Crosscourt column: Ben Henshall bound for NBA workouts but struggling for game time in Perth
One of Australian basketball’s brightest young talents has US admirers, but can’t get minutes in the NBL. What’s up with Ben Henshall out west?
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The Perth Wildcats are playing winning basketball — and that’s made it hard for one of Australia’s most talented teenagers Ben Henshall to break into John Rillie’s rotation.
Henshall, 19, is almost certain to have NBA workouts in the off-season before returning for the second year of his deal with the Wildcats.
It’s not a major concern at the moment but some in the Red Army do worry Henshall could go the way of another beloved local in Luke Travers, one day, if he’s not afforded the chance to test himself and develop in the heat of game situations.
Rillie has shown a willingness to experiment and change things up and that’s helped him right the Wildcats’ ship.
Bryce Cotton basically plays a full game every night in one of the two available guard spots and, with Michael Harris seizing his chance and Rillie leaning on the experience of Tai Webster, the young WA local has seen the court just four times in the last 13 games — for eight-minutes-and-10 seconds.
Crosscourt has been told there was an early knock on the teen’s ability to guard NBL-level talent but it’s understood the basketball junkie has improved considerably on that end of the floor. It’s hard not to get better when you’re guarding three-time MVP Bryce Cotton every day, especially for a teenager who already has a prodigious work ethic.
“Ben’s learning under some really experienced guards so when you’re backing up Tai and Corey Webster, Bryce, this level of guard, for him, as a rookie, it’s part of coming into the league,” Perth’s general manager of basketball operations Danny Mills said.
“One thing about Ben is he comes in every day, puts in extra work, comes in on off days, and he’s consistently competing.
“He wants to get better so, for him, it’s just about being patient and opportunities will come.
“We were very confident in what he can do.”
It was announced, on Wednesday, Henshall would join the Otago Nuggets in the NZ NBL for its upcoming season.
Like the Wildcats, the Nuggets are owned by Craig Hutchison’s Sports Entertainment Group and the two clubs have departments that crossover, making it easier to monitor the young gun’s progress in between seasons.
KINGS’ UNSUNG HERO BATTLES ON
Angus Glover was the unsung hero who defied a rib cartilage injury and struggles to breathe to guide the Sydney Kings to back-to-back championships.
Flash forward to this season and Glover’s role has been reduced in a star-studded Kings roster – and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
The underrated guard’s minutes have dropped in NBL24 to 14.2 minutes a game, compared to 16.6 and 19.4 minutes a game in the past two championship-winning seasons.
And it’s not like Glover isn’t performing when he gets his chance on the court.
Look at Sydney’s last round win over Cairns, for example.
Glover was the catalyst for the Kings’ first quarter turnaround against the Taipans.
He came off the bench with four minutes left in the first and dropped six points to help Sydney haul in a six-point deficit to regain the lead.
Glover also started the fourth quarter, but was subbed out of the game with six minutes remaining. He finished the game with six points in his 10 minutes on the floor.
Respected voices have described Glover’s slide in minutes this season as “bewildering”, given the guard possess the “grit” and “edge” the Kings have lacked at both ends of the floor.
NBL great and former Kings coach Andrew Gaze pointed out Glover’s inconsistent court time during the commentary.
“Angus came in, hit a couple of shots and looked good and then he didn’t get back on the court,” Gaze said.
“He then started the fourth, but only for a few minutes.
“He (Kings coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah) has got some talent on that team that he has to find minutes for and it’s hard because there are a lot of guys who are similar.”
Sydney haven’t been as consistent as past seasons, especially on the defensive end, but Gaze believes the men in purple and gold still possess the talent to contend for a rare three-peat.
The third-placed Kings face an enormous challenge against the league leading Melbourne United at Qudos Bank Arena on Thursday.
United recorded a remarkable come-from-behind victory over Sydney in round 8.
The Kings led by 15 points at halftime before Melbourne charged home on the back of a 40-21 final-quarter surge.
Sydney will go in as underdogs against the title-favourite United, but Gaze isn’t ruling out the back-to-back champions just yet.
