at his entertaining best hitting 22 points in 18 minutes before taking a deep three-point attempt and landed on Bandits new import Jermaine Williams foot, and went down heavily, grabbing his ankle in obvious pain.

The Spartans depth was tested without their leading scorer but managed to pour in a massive 40 points in the second quarter and enjoying a 20 point lead at the main break.

The Bandits came out all guns blazing in the second half reducing the margin to just 6 points however the Spartans held on for a 111 – 103 point win.

The following night the Spartans travelled to Knox for the “Mid Season Basketball Spectacular” put on by the Knox Basketball Club. The Raiders showed their support of the Spartans support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation also warming up in PINK shirts in front of over 1000 spectators.

After a slow first half with both teams struggling to score, the second opened up and with 3.2 seconds left on the clock, the Spartans were down by 3 points. Tyson Demos launched a three-point bomb, which splashed into the bottom of the net forcing overtime.

Drew Williamson and Peni Nasalo scored in the overtime period and win number 15 in a row was almost assured. But it was former Brisbane Bullets guard Mick Hill who drove the dagger into the Spartans heart, nailing a baseline three point bomb with less then 5 seconds on the game clock for the 107 – 103 win and the Spartans first loss for 2009.

“While it’s disappointing to lose, you can bear it in that situation,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “The show the (Knox) Organisation put on tonight was amazing, to play in front of over 1000 people was great, the game was good so we can walk away with our heads high,” he concluded.

On Sunday afternoon, a fired up Spartans took on the Nunawading Spectres who felt the brunt of the Spartans first loss. Despite missing Goulding for this match also and playing their third game in as many days, the Spartans cruised to a 100 – 83 win.

The Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans also travelled on a three-game road trip against Albury/Wodonga, Frankston and Kilsyth.

Travelling without injured duo Emma Randal (calf) and Bec Schatz (back), the Lady Spartans showed their class also wining two out of the three and the loss was the third game and by just a single point to cement themselves in third spot on the SEABL ladder.

The entire SEABL will take next weekend off before the Spartans return to Carina Basketball Stadium on 12 June against North West Tasmania, tip off at 7pm.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Results

01-06-09, 14:44

FRIDAY 29th MAY
ALBURY/WODONGA 59 (Wallbutton 21, Duck 15)
Lost to
BRISBANE 64 (Pryor 14, O’Bree 13)
The game started very intense with neither team giving away anything in defence. Scores were traded with neither team being able to gain an advantage in the first half, Lady Bandits led 34 - 32. Second half saw much of the same until half way through the third quarter the Lady Spartans opened an 8pt lead. Last quarter saw the Lady Bandits close the gap with some fast breaks but the Lady Spartans made some timely baskets whilst the Lady Bandits could not make the clutch baskets.
MVP – Rachel Pryor (Brisbane)
SATURDAY 30th MAY
BALLARAT 69 (Rinaldi 13, Hobbs 12, Francis 12)
def
DANDENONG 67 (Moody 27, Jeffs 11)
In what was a must win game for both teams Ballarat played host to Dandenong in what was a fiercely contested contest with both teams playing very tough defence. At the main break it was only 2pts that separated the teams with the Lady Miners leading 34 to 32. However in the second half it was Dandenong who came out the stronger and with Ballarat's Cayla Francis and Amy Lewis in foul trouble the Rangers took full advantage of the situation to take a 5pt lead into the last quarter. But it was Ballarat who stood up to the challenge with Cass Hobbs hitting two big jump shots in the dying seconds to help give Ballarat a 2pt win.
MVP – Megan Moody (Dandenong)
FRANKSTON 69 (Payne 18, Reid 17)
Lost to
BRISBANE 75 (H Smith 18, Andrew 15)
Brisbane outscored the Lady Blues 19-13 in the second term to grab a 13pt led at the half, and were able to hold on to secure the win despite a late charge in the final quarter by Frankston.
MVP – Odette Andrew (Brisbane)
LAUNCESTON 59 (Donkin 21, Glaubitz 11)
Lost to
BENDIGO 64 (Wilson 24, Finnigan 13)
In a game where both teams lived and died by the three point shot, the Lady Braves triumphed over the Tornadoes. Bendigo was pushed to the wire with some clutch foul shooting in the final stages of the game.
MVP – Kelly Wilson (Bendigo)
SUNDAY 31st MAY
NUNAWADING 58 (Carr 13, Davis 11, McCann 11)
Lost to
SANDRINGHAM 68 (Romeo 20, Perera 19)
Both teams shot well in the first quarter, but Sandringham were able to get to the free throw line more and took a 21-19 advantage into the first break. Nunawading opened the 2nd quarter well and were able to take the lead early, but Sandringham started clicking at the offensive end and used a 14-3 run to regain control of the game with a 39-33 lead at halftime. The Spectres once again opened the quarter with good defence and held the Sabres scoreless for over five minutes but they couldn't fully take advantage. The Sabres pulled away to a double digit lead with just a few minutes remaining and the Spectres were unable to get any closer.
MVP – Nicole Romeo (Sandringham)
KILSYTH 65 (Parsons 19, Werner 13)
def
BRISBANE 64 (H Smith 14, Andrew 12)
Brisbane started the game slowly and Kilsyth took full advantage running out to a 19-11 first quarter led. Brisbane were playing their third game for the week and feeling tired so coach Donna Rinaldi implemented a zone defence, and the Lady Spartans were able to shut the Kilsyth offense and Brisbane got back into the game. Brisbane took advantage in the third quarter and the led changed nine times for the remainder of the game. Cobras Hayley Moffat scored with seven seconds remaining to give Kilsyth the win.
MVP – Sarah Parsons (Kilsyth)

Mens Results

01-06-09, 14:45

FRIDAY 29th MAY
BENDIGO 91 (Novak 21, Probert 19)
Lost to
DANDENONG 94 (Jura 34, Hobba 19)
MVP – Dusty Jura (Dandenong)
ALBURY/WODONGA 103 (Gange 27, Quinn 25)
Lost to
BRISBANE 111 (Goulding 22, Cannan 19)
Brisbane dominated first quarter behind pure shooting from Goulding. Spartans increased the led in second quarter despite injury to Goulding. Bandits played solid defence in the second half and closed the gap as the Spartans started to panic, before Brisbane held on to win.
MVP – Chris Goulding (Brisbane)
HOBART 78 (Stewart 26, Long 15)
Lost to
SANDRINGHAM 82 (Crosswell 16, Dillon 16)
After trailing by 15pts midway in the second term a super defensive effort from the Sabres restricted Hobart to just 27pts in the second half saw Hobarts home court winning streak broken. Sandringham outscored Hobart 25-12 in the third term to turn the game, as the Sabres bench outscored Hobart 31-5.
MVP – Simon Conn (Sandringham)
MT GAMBIER 102 (Smith 30, Jeffree 20)
def
KILSYTH 97 (Leonard 26, Werner 25)
MVP – Kevin Smith (Mt Gambier)
SATURDAY 30th MAY
GEELONG 109 (Herbert 23, Lee 21)
def
ALBURY/WODONGA 88 (Lockett 30, Quinn 14)
MVP – Fernandez Lockett (Albury/Wodonga)
NW TASMANIA 106 (B Armstrong 32, Harris 21)
Lost to
SANDRINGHAM 121 (Dillon 30, Patrick 24)
The Sabres came to play and that was evident from the opening minutes with supreme shooting and great defensive pressure. Ben Armstrong kept the Thunder in touch but the Sabres constantly had the answers as the lead blew out beyond twenty points on multiple occasions. Dillon was explosive for the Sabres all night. The Thunder bench players hit the court in the closing minutes giving spirit to the losing side as they clawed the deficit back to fifteen points.
MVP – Daniel Dillon (Sandringham)
CANBERRA 65 (Todorovski 15, Coddington 14)
Lost to
BENDIGO 73 (Probert 18, Davis 16)
MVP – Warren Randall (Bendigo)
BALLARAT 87 (Norwood 19, Goodgame 18)
Lost to
DANDENONG 91 (Inglima 24, Hobba 20)
Rangers led for 43mins of the game but Ballarat never had Dandenong out of their sights as they kept the game within five points for the majority of the match. Ballarat had a chance to put the game into overtime but was unable to secure the win.
MVP – Vince Inglima (Dandenong)
KNOX 107 (Massingale 36, Rigby 21)
def
BRISBANE 103 (Demos 26, Williamson 18)
**OVERTIME**
Spartans opened up a 20-17 advantage in the first quarter and looked to be the better team on the night. However Knox came out in the second an improved team on defense and wore the Spartans down which led to a number of Raiders fast breaks. Raiders opened up a 12pt early into the fourth, however Spartans never gave up and Demos hit a three pointer with 1sec remaining to put the game into overtime. Knox played well in overtime and clinched the victory with some great outside shooting.
MVP – Cam Rigby (Knox)
FRANKSTON 99 (Chapman 24, Harms 23)
def
NUNAWADING 75 (McDonald 19, Todorov 15)
MVP – Mitch Chapman (Frankston)
SUNDAY 31st MAY
KILSYTH 97 (Werner 45, Cameron 12)
def
BALLARAT 80 (Brown 21, Carter 15)
MVP – Joe Werner (Kilsyth)
NUNAWADING 83 (McDonald 15, Todorov 11)
Lost to
BRISBANE 100 (Demos 25, Williamson 23)
The Spartans opened the game strongly and were energetic at both ends of the court despite this game being their third in as many days. Brisbane skipped away to a handy 18 point lead by quarter time. The Spectres had a lot of work to do after the main break but each time the Spectres started to come back, the Spartans lifted again.
MVP – Tyson Demos (Brisbane)
EAST MEN LADDER

Knox

03-06-09, 13:25

RAIDERS SNAP SPARTANS UNDEFEATED STREAK
01.06.09 14:25

By: Greg Oakford

The Knox Ford Raiders SEABL Men ended the Brisbane Spartans undefeated streak at 14 on Saturday night at Knox Converse Stadium in front of over 2,200 fans in an overtime thriller, 107-103. One of the games of the season, both teams battled hard all night but it was the Raiders who were helped over the line by one of the biggest home crowds Knox Converse Stadium has seen. In attendance was some of the who’s who of Australian Basketball including Andrew Gaze, Michele Timms, Lindsay Gaze, Larry Sengstock, Dan Kirtley, Wayne Bird, Darryl McDonald and Adam Gibson. Basketball royalty was joined by the Knox Mayor David Cooper, a number of other Knox City Councillors, local Politicians, past players and life members who witnessed along with all the Raider faithful one of the more memorable games of basketball one will see.

Advertised as the mid-season SEABL spectacular, fans enjoyed some pre-game entertainment from under 8 players from the KSC Phoenix Junior Domestic Basketball Club who played an exhibition game with guest appearances from Australian Basketball icons Andrew Gaze and Michele Timms who were honouree refs to start the game.

Other highlights included a special half-time interview with newly appointed CEO of Basketball Australia, Larry Sengstock who spoke to the thousands in attendance about the state of the sport and future plans, former Melbourne Tigers cheerleaders who helped spark the crowd in time-outs with some entertaining routines and fan Andrew Morris who drew the crowd to its feet at half-time, taking out the Bendigo Community Bank FTG & Rowville Shoot 4 Cash competition. Andrew stepped out to half-court and from a standing start knocked down the half-court bomb on his first attempt, earning him a $160 thanks to Knox Basketball Major Sponsor Bendigo Community Bank FTG & Rowville.

Both teams started the anticipated clash struggling to shoot the ball with any consistency and despite 11 opening quarter points from Raiders star CJ Massingale (36 points, 5 rebounds), the undefeated Spartans team took a 3 point advantage into the quarter time break. Coaching against his old time friend Bruce Palmer, Raiders head coach Graham Longstaff gave his chargers a rev up before they came out for the start of the second quarter which paid dividends.

The Raiders turned up the defensive pressure in the second and found some rhythm on the offensive end, shooting the ball at 55% from the field for 29 second quarter points whilst keeping their opponent to just 29.4% field goal shooting for a total of just 17 and setting up a handy 9 point lead going into the main break.

The third quarter was a basket for basket twelve minutes, both teams not giving an inch as the Raiders maintained their 9 point buffer by the end of the period. Going into the final period, the fans got right behind the home team, willing the Raiders to get over the line against one of the form sides of the competition but the Spartans were never going to let their undefeated streak come to a close easily. Despite an opening three-point make by Massingale to start proceedings off in the fourth, the Spartans came hard at the Raiders in the final term.

Hot three-point shooting from the Spartans team and poor free throw shooting from the Raiders kept the game in touch for the Brisbane team. Up by 7 points with only 1:23 remaining, Spartan Tyson Demos (26 points, 7 rebounds) would connect from downtown to cut the lead to 4 which then led to a Greg Vanderjagt (18 points, 15 rebounds) foul on the following possession on Mick Hill (15 points, 8 rebounds) which sent Hill to the line. Vanderjagt would also pick up a technical foul, giving the Raiders four free throws with 1:18 to go. Hill would shoot all four shots but could only manage to connect on two of four.

Holding possession of the ball after the technical free throws, the Raiders in-bounded to Hill who was immediately fouled and went to the line for a further two shots. Hill again would only go 50% for the trip, giving his team a 7 point advantage. A quick Thalo Green (10 points, 7 rebounds) three-point basket cut the lead back to 4, leading to a another game extending foul by the Spartans, this time on Massingale who converted both free throws to push the margin out to 6. A quick response from Vanderjagt with a two point make lead to yet another deliberate foul from the Spartans but would not lead to another free throw miss as Massingale again was clutch from the line, hitting two from two and keeping the lead at 6 with just 35 seconds left.

But the Spartans were still not done with yet, Peni Nasalo (7 points, 2 rebounds) knocking down a three with 24 clicks remaining and then following up with a foul on Nick Payne (15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) to stop the clock with 18 seconds left. Connecting on at least one of the two bonus free throws would have made it a two possession game and have almost put the game out of reach for the Spartans but Payne would come up empty from the line and give the Spartans one last chance of tying the game with a three point conversion.

Drew Williamson (18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 blocks) would attempt a three with 10 seconds left which bounced off the rim into the red hot shooting hand of Tyson Demos who dribbled the ball out to the three point arc in front of the Raiders bench and elevated up over three defenders and drained a crowd silencing three-pointer to send the game into overtime.

With the momentum completely shifted to the Spartans and Raider Lester Strong (16 points, 15 rebounds) fouled out of the game, the Raiders could have easily dropped their heads and crumbled under the intense Spartan pressure but the Raiders were resilient and fed off the energy of their biggest regular season home crowd in seasons. Leading by a single point with less than 20 seconds remaining, a corner Mick Hill three gave the Raiders a 4 point buffer, this time enough to close out the game to the delight and relief of Knox Converse Stadium.

The win takes the Raiders to 9-8 on the season and elevates them to third on the East Conference ladder, just ahead on percentage from Bendigo (9-8) who is next on the Raiders radar on Saturday 13th June in Bendigo. Following the clash in Bendigo the Raiders will return to Knox Converse Stadium on Sunday 14th June for a match-up with Geelong (11-6). All teams will enjoy a one week break over the Queen’s Birthday weekend.

In a night jam packed with highlights and entertainment, the most important outcome of the night came in the way of raising funds and awareness for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Knox players, coaches and administrators wore pink polo shirts in Knox recognition of the NBCF with the players wearing the shirts in warm-ups whilst Brisbane continued to play in full pink uniforms as they have done for the entire month of May. All proceeds from the spectacular including admission, raffle ticket takings and proceeds from the auctioning of the Raiders pink signed warm-up shirts went to the worthy Foundation, a final figure will be announced later this week on the Knox Basketball website, www.knoxbasketball.com.au.

Blaze Signings

04-06-09, 15:51

Spartans Trio, Sign with Blaze

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans trio, Tyson Demos and towering center Greg Vanderjagt have both re-signed with the Gold Coast Blaze alongside the explosive Chris Goudling.

Vanderjagt and Goulding were also recently named in the 2009 Australian Boomers squad.

Tuesday's announcements follow Monday's confirmation that another Boomers squad member and former Brisbane Spartans point guard Adam Gibson, will also head to the Coast this season.

“It’s great that we’ve been able to re-sign Tyson and Greg and it’s no understatement that Chris’s signing could well be the League recruiting coup of the year,” said Blaze Coach Joey Wright said from the United States.

“He’s probably the most talented one point rating in the League.

“He has outstanding offensive skills and will definitely challenge for court time in the one, two or three position,” he said.

Wright is equally pleased to have Demos and Vanderjagt remain on the Coast – the 213cm Vanderjagt looking forward to increased court time after a league ruling saw him sit out most of the 2008/09 season.

“Greg is an extremely skilled and mobile big man,” Wright said. “We’ll be looking for him to be a true centre focus for us and, after being sidelined last year, this season presents great opportunities for both him and the team.

“Tyson is another really talented young kid who already has the physical tools to stand out in the league.

“He also shows a great defensive presence and will certainly challenge the more experienced players for court time,” he said.

The Brisbane Spartans are currently sitting on top of the Eastern Conference SEABL ladder with a 15 – 1 record and are on a collision course with the undefeated Frankston Blues (16 – 0) on Saturday 20 June.

This blockbuster game will top off at 8pm at the Carina Basketball Stadium.

May Awards

09-06-09, 15:02

MEDIA RELEASE

9 June 2009

CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL MONTHLY AWARDS - MAY

The CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL Player of the Month is a hotly contested recognition for each SEABL player to achieve. The exceptional talent that is on court each week playing in “Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League” will be rewarded this season as each Player and Coach of the Month receive a Crazy John’s Mobile Phone pack for their efforts.

SEABL MEN PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Andrew Harms (Frankston Blues)

Andrew Harms produced an outstanding month of basketball, averaging 25.1 points @49%, 6.3 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.6 steals and deserves his first Player of the Month Award. His sensational month was capped off with the selection to the Australian University team to contest the World Championships in July. Harms helped the Frankston Blues to the team’s 15th straight victory in round 11, recording his second career Triple Double with 34 points @ 48%, 11 rebounds and 11 assists and receiving his second player of the week recognition for the year. Harms was outstanding on the Blues road trip to Canberra, as he scorched the AIS youngsters with 22pts, 7rebs and 12ass, helping Frankston to a 118-105 victory.

Other Contenders – Joe Werner (Kilsyth), Dusty Jura (Dandenong), Rob Kampman (Frankston)

SEABL MEN COACH OF THE MONTH

Bill Runchey (Frankston Blues)

With a 7-0 record for the month and a average winning points margin of 18pts, Bill Runchey earns his second Coach of the Month award this year. Bill started the month undefeated after nine games and thrashed Knox 102-76 at home to start the month of May. In round nine Bill travelled to the Nations Capital but remained undefeated this season after scoring a 101-85 victory over Canberra and then defeating the AIS 118-105. Runchey finished the month with a 99-75 victory against Nunawading and remain the only undefeated team in the competition.

Other Contenders – Mark Leader (Geelong), Bruce Palmer (Brisbane)

SEABL WOMEN PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Amy Denson (Kilsyth Lady Cobras)

Lady Cobras US Import Amy Denson produced a consistent month, helping her team to a 5-1 record and earns her first Player of the Month award. Denson averaged 20.3 points @ 46%, 10.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals and recorded a double double in five of her seven games. Denson kick started the month with 22pts, 10rebs in the Lady Cobras home victory against Sandringham in round 8. The following week Amy produced 26pts, 19rebs and 2stls in an overtime loss at Nunawading. Denson averaged 33mins of playing time in all seven games and has shown this month she is a contender for the Most Valuable Player Trophy at seasons end.

Other Contenders – Cayla Francis (Ballarat), Kelly Wilson (Bendigo), Chantella Perera (Sandringham)

SEABL WOMEN COACH OF THE MONTH

Heath Anderson (Knox Raiders)

Having secured a 5-0 record for the month of May and a move to the top of the ladder, Knox Raiders Heath Anderson earns his second coach of the Month award this season. Heath started the month with a 2-0 start with victories over Frankston (73-51) on the road and Dandenong (81-64) at home. The biggest victory for the month came in round 10 in Brisbane. With three of his starting five players on the injury list, Heath was able to coach his team to a 70-64 victory on the road and end the Spartans undefeated winning streak at home. Anderson claimed the ladder lead with this victory and finished the month with an easy 74-58 victory at Albury/Wodonga.

Other Contenders – Jason Knight (Kilsyth)

Live

10-06-09, 17:05

Hi All

Next week will be the official launch of our Court Live SEABL game live streaming.

The first game to be live streamed will be the top of the table clash between Brisbane Spartans and the Frankston Blues at Carina Stadium. Media Alerts will begin circulating later this week.

As a prelude, this weekend we will be live streaming two games for you and your fans to view. The first game will be on Friday night when the Brisbane Spartans take on the North West Thunder.

On Saturday night we will be live streaming the Geelong v Dandenong game from the Arena in Geelong.

Court Live are currently finalising pay per view details and we anticipate this will be completed over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime you can log on and watch the games for free. Just go to www.seabl.com.au and click on the Court Live logo to see the games.

Please advise your members that the games are available and urge them to have a look to see what is in store for them over the coming weeks.

