Observations and calculations from Week Two.
The league by the numbers:
League percentages, games of Week Two:
Three pointers: 17/96 = 17.7% (Week One: 28/96 = 29.2%)
FG: 145/439 = 33.0% (Week One: 143/404 = 35.4%)
FT: 30/64 = 46.9% (Week One: 33/63 = 52.4%)
2 technical fouls assessed for non-PFL jerseys. Who were the offenders? You’ll find them with a scarlet T on their jerseys next week.
Observation:
League-wide shooting percentages were down. Was it particularly sunny in the gym? Was it the presence of Coach Pritchard and his whistle adding to the already substantial pressure felt by players to perform? Was Week One some sort of modest and ultimately cruel beginner’s luck? Oh, I know: the defenses were better, starting to hit their stride Week Two.
Week Two, November 9, 2013
G1: Fun game to watch. Kings assisted on 13 of their 17 baskets with 3 players registering at least 3 assists. This means the ball is moving. They also apportioned their minutes nicely except Jim Duane needs to talk to his son David (18 min/31 min respectively). A36ers: a scrappy lot. JR Morris went double/double in his PFL debut. Team: 1/13 on 3s. Maybe not a good idea till after an NTL Clinic. Back to Edison “Bright Lights” Tam: I’m thinking he’s got the best vertical in the league. Can we bring some chalk and a measuring tape and do the vertical measuring against the wall next Saturday? I’m saying 32″+.
Game One /Sydney Kings (2-0) 43 – Adelaide 36ers (0-2) 36
(Players missing: SK: Ranjith Zachariah; A36: Barry Lai – inj., Brad Schutzer)
G2: Another sort of fun game to watch. Taipans (the world’s most venomous snake, but you already knew that) have relentless rebounders, willing passers, and a certain Carrutherian flair. Two shouts outs! First to Matt “The Worm” Siebler for loving to rebound and playing to his skill set (defense, put backs and the occasional drop-step) and to Gordon Vidaver, recently given the Avery Bradley Award and the Most Improved Player Award at the Never Too Late Basketball Weekend Camp in Sheffield, MA, Oct 2013. Three FGs? Way to finish Gordon! Though we know you’re not done. Nate Paszamant and Christian Hartjes were the wildest of the Perth Wildcats.
Game Two / Cairns Taipans (2-0) 58 – Perth Wildcats (0-2) 40
(Players not there to help their teams this week: CT: Jordan Carroll; PW: Keith Storrs, Mark Pinchook, Derek Bogarty)
G3: It did NZB no good that I wore my New Zealand Breakers cap (against all scorekeeper’s impartiality rules). It also did them no good that Eric Poydar had to leave for the hospital to get 4 stitches beneath his right eye. The Breakers scored a basket every 4 minutes and 27 seconds; they had a mere 3 assists. Plus they squabbled. Glass house. I think they’ll do better in every way soon. On the other side of the swamp, David Po was ridiculous with 5 assists and just 1 turnover; Chizzy Uchendu played one of the best games I’ve seen him play. The ball spent less time in his hands per his possessions and he and his him team thrived because of it. Oh, scouting report: get Steven Friedman off that spot he likes on the left wing. He was dug in there. Four 3s!
Game Three / Townsville Crocodiles (2-0) 50 – New Zealand Breakers (0-2) 25
(Absent players: NZB: Erik Morales, Lou Wang, Dan Ziminski – just kidding, he’s not playing because he’s still recovering from an achilles heel rupture/surgery, but they could have used him even on one leg)
G4: Note to PFL teams hoping to win more games than the other teams: the Melbourne Tigers are formidable. Kind of my fault: underrated Paul Curran. He must have gone through the motions at Draft Day and then, unannounced to anyone, he grew a mustache. Man! He’s playing like an MVP. And then there’s Ryan Allison. Another problem. Oh well, maybe they’ll have spotty attendance at games. Have you ever been to Wollongong? Nice seaside town south of Sydney. Chic restaurants, cafés: might be a good place there for the Hawks to convene and talk about transition defense. Dave Stewart had a couple nice driving hoops and Nat Rink threatened to make it close late in the game. They are just one team meeting away.
Game Four / Melbourne Tigers (2-0) 46 – Wollongong Hawks (0-2) 39
(Raking leaves: WH: Cameron LaHart, Tom Hamel)
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