SACBA Week 5 Results

2 weeks ago Purge posted this blog comment:

"Don’t forget what a privilege it is to be able to play this game with a great group of (team)mates - just got home from a tough loss but during the game we lost a mate to a season ending knee injury. Enjoy it while its there".

Well in something that was unfortunately very prophetic - in the layup line before the A's game today - Purge went up for a layup, he slipped and landed hard. As he went up he blew something in his knee in a gruesome injury - didn't look good. The ambulance had to come and take Tim to the hospital.

The diagnosis has come back and it looks like he ripped the patella tendon off the bone - the tendon is intact and they will likely need to wire the tendon/bone back onto the bone. He will most likely be out for the season.
 

Purge joined the club 6 years ago and immediately changed the club culture. He came into an A's team that had lost three straight Grand Finals - games they could have won. The A's were a team with great talent but played as individuals - selfishly in offence and lazy in defence. Purge was one of the key people in turning that around - his focus on playing team basketball and instilling an intensity that permeated through not only the team but also the club. Purge is a winner - he doesn't put the ball in the basket a hell of a lot but he makes plays that win teams basketball games. He will always come up with a key stop, a key rebound, make a great pass - he works as hard as anyone that has ever played in the club. It is no coincidence that the A's won 5 straight A Grade titles after he joined the club.  
 

Purge was rewarded last year when he was voted in as a member of the PAOCBC Team of the 20 Years.

I know I speak for everyone when I wish him a speedy recovery.

Stats are updated here. 
To the reports:
A's (4-0) v Happy Valley A - GAME POSTPONED. Purge fell on the court and couldn't be moved until the ambo came. The game will need to be re-scheduled.

B's (3-2) v Knightsbridge B (2-3) - This would be an important game for the B's - the top 3 in the A Grade is pretty clear - Gateway, Saints and our A's. For the B's we need to take care of business against the other teams. With The Corner coming up with 4 wins from C Grade and getting a forfeit win on Saturday (they are now 5-0) the B's need to beat teams like Knightsbridge. Knightsbridge aren't the team they used to be - they are missing C. Bell, Gemo, Wood and Steve N from last year. The B's started well - their D was intense from the opening tip - Jamie got a steal and layup, Lachy got a fastbreak layup, MIke hit a 3, Goody inside for 2 and the foul, then 2 of 2 from the line (he obvioulsy reads my blog) - we were up 14-3. Palky then got kicked in the guts and went down like a sack of shit - being winded is second only to being hit in the nuts as all noise/no real damage injuries. Well that awoke the beast from his slumber - he hit a 3 on the next possession. In the closing seconds he hit his second 3. Reds up 20-8 at halftime. The 2nd half was pretty scrappy - Knightsbridge switched to man - the B's got good looks but just couldn't finish but their D stood up, Jamie hit a late 3 to snuff out any Knightsbridge comeback. Red won 29-19. Jamie 7 and Palk 6. The B's D is back to last year's level - they were swarming, intense and helter skelter. Mike is stepping up as the team leader - he is controlling the team - guarding the other team's best player, playing point, rebounding, shooting.

C's (5-0) v Southwest A (1-4) - The C's were still missing Manners and G was away so Billy was called in to play point (the biggest PG in club history). The C's were playing new relogated Southwest. The C's are a big team and early they were crashing the glass hard - Phill, Thommo and Hendo all got second chance baskets and Madman hit a couple of jumpers. The C's D was really solid and they were up 15-7 at halftime. In the 2nd half, Billy's offense came alive - hitting a corner jumper, inside for an O board and a couple of 3's. Hendo, Kobe and Thommo were still getting to the basket, Madman hit another jumper and BB got inside on the break with his patented crossover/banker. Reds won 42-23. Billy 12, Thommo and Hendo 8. Not to go on about it but Free Throws ... 4 of 17 @  23.5%. 
 

D's (3-2) v Knightsbridge B -  It was action stations before the tip-off in the D’s match up against Knightsbridge – the umpires not happy for the D’s to play in their usual white top/maroon shorts against the all-white strip of Knightsbridge – ‘but you’re always red’.  Thankfully with 2 PAOCBC teams already playing there were a number of guys still around with the maroon singlets – nothing like putting on a cold sweaty uniform when it’s not even your sweat.  Thanks to the guys who quickly stripped to help the D’s (after I walked up to them Arnie style and said ‘your singlets, give them to me’) *. With the singlets already worn in, it would have been nice if we’d hit the ground running, but we were slow out the blocks against the athletic youth of Knightsbridge who want to run – a lot.  Our control and decision making in this style of game has been a little hit & miss, and in pushing the ball we were called for several travels and a couple of charges, as well as just turning the ball over.  Krantz was brilliant early, causing all sorts of trouble inside for the smaller Knightsbridge & Crawf & Jono were working hard on the glass.  2 of their shooters dropped some rubbish shots and they went to half time up 22-16, Krantz with 5 and Crawf & Jono with 4 each.  Wildy was back after 2 weeks away & ran hard, impressively chasing down their quickest kid on the break. Pritch ran hard too, although didn’t quite get the reward on the break with possibly the worst unsportsmanlike foul ever when he went for the ball and the guy turned mid-air to collide back first into Pritch.  Apparently it was impossible for Pritch to be making a play at the ball with the guy coming back first at him. Our D was better in the 2^nd half, Reggie we held their main shooter to 1 point in the 2^nd and overall we went point for point with them but couldn’t make up the deficit.  We couldn’t buy a shot from outside, and probably didn’t work it in as much as we should.  Jono took the ball under his arm & at Knightsbridge, with 9 for the half (including 5 trips to the line – giving you an idea of his aggression and the sheer number of fouls called for the game – 28 – strangely enough 9-5 count against each team in each half).  In the end it was a disappointing finish as we are a more talented team but had an average day, going down 38-31.  Only 3 of our 6 players scored in the 2^nd half, and with one of those a single point, we need to spread the scoring and provide more options.  Jono finished with 13, Krantz 10 & Crawf 5. Bring on Saints in 2 weeks’ time. 
 