Cheers

Mark

Mark Chivers

General Manager
South East Australian Basketball League

Tel: + 61 3 9521 9545
Fax: + 61 3 9521 9686

Keep up to date with Australia's Premier Winter Basketball League at www.seabl.com.au

Round 13

15-06-09, 16:20

CRAZY JOHNS SEABL WOMEN

WEEK 13 RESULTS, LADDER AND PLAYER OF THE WEEK

FRIDAY 12th JUNE

ALBURY/WODONGA 64 (Edmondson 21, Duck 19)

def

LAUNCESTON 51 (Glaubitz 13, Edwards 10, Price 10)

Bandits started slow whilst the Tornadoes took a 16- 11 lead at quarter time. Second quarter saw the Lady Bandits tighten their defence and begin to execute their offence to take a 30 - 27 advantage at half time. Third quarter saw the Lady Bandits open up a 14pt lead only to see the Tornadoes get 6pts back within 1 minute. Last quarter was an even affair with the Bandits finishing comfortably.

MVP – Alex Duck (Albury/Wodonga)

SATURDAY 13th JUNE

BENDIGO 59 (Wilson 14, Chalmers 13)

Lost to

KNOX 60 (Graham 18, Keane 12)

Despite only scoring 28% from the field, the Raiders held on to secure their eighth straight victory. The Raiders started the game strongly advancing to a 16-5 first quarter lead as the Lady Braves struggled to score. Lady Braves Kelly Wilson was struggling on offence and her poor form continued into the second quarter, but Raiders held on for a 10pt lead at the half. Bendigo came out the better team in the second half as Wilson started to find her game. The Lady Braves outscored the Raiders 23-12 in the third quarter and held a 55-50 lead with five minutes remaining. Enter Sarah Graham as the dynamo guard found her straps from behind the three point arc and guided the Raiders to the come from behind victory.

MVP – Sarah Graham (Knox)

KILSYTH 57 (Moffatt 16, Denson 14)

def

ALBURY/WODONGA 49 (Smith 17, Edmondson 12)

Kilsyth shot the ball better, had a better rebounding game and led for the entire game. Kilsyth shot out to a 10-2 advantage after just five minutes of game time and had the Lady Bandits rattled. The Lady Cobras advanced to a 34-20 half time lead after forcing the Lady Bandits into a scoreless five minutes to finish the second quarter. Lady Cobras Amy Denson produced a superb defensive effort to limit MVP contender Lisa Wallbutton to only 6pts@20%.

MVP – Hayley Moffatt (Kilsyth)

NUNAWADING 99 (MacLeod 33, Davis 18)

def

LAUNCESTON 84 (Price 24, Humphries 19)

Launceston opened strongly but Nunawading managed to peg them back and lead by 8 points at quarter time. In an up and down quarter, the Spectres allowed the Tornadoes a chance to get back in the game however in the last minute of the quarter a lapse in concentration saw the Tornadoes have a number of turnovers to trail by 17 points going into half time. The Spectres extended their advantage to maintain a comfortable lead going into the final quarter. In a final quarter that saw minimal defence being played, Nunawading ran out 15 point winners.

MVP – Kathleen MacLeod (Nunawading)

SUNDAY 14th JUNE

DANDENONG 52 (Penaluna 16, Guest 12)

Lost to

FRANKSTON 53 (Butler 19, Reid 10, Payne 10)

Despite only scoring four points in the last quarter, the Frankston Lady Blues held on for the victory as Rangers Elyse Penaluna failed to convert the basket with 8secs remaining. The lead changed five times throughout the first quarter and Frankston set up the match with great second and third quarters. Frankston outscored Dandenong 19-7 in the second quarter to set up a led which they were able to hold on to despite a miraculous comeback from Dandenong.

MVP – Deanne Butler (Frankston)

SANDRINGHAM 56 (Dombkins 24, Perera 12)

Lost to

BALLARAT 67 (Scott 18, Lewis 16)

Sandringham could only produce three quality quarters of basketball and the Lady Miners secured the victory. The Sabres held a 52-49 led with a quarter to play but were held to only four points in the last quarter and let Ballarat score 18pts to enable the Lady Miners to run away with a comfortable 11pt victory.

FRIDAY 12th JUNE
ALBURY/WODONGA 64 (Edmondson 21, Duck 19)
def
LAUNCESTON 51 (Glaubitz 13, Edwards 10, Price 10)
Bandits started slow whilst the Tornadoes took a 16- 11 lead at quarter time. Second quarter saw the Lady Bandits tighten their defence and begin to execute their offence to take a 30 - 27 advantage at half time. Third quarter saw the Lady Bandits open up a 14pt lead only to see the Tornadoes get 6pts back within 1 minute. Last quarter was an even affair with the Bandits finishing comfortably.
MVP – Alex Duck (Albury/Wodonga)
SATURDAY 13th JUNE
BENDIGO 59 (Wilson 14, Chalmers 13)
Lost to
KNOX 60 (Graham 18, Keane 12)
Despite only scoring 28% from the field, the Raiders held on to secure their eighth straight victory. The Raiders started the game strongly advancing to a 16-5 first quarter lead as the Lady Braves struggled to score. Lady Braves Kelly Wilson was struggling on offence and her poor form continued into the second quarter, but Raiders held on for a 10pt lead at the half. Bendigo came out the better team in the second half as Wilson started to find her game. The Lady Braves outscored the Raiders 23-12 in the third quarter and held a 55-50 lead with five minutes remaining. Enter Sarah Graham as the dynamo guard found her straps from behind the three point arc and guided the Raiders to the come from behind victory.
MVP – Sarah Graham (Knox)
KILSYTH 57 (Moffatt 16, Denson 14)
def
ALBURY/WODONGA 49 (Smith 17, Edmondson 12)
Kilsyth shot the ball better, had a better rebounding game and led for the entire game. Kilsyth shot out to a 10-2 advantage after just five minutes of game time and had the Lady Bandits rattled. The Lady Cobras advanced to a 34-20 half time lead after forcing the Lady Bandits into a scoreless five minutes to finish the second quarter. Lady Cobras Amy Denson produced a superb defensive effort to limit MVP contender Lisa Wallbutton to only 6pts@20%.
MVP – Hayley Moffatt (Kilsyth)
NUNAWADING 99 (MacLeod 33, Davis 18)
def
LAUNCESTON 84 (Price 24, Humphries 19)
Launceston opened strongly but Nunawading managed to peg them back and lead by 8 points at quarter time. In an up and down quarter, the Spectres allowed the Tornadoes a chance to get back in the game however in the last minute of the quarter a lapse in concentration saw the Tornadoes have a number of turnovers to trail by 17 points going into half time. The Spectres extended their advantage to maintain a comfortable lead going into the final quarter. In a final quarter that saw minimal defence being played, Nunawading ran out 15 point winners.
MVP – Kathleen MacLeod (Nunawading)
SUNDAY 14th JUNE
DANDENONG 52 (Penaluna 16, Guest 12)
Lost to
FRANKSTON 53 (Butler 19, Reid 10, Payne 10)
Despite only scoring four points in the last quarter, the Frankston Lady Blues held on for the victory as Rangers Elyse Penaluna failed to convert the basket with 8secs remaining. The lead changed five times throughout the first quarter and Frankston set up the match with great second and third quarters. Frankston outscored Dandenong 19-7 in the second quarter to set up a led which they were able to hold on to despite a miraculous comeback from Dandenong.
MVP – Deanne Butler (Frankston)
SANDRINGHAM 56 (Dombkins 24, Perera 12)
Lost to
BALLARAT 67 (Scott 18, Lewis 16)
Sandringham could only produce three quality quarters of basketball and the Lady Miners secured the victory. The Sabres held a 52-49 led with a quarter to play but were held to only four points in the last quarter and let Ballarat score 18pts to enable the Lady Miners to run away with a comfortable 11pt victory.
MVP – Prue Scott (Ballarat)

Men round 13

15-06-09, 16:25

FRIDAY 12th JUNE

BRISBANE 154 (Cannan 33, Demos 30)

def

NW TASMANIA 126 (S Armstrong 53, Harris 25)

Brisbane destroyed the Thunder in the final six minutes of the first quarter and set up the victory after just 12mins of game time. Spartans held a 51-33 led after the first and maintained the lead for the remainder of the game. Sam Armstrong was outstanding with 53pts, but the game was over after the first quarter as NW Tas. could not bridge the gap.

MVP – Sam Armstrong (NW Tasmania)

ALBURY/WODONGA 95 (Williams 20, Lockett 18)

Lost to

HOBART 99 (Radcliffe 20, Banovic 15, Nash 15)

Chargers started on a 5-0 run before Bandits took a 25- 24 lead at quarter time. Second quarter saw a tight defensive game with both teams executing well only to see the Chargers lead 54 - 50. Last quarter saw the Bandits score 8pts quickly to take the lead and then the lead changed hands several times before Chargers grabbed it with 4mins remaining and held on to win.

MVP – BJ Radcliffe (Hobart)

MT GAMBIER 87 (Smith 21, Naqqash 20)

Lost to

SANDRINGHAM 103 (Crosswell 23, Threatt Jnr 22)

Sandringham shot out to a 25-3 advantage in the first six minutes and established a sizeable led that they held on for the remainder of the game. Although Pioneers outscored the Sabres in the remaining three quarters the initial first quarter lead was too great to overcome.

MVP – Nathan Crosswell (Sandringham)

SATURDAY 13th JUNE

GEELONG 127 (Herbert 40, George 21)

def

DANDENONG 110 (Jura 40, Illangakoon 18)

Supercats Nathan Herbert and Rangers Dusty Jura put on an offensive show for the 1500 spectators as both players scored 40pts. Herbert was dominate from behind the arc as he connected on six occasions and the Supercats scored 15 three pointers as a team. Geelong shot the ball at 52% from the field as a team and held the led for 47mins of a possible 48.

MVP – Nathan Herbert (Geelong)

BENDIGO 97 (Probert 23, Randall 19)

Lost to

KNOX 105 (Massingale 25, Strong 22)

Knox grabbed the led in the second quarter and held on for the remainder of the match. Strong was dominating at both ends of the floor as he finished the game with 26rebs, including 11 at the offensive end.

MVP – Lester Strong (Knox)

BALLARAT 86 (Norwood 31, Brown 16)

def

NUNAWADING 69 (Greer 14, Whitehead 12)

Ballarat set things up early with an impressive first quarter and went into the first break 25 to 12. However in the second quarter the Spectres got their offence running to go into the half time break trailing the Miners by 8 points. In the second half Nunawading made a couple of runs at Ballarat but through the excellent shooting and driving to the basket from Norwood who was the standout player of the game finishing with 31pts along with 7rebs helped the Miners to a win in what was at times a very scrappy affair.

MVP – Rishawn Norwood (Ballarat)

CANBERRA 104 (Wagstaff 28, Todorovski 22)

def

NW TASMANIA 84 (S Armstrong 22, Harris 22)

Canberra established a 73-49 advantage at the half after outscoring the Thunder 37-20 in the second quarter. Canberra dominated on the glass as they also out rebounded the Thunder 69-41 and scored exactly half of their points (52) inside the paint.

MVP – Jesse Wagstaff (Canberra)

KILSYTH 96 (Werner 30, Shanahan 19)

Lost to

ALBURY/WODONGA 106 (Lockett 25, Quinn 22)

Albury/Wodonga was in control for a majority of the match, and outscored the Cobras in all but the third quarter. Bandits Jermaine Williams (15pts, 12rebs, 5ass, 2blks) was outstanding as no Cobras player could contain him and although the Bandits were outrebounded 37-44 they shot the ball as a team well and kep their composure for the entire game.

MVP – James Quinn (Albury/Wodonga)

SUNDAY 14th JUNE

SANDRINGHAM 94 (Dillon 24, Conn 16, Smith 16)

def

BALLARAT 73 (Brown 20, Norwood 19)

Playing with Crosswell, Threatt Jnr and Mottram the Sabres went into the contest undermanned, but played well as a team and secured the much needed victory. Daniel Dillon destroyed the Miners at both ends of the floor as he finished with 24pts@53%, 5rebs, 10ass, 3stls and 3blks. The Miners lack of depth in the frontcourt showed up in this contest as the Sabres outscored the Miners 56-38 from points in the paint.

MVP – Daniel Dillon (Sandringham)

KNOX 111 (Strong 26, Massingale 22)

Lost to

GEELONG 113 (Herbert 30, Muhammed 29)

Supercats Isma’l Muhammed hit a shot with only 1sec remaining to clinch the victory for the Supercats.

MVP – Isma’l Muhammed (Geelong)

DANDENONG 110 (Shepherd 28, Jura 23)

def

HOBART 108 (Stewart 33, Long 22)

Dusty Jura clinched the victory with two free throws with only six seconds to play. Hobart scored on the next basket but could not secure a game winner on the buzzer. Hobart led for 42mins of the game but couldn’t secure the win as the Rangers outscored them 32-21 in the final quarter.

MVP – Jon Shepherd (Dandenong)

NUNAWADING 83 (Greer 35, Flynn 13)

def

FRANKSTON 81 (Kampman 30, Harms 17)

Frankston showed early on why they are ladder leaders; their solid and disciplined work at both ends of the court saw an early lead established and headed into the first quarter change 33-15. Nunawading held their game together in the second quarter and started to chip away at the Frankston lead. The momentum stayed with the Spectres after half-time and they went on a 16-3 run and had the game tied up 56 apiece with 6 minutes remaining in the third term. The Spectres clearly rattled the Blues whose scoring accuracy and discipline in the first quarter was very much lacking in the second. The lead changed several times in the final quarter and cellar dwellers Nunawading provided the shock of the season.

MVP – Tom Greer (Nunawading)

Game Previews

17-06-09, 16:53

BRISBANE vs FRANKSTON
Saturday 20th June – 6:00pm
Fresh after a bye last weekend, the Lady Spartans will look to secure another win this week and pressure the Lady Braves for a top two position. Australian Opal Emma Randall returns to the line-up after missing a few games due to national commitments. Her inclusion gives the Lady Spartans a potent front court combination with Holly Smith and Kate Willey which will trouble the Lady Blues.
BALLARAT vs BENDIGO
Saturday 20th June – 6:00pm
Ballarat have quietly moved into the top six after two successive victories, and determined to remain in the hunt for another finals appearance. After a loss to ladder leaders Knox last week, Bendigo need to secure a win this week or face the prospect of falling down into third position. Both clubs have a rich history against each other and eager to gain the psychological advantage over their arch enemies in the first clash between the teams this year.
MIKAELA DOMBKINS (Sandringham)
LAUNCESTON vs SANDRINGHAM
Saturday 20th June – 7:30pm
After a disappointing fourth quarter performance last week against Ballarat, Sandringham coach Lori Chizik will be keen for a full four quarters of quality basketball from her team. It is the first ever clash between the two teams, and with limited knowledge about each others game it should make for a spectacular match. Having only played 11 games the Sabres still have a slight chance of securing a finals berth but need to start a win streak this week if they are to move up the ladder. .
DANDENONG vs KILSYTH
Saturday 20th June – 5:30pm
After six consecutive losses the Dandenong Rangers are desperate for a victory as their finals hopes are slowly slipping away. This week will be a tough match as the Lady Cobras are the form team at the moment behind a six game winning streak. This is the first clash between the two teams and the crowd should be entertained with a quality match up between Australian Opal Elyse Penaluna and MVP contender Amy Denson.
BENDIGO vs ALBURY/WODONGA
Sunday 21st June – 2:00pm
Albury/Wodonga currently sit in sixth position on the ladder, but are in a log jam with six other teams for a finals position. A victory this week against the second placed Lady Braves will not only keep them in the top six, but show the rest of the league they are a major threat in this competition this year. Wallbutton had a disappointing game last week but will need to be at her best this week, as Lady Braves Jasmine Finnigan is a key contributor for Bendigo and will need to be contained at the defensive end.

HOBART vs MT GAMBIER
Friday 19th June – 8:00pm
After a disappointing effort on the road last week, the Chargers will be keen to secure another victory at home this week and remain in second position. Mt Gambier has a good record in Tasmania and defeated the Chargers at home last year. Two losses on the road this week will likely end the Pioneers finals aspirations so a victory over the higher placed Hobart is a must.
CANBERRA vs KNOX
Saturday 20th June – 7:30pm
The presence of US College graduate Jessie Wagstaff helped the Gunners end their losing streak with a well deserved win over NW Tasmania. Wagstaff is up against quality opposition in Strong and Rigby this week and will need to produce another fine effort to guide Canberra to another win. Knox secured a six point victory in round six, but has since added John Philip and has a healthy Nick Payne and will go into the game confident of securing a win.
GEELONG vs NUNAWADING
Saturday 20th June – 8:00pm
With Nunawading defeating the untouchable Blues last week, the Supercats can’t take this match lightly as the Spectres showed they can match it with the best. Nunawading however will need to do it without star mid season recruit Tommy Greer whom will be attending the Boomers Camp. Geelong will not have Herbert either as he will be attending the Boomers camp also. Supercats Imports Muhammed and Lee were outstanding last week and will need to produce another solid effort this week.
BALLARAT vs BENDIGO
Saturday 20th June – 8:00pm
Both teams have a rich history and clashes between the two always bring out the best in both teams. Ballarat holds a 23-18 career head to head record over the Braves and 16 of them have come at the WIN Minerdome. Ballarat have had a disappointing season this year and would like to rectify it with a victory against their rivals Bendigo. The Braves need to secure a win as they are under pressure from the teams below them for a finals position.
BRISBANE vs FRANKSTON
Saturday 20th June – 8:00pm
It is the match the entire league has been waiting for, but the Spartans will be without their two best players for the contest giving the Blues early favouritism. Leading Scorer Chris Goulding is out injured and leading rebounder Greg Vanderjagt is away at Australian Boomers Camp. Frankston also go into the contest with an injury cloud over David Gruber, who missed last week’s loss to Nunawading. The duel in the back court between Blues Andrew Harms (23.1pts, 5rebs, 6ass) and Spartans Tyson Demos (18pts, 4rebs, 3ass) will determine the outcome. Harms will be keen for a solid effort before departing for Serbia with the Australian University Team.
ALBURY/WODONGA vs SANDRINGHAM
Saturday 20th June – 8:00pm
Albury/Wodonga still has aspirations for a finals berth and proved it last week with a victory over Kilsyth and should have beaten Hobart. Jermaine Williams has the Bandits playing quality basketball and with Quinn and Gange connecting from behind the arc, the Bandits have opposition teams worried.
NW TASMANIA vs MT GAMBIER
Saturday 20th June – 7:30pm
NW Tasmania is on a three game losing streak and needing to secure a win to keep the finals dream alive. Both teams still have a slight chance of securing a finals berth, but need to finish the season with a number of victories. For NW Tasmania to be successful for the remainder of the year Dwayne Radcliffe needs to step up and provide the club with quality offence. With no true inside presence the Thunder may struggle against the Pioneers Rice and Smith.
DANDENONG vs KILSYTH
Saturday 20th June – 7:30pm
With AIS not participating in the finals Kilsyth currently holds the last finals berth in fifth position. Should Dandenong secure the win this week they will switch ladder positions and force Kilsyth out of the top five for the first time this season. Since the introduction of Jon Shepherd the Rangers have gone 4-1 and are making a successful late charge for a finals berth. Rangers Dusty Jura had a fantastic week last round and will be one player the Cobras will need to restrict on defence. Kilsyth recorded a 109-100 victory in round 11 but both teams have made player personnel changes since this game and season form has switched in the favour of Dandenong.

Unregistered

17-06-09, 21:12

No Vanderjagt this weekend...is Goulding still out with ankle or is he ready for the boomers camp?

Update

18-06-09, 13:30

No Vanderjagt this weekend...is Goulding still out with ankle or is he ready for the boomers camp?

Bubbles is out for at least three weeks. Withdrawn from Australian Squad training also.

Greg will be out due to Australian Squad training.

Game will still be a great one with all players expected to step up.

Great win

22-06-09, 09:16

Spartans Claim Top Spot

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have leaf-frogged the Frankston Blues to take outright top spot on the SEABL ladder with a hard fought one point win in front of a packed Carina Stadium last Saturday night, 109 – 108.

The shine on the “top of the table” clash could have mistakenly been rubbed off with two of the Spartans top players, Chris Goulding and Greg Vanderjagt away on Australian Boomers duties, however someone forgot to tell the remaining Spartans.

The Spartans burst out of the blocks early with 3-three point bombs to take a handy 4-point lead into the first break and managed to extend this by only one further point, heading into the halftime break leading 62 – 57.

The Blues connected on 5-three point baskets of their own however found themselves down 8 points going into the main break and an upset-win by the Spartans seemed inevitable.

However, the Blues opened the last quarter on a 6-point run and took a one-point lead with 4:30 remaining and the stage was set for a classic finish however the Spartans held on for the one-point win.

Both Drew Williamson (27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists) and Simon Taylor (Game MVP) relished their promotion to the starting line-up. Ash Cannan added 23 points and 11 rebounds with Thalo Green chipping in with 20 points.

Tyson Demos had 15 points and played his customarily tight defence on the Blues Andrew Harms, holding him to just 18 points. Blues big man David Gruber scored 26 points but it was Rob Kampman who led all scorers with 30 points and 12 rebounds.

“It was a fitting finish to have only one point separate both teams,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “To win without Chris (Goudling) and Greg (Vanderjagt) has us feeling pretty good right now but we have a very tough road ahead so we’re not getting too carried away,” he added.

The Spartans face a tough Ballarat Miners, Geelong Supercats, Hobart Chargers and Nunawading in the next thee games.

