AUS - Past, future and forgotten Boomers make their mark
SYDNEY (FIBA World Championship) - The first seven days of the Australian National Basketball League has seen high scoring, increased crowds and plenty of headline performances. And it has been one past, one future and one forgotten Boomer that have put on the most impressive displays. When asked why Boomers veteran and Townsville perimeter specialist John Rillie was not in the initial 35 man Australian squad for the 2006 FIBA World Championships, coach
SYDNEY (FIBA World Championship) - The first seven days of the Australian National Basketball League has seen high scoring, increased crowds and plenty of headline performances. And it has been one past, one future and one forgotten Boomer that have put on the most impressive displays.
When asked why Boomers veteran and Townsville perimeter specialist John Rillie was not in the initial 35 man Australian squad for the 2006 FIBA World Championships, coach Brian Goorjian replied succinctly, "I believe he's simply not good enough . It's as simple as that."
Never one to back down from a challenge, the 34 year old Rillie turned on a show for Goorjian and his Sydney Kings in round 1, landing 6/12 three pointers on his way to a game high 37 points as Townsville prevailed, 117-103. The 195cm guard added 7 rebounds and 6 assists for good measure.
Another player to demonstrate the skills he could have offered the Boomers in Japan was New Zealand Breakers centre Ben Pepper. Since winning gold with the Australian Under 23 team in 1997, Pepper has been largely ignored by national selectors, but has quietly gone about establishing himself as one of the leagues elite pivots.
MVP for the Breakers last season, Pepper’s display against the South Dragons and former NBA centre Todd Fuller indicated he is ready to take his game to another level this year.
The 213cm big man collected 17 points and 11 rebounds, scoring his points with outstanding footwork and touch around the basket, to help New Zealand spoil the Dragons first NBL appearance with a 112-106 victory.
Former Sport Lisboa Benfica (Portugal) import Ricardo Powell was also a standout for New Zealand, not only acquiring 34 points and 11 rebounds but playing with a flair and athleticism that brought the near capacity crowd to fever pitch.
The story of the game however, came from the debutant Dragons, and it was a case of ‘out with the old and in with the new.’ Former Australian captain and Dragons marquee player Shane Heal injured his back on game day. Heal was forced to watch the match from the bench, giving an opportunity to 18 year old rookie Joe Ingles to fill the breach.
While much has been spoken about Ingles’ potential, few could have predicted the 29 point barrage that was to follow. His performance, on 11/15 shooting, was the best first game output by a non-import player in NBL history, dwarfing the debut efforts of his captain Heal (14 points) and Australian great Andrew Gaze (16).
Other notable performances in week 1 came from three-time Olympian Brett Maher, who scored 11 points in the last three minutes to guide Adelaide to an 89-85 win over Wollongong. Maher’s former teammate Martin Cattalini, previously with DKV Joventut in Spain, poured in 32 points and 7 rebounds, but it was a lone hand as his Cairns Taipans fell to the defending champion Melbourne Tigers 94-86.
The Singapore Slingers were victorious in their debut match, recording a 98-91 win over Adelaide in front of a healthy crowd of 4212. While imports Marquin Chandler and Mike Helms top scored with 21 and 19 points respectively, it was the 2 points of Pathman Matialakan two nights later in a loss to Perth that stole all the headlines.
Matialakan, a 26-year-old basketball coach in Singapore city who gave up his job to pursue a full time career with the Slingers, made history in the final quarter by becoming the first Singaporean to score in the NBL.
Paul Kennedy
FIBA Official Correspondent in Australia