E's (2-3) v Taperoo A - Written by Diamond - Playing Taperoo, nobody was expecting anything other than a physical game. I'm not saying Taperoo are dirty ... but Dwyane Wade is a little shocked when he watches them. The E's looked good early, moving the ball well to find holes and get good shots, drawing 10 fouls from Taperoo in the first half. However, true to form the Es did little to capitalise from the charity strike shooting 5 from 15 and going into the halftime break down by two. The E's composure in the second half was impressive as we focused on playing basketball and not getting drawn into the darker side of a degenerating game. Our composure was most evident in a continued willingness to attack the basket and draw fouls, unfortunately our foul shooting didn’t improve, making 5 of 11. Failing to capitalise from the foul line ultimately cost the game, losing 24-25. 
 

[Palky's response] 10 of 26 ... 10 of 26 and you lost by 1 ... if there is a better example on why you should practice free throws here it is. 10 of 26. I am going to call Megan's 14 year old niece and ask her to shoot 26 free throws this week ... I bet she makes more than 10. You know you can't shoot 10 of 26 and me not have something to say right? I am so glad I don't get to the line anymore just in case I start missing and be a hypocrite ... that said I have been once this year ... 2 of 2. 

[Palky additional] She went 17 of 26. Now I was going to give you all some tips on how to shoot better Free Throws ... but I will let this guy do it instead, I hear he is pretty good.  
 

F's (5-0) v Spicer A - Written by Brownie - Brad Hughes was out again this week and the F’s came up against a considerably taller Spicer than we encountered last season, limiting our options in defence to exploit their poor ball handling. Our D was strong in the first keeping the opposition to only three points, despite racking up eight fouls for the half. Our ball movement in offence was good but a few shots wouldn't drop and their big guys made it hard to convert inside. The second was much better in offence, despite the fact that (or maybe because?) Road Train spent a bit of time bringing the ball up the court while Jay was getting plenty of looks playing inside the key. Ball movement again was great and there were some good looks on the break, though our defence slipped a little allowing Spicer to score 8 for the half. Jay clearly read Palky's email last week and managed to drop 6/6 from the free throw line. A good team game with excellent ball movement in offence and balanced scoring across the team. Jay got 10, 6 each for Stu, Brownie and Phil, 4 each for Jon H and Road Train. F’s won 36-11. 
 

G's (2-3) v East Allstars - Written by Hitman - G-Force’s opponents this week were the mighty East All-Stars. Anthony, James, Wade, Irving, George … no-one on their team had these first names. Like last week, we aimed to use our longer bench and youthful exuberance to run over the top of the opposition. Unlike last week, our opponents were willing to run right back at us, and a rapid end-to-end affair ensued. An on-court call to change to man defence didn’t quite work and allowed their point guard #8 to get creative. A mid-term lapse in concentration gave up a couple of uncontested fast-break baskets and the signs were not good. Regrouping after a time-out and reverting to zone, G-Force got back on track and were the better side going into the break. In spite of the speed of the game, the scoreboard hadn’t moved, in fact it remained resolutely blank throughout the contest, only at the change of ends were we able to check the scores and found we were up 14-13. There was no let-up in the pace of the game after the intermission, with neither side building a break of more than a basket or two. Their #5 got hot from outside and dropped a couple of 3s given them a narrow lead. Our defence then stepped up, forcing several turnovers, but we couldn’t capitalize at the other end. Finally, we broke the drought late in the game to be down just 2 points. We needed a stop, but #5 stepped up and hit another 3 points to push the margin to 5, probably the largest of the game. The margin was too great to bridge in the time remaining, at the final call of “Time” we were down 31-34. To emphasise Palky’s mid-week post about the importance of foul shooting, they went 6-7 from the line, we went 1-5. Brendan led the scoring with 13 and Troy added 6 in what was another balanced scoring effort. Thanks to Simon for performing the scoring duties.
 

Lady Reds (2-1-2) v Edwardstown A - Win by Forfeit
 

Palky's Super Top Trio - Week 5 

3rd - Thommo Oliphant

2nd - Jamie Dollard

1st - Mike Hill

NO GAME THIS WEEK - BYE

As there are no games this week you can have this funny picture instead.