“We were pushed in Ballarat a few weeks ago, Geelong always give us a tough game, Hobart are sitting just behind Frankston and Nunawading handed Frankston their first loss and beat Geelong last night.”

“The positive is that all four games are right here at home (Carina Stadium), so we are quietly confident,” Palmer concluded.

Palmer also commended the strong Spartans crowd who came out to support the top of the table clash.

“It was the best crowd of the season and we thank them for their support. They were vocal and were treated to one of the best games on basketball in a long time.”

In the earlier game, the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans have also leap-frogged into second place on the womens SEABL ladder after defeating the Frankston Lady Blues 71 – 53.

Lady Spartans frontcourt partners Emma Randall and Holly Smith combined for more then half of the total Spartans score with 15 and 22 points respectively with Randall also grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds.

Kate Willey kept up her fine recent form adding 14 points with Cassie Smith chipping in with 10 points.

The Lady Spartans were also without power house Rebecca Shatz which makes the win all that more enjoyable.

“The girls are really starting to work as a unit” offered Head Coach, Donna Rinaldi. “This week when we play Ballarat is the real test though. They only lost by one point against Bendigo on Saturday night and are pushing to get into the top four. They beat us last time we played but that was after we had played the night before and at Ballarat. I just trust the supporters will again turn out like they did this week as it is great”.

Rinaldi added “If we can get this win by more then ten points we are sure to be hosting a final in Brisbane, which will be great for women’s basketball. It has been a long trek for us since departing the QABL and making the commitment to play at the higher level but it all will be worth while if we can get to host the finals”.

This Saturday night the excitement continues with the Ballarat Miners and Ballarat Lady Miners making the tough trip north to take on the red-hot Spartans. Tip off is 6pm and 8pm.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Results week 14

22-06-09, 16:11

FRIDAY 19th JUNE
HOBART 135 (Long 30, Stewart 28)
def
MT GAMBIER 91 (Smith 21, Rice 15)
Hobart took advantage of the Pioneers tiredness as they shot out to a 21-6 led in the first six mins of the game and had set up the victory. It is the second week in a row the Pioneers has let their opposition open a sizeable gap in the first six mins of the game. Pioneers were forced to play catch-up for the remainder of the game but could not bridge the gap as the Chargers shot the ball at 61% from the field and dominated the rebounding tally.
MVP – Chuck Long (Hobart)
SATURDAY 20th JUNE
GEELONG 84 (Reardon 24, Medved 18)
Lost to
NUNAWADING 102 (Greer 30, Kennedy 25)
Despite missing the Australian Boomers Camp due to a suspected shoulder injury, Nunawading forward Tom Greer (30pts) once again guided the Spectres to a surprise victory. Greer and guard Nathan Kennedy helped the Spectres to a 32 t- 18 second quarter as Geelong’s defence fell away badly. Geelong came out in the third to attack the Spectres but Nunawading had their momentum going and extended their lead to 16 at the last break before running out 18 point victors.
MVP – Tom Greer (Nunawading)
NW TASMANIA 135 (S Armstrong 33, Harris 27)
Lost to
MT GAMBIER 137 (Rice 42, Jeffree 34)
**OVERTIME**
It was a sensational game by both teams as neither team could take advantage as the lead changed a remarkable 32 times and the scores were equal 21 times throughout the match. Pioneers Dallas Jeffree (34pts, 7rebs, 5ass) hit a three pointer with 20secs remaining in regulation time to tie the game and send it into overtime. Once in overtime the Pioneers grabbed a four point lead with 30secs remaining after a costly NW Tasmania turnover, but time ran out and the Pioneers held on to secure the victory in one of the matches of the year.
MVP – Andrew Rice (Mt Gambier)
BALLARAT 90 (Brown 31, Carter 23)
def
BENDIGO 80 (Hogan 16, Novak 15)
Clashes between these two teams are always historic and the Miners started the game the more determined team and shocked the Braves. With Jamal Brown dominating under the ring at both ends the Miners held a small 5 point lead going into the main break leading 43 to 38. In the second half Ballarat came out hard and with some unrest between players in the Bendigo camp Ballarat began to take control of the game. BJ Carter stepped up as the point guard in the absence of Brett Goodgame and helped the Miners run away victorious with the Courier/Advertiser Cup.
MVP – Jamal Brown (Ballarat)
CANBERRA 82 (Miller 22, Holden 19)
def
KNOX 80 (Hill 20, Massingale 18)
Game MVP Jon Holden scored two free throws with 11secs remaining in the game to give the Gunners a two point lead, and the Gunners held on to secure the win after the Raiders CJ Massingale was unable to secure the win with a three pointer on the buzzer. Knox was forced to play catch-up for the majority of the match after a disappointing 13-30 first quarter. Knox struggled on offence all night shooting a poor 39% and committed 23 turnovers for the game. .
MVP – Jon Holden (Canberra)
ALBURY/WODONGA 85 (Williams 17, Lockett 16)
Lost to
SANDRINGHAM 102 (Conn 32, Dillon 20)
Sandringham were a little slow to get out of the blocks, but turned it on in the second quarter as they outscored the Bandits 31-16 to grab a comfortable 52-41 half time lead. Sandringham starting centre Kye Patrick went down with an injury early in the game, but Simon Conn produced 32pts@68%, 13rebs and 2blks off the bench to help Sandringham secure their sixth consecutive victory.
MVP – Simon Conn (Sandringham)
BRISBANE 109 (Williamson 27, Cannan 23)
def
FRANKSTON 108 (Kampman 30, Gruber 28)
Brisbane led for 46mins of the match, but the Spartans nearly gave the match away after a few costly turnovers late in the game. Brisbane advanced to a 28-24 lead after one quarter and outscored the Blues again in the second. Although they trailed for most of the game the Blues never gave up. Kampman was outstanding for Frankston but Harms and Chapman were struggling offensively. Mike Runchey scored with a minute remaining to put the Blues behind by one point, but Andrew Harms was unable to connect on a three pointer with seconds remaining and the Spartans went on to secure the win and hold the title of best team in the SEABL at the moment.
MVP – Drew Williamson (Brisbane)
DANDENONG 66 (Jura 22, Witherden 20)
Lost to
KILSYTH 107 (Werner 33, Taylor 14, Lang 14)
Cobras Lang and Werner dominated inside the paint and set up the victory for Kilsyth. The game was tight for the first half with Kilsyth ahead but Dandenong were holding on slightly. However the Cobras came out in the second half and dominated the game outscoring the Rangers 63-34 and running away with a comfortable victory. Rangers shot the ball poorly and only had two players score double digits. Hobba and Inglima struggled at the offensive end and the Cobras were able to get quality numbers from six players and move into third position on the ladder.
MVP – Joe Werner (Kilsyth)

SATURDAY 20th JUNE
DANDENONG 62 (Penaluna 22, Todhunter 10)
Lost to
KILSYTH 79 (Denson 25, Moffatt 18)
Dandenong scored the first basket of the match, but the Lady Cobras led for the remainder of the match as they completely out played the struggling Rangers. Denson was dominating in the paint, and team mates Moffatt and Papavs also produced quality numbers. Although going 0% from the field Sarah Parsons was caused major havoc, recording 11pts from the foul line, and getting 16rebs, 7ass, 2blks and 5stls.
MVP – Amy Denson (Kilsyth)
BALLARAT 67 (Francis 18, Lewis 12))
Lost to
BENDIGO 68 (K Wilson 26, Finnigan 18)
In front of a large vocal Ballarat crowd both sides came out very hard in offence in the first quarter. Lady Miners were in control for majority of the first half and Bendigo was struggling on offence, with Wilson and Finnigan the only prominent threats. Ballarat looked to have the game all sewn up leading by 1pt with 5 seconds to play but Lady Braves Jane Chalmers stole the ball and dribbled down the court making a tough lay-up to snatch the victory.
MVP – Kelly Wilson (Bendigo)
BRISBANE 71 (H Smith 22, Randall 15)
def
FRANKSTON 53 (Payne 13, Reid 12)
With a 16-10 second quarter the Brisbane Lady Spartans grabbed the vital advantage in the game and slowly wore down the Lady Blues. The Spartans triple threat in the paint with Willey, Randall and Holly Smith was causing havoc as Brisbane scored a majority of their points in the paint. Frankston centre Marita Payne put up a gallant effort but struggled to contain all three players.
MVP – Kate Willey (Brisbane)
TONI EDMONDSON (Albury/Wodonga)
LAUNCESTON 66 (Glaubitz 20, Clark 17)
Lost to
SANDRINGHAM 75 (Perera 20, Dombkins 16)
Sandringham started the game well and established a 15-10 led after the first quarter. But as has been the case all season the Sabres could only produce three quality quarters of basketball as they let the Tornadoes back into the game in the second and the Tornadoes looked to have the confidence to secure the win. The Sabres came out in the second half a more determined team and shot the ball better to grab the led back early in the third term and held it for the remainder of the match. The offensive firepower of the Sabres took control in the second half with Dombkins, Porter and Perera helping Sandringham out score the Tornadoes 46-28 to clinch their fourth victory of the season and remain in contention for a finals berth.
MVP – Chantella Perera (Sandringham)
SUNDAY 21st JUNE
BENDIGO 60 (K Wilson 18, Finnigan 18)
Lost to
ALBURY/WODONGA 61 (Duck 19, Wallbutton 15)
Jane Chalmers could not repeat her game winning performances two days in a row as her shot was blocked by Lady Bandits Lisa Wallbutton with only 2secs remaining to give Albury/Wodonga the come from behind victory. Albury/Wodonga secured a one point led after Toni Edmondson produced two free throws with 4secs to play, but the Lady Braves could not secure the win and dropped to third position on the ladder.
MVP – Alex Duck (Albury/Wodonga)

Unregistered

22-06-09, 19:52

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/8606/green71131.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/9606/nasalo71164.jpg

Carter

26-06-09, 14:58

A reminder that Zac Carter will be playing for Ballarat this saturday night against the Spartans.

Unregistered

28-06-09, 21:58

I saw the SEABL results in the Sunday Mail about five weeks ago, I thought that was great. What has happened since?

Spartans defeat Miners

29-06-09, 12:13

Spartans Steal Miners Gold

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have kept on their winning ways last Saturday night at the Rowland Cowan Basketball Stadium, at the Clem Jones Youth Centre, defeating the Ballarat Miners 94 – 82 cementing their position on top of the SEABL ladder.

The Spartans took a narrow 6 point lead into the first break and never really looked back. Despite numerous runs from the visiting Miners, the Spartans always had an answer.

Centre Greg Vanderjagt returned from Australian Boomers commitments and chipped in with a valuable 17 points and 12 rebounds while game MVP Ash Cannan lead the way again with 24 points and 9 rebounds.

For the visitors, explosive guard Rishawn Norwood led all scorers with 25 points and for SEABL MVP Jamal Brown battled hard for his 17 points and amazing 22 rebounds.

The win cements the Brisbane Spartans in top spot of the Eastern Conference SEABL ladder and almost assures them home court finals throughout the entire playoffs for 2009. That game will be played in Brisbane, allowing local basketball fanes to see Australia’s best in action.

“There is no doubt we are in a great position now,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “We have worked hard to put ourselves here and now it’s a case of finishing the job.”

The Spartans have had a rich tradition in their previous Queensland Basketball ABA seasons, simply dominating throughout the 90’s and since making the leap to SEABL have finished 4th in both their first two seasons.

“Hopefully 2009 will be a different outcome,” Palmer added.

Palmer will have a full complement of players to select for this week’s home game against the third place Hobart Chargers with the expected return of Chris Goulding from ankle injury.

In the earlier game, the Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans have locked themselves in second spot of the SEABL ladder with a revengeful 88 – 82 win against the Ballarat Lady Miners.

In the earlier round in Ballarat, the Lady Miners inflicted the Lady Spartans their first loss of the season and the Lady Spartans were out for revenge.

“It was great to get them here at home. They got us down there and it hurt, so we really wanted to get this win,” Lady Spartans head coach Donna Rinaldi said.

“We haven’t cemented ourselves a home final yet, but that’s certainly what we’re trying to do,” she concluded.

This week the Lady Spartans have the weekend off while the Spartan men play the Hobart Chargers this Saturday night at the Carina Basketball Stadium, tipping off at 7pm.

ENDS sdbal@bigpond.net.au www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au Phone 3398 2790

Weekend results

30-06-09, 08:55

SEABL MEN
WEEK 15 RESULTS
“Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League”
FRIDAY 26th JUNE
HOBART 87 (Stewart 27, Long 23)
def
DANDENONG 76 (Hobba 24, Inglima 17)
Dandenong started the game strong and opened a 26-18 lead after the first quarter. But the Chargers picked it up in the second quarter behind great play from Long and Stewart and grabbed the lead back. Once in front the Chargers slowly increased the lead for the remainder of the game. Rangers contained the Chargers to only four points in the first six minutes of the last quarter and made a late surge, but the Chargers found their rythum and went on to secure the win.
MVP – Chuck Long (Hobart)
MT GAMBIER 97 (Rice 22, Jeffree 22, Benjamin 22)
def
ALBURY/WODONGA 86 (Williams 24, Quinn 18)
The Pioneers controlled the game early and grabbed a handy lead early but the Bandits kept coming all night. The Pioneers lapsed concentration at times and turned the ball over far too many times. The Pioneers held the Bandits during the last quarter to record an 11 point victory. Bandits outscored the Pioneers 33-26 in the third quarter to finish 71-72 but could not continue the form in the last and were out run in the final term.
MVP – Andrew Rice (Mt Gambier)
SATURDAY 27th JUNE
BENDIGO 84 (Trannon 16, Hogan 15)
Lost to
SANDRINGHAM 90 (Conn 24, Dillon 23)
Sandringham led for the entire game and never looked like losing from the tip off. Although the Sabres had a taller line-up they were out rebounded in the game 37-49, but shot the ball at a better percentage and were able to commit fewer turnovers. In his first start this season Simon Conn was outstanding and a major threat in the paint for the Sabres all match.
MVP – Simon Conn (Sandringham)
NW TASMANIA 109 (L McGaffin 22, Harris 22)
def
DANDENONG 95 (Jura 40, Hobba 25)
In a closely fought game, the Thunder and Rangers went head to head for most of the match. A real team effort from the Thunder saw them maintain a small lead for most of the game. A sensational individual performance from Dusty Jura (40pts@60%, 16rebs) kept Dandenong in the hunt. The last quarter was tough but the Thunder was able to break away in the last couple of minutes and take the game.
MVP – Dusty Jura (Dandenong)
KNOX 131 (Strong 33, Massingale 29)
def
ALBURY/WODONGA 88 (Williams 21, Gange 16)
Playing with an added sense of urgency, the Raiders won every quarter of the game including a 36-19 second period which set the home team up with a 24 point half-time lead. A 40 point last quarter from the Raiders pushed the final margin out to 131-88 and moves the team to an 11-10 season record. Lester Strong had arguably his best game of the season with a season high 33 points at 81%. Massingale was his ever reliable self whilst Mick Hill provided the Raiders with an early spark with 20 first half points and finished the game with 23 points.
MVP – Lester Strong (Knox)
KILSYTH 98 (Werner 19, Lang 14)
def
CANBERRA 73 (Miller 19, Lacey 16)
Canberra started the game flat and the Cobras took full advantage, skipping out to a 19-7 lead within six minutes of the game. The Cobras twin towers Lang (14pts, 15rebs) and Werner (19pts, 11rebs) once again dominated inside the paint and helped the Cobras to an overwhelming 52-32 rebound count against Canberra. Kilsyth dominated the third quarter out scoring the Gunners 19-11 to grab a comfortable 67-47 lead with a quarter to play and held on to secure the much needed victory.
MVP – Joe Werner (Kilsyth)
BRISBANE 94 (Cannan 24, Vanderjagt 17)
def
BALLARAT 82 (Norwood 25, Brown 17)
As they have done all season the Spartans started the game strongly opening up a quick advantage, but the Miners never let the margin slip to far. The lead changed a remarkable five times in the third quarter as Ballarat started to produce at the offensive end with consistency. Spartans received some encouraging words from coach Bruce Palmer at the third quarter time break and they responded with a 29-18 fourth quarter to remain undefeated at home this season.
MVP – Ash Cannan (Brisbane)
SUNDAY 28th JUNE
SANDRINGHAM 102 (Smith 24, Conn 22)
def
CANBERRA 91 (Todorovski 26, Holden 18)
Sandringham coach Vince Crivelli led his team to another victory and finished the month of June with a successful 5-0 record. Sabres Nathan Crosswell was outstanding as he good his team mates involved in the game with 11 assists. The first quarter was tight as neither team could grab the ascendancy, but Sabres Import Tron Smith stepped up his production off the bench in the second term and helped Sandringham to a 54-46 half time lead. The lead changed a remarkable 17times in the first half, but the Sabres had full control of the game in the second quarter as the Gunners team started to tire from a tough road trip.
MVP – Simon Conn (Sandringham)
NUNAWADING 67 (Greer 24, Kennedy 16)
Lost to
BENDIGO 73 (Probert 21, Trannon 18)
Spectres dynamo guard Shane McDonald was held to a disappointing 3pts@10%, and it reflected on his team overall performance. Both teams struggled to shot the ball at a good percentage, but the Braves were able to get good looks due to poor defense from the Spectres and made the shots when required. Bendigo guar Kevin Probert was outstanding, scoring 21pts, 5rebs, 6ass and 4stls and was the major factor behind containingg the Spectres McDonald.
MVP – Kevin Probert (Bendigo)
FRANKSTON 81 (Chapman 22, Gruber 22)
def
KILSYTH 78 (Shanahan 23, Lang 18)
Frankston struggled for the entire game, but were able to secure a confidence boosting 3pt come from behind victory, leaving the Cobras dejected at the games completion. Frankston were without Harms and Runchey, and import Rob Kampman had an off night. Kilsyth put together a fantastic effort and were in control for most of the game, but were outscored 13-17 in the final term to lose a game they should have won. Kilsyth had a 15pt lead early in the second quarter but let the Blues back into the game with costly turnovers and poor shooting.

SATURDAY 27th JUNE
KILSYTH 77 (Moffatt 24, Denson 23)
Lost to
NUNAWADING 82 (O’Hea 29, Macleod 21)
Nunawading proved they are a major threat in the competition with a full squad. Australian Opals Macleod and O’Hea were a major threat and guided the Spectres to victory after trailing for a majority of the game. Kilsyth led for the first three quarters but the Spectres outscored Kilsyth 28-19 in the final term to clinch the victory.
MVP – Jenna O’Hea (Nunawading)
BENDIGO 76 (K Wilson 29, Finnigan 18)
Lost to
SANDRINGHAM 85 (Dombkins 28, Porter 19)
**OVERTIME**
Game MVP Mikaela Dombkins (28pts, 11rebs, 2ass) tied the game with19secs in regulation to put the game into overtime and give her club another chance of securing the win. Sandringham led for the first three quarters, but allowed the Lady Braves back into the game with a disappointing display in the last term. Dombkins scored nine points in the overtime period to lift the Sabres to a much deserved victory.
MVP – Mikaela Dombkins (Sandringham)
BRISBANE 88 (Randall 16, Andrew 14)
def
BALLARAT 82 (Rinaldi 22, Francis 20)
Very even game with the lead changing 13 times in the first half. Ballarat got out to an 8pt lead early in the third term, but the Lady Spartans increased the defensive intensity and forced the Lady Miners into costly turnovers to completely turn the game around and Brisbane closed out the quarter with 16pts in five minutes to lead 70-63 with a quarter to play. Ballarat to their credit never gave up, and played tough to the finish but could not bridge the gap.
MVP – Kristy Rinaldi (Ballarat)
KNOX 78 (Dunlap 17, Fryters 16)
def
ALBURY/WODONGA 47 (Wallbutton 19, Edmondson 12)
Knox Raiders depth once again proved the difference between the two teams, as the Raiders bench outscored Albury/Wodonga 27-4. It is the second time this season the Raiders bench has powered Knox to victory with Waterhouse, Sinclair, Eason and Bone all playing a pivotal role in the games 31pt margin.
MVP – Rachael Waterhouse (Knox)
LAUNCESTON 66 (Glaubitz 19, Donkin 11)
Lost to
DANDENONG 72 (Burns 16, Probst 13)
Both teams were locked in a close and highly competitive game for the first 3 quarters. Rangers travelled to the Apple Isle without key players Moody, Penaluna and Guest but gained the lead for the first time in the 4th quarter. Despite a late comeback by the Tornadoes the Rangers held on to win by 6 and end their six game losing streak.
MVP – Chelsea Burns (Dandenong)
SUNDAY 28th JUNE
SANDRINGHAM 67 (Porter 35, Dombkins 11)
Lost to
ALBURY/WODONGA 70 (Wallbutton 25, Duck 16)
After a tough match the previous night, Sandringham started well opening up a 19-17 first quarter lead, but fell away in the second to give the advantage to Albury/Wodonga by 7pts. Sandringham was forced to play catch up for the remainder of the game, but was unable to close the gap the Lady Bandits established in the second quarter. Sabres Natalie Porter produced an outstanding individual performance with 35pts@63%, but the Lady Bandits secured the victory.
MVP – Nat Porter (Sandringham)
NUNAWADING 84 (O’Hea 28, Macleod 23)
def
BENDIGO 64 (K Wilson 26, Spalding 7, King 7)
Nunawading will not have a full squad for many games this season, and need to make good use of when all players are available and able to play. Macleod and O’Hea once again guided the Spectres to victory, as the Lady Braves struggled at the offensive end shooting a poor 28% from the field. Kelly Wilson was the only Bendigo player in double figures with 26pts. Nunawading led for 39mins of the game and moved into fifth position on the ladder.
MVP – Jenna O’Hea (Nunawading)