“Put a line through them at your peril, I say,” he said.
“I think they’ve still got enough if they are able to get it going. They’ve still got time and they’re right there on the ladder, so they are still in contention can cause some problems.
“You only have to look at what Perth were doing to start the season. The Wildcats defence was pretty bad and eventually they found the right formula and it has been a complete turnaround for them.”
36ERS URGED TO ASK GOORJ
Brian Goorjian once said he’d never coach the Adelaide 36ers, but 36ers legend Brett Maher hopes the GOAT of Australian basketball coaching will reconsider his stance.
The last-placed 36ers are on the lookout for a new coach after parting ways with CJ Bruton mid-season.
Adelaide officials have stated the club will search far and wide for a new coach, but Maher believes the best option could be Goorjian.
The NBL’s most successful mentor told this column he will coach domestically after this year’s Paris Olympics, which may open the door for a club like Adelaide.
“I’d love for the club to chat to Brian,” said Maher, who won three NBL titles at Adelaide in 1998, 1999 and 2002.
“I really respect him and his abilities. He coached me at the 2004 Olympics and I played against him for a number of years.
“I remember when there was a huge rivalry and he said he’d never coach in Adelaide, but hopefully things have potentially changed since then.”
Maher is close with 36ers interim coach Scott Ninnis, but he concedes his mate may need more wins to secure a shot at the role moving forward.
“I think Scotty would have to do well for the rest of the season to be considered, but he is still an option there as well.”
WILD KYLE RETURNS FROM WILD WEST EYEING NBL GIG
Veteran guard Kyle Adnam is back in Australia after an eye-opening stint in the “Wild West” of Europe.
The 30-year-old former South East Melbourne captain’s experience with Romanian club CSU Sibiu was a mix of incredible life and basketball experiences — soured by the all-too-familiar struggle faced by countless imports in the helter-skelter world of European basketball.
Adnam was in a constant battle just to get paid, regularly played in substandard facilities and confronted a professional culture that pales in comparison to what the NBL has set.
“The competition in the EuroCup was so elite and the crowds were insane,” Adnam told Crosscourt.
“People were lighting flares, midgame, and it was so loud that there were times when you couldn’t call a play as the point guard — some crazy experiences that I’ll never forget in my entire life,” Adnam told Crosscourt.
“But there’s a darker side that’s not all it’s cracked up to be. I’d heard plenty of stories and now I have my own.
“It makes you appreciate how the NBL is presented and the industry standard that it has set but I’m still glad I challenged myself and have that experience in Europe as part of my journey.”
And so, after 11 games across the regular season, Romania Cup and EuroCup where he averaged 10 points and 3 assists, the Victorian has parted ways with Sibiu and is back in Australia and on the look out for a job in the NBL.
The 2018 NBL champion is acutely aware an opportunity will only come as an injury replacement or in the less-likely event a club decides to make a roster change, but he’s equally confident he can help drive a team’s championship hopes.
“I feel really content with what I’ve done in Europe and, coming back, I’m in shape,” he said.
“I understand it’s difficult for teams to turn their whole season on its head, unless there’s an injury.
“But I do feel like I’ve got a lot to give and that I could contribute to a lot of teams as the playoffs approach.
“I’m pumped to hopefully be back in the NBL one day — it’s just a matter of when and where.”
NBL ROUND 14: (All games live on ESPN and Kayo)
Thursday, January 4:
Sydney Kings vs. Melbourne United at Qudos Bank Arena from 7.30pm (AEDT)
Friday, January 5:
Illawarra Hawks vs. South East Melbourne Phoenix at WIN Entertainment Centre from 7.30pm (AEDT)
Saturday, January 6:
Tasmania JackJumpers vs. Cairns Taipans at MyState Bank Arena from 5.30pm (AEDT)
Adelaide 36ers vs. Melbourne United at Adelaide Entertainment Centre from 8pm (AEDT)
Sunday, January 7:
New Zealand Breakers vs. Perth Wildcats at Spark Arena from 2pm (AEDT)
Sydney Kings vs. Brisbane Bullets at Qudos Bank Arena from 4pm (AEDT)
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