Basketball Test Matches: Australia vs New Zealand

[Andrew]

For anyone with Foxtel who isn't already aware of the basketball test matches next week, Australia and New Zealand are playing three games that will all be shown on Fox Sports.

Game 1: Monday 20th August at 7:30 PM on Fox Sports 2 (replay at 8 AM on Tuesday the 21st on Fox Sports 2 and again at 4 PM on Fox Sports 3)

Game 2: Wednesday 22nd August at 7:30 PM on Fox Sports 2 (replay at 8 AM on Thursday the 23rd on Fox Sports 2 and again at 5 PM on Fox Sports 3)

Game 3: Friday 24th August at 7:30 PM on Fox Sports 3 (with a couple of replays likely to follow on Saturday the 25th)

[Fresh8]

The winner of the series will get qualification into the Olympics. The loser goes onto play at an Olympic qualifying tournament next year.

I know The X got tickets to the game. Maybe Dragon too. I was going to go but decided not to in the end.

Australia's missing Chris Anstey, Matthew Nielsen, Andrew Bogut, CJ Bruton and I think that's bout it. At least we got David Anderson suting up. Patrick Mills looks like he's making a name for himself... he's 19 and got named to the team that will play New Zealand.

Should be an interesting matchup as NZ is at full strength and Australia is going to have an inexperienced and young side. I wanna see how much Brad Newley has progressed. For those who don't know, he's most likely headed to playing in Europe this coming season!

[McDwyane]

The winner of the series will get qualification into the Olympics.

Oh so this is the olympic qualifier for you guys.Hope Australlia advances.

[Dean]

Did Joe Ingles make the team? I loved that guy when i was watching the NBL last season..

[The X]

The winner of the series will get qualification into the Olympics.

Oh so this is the olympic qualifier for you guys.Hope Australlia advances.

That's a pretty negative comment to make around here

New Zealand will win the series 2-1 & qualify

as Sit mentioned, I'm going to game 3 of the series....I'm just hoping that the series is deadlocked at 1-1 so that I don't have to watch a dead rubber

should be a good series though....I've got a gut feeling that Aussies will get up 2-1, but we (the Kiwis) seem to overachieve in basketball the last half a decade, so hopefully this continues....

regardless of result, I'm hoping that both Australia & NZ move on to the Olympics, although qualifying through reparcharge won't be easy by any means....

[Ty-Land]

Did Joe Ingles make the team? I loved that guy when i was watching the NBL last season..

No he didn't. Luke Schensher didn't make the squad either. What does that say? Not a very positive indication of Luke's pursuit of a NBA job.

I was going to go to Mondays game in Melbourne but I'm seeing my favourite singer-songwriter that night for the first time. So, I will hopefully be able to watch a replay or something. I think it will be a very tough series for the Boomers without some key players, but I'm hoping they have enough to get past the Tall Blacks because I don't think we'll have the team to make it through the qualifying tournament if we lose.

[The X]

I don't think NZ could get through qualifying tourney, that's how it tough it will be, but you never know....that's how strong it's getting in Europe & South America....

[Andrew]

regardless of result, I'm hoping that both Australia & NZ move on to the Olympics, although qualifying through reparcharge won't be easy by any means....

I hope so too, though you'll understand if I'm hoping for a different result in this series.

[The X]

regardless of result, I'm hoping that both Australia & NZ move on to the Olympics, although qualifying through reparcharge won't be easy by any means....

I hope so too, though you'll understand if I'm hoping for a different result in this series.

I'd be worried if you didn't

[Fresh8]

No he didn't. Luke Schensher didn't make the squad either. What does that say? Not a very positive indication of Luke's pursuit of a NBA job.

Well, David Andersen would be better than Schensher. What other bigs made it onto the team? I'm guessing Wade Helliwell might be the other big man? He plays in Italy so must mean he can't be much of a slouch.

The fact that Luke has only ever had 10 day contracts is a fairly good reason to judge how good his chances of getting a full time gig is.

As me and The X were talking about one time, the top Aussie NBL players really need to play in Europe...

[shadowgrin]

Three post in a row that the wink ( ) had been used.
Are the 3 of you trying to hit on each other by winking?

[Andrew]

As me and The X were talking about one time, the top Aussie NBL players really need to play in Europe...

I suppose that would increase their chances of making the NBA and seeing decent court time but it wouldn't do much for the NBL. I know that's a little hypocritical of me to say because I don't actively support the NBL but it's been difficult with Newcastle losing another team and I wasn't impressed with the Shane Heal/Mark Price debacle last year.

[The X]

As me and The X were talking about one time, the top Aussie NBL players really need to play in Europe...

I suppose that would increase their chances of making the NBA and seeing decent court time but it wouldn't do much for the NBL. I know that's a little hypocritical of me to say because I don't actively support the NBL but it's been difficult with Newcastle losing another team and I wasn't impressed with the Shane Heal/Mark Price debacle last year.

That Shane Heal/Mark Price debacle was a sad day for the NBL....for Heal to undercut a standup guy like Price (& a solid big man import in Todd Fuller) was disgraceful....we'll see Mark Price as an assistant coach in NBA sometime very soon I'd say

I think with the NBL players that we were referring to, it was more the Brad Newley's & Craig Bradshaw's of the world, who clearly have the skills to make the transition to the NBA if they play at the top level below the NBA (say in Spain or Italy)....I can understand them choosing lifestyle in Oz over playing overseas, it's just hard to think that top level basketballers would shy away from top level competition....you don't see Lucas Neill & so on come back to A League when they can still compete at the highest level & earn bigger bucks....I can understand coming back in the twilight of their careers, but not when they are 21, 22 or 23 years old & the world is their oyster....I also think if guys like Newley were playing in Europe instead of Oz, then it's only going to strengthen the National Team's chances of returning to the elite in the near future, & thus encourage more juniors to continue playing the game....

either way, just a few random thoughts....back on topic, Tall Blacks to win game 1 & 3

[Andrew]

That's true, though I think their best shot at making the NBA comes through playing college ball in the US.