Week 16 Review

02-07-09, 11:26

KNOX vs DANDENONG
Wednesday 1st July – 7:30pm
After a disappointing 0-2 weekend in Tasmania Dandenong are in desperate need of a victory to remain in contention for a finals berth. Knox are in a tight battle with Kilsyth and Bendigo for the second place and cannot afford to lose to a team lower than them on the ladder. Lester Strong was outstanding last week and his battle in the paint with Rangers Brent Hobba could be the game decider.
GEELONG vs MT GAMBIER
Friday 3rd July – 7:30pm
Geelong is still in contention for a top two finish, but is also under pressure from Sandringham for third position as well, should they lose this weekend. Pioneers Andrew Rice has been producing quality numbers in recent weeks and will need to be the Supercats focus on defence.
CANBERRA vs HOBART
Friday 3rd July – 7:30pm
Hobart have recorded a 1-1 record on each road trip so far this season, but need to record a 2-0 weekend to keep hold of second position. Mark Banovic returns from injury for this important road trip, and his addition gives the Chargers further offensive firepower.
BALLARAT vs NW TASMANIA
Saturday 4th July – 8:00pm
Both teams have had disappointing seasons, and will look to finish the season on a successful note. The Thunder have struggled on the road this year with a 1-8 record, but come into this game with added confidence having defeated Dandenong last week. Ballarat will be hoping to have Goodgame and Stevens back in uniform for the clash this week. Their experience is needed at the defensive end to contain league leading scorer Sam Armstrong.
FRANKSTON vs BENDIGO
Saturday 4th July – 8:00pm
Bendigo currently holds onto fourth spot in the East Conference. Coach Larkins will be hoping the internal player issues will be resolved this week so the team can move forward and concentrate on securing another finals spot. Frankston struggled without Andrew Harms last week, but will be determined to remain undefeated at home.
BRISBANE vs HOBART
Saturday 4th July – 8:00pm
It is the only clash between the two teams this season, and both will be determined to secure the victory. Brisbane is undefeated at home this season, but Hobart has the talent to cause concern to the Spartans outfit. The back court duel between Spartans Williamson & Demos and Chargers Banovic and Stewart is sure to be a high scoring battle, and likely to have a major impact on the games final outcome..
KILSYTH vs KNOX
Saturday 4th July – 8:15pm
Rivalry between the two teams is intense and with second place in the conference also on offer, we can expect a hard physical battle between the teams. Both teams have made changes to their line-ups since Knox recorded an 80-69 victory in round three. Cobras Joe Werner has been in top form in recent weeks and the Raiders Lester Strong will need to produce another Player of the Week performance to contain him.
SANDRINGHAM vs MT GAMBIER
Saturday 4th July – 8:15pm
Sandringham is currently in fourth position behind a seven game winning streak and within striking range of a top two position. Sandringham defeated Mt Gambier 103-87 in round thirteen, and will be confident of securing another win this week at home. Another win against fifth placed Mt Gambier should consolidate the Sabres finals position.
ALBURY/WODONGA vs DANDENONG
Saturday 4th July – 8:00pm
Albury/Wodonga had a disappointing 0-2 week last round and will be keen to produce a better performance at home this week against the struggling Dandenong Rangers. Athletic import Fernandez Lockett has not been at his dominating best in recent weeks, and it has reflected on his team performance. Fernandez needs to produce 20+ pts each game for his club to be successful.
BENDIGO vs NW TASMANIA
Sunday 5th July – 2:00pm
Both teams will be coming off tough games the previous night, but the Braves will have the luxury of home court advantage for this crucial match-up. Braves need to win as many of their remaining games left this season as they strive for a top two finish. NW Tasmania is unlikely to make the finals but will be keen to have a say in the makeup of the finals positions.
NUNAWADING vs MT GAMBIER
Sunday 5th July – 2:30pm
Playing their third game for the weekend the Pioneers will be tired and the Spectres are sure to take advantage. Nunawading are unable to make finals this year after a disastrous season start, but are looking to gain some credibility back with a successful season finish. The Spectres lost by 17pts in round ten, but have been playing well in recent weeks and will be confident of securing the victory. Shane McDonald had a disappointing offensive game last week and will need to reverse that this week

KILSYTH vs KNOX
Saturday 4th July – 6:15pm
Knox easily accounted for the Cobras in round three this season, but the Lady Cobras have improved remarkably as the season has progressed and determined to secure a win this week. Knox won’t be at full strength for the clash with the teams two leading scorers Graham and Cunningham unavailable. Kilsyth are in a battle for third position with Bendigo and will be hell bent on securing a win this week against the ladder leaders and arch enemies Knox.
SANDRINGHAM vs NUNAWADING
Saturday 4th July – 6:00pm
After three consecutive wins, the Spectres will be without Australian Opal Jenna O’Hea once again this week due to an overseas trip to China with the Bulleen WNBL program. It is unlikely that Kristen Veal will be in uniform either, leaving the offensive workload solely on the shoulders of dynamo guard Kathleen Macleod. Sandringham will also have an under strength team due to injuries to guard Nicole Romeo and the unavailability of Australian University team member Chantella Perera. Sabres coach Lori Chizik will be confident of securing the victory this week having defeated a full strength Spectres side 68-58 in round 12.
FRANKSTON vs BENDIGO
Saturday 4th July – 6:00pm
Bendigo has hit a form slump in recent weeks, losing four of their past five games, and in danger of dropping further down the ladder. Bendigo relies heavily on guard Kelly Wilson to produce at the offensive end and was the only prominent performer last week. Lady Braves coach Jeremi Moule needs to find another offensive threat other than Wilson and Finnigan to secure a victory this week.
ALBURY/WODONGA vs DANDENONG
Saturday 4th July – 6:00pm
Dandenong produced a confidence boosting six point victory last week on the road in Launceston with an under strength team. That same team will hit the road again this week, hoping to snatch the Lady Bandits top six ladder position. Albury/Wodonga has a solid 4-3 home record this season but lost to Dandenong in round eight by 2pts. With Penaluna, Moody and Guest all unavailable again this week, the Rangers might find it tough to contain the Lady Bandits offensive weapons Edmondson and Wallbutton with such an inexperienced line-up.
NUNAWADING vs BALLARAT
Sunday 5th July – 12:30pm
Both teams are fighting hard for the fifth or sixth position in the finals this season, making a victory this week all important. Ballarat will be without Amy Lewis once again, but Rinaldi and Hobbs stepped up and provided the team with extra scoring punch last week against Brisbane. Ballarat recorded an easy 71-44 victory in week one but the Spectres have made changes to the team since this clash and should showcase a better effort this week..

Spartans lose one

06-07-09, 14:02

Spartans Lose First at Home

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have suffered their very first loss on home territory last Saturday night against a determined Hobart Chargers 132 – 126 in overtime but maintain the top of the ladder status.

The Spartans were bolstered by the return of scoring machine Chris Goulding and looked to extend their home stretch of wins bursting out of the blocks, recording 35 first quarter points.

The Spartans extended their lead to 7 points at the main break and all seemed smooth sailing from there. The Chargers cut the lead by one point, trailing by 6 points at the start of the fourth quarter but they weren’t finished.

With scores locked at 112 a piece, Chargers import, Chuck Long launched a half-court shot attempt to steal the win but it was agonizingly long and the game needed an extra 5 minutes to decide a winner.

The Chargers poured in a massive 20 points in the extra period running out 6 point winners and inflicting the Spartans first home loss of the season.

“The Chargers are a quality outfit, well coached and professional,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “That’s why they are second on the ladder and right up there.”

Former NBL legend and player/coach Anthony Stewart lead with 30 points and 7 assists with former Brisbane Bullet Mark Nash adding 25 points and 16 rebounds.

For the Spartans Drew Williamson, still relishing his promotion to the starting line-up hit 30 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists with Tyson Demos adding 24 points and Thalo Green chipping in with 23 points.

The Spartans have another tough home, double-header weekend ahead playing the third place Geelong Supercats this Friday night and the Nunawading Specters the following night.

The Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans will be refreshed after last weekend’s bye and ready to take on the Nunawading Lady Spectres prior to the Spartan mens game.

Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartan supporters are encouraged to attend as this will be the second last home game of the season before the playoffs. With the Spartans assured a berth in the 2009 SEABL playoffs the excitement is building. This could also be the last game for Australian Opals center Emma Randall in Lady Spartans colours.

Friday night’s the mens only game tips off at 7pm with the double header on Saturday tipping off at 6pm & 8pm respectively.

ENDS email sdbal@bigpond.net.au phone 3398 2790 www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au

FINALS Cost Structure

Dear Supporters

The finals are nearly on us and with both teams doing so well we are now looking at ensuring those who have been supporting the teams throughout the year have the first option of attending what will be a great finals series.

At this stage the men (1st) to be at home on the 8th August and we are hoping the women are not. The top 2 women’s teams do not play first week of the finals. If the women are playing then the night will be a double header.

If the men win on the 8th then they will play the Grand final here at Carina on August 22nd. If they win that then they will play in Melbourne on August 29th against winner of other Conference. For the men we will host at least 2 finals.

For the Lady Spartans it looks like they will finish 1st or 2nd , however this will not be known for at least three more weeks. Hopefully they will play as 1st here on the 15th August. If they win that one they are straight through to the Grand final in Melbourne.

Should however they lose on the 15th Then they will play at home on the 22nd August. This is the only way the women would play at home twice.

The different finals games will all be on sale from the Monday following the previous game.

I have place a flow chart over the page for your better understanding. This is a very fair system for both teams and rewards those who performed best over the season.

Below you will find the costs for all finals packages. We trust that you will be able to attend the games and support your teams the Arrow caravan & Towbar Spartans and the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans.

Double header games

General Admission Adult $12
Child $6
Student $8
Concession $8
Spartan Junior $5 Wear Rep shirt
SDBAL Member $10 Must have receipt
Base line box (4) $200 Catered
Side line box (6) $260 Catered
VIP Seating $15

Stand alone games

General Admission Adult $10
Child $5
Student $5
Concession $5
Spartan Junior $4 Wear Rep shirt
SDBAL Member $8 Must have receipt
Base line box (4) $175 Catered
Side line box (6) $200 Catered
VIP Seating $12

I trust that I have explained everything well enough to make sure you will be here on the finals nights. If you need any additional information or want to arrange a group booking please contact me by email on sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Yours In Basketball

Allan Ladewig

EBeek 16 Round Up

06-07-09, 14:53

WEDNESDAY 1st JULY
KNOX 103 (Massingale 33, Strong 20)
def
DANDENONG 91 (Jura 30, Hobba 26)
Although Knox led on the scoreboard the Rangers stayed within distance for the first half and only trailed by 4pts at the half time break. Massingale stepped up his offensive production in the third quarter and the Raiders outscored the Rangers by 7pts to grab a sizeable lead that they were able to hold on for the remainder of the match.
MVP – CJ Massingale (Knox)
FRIDAY 3rd JULY
GEELONG 125 (Herbert 26, Muhammad 22)
def
MT GAMBIER 122 (Jeffree 31, Rice 26)
The Supercats opened up a 17pt gap midway through the second quarter, but the Pioneers rallied late to bridge the gap at half time. The Pioneers played a better second half, Tariq Naqqash landing several three point bombs in the last quarter to bring it back to a one point game in the final minute. With 10 secs left, Nathan Herbert stole the ball and scored on a fast break to clinch the victory for his beloved Supercats.
MVP – Jason Reardon (Geelong)
CANBERRA 77 (Miller 19, Baird 13)
Lost to
HOBART 101 (Stewart 27, Nash 18)
Hobart produced a 37-16 third quarter to set up a 28pt lead and had full control of the match. Hobart dominated in the paint all night, scoring 52pts to the Gunners 36. The Gunners out rebounded the Chargers 63-46 but shot poorly and were clearly outplayed by the Chargers.
MVP – Anthony Stewart (Hobart)
SATURDAY 4th JULY
SANDRINGHAM 118 (Conn 32, Dillon 24)
def
MT GAMBIER 98 (Rice 28, Smith 19)
For the second time this season the Pioneers let the Sabres run all over them early in the game. Sandringham held a 10-2 led within three minutes and Mt Gambier let the Sabres take full control of the match and by the end of the first quarter the Pioneers trailed 15-36 and needing a miracle to win the game. Mt Gambier improved in the next three quarters but the margin was too big to overcome.
MVP – Simon Conn (Sandringham)
BALLARAT 102 (BJ Carter 36, Norwood 28)
def
NW TASMANIA 93 (S Armstrong 35, Harris 18)
In the third quarter it was a shoot out between Ballarat's BJ Carter (36pts, 11rebs) and NW Tasmania's Sam Armstrong (35 points) with the Miners taking a 14 pt lead into the last break but with NW Tasmania just not going away. In the final term with with 5:32 left in the game Ballarat's Norwood fell heavily resulting in a 30 minute delay in the game as he required an ambulance. Ballarat held on to secure the win.
MVP – BJ Carter (Ballarat)
FRANKSTON 103 (Gruber 36, Chapman 28)
def
BENDIGO 83 (Hogan 19, Novak 15)
Braves started the game well but let Frankston back into the game, and the Blues took full advantage and increased their lead for the remainder of the game. David Gruber was outstanding as he dominated at both ends of the floor. .
MVP – David Gruber (Frankston)
ALBURY/WODONGA 76 (Williams 24, Quinn 23)
Lost to
DANDENONG 86 (Hobba 22, Inglima 17)
Bandits started very well and had a 7 pt lead early in the first quarter despite playing without athletic import Fernandez Lockett. The Bandits held the lead for the entire first half and continued into the third quarter with the Bandits scoring at will on the back of some poor Rangers defence. Rangers made some major player personnel adjustments with bench players (de Neefe, Illangakoon & Witherden) coming on and cutting the deficit to 4pts at 3/4 time. Last quarter saw the Rangers over run the Bandits in the last 3 minutes of the game.
MVP – Brent Hobba (Dandenong)
KILSYTH 83 (Werner 32, Leonard 20)
def
KNOX 75 (Massingale 21, Hill 21)
Cobras Import Quincy Henderson produced a solid defensive job on Raiders CJ Massingale, and Kilsyth were able to produce the much needed victory behind inspirational play from MVP contender Joe Werner (32pts, 23rebs). With Hill and Strong in foul trouble early the Raiders struggled to contain Werner’s individual brilliance.
MVP – Joe Werner (Kilsyth)
BRISBANE 126 (Williamson 30, Demos 24)
Lost to
HOBART 132 (Stewart 30, Nash 25)
**OVERTIME**
Spartans produced their customary blistering start with a 22-9 after six minutes, but costly turnovers and good shooting had the Chargers back in the game. Neither team could grab the advantage as the led changed on numerous occasions before the Spartans scored seven quick points to grab the lead at the half. Hobart rallied in the second half and Corey Davie sent the game into overtime with a free throw with only 30secs remaining. The Chargers took control in overtime and escaped with the victory giving the Spartans their first loss at home this year.
MVP – Mark Nash (Hobart)
SUNDAY 5th JULY
BENDIGO 78 (Hogan 13, Tanner 13)
Lost to
NW TASMANIA 105 (S Armstrong 36, Murfet 26)
NW Tasmania Thunder playing coach Sam Armstrong continued his impressive offensive form, scoring 36pts@52% to guide his team to victory. The Thunder produced a brilliant 30-10 second quarter to grab the advantage and the Braves were unable to recover, as the 25pt margin at half time was to much to overcome..
MVP – Sam Armstrong (NW Tasmania)
NUNAWADING 79 (Todorov 16, McDonald 14)
Lost to
MT GAMBIER 87 (Jeffree 26, Rice 20)
Mt Gambier edged away midway through the first term to lead 26-19 at the break. The second quarter opened in a flurry with both teams trading blows. Costly turnovers by the Pioneers and solid teamwork by the Spectres saw Nunawading down by only 2 at the half. Both sides attempted to gain the ascendency in the third quarter with Nunawading winning early. Solid inside work midway through the quarter by the Pioneers saw them lead by 4 at the final break. Nunawading worked hard to overcome the deficit in the last quarter but Mt Gambier was

SATURDAY 4th JULY
KILSYTH 64 (Denson 21, Moffatt 11)
Lost to
KNOX 86 (Dunlap 23, Keane 14, Sinclair 14)
Despite a small lapse in the second quarter, the Raiders had full control of this match as they outscored the Cobras in three of the four quarters. Playing again without WNBL players Sarah Graham (World University Games) and Caitlin Cunningham (China Tour), the Raiders showed no signs of weakness. Behind the inspired play from Dunlap, the Raiders held a 20-17 lead after one but the home side turned up the heat in the second quarter, forcing the Raiders into 8 second quarter turnovers. Coach Heath Anderson gave his chargers a big rev-up at half-time and the Raiders responded with flying colours as they won the third quarter 17-8 and received some great bench production from Megan Sinclair and Rachael Waterhouse. Knox poured in 28 final quarter points and all nine players registered on the scoresheet. The Cobras were simply no match for the Raiders in the second half and put to sleep any speculation that the rivals were going to put an end the Raiders nine game winning streak.
MVP – Ashlee Dunlap (Knox)
FRANKSTON 43 (Butler 16, Bermingham 9)
Lost to
BENDIGO 79 (Wilson 14, Walsh 10)
Bendigo led for the entire game as Frankston struggled at both ends of the floor. The Lady Blues were out rebounded (30-42), shot poorly (30%) and committed too many turnovers (20-9). Lady Blues Deanne Butler put up a gallant effort and received MVP honours, but with no support from her team mates, the Lady Braves were able to record a comfortable victory
MVP – Deanne Butler (Frankston)
SANDRINGHAM 79 (Dombkins 29, Porter 26)
Lost to
NUNAWADING 82 (Veal 20, Macleod 19)
**OVERTIME**
Although the Spectres led at every change, the Sabres had numerous chances to extend their lead, but costly turnovers allowed Nunawading back into the game on numerous occasions’. Sandringham Dombkins and Porter kept their team in the game with crucial baskets down the stretch, but two consecutive three point plays from the Spectres veteran Kristen Veal put the game into overtime. Sandringham once again had their chances but poor shot selection late in the game enabled the Spectres to grab the lead and hold on for a much needed victory.
MVP – Kristen Veal (Nunawading)
ALBURY/WODONGA 65 (Duck 19, Edmondson 13)
Lost to
DANDENONG 67 (Burns 20, Todhunter 15)
Rangers Chelsea Burns (20pts, 4rebs) produced another game MVP performance to guide her team to victory. The lead changed 15 times throughout the game as neither team could establish a sizeable lead. Dandenong guard Amelia Todhunter stole the ball with 10secs remaining and set up the victory for the Rangers with a successful 3pt shot in the dying seconds.
MVP – Chelsea Burns (Dandenong)
SUNDAY 5th JULY
NUNAWADING 77 (Davis 22, McCann 20, Veal 20)
def
BALLARAT 70 (Hobbs 20, Francis 14)
The first quarter was evenly contested with both teams matching up well. There was little difference on the stats sheet with Nunawading holding the slimmest of margins at the first break, 19-18. The Spectres were able to pull away in the second with some hot shooting. Ballarat faced a 10 point deficit at halftime. Ballarat made a push for the lead in the third but Nunawading held steady and maintained a 56-48 lead. Once again Ballarat made a late charge and got to within two points but the Spectres stayed calm and made the required plays down the stretch to win the game.

Monthly Awards

09-07-09, 09:48

July 2009

CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL MONTHLY AWARDS - JUNE

The CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL Player of the Month is a hotly contested recognition for each SEABL player to achieve. The exceptional talent that is on court each week playing in “Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League” will be rewarded this season as each Player and Coach of the Month receive a Crazy John’s Mobile Phone pack for their efforts.

SEABL MEN PLAYER OF THE MONTH

DUSTY JURA (Dandenong Rangers)

Despite his team only winning one game for the month, Dustry Jura produced a solid performance for the month and deserves his first recognition as Player of the Month. Dusty averaged 27.8pts @ 53% and 12.0rebs for the month. Jura started the month with a two game away/home double and averaged 31.5pts, 12.5rebs, 2ass and 1blk, including 40pts@50%, 15rebs in the Rangers 110-127 loss at Geelong. On the Sunday afternoon with 23pts, 10rebs and 3ass Jura guided the Rangers to their only win for the month, defeating the Chargers. In round 15 Jura made his first trip to the Apple Isle and after a disappointing night on Friday in Hobart, the 200cm left handed forward from Nebraska produced 40pts@60%, 16rebs and 2ass for his team in the Rangers 95-109 loss to NW Tasmania.

Other Contenders – Joe Werner (Kilsyth), Lester Strong (Knox), Anthony Stewart (Hobart)

SEABL MEN COACH OF THE MONTH

VINCE CRIVELLI (Sandringham Sabres)

With a 5-0 record for the month and an average winning points margin of 14pts, Vince Crivelli earns his first Coach of the Month award in his first season in the SEABL. Vince started the month with an impressive 2-0 weekend which included an easy 103-87 road victory in Mt Gambier, followed by a 94-73 win at home against Ballarat. In his first ever visit to the Icehouse, Crivelli had his team ready to play as Sandringham shot out to a 25-3 advantage in the first six minutes and established a sizeable led that they held on for the remainder of the game. Vince recorded another road victory in round 14 with a 102-85 win in Albury/Wodonga, and finished the month with another 2-0 away/home record with wins over Bendigo (90-84) and Canberra (102-91).

