AUS - Australian legends bow out

Watch live NBL action on www.fibatv.com, including the upcoming playoffs.

MELBOURNE (NBL) - What many people are calling the best NBL season in its 32 year history got even better in Week 19. With just one week remaining, only the Perth Wildcats assured of a playoff position – the 24th straight year Perth have made the NBL playoffs.

While it was an exhilarating round of basketball, it was also a sad one for Australian hoops, with national team legends Sam Mackinnon and Chris Anstey announcing their retirement after the Wildcats defeated the Melbourne Tigers 84-78 in overtime to end their playoff hopes.

The Tigers forced the game into overtime when former Denver Nugget Julius Hodge (24 points, 7 rebounds) scored a remarkable left hand lay-up to tie the scores at 71-71. But soon-to-be Australian Boomers Stephen Weigh (10 points, 8 rebounds) and Jesse Wagstaff (10 points), Beijing Olympian Shawn Redhage (17 points) and import Kevin Lisch (17 points, 4/7 3pfg) made the big plays in overtime to secure victory for Perth, and leave them within one win of securing first place.

Mackinnon, who injured his calf in the second quarter against Perth, represented Australia at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, 1998 and 2006 FIBA World Championship and 2006 Commonwealth Games. Only injury kept him out of the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games.

He was also NBL MVP in 2007 – one of the league’s greatest individual seasons where he led the championship winning Brisbane Bullets in all major statistical categories and claimed Grand Final MVP and Best Defensive Player. He was runner up MVP in 2000 and 2004.

Mackinnon and Anstey were the star performers at the 1997 FIBA U23 World Championship, Australia’s first ever gold medal in men’s basketball. Anstey claimed the MVP award from this tournament.

Anstey was also ULEB Cup MVP in 2003, was a FIBA Europe League All Star in 2004 and 2005, NBL MVP in 2006 and 2008, and a three time NBL championship winner. He played two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and one with the Chicago Bulls, recording a career high 26 points for the Mavericks, an Australian record in the NBA until Andrew Bogut broke the mark this season.

Both will be counted amongst Australia’s greatest ever players, and will be sorely missed by the NBL.

But this NBL season has been as much about emerging stars as established ones. Young Boomers point guard Adam Gibson again made a strong claim for a flight to Turkey this August, hitting four 3-pointers on his way to 23 points and 8 assists as the Gold Coast Blaze defeated Perth 86-73.

Veteran import Erron Maxey (19 points, 12 rebounds) and rising power forward Anthony Petrie (15 points, 5 rebounds) were also excellent for the Blaze. For Perth, Redhage had 13 points and 5 rebounds and 2003 FIBA U19 World Championship gold medallist Damien Martin 12 points.

The Blaze ran into a road block the next night in Wollongong, as the Hawks nailed 11/16 from the three point line to run out easy 100-88 victors. Club saviour Matt Campbell (23 points, 5/8 3pfg) and rookie of the year candidate Tim Coenraad (19 points, 4/4 3pfg) were the main destroyers.

In the other game of the round, the Townsville Crocodiles moved another step closer to the playoffs with an 89-76 home win over North Queensland rivals the Cairns Taipans.

2006 FIBA World Championship reserve Russell Hinder caught fire, nailing 4/6 three pointers on his way to 18 points and 4 rebounds, stretching the Taipans frontcourt and opening the key for import Corey Williams (17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists). Dusty Rychart had 17 points and 8 rebounds for Cairns.

While Perth (16-11) are qualified for the 2010 NBL playoffs, Week 20 sees Townsville (15-11), Gold Coast (15-11), Wollongong (14-12) and New Zealand (13-13) each play two games, with tiebreakers sure to come into effect to determine the final four placings.

Stay tuned to www.fiba.basketball and www.fibatv.com to see the exciting conclusion to arguably the best NBL season ever.

NBL Round 20
Weds: Townsville (15-11) v Adelaide (10-16) LIVE on FIBA TV
Thurs: New Zealand (13-13) v Gold Coast (15-11)
Fri: Wollongong (14-12) v Melbourne (11-15)
Sat: Melbourne v Gold Coast
Sat: Adelaide v Wollongong LIVE on FIBA TV
Sat: Cairns (11-16) v New Zealand
Sun: Perth (16-11) v Townsville

Paulo Kennedy
FIBA