EDIT: Sounds like Newley is already going that route, playing in Europe.

[[Q]]

LOLZ "a solid big man import in Todd Fuller"???



?????

where is Stinka Dare when you need him?

[The X]

That's true, though I think their best shot at making the NBA comes through playing college ball in the US.

EDIT: Sounds like Newley is already going that route, playing in Europe.

good to hear that he is going that path....

LOLZ "a solid big man import in Todd Fuller"???

when you're talking the NBL, he is a solid big man import....you have to remember, this is a league that allowed Acie Earl of all people to have back-to-back 40 point games

[Ty-Land]

Todd Fuller played very poorly for the Dragons if I remember correctly. I remember reading last year that he came to camp unfit and overweight, and after a few games the team was sick of his lack of effort on defence. Price's continued insistence to play Fuller (who was a relatively close friend apparently) created a lot of tension in the team, eventually leading to the ousting of both.

On a side note, did anybody here about Paul Shirley of ESPN fame trying out with the Melbourne Tigers. Heard about it a while ago, but haven't heard anything since. Apparently he is a very close friend of Chris Ansteys from playing in Russia together. Would be a nice pick-up, and would make his blogs even more interesting to see the NBL from his eyes.

Anyway, tonights Game 1 of the series. Should be a fiery opening. Shame I can't get there or watch, but will hopefully be able to check out some highlights.

[Andrew]

I thought he was averaging around 18 and 8 before he was cut? As I recall he was the only true centre on the roster so one would think a benching would be preferable to cutting him completely.

when you're talking the NBL, he is a solid big man import....you have to remember, this is a league that allowed Acie Earl of all people to have back-to-back 40 point games

Not to mention averaging 26 and 12, which was quite embarrassing.

[Fresh8]

Ty-Land: Yep, I also read about Shirley. I don't fully read his blogs but do glance over them from time to time. I'm hoping he does play over here. If he does and if he does write about it... this will be something that he must include:

There's this bloke called Chris Anstey on my team. He's a dickhead.

Yep, Anstey is a dickhead. I know cause I watched him during NBL Finals and while Brisbane were getting intrdouced, his whole team cept him lined up in a line. What was Anstey doing? Warming up by himself.

And about Todd Fuller: I was under the impression that he along with the team endured a slow start but they sort of got rid of Price and Fuller a bit too quickly. And to think that Heal was bitching about not having a big man at the end of the season really makes me lose a lot more respect for him.

Anyways, I was thinking about Aussie basketball and the national team in general from back in the day. It sucks that we never medaled at the olympics. However, people don't really notice how 'close' we were. I guess the question has always been posed but how good was Andrew Gaze? If only he had kept going after leading his stint at Seton Hall and played in the NBA. Would maybe have been a solid role player at worst.

I won't get to see Game 1... X better fill me in on it... but Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi Oi Oi!

And keep an eye out on Patrick Mills. Is he the next 'thing' in Aussie Bball?

Quick note on Newley: He's gonna play in Greece this year... pretty cool since i was following Keydren Clark there so now there's two guys to follow! If Keekee can make a name for himself in Greece, I think Newley is going to have fun there too!

[The X]

it looks like the Aussies are going to win game 1 comfortably....unfortunately, my gut feeling is coming to fruition, as I had told my fiancee early today, that unfortunately I thought the Aussies would take game 1 & would take series 2-1 (I felt that an under strength Aussie team was probably a tougher matchup for us as they'll play harder than a full strength one)....hopefully we are healthy for game 2 & can put up more of a fight & send it to the decider (which I've been hoping for all along since I'm going to that game), which would be a 50-50 prospect....

[super_man322000]

carn the aussies!!! i thought newley had locked in contract with 36ers???? chris andersen draft right whom in which are with atlanta has developed into a solid player. clearly mvp of the match

[Andrew]

Here's a boxscore for anyone who's interested.

The Boomers really turned it around in the third quarter, their first half performance was pretty ho-hum despite the fact they'd taken the lead back by halftime. David Andersen had a fairly decent outing, he didn't shoot particularly well but he showed off a couple of nice moves in the post. I don't know if he's ready for the NBA yet but it seems playing in Europe is paying off. Patrick Mills showed promise, he got off to a rocky start with his jumper but he drew three or four charges and that three pointer was quite impressive. I liked the way he took the ball to the basket even after he had his shot blocked a couple of times.

[Fresh8]

I've read that David Andersen has always been courted by the Hawks and Atlanta has tried to bring him over but he's always declined to and has: I quote... 'Turned his back on the NBA for Euroleague.'

I guess he likes the European game/lifestyle. He's a good player and he is a star in European ball especially in his Russian league so it wasn't surprising that he was a big difference. I think he is the best player on the team at the moment but Sam Mackinnon is up there with him.

At least we got the win and I want to go with a 3-0 sweep. It would make things interesting especially next year when they select the Olympic team.

[Andrew]

That's a shame, though it's certainly understandable. I hope he changes his mind and one day we see him in the NBA though I wouldn't expect him to give up good money and a prominent role for what could be an uncertain NBA career despite his talents.

[Fresh8]

He's talented no doubt and in a league without many quality big men, he'd do well depending on what team in in what kind of system he lands in. It'd be great for him to go over there but I doubt he will. However, at least we can say that we have one quality player not in the NBL. And he might be a better person than Anstey.

Andrew, who was the old Newcastle team?