Other Contenders – Anthony Stewart (Hobart), Bruce Palmer (Brisbane)

SEABL WOMEN PLAYER OF THE MONTH

MIKAELA DOMBKINS (Sandringham Sabres)

Having averaged 19.7pts, 10.2rebs and 2.7ass for the month, Sandringham Sabres Mikaela Dombkins has guided her team to a 2-2 record for the month elevating them into finals contention and earns her first Player of the Month award. Mikaela played the entire 40mins in her teams’ round 13 clash with Ballarat, recording 24pts, 13rebs and 3ass. The following weekend Dombkins helped the Sabres to a 75-66 victory in Launceston with 16pts and 8rebs. In round 15 the Sabres recorded a surprising overtime victory over the higher placed Lady Braves, thanks largely to the efforts of Mikaela. Game MVP Dombkins (28pts, 11rebs, 2ass) put the game into overtime and give her club another chance of securing the win. Dombkins scored nine points in the overtime period to lift the Sabres to a much deserved victory.

Other Contenders – Sarah Parsons (Kilsyth), Kathleen Macleod (Nunawading)

SEABL WOMEN COACH OF THE MONTH

KENNEDY KEREAMA (Albury/Wodonga Lady Bandits)

Having moved from New Zealand to take up the job as Lady Bandits head coach, Kennedy has done a remarkable job with the program, guiding the team to seven wins already this season and looking to clinch the teams first ever finals position. Kereama recorded a 3-2 record for the month which included a sensational 61-60 road victory in round 14 against the second placed Bendigo Braves. Kereama guided his team into the conference top six with a 1-1 result in rd13, having defeated the Tornadoes 64-51. Kennedy finished the month with another 1-1 result, defeating the Sabres on the road 70-67 after a disappointing effort the previous night at Knox.

Other Contenders – Heath Anderson (Knox), Mike Bainbridge (Nunawading)

Week 17 Roundup

13-07-09, 16:38

LADY SPARTANS SHINE

In a battle of two halves the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans showed on Saturday night they are a true finals contender when they cam from 14 points down in the second quarter to beat Victorian powerhouse the Nunawading Spectres by 16 points.

Nunawading, led by Kristan Veal, showed why many are tipping them to win this years competition in a domination from the jump ball where they simply did whatever they wanted. Only the efforts of point guard Shona O’Bree, Game MVP, kept the Lady Spartans in the game.

With Australian Opal, Emma Randall being kept off the boards with foul trouble and some great and aggressive defence by the Lady Spectres it looked like they would run away with the game.

“We were in serious trouble with the style of game the Spectres were playing but we also have a lot of pride and tonight we proved we are a serious team in the competition” offered head coach, Donna Rinaldi.

She went on to say “The efforts of Odette Andrew and Rachel Pryor wee brilliant and if they can continue to play like that we will playing in the Grand Final in August”.

The Lady Spartans just before half time extended the pressure and started to gain control on the boards. This did not stop in the third and fourth quarters where the locals were just to dominate for the visitors winning 66 to 50.

This win puts the Lady Spartans 2 games clear of third placed Bendigo with a double header road trip this week followed by what many consider the finals placing decider when the Lady Spartans play Bendigo at home on the 25th July at the Rowland Cowan Stadium.

Ends www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

SPARTANS DO THE DOUBLE

The local Arrow Caravan & Towbar Spartans are starting to talk about hosting the South East Australia Basketball League finals series at the Rowland Cowan Stadium at the Clem Jones Youth Centre in Carina after the Spartans secured to spot by winning both games on Friday and Saturday night.

On Friday night they took apart the Geelong Supercats winning 141 to 127. In what was one of the highest standard games in many years the Spartans through Ash Cannan and Thalo Green showed the league that the Spartans were the real deal when they dismantled the Supercats defensive rythym. For Geelong Muhammad scored 25 with Cox scoring 22 in support but it was not enough.

Local legend Chris “Bubbles” Goulding returned to form with some explosive offence off the bench along with great support and leadership from Vanderjagt, Demos and Williamson.

“We need to stay focused on what we are doing as a team at the moment” head coach Bruce Palmer stated. “The guys are really starting to understand what it takes but we are not there yet”.

On Saturday night the Spartans also played at home to the Nunawading Spectres with many thinking it would be to much. Someone just forgot to tell Thalo Green and Ash Cannan that.

In what may have seemed a dull game to many after the Friday shoot out with Geelong the Spectres again kept the Spartans to low a score. Not low enough however as rather then having one main scorer the Spartans shared it around with six players in double figures.

The effort required to keep the Spartans down was to much for the Spectres with the Spartans blowing out the scores in the third and fourth quarters. This week the Spartans travel south where they two games before returning home on the 25th when they play Bendigo who will need to win the game to make the finals. Finals score Spartans 100 defeated Spectre 80.

With a guarantee of a finals game at Carina on the 8th August tickets will be on sale from Monday the 27th. . This will be the first time ever that a Queensland team will have hosted a South East Australian Basketball League final and the black army is sure to be in full voice.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Other Games Round up

SANDRINGHAM 89 (Smith 24, Conn 18)
def
NUNAWADING 80 (McDonald 22, Czwarno 16)
Sandringham started the game strongly and outscored the Spectres in the opening three quarters to establish a 68-49 lead with 12mins to play. Nunawading produced a better effort in the final quarter to score 31pts but the margin was to much to overcome. Nunawading produced 29 turnovers in the game and the Sabres punished them as they scored 20pts off the Spectres costly turnovers at crucial stages of the game.
MVP – Nathan Crosswell (Sandringham)
FRIDAY 10th JULY
BRISBANE 141 (Cannan 25, Williamson 25)
def
GEELONG 127 (Muhammad 25, Cox 22)
It was always going to be a high scoring game as both teams have the offensive firepower to produce a big score. Not a lot of defensive was played from either team as the scoreboard read 47-31 in the Spartans favour after 12mins. Geelong never gave up for the entire match but was unable to close the margin as the Spartans were able to hold on to secure the victory.
MVP – Ash Cannan (Brisbane)
MT GAMBIER 103 (Jeffree 33, Rice 27)
Lost to
DANDENONG 110 (Inglima 28, Witherden 27)
**OVERTIME**
Dandenong led for the majority of the match, but after Chris Mason scored a three pointer with 5 secs remaining, the Rangers needed a Matt Witherden three point buzzer beater to send the game into overtime. The Rangers took full control once in overtime and secured the much deserved victory.
MVP – Vince Inglima (Dandenong)
HOBART 124 (Stewart 24, Davie 23)
def
ALBURY/WODONGA 103 (Gange 38, Williams 26)
Despite 38pts from Bandits youngster Matt Gange, Albury/Wodonga was never in the game and was completely outplayed by the more experienced Chargers line-up. Hobart led for the entire game and dominated the second quarter with a 30-17 advantage to grab a stranglehold on the game.
MVP – Chuck Long (Hobart)
BENDIGO 95 (Hogan 28, Tanner 21)
def
CANBERRA 75 (Miller 18, Holden 14)
Canberra started slowly, but produced a consistent third quarter to bridge the gap back and only trailied by 8pts with a quarter to play. However Hogan and Probert stepped up at the offensive end and helped the Braves hold to secure a win and remain in finals contention..
MVP – Adam Tanner (Bendigo)
SATURDAY 11th JULY
BALLARAT 86 (Norwood 28, Brown 14)
def
CANBERRA 82 (Holden 15, Todorovski 15)
After spending a couple of days in hospital during the week, Miners Import Rishawn Norwood produced an inspirational effort to guide his team to victory. Norwood started the game with 11 straight points, and together with BJ Carter dominated the Gunners outfit.
MVP – Rishawn Norwood (Ballarat)
MT GAMBIER 97 (Jeffree 27, Naqqash 25)
Lost to
HOBART 113 (Long 26, Stewart 26)
With neither team having home court advantage, the game started with both teams scoring easily on offence, but neither team was able to take advantage. Both teams were tied at half time, but Hobart grabbed the lead for the remainder of the game mid way through the third quarter thanks to some costly turnovers on Pioneers behalf. This game was replayed from round four, due to flight issues that related in Hobart unable to make the game in Mt Gambier. .
MVP – Anthony Stewart (Hobart)
NW TASMANIA 115 (B Armstrong 25, Haywood 20)
def
ALBURY/WODONGA 89 (Gange 29, Quinn 22)
Nick Haywood was solid offensively all game, ably supported by sharp shooter Ben Armstrong. Matt Gange was efficient for the Bandits but they ran out of legs and the Thunder pulled away to win the game.
MVP – Ben Armstrong (NW Tasmania)
KILSYTH 72 (Leonard 19, Werner 14)
Lost to
FRANKSTON 85 (Gruber 21, Kampman 18)
Kilsyth shot a poor 29% from the field, but were able to stay with the Blues for two quarters before Frankston stepped up their offensive production with a 26-22 third quarter to grab a nine point lead and held on to win.
MVP – David Gruber (Frankston)
KNOX 93 (Massingale 25, Rigby 24)
Lost to
SANDRINGHAM 96 (Conn 25, Dillon 20)
Sandringham was slow to get out of the blocks as Massingale shot two early three pointers and had the Sabres on the back foot. Sandringham stayed with their game plan and eventually the shots were falling and they were able to tie the game at the half time break. Crosswell and Dillon were outstanding in the third quarter and helped the Sabres establish a 9pt lead and had the Raiders spectators concerned. Raiders fought hard in the final term and CJ had the chance to send the game into overtime, after the Sabres led by 8pts with 40secs left..
MVP – Daniel Dillon (Sandringham)
BRISBANE 100 (Green 21, Vanderjagt 16)
def
NUNAWADING

Finals Time

14-07-09, 14:51

Just a reminder that tickets will go on sale for the August 8th SEABL finals to be held at the Rowland Cowan Stadium in Carina from the 27th July.

Unregistered

14-07-09, 21:26

I'm a spartans supporter but I must say that 'blocking' foul the female ref called against one of Nunawading's players (forget who now) granting Bubbles with foul shots was a terrible call! Haha!

Week 18 Review

15-07-09, 16:44

CANBERRA vs MT GAMBIER
Friday 17th July – 7:30pm
Canberra will be confident of securing a victory this week despite their disappointing five game losing streak. The Gunners finish the season with three games at home and will be keen to secure a win in all three and finish the season on a positive. Mt Gambier finals aspirations are finished and are now playing to consolidate fifth position on the ladder. The Pioneers have never won at Belconnen Stadium and the Gunners will be keen to continue their unbeaten streak over Mt Gambier at home.
BENDIGO vs GEELONG
Friday 17th July – 7:30pm
Geelong is in a desperate battle with Sandringham for third position in the South and need to secure two victories this weekend to stay in touch. Bendigo is in a battle to stay in fourth position and need to win at least one of their next three games to stay in touch. However should they win all three matches they could finish as high as second. Bendigo have been struggling in recent weeks averaging only 82pts and need to produce a better offensive game against the talented Supercats who are averaging 105pts this season.
HOBART vs FRANKSTON
Friday 17th July – 8:00pm
Hobart is on a six game winning streak and full of confidence despite losing sharp shooter Mark Banovic for the remainder of the regular season. Hobart is 11-1 at home this season but has not beaten the Blues at Aurora Stadium since 2005. Frankston also welcome back Andrew Harms to the line-up but may be tired, as he arrives back from a long flight from Serbia on Friday morning.
GEELONG vs KILSYTH
Saturday 18th July – 7:30pm
This is a must win game for both teams, as they both strive to consolidate a finals position. The Supercats are in unfamiliar territory sitting in fourth position as they have finished in the top two for the past four years. Geelong will be confident of securing the win having defeated the Cobras by four points in round 8, have an 8-3 home record this season and have a three game winning streak over Kilsyth at The Arena.
BALLARAT vs KNOX
Saturday 18th July – 8:00pm
Knox has a great record at the WIN Minderdome against Ballarat, having secured a victory in five of their past six games. Knox need to secure a win this week to remain in second position, and can end the Miners finals aspirations at the same time. Ballarat need to win every remaining game this season to have any chance, and will need guards Norwood and BJ Carter to produce another standout performance to contain the Raiders. Knox has been extremely disappointing this season, but has been struck down with the flu recently and is struggling to get a team of fit players on the court.
AIS vs Mt GAMBIER
Saturday 18th July – 7:30pm
The AIS youngsters return to competition this week after a fourth place finish at the U/19 World Championships. Many of the core group are not returning to the team as they finish their scholarship this week and will soon depart for US College. The AIS team for the remainder of the year will be a young and very inexperienced team of 16 and 17 year olds, giving the Pioneers a huge advantage this week.
NW TASMANIA vs FRANKSTON
Saturday 18th July – 7:30pm
Frankston has a 9-4 record against the Thunder over the past six years and will be confident of securing another victory this week. The Blues defeated NW Tasmania by three points in round seven, with the Blues threesome (Harms, Kampman, Gruber) scoring 84 of the teams 109pts. If NW Tasmania can limit the productivity of one of these players they could produce the surprise victory of the round .
ALBURY/WODONGA vs NUNAWADING
Saturday 18th July – 8:00pm
Both teams have struggled this season and although neither team can make the finals, both teams will be determined to secure the win. The import injury curse has struck the Bandits once again with league leading rebounder Fernandez Locket out for the remainder of the season. His departure is a massive loss for the team as evident last week in Tasmania when the team struggled in both games and could only manage 89pts against NW Tasmania. Nunawading are also on a four game losing streak but have won five of their past seven matches on the border.
SANDRINGHAM vs BRISBANE
Saturday 18th July – 8:15pm
Sandringham have moved into third position behind a surprising 11 game winning streak and determined to increase the win streak further. The Sabres have defeated Frankston, Knox, Bendigo and Hobart in recent weeks and coach Vince Crivelli is determined to add East ladder leaders Brisbane to their growing list this week. Dillon, Crosswell and Conn have been in outstanding form and will be the Spartans major focus on defence. However Sabres guard Craig White has the ability to destroy opposition teams with his deadly three point shot if left open. Brisbane have first place confirmed, but want to finish the season with victories over quality opponents to get ready for the playoffs.
DANDENONG vs BRISBANE
Sunday 19th July – 2:00pm
Dandenong has a slim chance of making the playoffs, and a victory this week over Brisbane is sure to prove their worth as title contenders. Dandenong need to win all remaining games and will be confident this week having lost by only three points in round three. The Rangers have added sharp shooter Jon Shepherd to the line-up since which should give the team the extra scoring punch needed to defeat the high scoring Brisbane. The Spartans lead the league in points averaging 119pts which

Results week 14

20-07-09, 15:03

Spartans Successful Weekend

The Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have completed another successful weekend road trip to Melbourne defeating the Sandringham Sabers 98 – 89 then backing up the following afternoon defeating Dandenong Rangers 118 – 95 on Sunday to cement themselves as the number one team in SEABL.

On Saturday in a close contest all the way through, neither team was able to establish dominance. The Spartans did enjoy a slender 3 point lead at the first break and slightly extended that lead to 4 points at the main break.

Drew Williamson maintained his fine form leading with 21 points but was supported well by Greg Vanderjagt with 20 points and Ash Cannan with 19 points and 16 rebounds.

On Sunday afternoon the Spartans travelled to Dandenong, a team that the Spartans defeated in earlier rounds by just 3 points. However, the Spartans put all that behind them with all 10 players making the score sheet and three of them registering a double-double.

Greg Vanderjagt led with 22 points and 11 rebounds, Ash Cannan added 20 points and 10 rebounds and Thalo Green chipped in with 18 points and 10 rebounds also.

Both win’s rockets the Spartans to the best record in the SEABL Championship with 22 wins and only 2 losses. With three games to go in the regular season, the Spartans are already assured home court advantage throughout the 2009 playoff campaign.

In what will be a first in Queensland the Southern Districts Basketball Association will be the first ever team to host a South East Australian Basketball League final in Queensland on August the eigth. Local identities and politicians alike have been invited to attend this great night and the Spartans are hoping to see the return of the “black army” that followed them when they dominated the Queensland basketball Leagues prior to moving to SEABL.

“I’m extremely pleased to have secured finals games at home,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “That was one of our goals this year as we really wanted to reward the Brisbane community for their loyal support throughout the year.”

The Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans travelled on the road also, however suffered two losses to Sandringham and Dandenong.

Both losses doesn’t change their second position on the SEABL ladder however the Bendigo Lady Braves who are currently sitting in third position and hot on the Lady Spartans tails, travels to Brisbane this weekend for that matchup.

Both Spartans men and women play the Bendigo Braves and Lady Braves this Saturday night at the carina Basketball Stadium tipping off at 6pm and 8pm.

ENDS email sdbal@bigpond.net.au www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au 3398 2790

Week 18 results

20-07-09, 17:45

BENDIGO 100 (Probert 29, Randall 20)
Lost to
GEELONG 112 (Herbert 22, Muhammad 21)
Both teams matched each other basket for basket for the first five minutes of play before Braves guard combination of Probert and Randall scored consecutive 3 pointers to give the home side the advantage. Supercats Muhammad, George and Herbert all began to fire in the second quarter as Geelong steadily built on the lead to be 11pts ahead at the half with the Supercats scoring a mighty 70 points in the half.. The Braves continued to challenge in the last quarter and reduced the margin to just 6pts at one stage but the Supercats ended up with a comfortable victory.
MVP – Nathan Herbert (Geelong)
HOBART 92 (Stewart 31, Long 27)
Lost to
FRANKSTON 100 (Gruber 24, Chapman 19)
A devasting 27-14 third quarter by Frankston helped secure a 75-68 lead after trailing for the first two quarters. Hobart only had three players score double figures as they struggled on offence. Long and Stewart did their best to guide their team to victory with a combined 18 of the teams 24 fourth quarter points, but the Blues were to strong in the second half and held on to secure the win.
MVP – David Gruber (Frankston)
SATURDAY 18th JULY
BALLARAT 79 (Norwood 19, Brown 18)
Lost to
KNOX 107 (Massingale 21, Vanrenen 18)
Ballarat started well leading by 1pt after the first quarter, but struggled for the remainder of the game as Knox took control in the second and increased the lead throughout the remaining three quarters. Ballarat shot the ball poorly (38%) and continued to shot three pointers despite only making 2 from 24 attempts. Raiders coach Graham Longstaff rested his starters and finished the game with his bench players, who outscored the Miners bench 44-21.
MVP – CJ Massingale (Knox)
NW TASMANIA 108 (S Armstrong 37, Harris 24)
Lost to
FRANKSTON 124 (Harms 40, Gruber 31)
Frankston Andrew Harms and NW Tasmania Sam Armstrong put on a shooting display for the fans, as they both dominated from outside the three point arc. Wild weather outside made the court wet and slippery, forcing both teams to play with caution. The Blues produced another high quality third quarter, outscoring the Thunder 37-27 to grab a stranglehold on the match, and extended their lead further in the fourth term. .
MVP – Andrew Harms (Frankston)
GEELONG 87 (Lee 20, Muhammad 18)
Lost to
KILSYTH 97 (Werner 23, Lang 23)
The first quarter was even and punctuated by errors from both teams. Kilsyth came out in the second quarter showing more desire and opened up a 15 point half time lead, highlighted by a Quincy Henderson 3 pt bomb on the half time buzzer. Kilsyth maintained a double figure advantage through the third term, but Geelong dragged the margin back to 4 in a pulsating last quarter, but Kilsyth steadied and held on to win.
MVP – Tim Lang (Kilsyth)
AIS 88 (Greenwood 25, Hill 17, Drmic 17)
Lost to
MT GAMBIER 128 (Rice 31, Jeffree 28)
With four new players joining the squad, Paul Goriss led a extremely inexperienced line-up against a team of veterans. Hugh Greenwood the oldest player on the AIS team at 17 put up a strong effort, but the Pioneers experience shown through and helped them to victory. Mt Gambier held the AIS to 10pts in the final term and scored 40pts themselves to run away with the game.
MVP – Andrew Rice (Mt Gambier)
ALBURY/WODONGA 81 (Williams 25, Gange 11)
Lost to
NUNAWADING 88 (McDonald 21, Bridgewater 19)
Albury/Wodonga fell asleep in the third term and the Spectres took full advantage as they outscored the Bandits 25-15 to set up a seven point lead. The Bandits fought hard in the final term to bridge the gap, but the Spectres withstood the fight back to hold on to win.
MVP – Jermaine Williams (Albury/Wodonga)
SANDRINGHAM 89 (Dillon 23, Conn 19)
Lost to
BRISBANE 98 (Williamson 21, Vanderjagt 20)
The game was close throughout the match and everytime the Sabres drew close a Spartans player would connect from long range and give the advantage back to Brisbane. Brisbane scored 12 consecutive points early in the second term to establish a 16pt lead, but Sabres never gave up and slowy bridged the gap to grab the lead late in the third quarter. Ash Cannan stepped up in the fourth and the Spartans scored ten quick points to hold a 91-75 lead with six minutes to play. Sandringham fought hard all the way to the end, but could not close the gap for the second time and the Spartans held on to secure the win.
MVP – Drew Williamson (Brisbane)
SUNDAY 19th JULY
DANDENONG 95 (Shepherd 23, Hobba 18)
Lost to
BRISBANE 118 (Vanderjagt 22, Cannan 20)
Brisbane shot the ball at 51% from the field and dominated the second half to clinch a successful 2-0 road trip against the league newcomers this year. Dandenong stayed with the Spartans for the first half, but Brisbane lifted the intensity in the third term to outscore the Rangers 29-19 and consolidate the victory. Rangers were without import Dusty Jura, and Dandenong struggled in the paint as the Spratns outrebounded them 47-32 and dominated the scoring in the paint with

