Photo: Hoop in Westport, MA. (Sept 2002)

Week Eleven, February 8, 2014

G1: At one point during the first half, I turned to Adam and said, “this is a great PFL game”. I loved how Adelaide pressured the ball, bodied up in the post, swarmed and double teamed. I was equally impressed with how The Breakers handled the ball and moved it when they needed to. A36 made a great run in the last two minutes and almost pulled it out. Michael Peerless is really finding his niche. It was just too bad for them that Chris Ryan chose to have his best all-around game in a couple of seasons. (Kudos, too, to JJ and David Kelleher – great finish on a drive – for their hustle plays, moving to open spots and zero turnovers in 51 minutes between them. Awesome. Not sure NZB would have won without them.)

Game One /New Zealand Breakers (5-5; 1-0) 40 – Adelaide 36ers (4-6; 0-1) 36
(Absent players: for NZB: Mike Brown, Lou Wang and Dan Ziminski; for A36: Alan Tam)

Box Score Game One

G2: Chip Allen hit his first career 3 pointer at the buzzer to send the game into OT, but it wasn’t enough, no carryover, as Wollongong pulled away in the extra session. The Hawks hawked and hounded the Crocs into shooting 20.8% including zero 2 point FG in the first half! Lucas Bilbro was clutch from the charity stripe (4-4). Marty “Pogo” Bitner had 3 more blocks to go along with his double-double. Tough “D” carried the Hawks into the semi-finals next week. Another great game.

Game Two /Wollongong Hawks (4-6; 1-0) 37 – Townsville Crocodiles (7-3; 0-1) 34
(Out and about: Hawks: Cameron LaHart, Josh Kratka, Nat Rink; Crocs: Greg Herr, Megan Ladd))

Box Score Game Two

G3: Down by double figures much of the second half, the Tigers had a chance to tie it at games end. Not to be. Another top seed falls. Credit those Carruthers and big Mike Earley (who bodied and banged with Evan “The Pope” Pepe) and the offensive efficiency of Gordon Vidaver (2 for 3) for the win. 23 turnovers versus 7 turnovers and they still won the game! That’s what happens when you hit your shots.

Game Three /Cairns Taipans (4-6; 1-0) 43 – Melbourne Tigers (7-3;0-1) 41
(Players missing: CT: Jordan Carroll, Jeff “Slinger” Smith; Tigers: Ryan Allison)

Box Score Game Three

G4: #s 1, 2, and 3 beaten by #s 8, 7 and 6. Welcome to the PFL playoffs. Some of the #1 Kings have been on teams that were seeded last and gone on to win PFL championships, so they now know how the Perth Wildcats feel. Perth, on the west coast of Australia, is about as “down under” as you get. And this team played pretty far down under the rest of the league most of the season. But they’ve been patient, and stayed positive, and riding the 10/16 shooting of Mark Pinchook, stand to play another day. They moved the ball and trusted one another to the tune of 13 assists versus 9 turnovers. Once again, a bad shooting day took down a top seed. “Star Power” Knauer was an awesome 13/16 from the FT line. Know what I like about the Kings? Gracious in defeat. A nice team that’s had a great season.

Game Four /Perth Wildcats (1-9; 1-0) 41 – Sydney Kings (8-2; 0-1) 36
(“CTs out: Bill and Tyler Carruthers)

Box Score Game Four