SATURDAY 18th JULY
SANDRINGHAM 55 (Porter 15, Perera 14)
def
BRISBANE 54 (Randall 13, Andrew 10)
Both teams started slowly and the Lady Spartans were unable to score early and finished the first quarter trailing 7-17. Brisbane played better in the second and was able to get their offence going behind Schatz and Andrew. Emma Randall was being contained brilliantly by Nat Porter, causing the Lady Spartans to look for other scoring avenues. Brisbane fought hard all game, and had the chance to secure the win but Randall missed a free throw with 40secs remaining and Fowler secured the win for Sandringham with a lay-up with 20secs to play.
MVP – Nat Porter (Sandringham)
BALLARAT 56 (Francis 16, Lewis 9)
Lost to
KNOX 76 (Dunlap 27, Tan 13)
The Raiders started a little sluggish on the offensive end but by the end of the first term had managed to find better shots within their offence and lead their opponent 22-15. The second term was an evenly contested battle with both teams doing a good job on the defensive end. Five turnovers and only 5 from 15 shooting from the field led to the Raiders posting only 11 points in the third quarter and the Lady Miners being able to pull the margin back to 7 going into the last. With the Lady Miners threatening to cause an upset, the Raiders cranked up the intensity in the final ten minutes led by Dunlap and Tan to secure the win and first place on the ladder.
MVP – Ashlee Dunlap (Knox)
ALBURY/WODONGA 75 (Edmondson 21, Wallbutton 18)
def
KILSYTH 59 (Denson 21, Moffatt 20)
Albury/Wodonga moved into fifth position on the ladder after upsetting fourth placed Kilsyth. The Lady Cobras struggled in the early stages of the second term as Albury/Wodonga went on a scoring blitz to grab a 42-33 lead at the half. Edmondson was a handful for Kilsyth, as no player could contain her athleticism. The Lady Bandits increased the defensive intensity in the second half to increase their lead over the Lady Cobras and finish the game with a rewarding 16pt victory.
MVP – Toni Edmondson (Albury/Wodonga)
FRANKSTON 64 (Butler 19, Payne 18)
Lost to
DANDENONG 68 (Moody 25, Burns 12, Todhunter 12)
Dandenong dominated the second and third quarters, and held on to secure the win despite a late surge from the Lady Blues. The Rangers had a comfortable 19pt lead with ten minutes to play but produced costly turnovers, and Frankston punished them and nearly produced a remarkable come from behind victory. The Rangers held on to secure the win but Coach Wayne Pollock was upset with his team s performance in the final quarter.
MVP – Megan Moody (Dandenong)
BENDIGO 78 (King 22, K Wilson 22)
def
NUNAWADING 60 (Davis 14, McCann 13, O’Hea 13)
The game of the round never eventuated, as the Lady Braves dominated the game from the tip off. Bendigo held Nunawading to five points late in the first term to grab a comfortable 33-16 advantage after ten minutes. The Spectres never recovered, as they produced 20 turnovers and was out rebounded 40-42. Nunawading outscored Bendigo in each of the third and fourth quarters but the gap was to much to overcome and the Lady Braves held on to the win.
MVP – Lauren King (Bendigo)
SUNDAY 19th JULY
DANDENONG 79 (Moody 31, Todhunter 13)
def
BRISBANE 60 (Randall 25, Andrew 11)
Dandenong returned to the top six after a fantastic win over second placed Brisbane. Megan Moody produced a sensational game as the Rangers won every quarter. Brisbane produced a disappointing 24 turnovers for the game and the Rangers punished them on numerous occasions.
MVP – Megan Moody (Dandenong)

Unregistered

20-07-09, 21:42

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/3497/15071151.jpg

History

24-07-09, 11:57

MEDIA RELEASE
24 July 2009

SEABL in Historic First

On the weekend of the 24th of July, basketball fans around the world can join SEABL and Court Live in a historic first for SEABL basketball. Starting at 7.30pm on the 24th, Court Live will Live Stream a SEABL game.

This first game is a blockbuster men’s game between Geelong and the AIS. Fans can view the game on their computer or mobile phone, and watch every exciting second of the game for free! To find the game, viewers will need to log onto the SEABL website, www.seabl.com.au , and follow the Court Live link.

Live Streaming will continue on Saturday at Dandenong when the Rangers take on the Ballarat Miners commencing at 7.30pm.

To bring SEABL games to basketball fans, Court Live has used cutting edge technology and broken new ground in the broadcasting of Australian basketball. Over the past few weeks, visitors to the SEABL website will have noticed changes in the Court Live link. These changes have been the result of SEABL and Court Live developing and fine tuning their game coverage. With the development phase now completed, Live Streaming is ready for delivery anywhere to basketball fans that have Internet access.

Following this historic first game, SEABL and Court Live will be broadcasting specially selected games for the remainder of the Home & Away rounds. These games will be broadcast free of charge as an introductory special offer prior to the Finals Series commencing. Selected Finals games will be accessible for a nominal fee of $5, less than basketball fans often pay to enter the stadium for a live game.

Basketball fans everywhere should circle the weekend of the 24th of July, 7.30pm, on their calendars and make a date to watch Geelong and the AIS battle it out on Friday night and the Dandenong Rangers against the Ballarat Miners Saturday night in SEABL Men’s basketball.

Be a part of this great moment in SEABL and Australian basketball.

MARK QUINN

League Manager

SEABL

Tel: + 61 3 9521 9545

Fax: + 61 3 9521 9686

Keep up to date with Australia's Premier Winter Basketball League at www.seabl.com.au

Unregistered

25-07-09, 23:25

Spartans ladies all class tonight against Bendigo. Fantastic game to watch. Bring on the finals.

Finals in Brisbane

27-07-09, 14:36

Spartans Cement Finals Birth
HISTORY IN THE MAKING

The Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans and the Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans have cemented their place in the 2009 SEABL finals series after their wins last Saturday night against the Bendigo Lady Braves and the Bendigo Braves.

In the men’s game the Spartans were locked at 34 points each at the end of the first quarter however opened the second quarter with a 22 point run to take a 78 – 57 point lead into the main break and a big Spartans win was on the cards.

However, the Braves opened the third quarter with an 18 points run themselves and actually took a 2 point lead on a three point bomb from Kevin Probert but the sleeping giant awoke at the start of the fourth adding 27 points and restricting the Braves to just 12 points.

“Our goal at the start of the year was to have a home final,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “It looks like we’ll now have two home finals games,” he added.

When asked at the post game function whether he thinks the Spartans can go all the way this year Palmer was reserved in his reply. “Well the premiership isn’t going to be handed to us by any stretch of the imagination. We have to keep doing our thing, playing with poise and determination and we’ll see what happens,” Palmer concluded.

That win now cements the Spartans on top of the Eastern Conference Ladder ensuring two home finals games starting on Saturday 8th August against the second placed team, currently being fought out by Knox Raiders and Kilsyth Cobras.

It was Knox Raiders who snapped the Spartans long 15-game win streak earlier this season in overtime.

The Lady Spartans have also locked themselves away in second spot of the women’s SEABL ladder with a hard fought 77 – 62 win over the Bendigo Lady Braves.

The Lady Spartans held a slender 5 point lead at the half 42 – 37 however the Lady Braves mounted a come back scoring 21 points in the third and holding the Lady Spartans to just 13 points.

At the end of the third quarter the Lady braves claimed the lead, 58 – 55 but struggled to close the game out. The Lady Spartan, led by Emma Randall’s 18 points and 16 rebounds poured in 22 points and stifled the Lady Braves allowing them just 4 points to take the win.

Both Spartans men and women hit the road again next week with the Spartans men playing the Geelong Supercat’s and the Frankston Blues while the Lady Spartans travel to take on the Knox Raiders and the Nunawading Spectres.

Despite the result of all these road games, the Spartans men and women’s playoff positions are final.

Spartans men (1) v Second placed Team – 7pm Saturday 8th August 2009 at Carina Basketball Stadium. This game creates history in Australian Basketball with the first ever South East Australian basketball League finals game in Queensland.

Lady Spartans (2) v Knox Raiders (1) at 7pm Saturday 15th August 2009 at Knox. If the Lady Spartans win then they will go straight to the National final on August 29th at the MSAC Stadium in Melbourne. If they lose then on the 22nd of August we could have a double header at the Clem Jones Youth Centre with the women playing a preliminary final followed by the men in the Conference final.

Tickets for the August 8th National semi-final go on sale on the 2nd of August at the stadium.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au Phone 3398 2790
email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Results

27-07-09, 15:38

GEELONG 94 (Muhammad 24, Lee 15)
def
AIS 87 (Broekhoff 16, Salecich 14)
Both teams started well, but costly turnovers late in the first quarter by the AIS helped Geelong establish a lead they were able to hold on for the remainder of the game. Muhammad showed some brilliance in the third term to extend the Supercats lead to 16. AIS never gave up throughout the match and produced a late surge to bridge the gap, but the Supercats held on for a tight 7pt victory.
MVP – Ismail Muhammad (Geelong)
MT GAMBIER 88 (Rice 29, Jeffree 18)
Lost to
FRANKSTON 100 (Kampman 22, Gruber 20)
Pioneers started the game well and held a 2pt advantage after the first quarter. Frankston improved their defence in the second and third quarters, which troubled the Pioneers and Frankston took full advantage. Frankston outscored the Pioneers 51-35 in the 2nd & 3rd terms to establish a comfortable 14pt lead and cruised home in the final quarter.
MVP – Rob Kampman (Frankston)
SATURDAY 25th JULY
DANDENONG 92 (Hobba 30, Inglima 23)
Lost to
BALLARAT 95 (BJ Carter 23, Brown 23)
Ballarat looked in control of the match for the first half, leading by 2pts but let the Rangers back into the match in the third quarter as shots kept missing and the turnover count kept rising. Dandenong grabbed the lead and were up by 5pts with six minutes remaining but was outscored 4-12 at the end of the game and the Miners secured the win and ended the Rangers playoff aspirations.
MVP – Jamal Brown (Ballarat)
NW TASMANIA 101 (B Armstrong 18, Harris 17)
Lost to
HOBART 122 (Stewart 38, Long 25)
A fast paced and physical first quarter set the tone for the game with accurate shooting from Stewart keeping the Thunder chasing from the start. In his last game on the North West Coast Sam Armstrong rested for a lot of the second half as the NW Tasmania bench players tried to counter the Hobart attack. Unable to meet the task, the Chargers pulled away in the last quarter to clinch the victory and consolidate second position on the South Men ladder.
MVP – Anthony Stewart (Hobart)
KNOX 111 (Massingale 34, Hill 19)
def
AIS 78 (Drmic 18, Broekhoff 17)
The home side Raiders took an early 21-12 advantage in the game’s opening seven minutes behind CJ Massingale’s 10 first quarter points and threatened to blow the game apart but the young guns from the AIS would not roll over easy. With John Philip providing a spark on the defensive end, the Raiders came out of the half-time break and turned their offensive needs to Massingale who caught fire in the third period with 19 points including 5 three-pointers. The Raiders held a 14 point buffer entering the last and didn’t give the AIS a chance to mount a comeback. A Nick Payne three with fewer than seven minutes left extended the lead out to 23. The final margin would blow out to 33 as the Raiders continued to keep their foot on the pedal.
MVP – CJ Massingale (Knox)
BRISBANE 127 (Green 22, Williamson 22)
def
BENDIGO 100 (Novak 33, Davis 20)
Behind the brilliant play of Chris Novak the Braves stayed with the Spartans for the first quarter, but then Brisbane lifted their offensive intensity in the second term to outscore Bendigo 44-23 to grab a comfortable 21pt lead. Bendigo reduced the margin in the third term, but the gap was to big to overcome. Brisbane had six players score double figures with the team scoring at 57% from the field.
MVP – Drew Williamson (Brisbane)
CANBERRA 94 (Baird 23, Richardson 19)
Lost to
SANDRINGHAM 106 (Conn 28, Smith 23)
Sandringham led for all but 4:30mins of the game as Simon Conn and Boomers squad member Daniel Dillon dominated the game. The Sabres led at every break and import Tron Smith produced 23pts, 6rebs off the bench to consolidate the victory for his team.
MVP – Simon Conn (Sandringham)
ALBURY/WODONGA 85 (Williams 25, Gange 14)
Lost to
GEELONG 114 (Owusu 26, Muhammad 23)
Geelong’s Lee scored the opening basket of the night and Geelong were never headed from that point. Owusu combined with Muhammad to help Geelong open up a 15 point margin by quarter time. The Bandits came out strongly in the third to chip away at Geelong’s lead. Geelong started to show the signs of their tough weekend as Albury-Wodonga got the lead back to single figures in the last quarter before Muhammad, Lee and Owusu rallied a late charge for the Supercats and they accelerated away to easily win the match.
MVP – Nick Owusu (Geelong)
SUNDAY 26th JULY
FRANKSTON 86 (Gruber 28, Kampman 20)
def
DANDENONG 74 (Inglima 21, Hobba 15, Shepherd 15)
Dandenong played zone defense for the majority of the match which made scoring points hard for Frankston. The Blues struggled to score for numerous patches of the game, but were able to scoop up the offensive rebound and score easily due to a lack of boxing out by the Rangers. Frankston recorded 23 offensive rebounds to the Rangers 6.
MVP – David Gruber (Frankston)
KILSYTH 102 (Werner 29, Leonard 21, Lang 21)
def
AIS 93 (Broekhoff 19, Hill 16)
Kilsyth dominated the first quarter, but the AIS youngsters never gave up and fought hard for the entire game and grabbed the lead mid way through the third term. Coach Wallace asked for more from his team and they improved their defense in the fourth term to limit the AIS to only 18pts and scored 23pts themselves to secure the much needed victory.
MVP – Joe Werner (Kilsyth)
NUNAWADING 105 (Bridgewater 22, Czwarno 13)
def
ALBURY/WODONGA 81 (Williams 24, Pearce 16)
The opening minutes of the game saw both teams scoring freely. Nunawading lifted the tempo to be up by 18 points at qtr time. Poor accuracy continued for the Bandits in the second qtr. The Bandits never gave up but were never a major threat and the Spectres ran out comfortable winners.
MVP – Hayden Czwarno (Nunawading

DANDENONG 72 (Probst 19, Penaluna 16)
def
BALLARAT 66 (Lewis 27, Scott 12)
Ballarat led for 24mins of the game and had a 6pt lead with five minutes to play, but were unable to secure the win. Dandenong finished the game well as they limited the Lady Miners to four points in the final minutes of the game as they secured a terrific come from behind victory and remain in finals contention.
MVP – Amy Lewis (Ballarat)
KNOX 71 (Graham 26, Cunningham 14)
Lost to
NUNAWADING 95 (Brentnall 25, O’Hea 22)
Nunawading completely outplayed the Raiders for the entire match as the Spectres shot a superb 61% from the field and out rebounded the Raiders 44-25. Knox struggled without league leading rebounder Emily Fryters, and were forced to play catch-up after allowing the Spectres to establish a 34-19 advantage after one quarter. Knox reduced the margin in the second term, but O’Hea, Brentnall and Davis turned the game in the third term as the Spectres shots continued to drop.
MVP – Jenna O’Hea (Nunawading)
ALBURY/WODONGA 64 (Wallbutton 17, Edmondson 17)
def
SANDRINGHAM 56 (Dombkins 17, Perera 14)
Albury/Wodonga produced a sensational come from behind victory after trailing 25-38 at the half time break. Sandringham started the second half well and held a 50-43 lead with five minutes remaining in the third term, but could only score another six points for the remainder of the game as the Lady Bandits dominated at the defensive end. Albury/Wodonga outscored the Sabres 21-6 in the final term to secure the win and end the Sabres playoff hopes.
MVP – Toni Edmondson (Albury/Wodonga)
BRISBANE 77 (Randall 18, H Smith 13, O’Bree 13)
def
BENDIGO 62 (Wilson 23, Spalding 8)
Bendigo produced a poor defensive game and sent the Lady Spartans to the line 13 more times and Brisbane took full advantage scoring 20pts from the charity stripe. The lead changed 11 times throughout the match as neither team could grab the advantage. Kelly Wilson once again guided the Lady Braves, but was the only quality contributor for her side as she was the only Lady Brave to score double digits. Bendigo shot a poor 32% from the field and were outplayed in the final term as the Lady Spartans grabbed the lead early.
MVP – Emma Randall (Brisbane)
SUNDAY 26th JULY
KILSYTH 88 (Denson 26, Parsons 21)
def
FRANKSTON 69 (Reid 18, Payne 14)
Frankston started the game well and had a 22-18 lead after the first quarter, but the Lady Cobras improved their game in the second term to grab a six point lead and slowly increased it for the remainder of the game. Kilsyth dominated the rebounding stats winning 43-29 and allowing the Lady Blues only 3 offensive rebounds.
MVP – Megan Moody (Dandenong)
LADDER
P
W

Video Clip

28-07-09, 14:24

Go to the SEABL ebsite site or KNox website and you will see a highlites tape of the Spartans. Good promotional tape.

Back In Black

31-07-09, 13:19

“RETURN OF THE DARK SIDE”

Dear Team Manager / Coach / Parent

The Southern Districts Basketball Association is proud to announce that our senior men’s team have finished first in Australia in the South East Australian Basketball League.

This competition is played between teams from Tasmania, New South Wales, ACT, South Australia and Victoria including the Australian Institute of Sport. It is the highest level that a player can compete at in Brisbane now that the city no longer have the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL. To be in this position after only three years in the SEABL competition is amazing and testament to the decision made to move from the Queensland State League, which we dominated as you can see by the numerous Championship banners hanging over court one, to the higher standard.

We are asking that all players, parents and supporters within our Association make the effort to get to the game next Saturday (8th August) at 7pm when we play Knox Raiders from Victoria. We really want to make the stands look black just as we did in the QABL come finals time.

The Knox Basketball Association draws players from a membership base of 14,000 compared to our 1,200. This is a great effort and a sign of the future for your Association.

Cost to attend is $12 an adult and $6 a child but should you purchase today a black supporters t-shirt from the canteen and wear this to the game the price will reduce to $5 an adult and children free.

It is important that we make sure every seat is taken with local politicians and local business already confirming attendance. This is your team and we need your support.

Allan Ladewig
General Manager

Unregistered

31-07-09, 22:44

It's a shame that the Spartans players can't be bothered to show their faces at the stadium on a friday night or Saturday morning to support the Juniors, or to hand out tickets to the games. Gibbo was often there on a Saturday morning, but we haven't seen any of this year's players's there yet (Men or women). Loyalty works both ways!

Unregistered

03-08-09, 11:19

Spartans finals bound

03-08-09, 14:16

SPARTANS HOST NATIONAL SEMI-FINAL

The Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans and Arrow Caravan & Towbar Spartans may have enjoyed mixed success on the week-end but it does not stop either of them making history when they compete in the South East Australian Basketball League finals series over the coming two Saturdays.

The Spartans men play at home this Saturday against Victorian power house, Knox Raiders, at 7pm with the Lady Spartans travelling to Melbourne on Saturday the 15th where they also will play the Knox Lady Raiders.

The Carina Lady Spartans defeated the Knox Raiders 69-63 in a game that did not affect either teams standing heading into the finals. Defence being the focus of both teams in a tough preparation for the final they will play in two weeks.

On Sunday though the Lady Spartans again hit the two game road trip hoodoo when they lost to a desperate Nunawading 67 -59.

“They just wanted to win more then we did” offered Donna Rinaldi. “We beat them three weeks ago and I thought we learnt a lot from that. Obviously so did they”.

Nunawading had to win to be in the finals and this week play Bendigo while the Lady Spartans rest up for the following week.

“We are so proud of what the Lady Spartans have done this year. They are true competitors playing in the toughest competition on offer during the winters months in Australia” stated Charles Ellis, President of Southern Districts. “ While we want everyone to turn out for the men’s game this Saturday at the Rowland Cowan Stadium, we also want the ladies to win the following Saturday giving us both teams a grand final game.

After a lesson in how the game is played on Saturday from the Geelong Supercats (135-109) the Spartans men returned to the basics on Sunday when they played Frankston Blues in Frankston. “We needed a wake up call and Geelong just handed us that lesson” Head Coach, Bruce Palmer, offered. “The boys really were starting to think all we had to do was turn up and we would win. The reason this leagues is so great is because every team can win on any night. It is next Saturday where we need to be ready when we make history by hosting the first ever finals series in Queensland. The boys have worked so hard and we do not want to let our supporters and volunteers down”.

Tickets are on sale from the Southern Districts Basketball Association on 3398 2790 or visit the stadium at the Clem Jones Youth Centre, Zahel Street, Carina.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Finals format

03-08-09, 14:44

2 August, 2009

CRAZY JOHNS SEABL CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS STRUCTURE CONFIRMED

Following today's results to conclude the Championship regular season, the following is the schedule for the CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL Finals which begin next week:

SOUTH MEN (Semi Finals)

Game 1 (1v2):
Saturday 8 August – Frankston Blues vs Hobart Chargers
@ Frankston Basketball Stadium
Local tip-off: 7:30pm

Game 2 (3v4):
Saturday 8 August – Geelong Supercats vs Sandringham Sabres
@ The Arena (Geelong)
Local tip-off: 7:30pm

EAST MEN (Semi Finals)

Game 1 (1v2):
Saturday 8 August – Brisbane Spartans vs Knox Raiders
@ Carina Basketball Stadium
Local tip-off: 7:00pm

Game 2 (3v4):
Saturday 8 August – Kilsyth Cobras vs Bendigo Braves
@ Kilsyth Sports Centre
Local tip-off: 7:30pm

Winners of Game 1 host the Conference Grand Final in two weeks. Loser of Game 1 host the winner of Game 2 in next weeks Elimination Final

WOMEN (Elimination Finals)

Game 1 (3v6):
Saturday 8 August – Bendigo Lady Braves vs Nunawading Spectres
@ Bendigo Stadium
Local tip-off: 7:00pm

Game 2 (4v5):
Dandenong Rangers vs Albury/Wodonga Lady Bandits
Venue to be confirmed
Local tip-off: TBA

Knox Raiders (1st) and Brisbane Lady Spartans (2nd) have a bye. Winners of Game 1 and Game 2 progress to Semi Finals next weekend.

Unregistered

03-08-09, 22:48

i have seen Shona & Holly at games on Fridays and Saturdays on a number of occassions.

Don't forget the Lady Spartans do contribute to the juniors - how many of them have been involved with a junior rep programs? Donna, Shona, Mel, Rachel, Holly & Cassie.....

How many (men or women) are currently involved with Junior rep programs?

How many are currently involved with club teams?

If they aren't prepared to show up at the occasional junior game, then why should junior players want to go to watch them play on a Saturday night? The kids don't feel any connection to the senior teams.

Sadly, most juniors at Districts would be unable to name any of the current Spartans Seabl players.

Worker

04-08-09, 07:58

Let see how many turn up on Saturday night. I am guessing close to a full house. You really have no idea how hard the Spartans men and women have worked behind the scenes to get the teams to where they are. Stay at home no one will notice. This week is history for this State.

Unregistered

04-08-09, 10:56

How many (men or women) are currently involved with Junior rep programs? Donna and Mel season just gone and Shona and Bec Stephens - this coming season.

Donna, Bec Schatz and Emma were all involved with the UPs program.

How many are currently involved with club teams? I am sure if players were asked to be involved they would be....

Saturday night

04-08-09, 16:07

Rule of thumb “If people are treating you as though you are dumb better to keep your mouth closed then open it and prove to everyone that they are right”.

Here are the facts

As far as what the Spartan men and women are doing for the Association you really have no idea.

The Spartans ladies are a class above any team I am aware of. What they do both on and off the court is true club stuff. They fundraise, do school clinics, attend Friday juniors on rotational basis. Even this Friday night they are running a bingo game so all the players can attend the grand final in Melbourne in late August.

Lady Spartans also coach in the juniors ranks, they attend holiday camps, make sure they are available for sponsors and local media at a minutes notice.

As far as the men go they also do a great job. At the start of the season for first four home games rostered themselves on to do Saturday sessions with the kids. They handed out free tickets and spoke with mums and dads about anything they cared to ask. Greg has continued to do this when he is free.

They have been at numerous clubs trainings with Drew Williamson working with out newest club the Bayside Jets every week. I do not know of one club that has been knocked back by a Spartans to attend a training if asked.

Many, like the girls, also were involved with the UPS program and no matter what some think this is a vital tool in our development for players that may not be as gifted as some in the early ages of competing within the sport.

The big man himself, Greg Vanderjagt, has been working with the junior program for at least 15 hours per week for all of this year. He and MC have also coached in the junior representative program involved in rep coaching.

The Spartans men also do fundraising every Friday night at the Carindale Hotel to assist the Association.

Both the men and women also conducted free of charge the largest school clinics (June) program done in the Brisbane Metropolitan region for nearly ten years. The awareness raised will help our sport in the future.

Big Joe in his role as manager conducted a junior disco and then the players all backed up, on the only free week-end they had, the next Saturday for the junior presentation night. All done because they care.

Sure they may no longer be focusing on your child and/or his age group but they are doing things that are making a difference.

People who keep expecting our players to be able to operate as an Aussie rules program just do not understand. We have ten players they have squads and development players numbering at least 30 and they are full time at the sport. Our players are not and should not be expected to do everything.

This Saturday night will be great. At the time of writing we still expect the Prime Minister to attend in support of what we are doing in our area for the greater community.

We have made huge inroads this year to the business community and have a much better relationship with the local schools. It will take years for basketball to get to where it was and we will play our part in that.

If we all do not start supporting those who are leading the way then when your child makes it things will be the same. We all need support and now is not the time to be thinking about anything other then supporting these great young members of our community.

Allan

semi final review

05-08-09, 16:08

SOUTH MEN SEMI FINAL
FRANKSTON vs HOBART
Saturday 8th August – 7:30pm @ Frankston Basketball Stadium
Frankston will enter this game, knowing exactly what happened at this time last year. Frankston went into the Conference Grand Final last year at unbackable odds after a sensational season but came up against the Hobart Chargers who played a brilliant game and defeated the Blues and win the Championship. Frankston have been determined all season long to host the Grand Final again this year and finally grasp that championship that they let slip last year. Frankston has held the number one position on the ladder all season and started the year with a 16 game winning streak.
Gruber, Harms and Kampman are the key members of the team, but clubs should never underestimate the talent of locally developed stars Mitch Chapman, Grant Dennis and Todd Mitchell. All players play a vital role for their club and although their worth never shows on the stats sheet they are key members to the success of the Blues.
The Chargers will be hoping that Mark Banovic has overcome his injury woes and is fit to play the Finals Series. Last year he was the game breaker throughout their Finals campaign and his output will have to be nullified for the Blues to win the game
2009 Head to Head – 4/4/2009 Frankston def Hobart 97-89
17/7/2009 Frankston def Hobart 100-92
SOUTH MEN SEMI FINAL
GEELONG vs SANDRINGHAM
Saturday 8th August – 7:30pm @ The Geelong Arena
Vince Crivelli has guided his club to their first SEABL Finals appearance in their rookie season, which is a sensational effort. Vince is confident of securing a victory this week over the Supercats, despite losing in round eight. The Sabres have added Melbourne Tigers NBL guard Nathan Crosswell and Simon Conn to the line-up since their match early in the year, and the additions have made the Sandringham squad more balanced.
Daniel Dillon has been a standout all year and was rewarded with an invitation to train with the Boomers prior to their departure to South America. His duel with Supercats Nathan Herbert is sure to entertain the near capacity crowd. Both young players have exceptional skills and are vital players to their respective teams success.
2009 Head to Head – 3/5/2009 Geelong def Sandringham 92-87
EAST MEN SEMI FINAL
BRISBANE vs KNOX
Saturday 8th August – 7:00pm @ Carina Basketball Stadium
Knox was the first team to defeat the Spartans this year, and will be confident of producing another quality performance this week to secure the win and host their second consecutive conference grand final. Brisbane has been the league leader all year with a star studded team that averaged 116 points per game. Spartans are loaded with offensive firepower with guards Demos, Goulding and Williamson all capable of a 30+ pt game.
However the unsung hero of the team is Ash Cannan, who is always there to grab an offensive rebound when needed, and can score points at will if left open. Knox Raiders Cam Rigby produced a stellar defensive job on Cannan in the Raiders wk 12 victory and coach Graham Longstaff will be keen for a repeat performance this week. Knox also have a team loaded with offensive firepower, with 2008 MVP CJ Massingale leading the conference in scoring with 25.0pts.
2009 Head to Head – 16/5/2009 Brisbane def Knox 121-112
30/5/2009 Brisbane Lost to Knox 103-107 O/T

Prime Minister

06-08-09, 13:01

MEDIA RELEASE

Things are starting to hot up at the Rowland Cowan Stadium at the Clem Jones Youth Centre in Carina in preparation for the first ever South East Australian Basketball League final in Queensland this Saturday night.

With a sell out expected on Saturday night, management has been busy re-arranging the corporate area due to an over commitment from local business in support of the history making game.

President, Charles Ellis today also announced that local business “Queensland Retail Program Management” have signed on as the naming rights sponsors for the finals series for the Southern Districts Basketball Association. “This is a huge boost to our sport. They are a family business that is getting more and more involved in the juniors and now the seniors and we encourage those within the community to support them as much as possible”.

“We had no idea it would be this huge. I guess having to many sponsors is a lot better then not having enough” offered, General Manager, Allan Ladewig. “The Spartans have been a huge success this year and we have also had a huge demand on our supporters gear as everyone who thinks they are coming to the game is getting dressed in black. This is just like the old days when we dominated the Queensland division of the Australian Basketball League. The move to SEABL, “Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League” has not been easy but it has been worth it”.

Sadly for the Spartans the only person that they had hoped would be able to attend was the Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd, who due to other commitments, cancelled on Wednesday afternoon.

“We will be hoping he can make the 22nd August free when we hope to be hosting the Grand final” stated Mr Ladewig.

It is not as though the Rowland Cowan Stadium will be short of politicians though, with both sides making sure they are represented. They also will not be without stars of the past and other local celebrities in attendance including Fiona Hannan a dual Olympian in basketball and handball.

The game kicks off at 7pm with doors to the public opening at 6pm.
Additional information on 3398 2790 or email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

ENDS: www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au

landy

06-08-09, 13:13

For all the fans who cant make it to the game on Sat nite, we will be livestreaming it on the net, go to SEABL page and click on Courtlive for all the action!

Grand final

09-08-09, 08:50

Spartans defeated Knox 113-110 to host grand final on the 22nd here in Brisbane.
Over 500 in attendance with great atmosphere all night. Big Joe rocked the place. The Blaze management there in full force and celebrating into the night with the Spartans boys.
Now all we need is for girls to win next week and go direct to the grand final as well.

Saturday 22nd

10-08-09, 13:09

Spartans Storm into SEABL Grand Final

The Arrow Caravan & Towbar Brisbane Spartans have stormed into the SEABL Eastern Conference grand final after a narrow 113 – 110 win over arch rivals the Knox Raiders last Saturday night in front of a capacity Carina Stadium including local politicians and strong NBL support from the Gold Coast Blaze and former NBL stars Luke Gribble and Leroy Loggins.

The Spartans found themselves down by just three points after the first quarter and struggled to find some scoring however it was only a matter of time before the sleeping giant awoke and Tyson Demos started the third quarter hitting four three-pointers in a row breaking the game open.

The Spartans enjoyed a 10 point break and extended the lead to as much as 16 points before the Raiders Mick Hill hit back with 4 three-pointers of his own to bring the Raiders to within 1 point late in the fourth quarter and the stage was set for a photo finish.

The Spartans produced probably their best team effort with 6 players scoring double figures lead by centre Greg Vanderjagt with 24 points, Tyson Demos and Chris Goulding adding 18 points each and Drew Williamson and Thalo Green chipping in with 15 points each.

“It was a great win, against a well coached team and the Raiders are a tough outfit” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “I fully expect to see them (Knox Raiders) again in two weeks time.”

The Spartans have rocketed into the Easter Conference Grand Final while the Raiders will host the Kilsyth Cobras next weekend with the winner of that game travelling to Brisbane for the final, the following weekend.

The Grand Final will be played at the Rowland Cowan Stadium at the Clem Jones Youth Centre on Saturday 22 August with a tip off time to be advised, depending on how the Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans travel this weekend.

The Carina Leagues Club lady Spartans travel to Victoria this Saturday where they will play the Knox Lady Raiders who are expected to have a full roster for the first time in two weeks. The Lady Spartans are determined to get the win and move to the Grand final of the SEABL women’s division.

“We have worked so hard to get here” offered Head Coach, Donna Rinaldi. “A win in Victoria is always hard but while we want to play in front of our supporters we also want to be in the Grand Final. A lose will mean we play at Carina on the 22nd in front of the men’s team. That would be sad as we would be playing a preliminary final while the men are playing a Grand Final”.

“The men’s game on the 22nd will be the first time that a SEABL Grand Final has been held in Queensland. Details of times will be posted on our website www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au next Monday” offered Allan Ladewig, General Manager of Southern Districts. “Again we want all our supporters wearing black as they did this week. It was the Spartan supporters of old that brought the team home and we want to make the Grand final even hotter for whoever we will be playing”.

ENDS email sdbal@bigpond.net.au Phone 3398 2790

Past Players

10-08-09, 14:52

If past players, coaching staff and volunteers could please contact the office on email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

We would very much apreciate it. We are trying to make contact in relation to the Grand final here on August 22nd against either Knox or Kilsyth.

Message from SEABL

13-08-09, 17:30

Memo to Stakeholders
With the season coming to a close we feel it is important to keep all SEABL stakeholders informed of our intentions for the coming season. As you may be aware Basketball Australia are currently undertaking a strategic review of the elite basketball competitions within the country. The outcomes of this review may or may not have an impact on the SEABL however we are an integral part of the review and will be working with BA to ensure the best outcomes for the sport in this country.
There are currently many rumours circulating that certain new teams will be joining SEABL in 2010. SEABL has received enquiries from prospective members to join our Competition and following discussions with Basketball Australia SEABL has agreed to advise prospective members that we will wait until the BA review is completed and the recommendations have been shared before formal consideration will be given to their application.
The SEABL board are continually looking to improve the SEABL competition and will consider any ideas that assist in doing this however we are mindful of the impact any change has on the overall basketball landscape in Australia. Our league consists of some of the largest basketball associations in the country and as a Board we will continue to work for the interests of these members however we all need to be mindful of what the best outcomes for the sport are.
Should you have any further queries please don’t hesitate to contact me
or the Chairman, Simon Brookhouse.
Cheers
Mark Chivers
General Manager South East Australian Basketball League

Defensive Player Year

14-08-09, 14:40

14 August, 2009
2009 CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Hobart Chargers Chuck Long and Kilsyth Cobras Quincy Henderson have shown that US imports can play defence after being awarded with the Defensive Player of the Year award for their respective conference. Knox Raiders dynamo guard Julia Tan was voted as Best Defensive player in the Women’s League
Kilsyth Cobras first year import Quincy Henderson played 25 games in the regular season, and received a total of 14 votes to edge out Bendigo guard Warren Randall for the award. Henderson arrived in Australia known for his defensive skills and provided coach Grant Wallace with the necessary skills to shut down opposition players each week. Henderson would be required to play all positions as he attempted to contain his opposition and help his team to victory. His tireless work never showed on the stats sheet, but Henderson received at least one Defensive Player vote in each game he played
Finishing the regular season as the second best shot blocker in the league, and ranking second in steals and fifth in defensive rebounds, Hobart Chargers forward Chuck Long was an outstanding player at the defensive end of the court and was rewarded with the South Men Defensive Player of the Year Award. Long was an intimidating force in the paint for most opposition teams, and was rewarded for his efforts with the award. He received a maximum of two votes on three occasions throughout the season to finish with 14 ahead of last years winner David Gruber.
Julia Tan is a veteran of over 300 games and has been known for her tenacious defence and has been rewarded with the award that best describes her number one asset in the game. Tan returned to the Raiders this season after a disappointing year with Nunawading last year, and has provided Knox with veteran leadership at the defensive end. Tan led the league in Steals with 2.9 per game and was also ranked fourth in the Golden Hands Award. Sarah received 24 votes for the season to win the award ahead of last years winner Sarah Parsons who collected 14 votes.
The Defensive Player of the Year award is determined through votes cast by head coaches at the conclusion of each match, and was awarded for the first time last year.

Well Done

14-08-09, 16:26

Spartans men do our sport proud.

Hi Allan

My name is David Rutter and I meant to send an email of thanks earlier. My family recently attended the Frankston Blues vs Spartans game down here in Melb with a grade 3 team I coach playing at half time.
As our juniors left the court when senior players returned, both my wife and myself noticed that a few of the Spartan players gave our young players high fives. The boys thought this was great and I meant to send an email of thanks earlier so that your players get a bit of recognition for a small yet meaningful gesture to our young players.

Many Thanks
David Rutter

GRAND FINAL

17-08-09, 09:34

SEABL Grand Final Weekend in Brisbane

The Carina Leagues Club Brisbane Lady Spartans and the Arrow Caravans & Towbars Brisbane Spartans are both vying for SEABL basketball supremacy this Saturday night at Carina Stadium.

The Lady Spartans have a major semi-final against the Bendigo Lady Braves with a National Basketball League team in support. Despite this the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans have defeated the Lady braves in both meetings during the regular season in round 8 by 10 points in Bendigo and in round 19 by 15 points in Brisbane at the Clem Jones Youth Centre.

In the second game, the Brisbane Spartans men take on rivals Knox Raiders at Carina for a fourth time this season. Over the years a fierce but health rivalry has begun and the stage is set for an Eastern Conference Grand Final extravaganza. The Knox Raiders are a powerhouse of basketball in Victoria and Australia drawing from one of Australia’s largest and most professionally run Associations.

In round 10 during the regular season, the Spartans demolished the Raiders by 19 points at the Rowland Cowan Stadium in Brisbane, however two weeks later in round 12 the Raiders snapped the Spartans 16 game-winning, streak by 5 points in overtime. This game watched by over 2000 supporters.

Two weeks ago, in the first semi final, both teams faced off again in front of a packed Carina Stadium in a qualifying final where the Spartans prevailed by just 3 points. The atmosphere was electric and the black army, as the Spartans supporters are known as, was back in fine force. Politicians, past and present, were in attendance as to many of the former greats of the Association.

“It was certainly an amazing spectacle,” Spartans head coach Bruce Palmer said. “The place was packed, it was loud, the game was one of the best I’ve seen in a very long time and we are expecting things to be bigger and better this Saturday night,” he concluded.

All the action tips off this Saturday night at the Rowland Cowan Stadium at the Clem Jones Youth Centre in Carina at 6pm with the Lady Spartans taking on the Bendigo Lady Braves in a knock out final, followed by the South East Australian Basketball League Eastern Conference Grand Final at 7:30pm with the Spartans Men taking on the Knox Raiders.

The SEABL competition is considered by many to be the highest standard of basketball available during the winter months with teams from Australia’s largest Associations competing from five States competing. With The Brisbane Bullets gone the Spartans with six current National Basketball Leagues players involved are without doubt holding the fort for basketball in Brisbane.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au phone 3398 2790
email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Googbye Emma

17-08-09, 15:59

LADY SPARTANS SAY FAREWELL

Australian Opal, Emma Randall, this week says goodbye to her team mates when she plays her last game in Queensland before travelling to New Zealand where she will again suit up for Australia.

After that she is off to Europe, as so many of the Opals do. “I have really enjoyed my stay here with the Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans. They are a quality outfit that are well managed and coached. I have really enjoyed my time here. I also needed to play at a standard, in the international off season, and the SEABL has so many great players in it. You never know who will win each week due to such great team structures and the commitment of the players.” Randall was quoted as saying.

The chance to play in Brisbane in the South East Australian Basketball League was made possible by the Southern Districts Basketball Association who play out of the Clem Jones Youth Centre in Carina.

“We wanted a bigger player to help out with our young squad and when Alison Tranquilli informed me Emma was available and looking to have a year in Brisbane we jumped at the chance” offered General Manager, Allan Ladewig. “Emma has been the perfect fit for us. She understands her role within the team and is willing to do so much in the juniors that we could not go past her. The biggest thing was finding her a sponsor and thankfully the Carina Leagues Club came forward. They are such great supporters of this entire community”.

Southern Districts Lady Spartans last week lost to the Knox Raiders from Victoria but this week get a second chance to make history when they host the Bendigo Lady Braves at 6pm on Saturday night. A win sees the team travel to Melbourne the following Saturday night to take on Knox again.

“Without Emma being available, if we do make the Grand final, due to Opals commitments it will be hard but our women’s team have improved so much under Emma’s guidance we are confident of causing an upset. No matter the end result this has been our greatest season ever and we know now that when we elected to jump from the Queensland Basketball League to the SEABL competition we made the right choice for our players who are now just about all looking at playing in the Women’s National League next season. This would never have happened if we had stayed where we were”.

All is not lost though with the Lady Spartans already talking to Randall about next year plus at least one other WNBL player.

“The only way for us to go now is forward and we will do that with a great sponsor in the Carina Leagues Club and Queensland’s best supporters” Ladewig added.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au
Email sdbal@bigpond.net.au
Phone 3398 2790

Knox on the Move

18-08-09, 14:02

KNOX RAIDERS ON MOVE

Things are starting to heat up for this Saturdays clash between Victorian basketball powerhouse the Knox Raiders as they prepare to do battle with the Brisbane Spartans in the Grand final of the Eastern Conference of the South East Australian Basketball League.

The Arrow Caravan and Towbar Spartans won the right to host the grand final when they defeated Knox by three points two week ago.

This is the first time the final will ever be held in Queensland and the Rowland Cowan Stadium is sure to be packed to the rafters at the Clem Jones Youth Centre with Knox already booking 100 seats for the game.

Not to be out done the Spartans have been busy contacting past players and supporters for their own “black army” that marched on a regular yearly finals basis prior to the Spartans jumping from the State League three years ago to what many consider to be “Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League”.

“We knew it would be hard but the work has been worth while and the reward is seeing so many of our players, both male and female (Lady Spartans), now playing in the respective National basketball Leagues” offered General Manager, Allan Ladewig. “ I know everyone in Queensland is hoping we can get across the line and that these players will one day be the launch pad for the return of the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL”.

The Lady Spartans also have booked a date with destiny when they take on the powerful Bendigo Lady Braves. The Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans lost last week to Knox in Knox and now must win to earn the right to play in next week’s Grand final.

This game will also be the last Queensland gets to see of Australian Opal, Emma Randall, as she departs to New Zealand where she will compete for the Opals prior to returning to Europe to take up a contract.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au Phone 3398 2790
Email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Statistical Awards

18-08-09, 14:42

For Spartans Holly Smith and Ash both won an award. Go to SEABL site for all information.

2009 STATISTICAL AWARD WINNERS
The SEABL have announced the 2009 Statistical award winners today, with Knox Raiders import CJ Massingale winning his second consecutive SEABL scoring title averaging 25.0 pts in the East Conference. With a season high of 38pts in round 6 against Knox, Bendigo Lady Braves guard Kelly Wilson was the Women leading scorer, averaging 22.8ppg.
NW Tasmania Thunder playing coach Sam Armstrong won the South Men Leading Scorer title averaging 25.6 points per game. Armstrong dominated the scoring for the entire season, scoring 35+ points on seven occasions and scoring a season high 53pts in round 13 at Brisbane.
Albury/Wodonga import Fernandez Lockett had a great first season in the SEABL, and dominated the South Men rebounding categories before injuring his knee and was unable to finish the season after round 15. Lockett averaged 14.8 rebounds per game and recorded double digit rebounding totals in all put four games this season with a season best 24rebs in his first SEABL game in round 2.
Kilsyth Cobras Joe Werner was awarded the East Men leading rebounder title, averaging 13.6 per game. Werner was a monster on the boards, and recorded 20+ rebounds on three occasions. Knox Raiders Emily Fryters won her second consecutive rebounding title despite changing teams in the off-season. Emily dominated the glass at both ends of the floor leading the women’s league with 11.81 rebounds.
Kilsyth Lady Cobras Sarah Parsons won the Golden Hands Award for the second straight year with a 3.63 average. Bendigo Braves youngster Kevin Probert had a breakout season and was rewarded with the East Men Golden Hands Award, recording a 3.70 average.
Despite entering the season late Sandringham Sabres guard Nathan Crosswell made an instant impact on his team and finished the season with the South Men Golden Hands Award with a 5.4average.
The Golden Hands Award is determined by adding Assists and Steals, then subtracting the turnovers to give a total, and then averaged per game.
Sandringham Sabres Josh Wilcher dominated the D League Men scoring category finishing the season with a 21.1 average, 3pts clear of second place Kris Davis of Bendigo. Kris Davis despite missing the last seven games of the season due to being elevated up to the Bendigo Braves Championship team finished as the D League Men Leading Rebounder with an average 10.85 per game.
Jackie Vanderzaag guided the Nunawading Spectres to the D League Women Championhsip and was also the league leading scorer with 13.78 points per game. Team mate Michelle Meneguzzi dominated the rebounding title all season and finished with a 10.35 average and the title as leading rebounder.

Unregistered

18-08-09, 19:54

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/541/49598951.jpg

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/1520/13295945.jpg

Unregistered

20-08-09, 08:01

Congrats to the girls in figuring in the top 10 in various categories for the year:
Emma
Holly
Odette
Kate
Shona
Rachel

well done indeed!

Game previews

20-08-09, 11:50

BRISBANE vs BENDIGO
Saturday 22nd August – 6:00pm @ Carina Basketball Stadium
The Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans lost last week to Knox in Knox and now must win this week to earn the right to play in next week’s Grand final. Brisbane will be confident of securing the victory having defeated Bendigo twice already this season. Emma Randall has dominated in both games recording 21pts 9rebs in rd8 and 16pts 12rebs in rd 19. Her presence in the paint has been a major factor in both games and Lady Braves coach Jeremi Moule will need a solid defensive effort from Jasmine Finnigan.
Bendigo guard and league MVP contender Kelly Wilson has also stamped her authority in both games averaging 20pts and is in fine form and keen to produce another solid offensive performance. Brisbane coach Donna Rinaldi may decide to let Wilson score her season average 22.75pts, but concentrate on shutting down Lady Braves other offensive threats Finnigan and King. Bendigo has relied heavily on the threesome all year and need all three to produce double digits in scoring for Bendigo to clinch the victory.
Kate Willey and Shona O’Bree have had outstanding seasons this year, and play a pivotal role at both ends of the floor. Both Willey and O’Bree will share the defensive job on Wilson throughout the game and both are exceptional defenders and capable of shutting her down. Both players will also need to produce at the offensive end as the team can not rely on Randall to score all the points.
This game will also be the last Brisbane gets to see of Australian Opal, Emma Randall, as she departs to New Zealand where she will compete for the Opals prior to returning to Europe to take up a contract. Should the Lady Spartans win they will need to play the Grand Final next week without their team MVP.
2009 Head to Head – Round 8 Brisbane def Bendigo 82-72 (@ Bendigo)
Round 19 Brisbane def Bendigo 77-62 (@ Brisbane)

SOUTH MEN FINAL
FRANKSTON vs GEELONG
Saturday 22nd August – 7:30pm @ Frankston Basketball Stadium
Geelong has fought their way through to their fourth conference final in five years after a terrific 107-78 victory on the road last week against Hobart. Geelong had six players score double digits with Import Ismail Muhammad dominating with 30pts@63%.
Frankston are determined to secure their first Conference title since 2000 after a disappointing loss last year. Harms, Gruber and Kampman have guided the Blues to an impressive 23-4 regular season record including two easy victories over Geelong. League MVP contender Andrew Harms has dominated the Supercats in both games this year averaging 32.5pts, 7.5rebs and 7.5ass including a Player of the Week performance in the rd11 victory with a Triple Double (34pts, 11rebs, 11ass).
Supercats enter this game on the back of a five game winning streak and are playing great basketball at the most important time of the year. Jason Reardon has been the Supercats consistent performer against Frankston this year averaging 22.5pts, 13rebs and 6ass. Geelong Imports Lee and Muhammad did not dominate in the games against Frankston this year but have showed in recent weeks that they love playoff basketball and keen to produce an impressive performance this week and secure the conference title.
2009 Head to Head – Round 3 Frankston def Geelong 116-94 (@ Geelong)
Round 11 Frankston def Geelong 128-115 (@ Frankston)
EAST MEN FINAL
BRISBANE vs KNOX
Saturday 22nd August – 8:00pm @ Carina Basketball Stadium
The Brisbane Spartans men take on rivals Knox Raiders at Carina for a fourth time this season. Over the years a fierce but healthy rivalry has begun and the stage is set for an East Conference Grand Final extravaganza. In round 10 the Spartans demolished the Raiders by 19 points, however two weeks later in front of 2000 spectators the Raiders snapped the Spartans 16 game-winning streak by 5 points in overtime.
Two weeks ago, in the first semi final, both teams faced off again in front of a packed Carina Stadium where the Spartans prevailed by just 3 points. The atmosphere was electric and the black army, as the Spartans supporters are known as, were back in fine force.
In all three games so far this season both teams have had a different player step up and provide their respective teams with respectable numbers. Brisbane center Greg Vanderjagt has averaged 23pts, 12rebs and 3ass against the Raiders this season and Knox coach will be keen for a solid defensive assignment from Lester Strong. Lester was impressive in the semi final game, but needs to make sure he stays out of foul trouble because he is worth more to the team on the court than sitting on the sidelines.
Conference Leading Scorer CJ Massingale has averaged 27.6pts against the Spartans this season and after a disappointing performance in the semi final will be keen for a better offensive display this week. Massingale and Carroll will secure their third conference title in four years with the Raiders should they win this weekend.
2009 Head to Head – Round 10 Brisbane def Knox 121-112 (@ Brisbane)
Round 12 Brisbane Lost to Knox 103-107 O/T (@ Knox)
Semi Final Brisbane def Knox 113-110 (@ Brisbane)

Unregistered

21-08-09, 14:45

Good luck to the Lady Spartans this weekend..... you guys have worked hard and showed that home grown talent can get you to the finals. great effort ladies!

Watch the game

21-08-09, 16:24

WATCH SEABL FINALS LIVE THIS WEEKEND

This weekend basketball fans around the world can watch the SEABL finals live on the internet. Courtlive have advised the league that it will be able to livestream from both Brisbane and Frankston giving fans the ability to watch both mens semi finals games on the same night.

This first men’s game at 7:30pm is a blockbuster between South Men minor premiers Frankston and Geelong Supercats. Fans can view the game on their computer or mobile phone, and watch every exciting second of the game for free! Then at 8:00pm the East Men Grand Final will be showcased with the Brisbane Spartans hosting the Knox Raiders.

To find the game, viewers will need to log onto the SEABL website, www.seabl.com.au , and follow the Court Live link. All fans will need to register with Court Live and pay $5.00 to watch a game.

The Women’s Preliminary Final between Brisbane and Bendigo at Carina Basketball Stadium will also be shown live from 6pm onwards.

To bring SEABL games to basketball fans, Court Live has used cutting edge technology and broken new ground in the broadcasting of Australian basketball. Over the past few weeks, visitors to the SEABL website will have noticed changes in the Court Live link. These changes have been the result of SEABL and Court Live developing and fine tuning their game coverage. With the development phase now completed, Live Streaming is ready for delivery anywhere to basketball fans that have Internet access.

Unfortunately due to the internet access available at Frankston Basketball Stadium the live streaming quality has been reduced and the picture size will be reduced.

Be a part of this great moment in SEABL and Australian basketball.

Unregistered

22-08-09, 09:26

Good luck to the girls tonight. You know you can do it. Go get it!

Through to Grand final

24-08-09, 10:10

Basketball the Winner

Since the demise of the Brisbane Bullets, basketball sadly has taken a back seat to the other major sports. That was until last night when over 800 people packed into the Rowland Cowan Stadium at the Clem Jones Youth Centre to watch the newest sporting teams in town the Brisbane Spartans and the Brisbane Lady Spartans.

Both teams compete in the South East Australian Basketball League, recognised by the basketball community as the highest standard basketball, a small step down from the NBL and WNBL, in the winter months, the traditional time for the sport.

The Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans played the Bendigo Lady Braves for the right to compete in the SEABL Grand Final next Saturday night in Melbourne against powerhouse the Knox Lady Raiders.

In one of the highest standard games for women’s basketball, played in Queensland for many years, the Lady Spartans under the direction of Donna Rinaldi powered away in the last quarter to win 67-57 led by Kate Willey. She was not alone though with Australian Opal Emma Randall doing the hard work on the boards along with Rebecca Shatz and the ever reliable Shona O’Bree.

Made up of players that have come through the juniors ranks with Australian Opal, Emma Randall thrown in for good measure, the Lady Spartans are Queensland’s most successful women’s basketball program, dominating the State League prior to making the jump to the higher competition three years ago.

Within the men’s program the Brisbane Spartans have no fewer then five NBL players with former NBL and Australian coach, Bruce Palmer, heading the program.

With an army of supporters who all wear black the Spartans are recognised at local schools and supported by the local community where the players are very active. One the of biggest supporters of the program is Gold Coast Blaze owner, Owen Tomlinson, who regularly attends games with family and friends.

After heading the East Conference of SEABL for the entire year the Spartans earned the right to host the grand final, the first time it has ever been held in Queensland.

Sadly the Spartans were downed 92 to 87 by the Knox Raiders led by former Brisbane Bullet, Mick Hill, in the last few minutes after leading for most of the game. While the season may have come to an end for them what they have done is re-ignite the passion for the local community for basketball.

Basketball was the winner and those who were at the game will be back in 2010 as both the Lady Spartans and Spartans strive to promote basketball as the complete family sport.

ENDS www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au email sdbal@bigpond.net.au

Mr bEn

25-08-09, 00:00

Two great games on Saturday, and the atmosphere was fantastic.

Both games involved low-percentage shooting, but were typified by playoff-hustle and intensity.

I really enjoyed watching Kelly Wilson run the show for the opposition Bendigo Braves in the women. She has some awesome handles and vision. A shame she played perhaps her most ordinary game this night though. The Spartans will do it tough without Emma randall in the final but I think they can give it a good crack.

The men didn't live up to their reputation as free scorers, with buckets coming at a premium. Mick Hill looked dangerous early then went quiet as the Spartans rolled. Not sure if the local boys were playing zone all game, but it killed them in the last quarter when every single Knox player began putting the ball in the hole at will. A shame they lost in the end, but at least it has been an entertaining season.

Unregistered

25-08-09, 07:38

Perhaps Ben because of the tight the defence played by the Spartans, Kelly Wilson was kept pretty quiet and contained extremely well.
It was one of the best games of the season to watch. Win or lose next week, what an achievement to be in the grand final for this young team after only this their 3rd season in the comp.
Funny - no player of the week awards or no coach of the month award all season.........but what the hell........these girls have a ticket to the BIG DANCE on Saturday night.

Unregistered

25-08-09, 09:20

I completely agree..... the girls have had a great season, they work hard and play as a team. its been great to watch each girl develop throughout the season.

i can't wait to get down there on saturday and support the girls. its great to be back in finals!

Awards

25-08-09, 14:40

2009 AUSTRALIAN YOUTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CHRIS GOULDING of the Brisbane Spartans and Albury/Wodonga Lady Bandits ALEX DUCK have been rewarded for another sensational season, earning consecutive Youth Player of the year awards. In his first season in the SEABL, Sandringham Sabres guard DANIEL DILLON wins the South Men Australian Youth Player award for a standout season.

CHRIS GOULDING received 30 out of a possible 42, to clinch consecutive Australian Youth Player awards ahead of team mate Tyson Demos. Chris finished the season as the fifth best scorer averaging 20.8pts per game, helping the Spartans to the minor premiership with a 24-3 regular season record. .
20 year old Chris Goulding returned to Brisbane after spending the 08/09 NBL season with Perth Wildcats and received Player of the Week honours in week 2 Goulding started the weekend with 23pts, 5rebs, 2ass and 1stl against Mt Gambier on the Friday night. Chris continued his hot shooting streak the following night with 31pts@45%, 5rebs, 2ass and 1stl at the Snakepit, helping Brisbane record a 108-97 victory against Kilsyth. In round six Goulding recorded a season high 36pts@65% and 6ass against Ballarat.

landy

28-08-09, 18:47

Sat nite Lady Spartans Grand Final at 5.30pm wil be livestreamed followed by mens Grand Final.Click onto courtlive link on SEABL home page and register to watch.We hope to bring you all Spartan matches live next season.

Mr bEn

30-08-09, 10:12

Congrats to the Lady Spartans who claimed an upset last night and took out the SEABL title over the more fancied Knox Raiders. Well done girls.

Unregistered

31-08-09, 16:13

great supporters, awesome win.... well done ladies

Unregistered

31-08-09, 20:49

The early tip off was not a problem for the Brisbane Lady Spartans who jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.

From the outset of the match it was evident that Brisbane Spartans were determined to put on a show.

The very first score for the girls was a brilliant assist by Shona O'Bree to the ever dependable Holly Smith and it was this kind of teamwork that put Knox on the back foot and searching for answers time and time again!

To their credit, Knox did put up a spirited fight back in the dying stages of the game but cool hands and great leadership by the Brisbane Captain, Shona O'Bree steadied the ship and gave the 'Northerners" a well deserved win.

Unregistered

03-09-09, 17:09

I'm aware that basketball queensland has a problem with the administration of Southern Districts, but I find it a bit on the gutless side that they could not recognise the fact that the Lady Spartans won SEABL. Going back from memory I believe all of the girls playing in the final represented Queensland as juniors and all are members of Basketball Queensland.

It appears that Basketball Queensland will not recognise any of the achievements of these girls, even thow they are members of Basketball Queensland.

Unregistered

03-09-09, 20:00

even thow they are members of Basketball Queensland.[/QUOTE]

Are you sure?
BQ would probably write to those that are, but SD refuses to give their contact details.
What did BA do? If it was a BA news item it would be on BQ site automatically.

Unregistered

03-09-09, 23:16

Winners

07-09-09, 15:11

BRISBANE LADY SPARTANS - 2009 CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL WOMEN CHAMPIONS

Brisbane Lady Spartans held on to secure their first SEABL Championship with a 77-69 victory over Minor Premiers Knox Raiders. Lady Spartans Holly Smith (18pts, 8rebs) dominated the game and received the Barbara Barton Medal for MVP of the Grand Final.

Spartans dominated the first half as the Raiders struggled to convert and produced costly turnovers, which resulted in numerous fast break points for the Spartans. Raiders injured center and All SEABL team member Emily Fryters was struggling early as the Spartans played an uptempo game style that had the Raiders concerned.

Lady Spartans guards Kate Willey, Shona O’Bree and Cassie Smith were a dominant trio on defence as they didn’t give Raiders Sarah Graham any free space and the Raiders struggled to find an offensive threat. Brisbane held a 40-26 lead at half time and looked to be in full control of the game.

Knox Raiders coach Heath Anderson asked for his girls to lift during the half time break and they responded, as they outscored the Lady Spartans 25-23 to bridge the gap. Caitlin Cunningham dominated in the third quarter to keep the Raiders in the game and with his starting five not producing Raiders coach Heath Anderson went to his bench and Danni Bone, Lill Keane and Megan Sinclair played hard to bridge the gap to 68-70 with 2mins remaining.

Brisbane remained composed in the last quarter and held on to secure the win as the Raiders were forced to foul in the final seconds, but Brisbane made the free throws and held on to secure the win.

Click here for boxscore

South East Advertiser

08-09-09, 16:27

Congrats to the South East Advertsier for winning this years SEABL "Weekly Media Award for the Men".

Well done Gary and your crew. We look forward to working with you guys again in 2010.

The South East Advertiser has been one of our sports greatest supporters over the past twelve months and we thank them so much for the effort they have put in with both the SEABL promotion and the junior basketball promotion.

Allan Ladewig
General Manager

Southern Districts Basketball Association

Congrats Bruce

08-09-09, 16:30

SEABL EAST MEN
Returning to the league after a year’s absence, BRUCE PALMER returned to the Spartans to guide Brisbane to the East Men Minor Premiership with a league best 24-3 record. The Spartans occupied the number one position on the ladder for the entire season after a fantastic 14 game winning streak to open the season. .
Palmer received Coach of the Month honors for April as the Spartans recorded four wins at an average winning margin of 26pts, which included two sensational wins on the road in Country Victoria. After guiding the Spartans to the finals in 2007, Palmer coached in the QABL last year, but has come back to the SEABL this year as he believes the league is a quality competition and wanted to be a part of it again
Bruce guided his team to the Conference title, but was unlucky in his attempt to win the Spartans their first SEABL conference title as Knox overpowered them in the fourth quarter to steal the Championship from the Spartans.

Two in All Star

08-09-09, 16:37

2009 ALL SEABL EAST MEN TEAM
Three new faces receive recognition for sensational seasons this year with MVP favorites Joe Werner and CJ Massingale earning recognition for the second consecutive year. The "All SEABL Team" is decided by the coach and captain of each team. The team is selected by playing position from a list of players that received Most Valuable Player votes throughout the regular playing season.
CJ MASSINGALE had another standout season and is rewarded with his third All SEABL Team Selection. CJ had a sensational year, finishing the season as leading scorer (25.0ppg), including seven 30+pts performances. . Massinagle guided his Raiders team to their third Conference title in four years, and will be hoping to cap his brilliant individual season with team success and win the Championship this weekend.
Dandenong Rangers forward DUSTY JURA earns All SEABL team selection in his first season after averaging 24.0ppg (2nd), 12.7rpg (2nd) and 1.6ass. Jura started the season at a blistering pace recording 34pts and 9rebs in his first match. Jura received Player of the Month accolades in June after producing two 40pts and 15+rebs games
CHRIS GOULDING received the Australian Youth Player for the second consecutive year this season and has been awarded with his first All SEABL team selection as well this year. Goulding averaged 20.8pts, 3.7rebs, and 2.9ass in his third season with the Brisbane Spartans. Chris was a member of the Australian Boomers Squad this year, but injured his ankle in round 14 and missed numerous camps. Goulding has shown over the past few years he is a talented athlete and after two years as a development player in the NBL, he is sure to give the NBL a shake this year in his first season with the Gold Coast Blaze.
Brisbane Spartans forward ASH CANNAN receives his first recognition on the All SEABL East Men Team in his first season back in the SEABL after stints in US College and the Big V. Cannan was instrumental in his teams Minor Premiership this season, and finished the season averaging 19.4pts, 9.7rebs and 2.2ass. Cannan’s passion on the court shows up in every game and he received Player of the Week recognition in round 18 for averaging 19.5pts, 13rebs, 3ass and 3stls on the Spartans 2 game road trip to Victoria
JOE WERNER scored a double double in all but three games this season and earned Player of the Week for his performance in round 12 with 45pts, 20rebs, 3blks and 2ass against Ballarat. Joe averaged 21.8pts (4th), led the league in rebounds with 13.6 per game, and 1.5ass for the year. Joe was a dominant force all year for the third placed Cobras and scored 20+pts on 15 occasions and 15+rebs on 10 occasions.