Logue Down basketball column: Covid cases rock NBL pre-season, force fixtures to be cancelled
An NBL team has been forced into seven days isolation and could be forced to play their season opener with less than 24 hours preparation.
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Brian Goorjian’s quest for NBL redemption has been rocked after his entire Illawarra Hawks squad was placed into isolation for seven days, putting their season opener against the 36ers in Adelaide in doubt.
The Australian Boomers and Hawks coach is looking to take his side one step further than last season’s semi-finals, but their preparations for the 2021/2022 season have been battered after Covid positive results forced the cancellation of their last two NBL Blitz games.
Their clash with New Zealand Breakers was postponed on Thursday when a Breakers player tested positive and on Saturday it was a Hawks coaching staff member who returned a positive test.
The Hawks were set to take on the Sydney Kings at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong on Saturday night from 7.30pm but news of the positive test meant the entire Hawks squad had to immediately isolate.
As the positive case attended training during the week all players and staff were deemed close contacts and as such were forced to enter isolation for testing under the NSW Health protocols.
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All Hawks players are double vaccinated and will remain in isolation until they return a negative test result.
But there is strong concerns within the Hawks set up that under NSW Health protocols they must remain isolated for seven days, which means the team won’t be able to train together until the day prior to their NBL season opener with Adelaide on Sunday December 5.
“The coaches and players are obviously disappointed not to have a chance to play in front of their home fans, especially after Thursday’s match-up with the Breakers was also cancelled,” Hawks president and co-owner Dorry Kordahi said.
“The safety of our players and coaches is of the utmost importance and we will continue to follow the advice of medical professionals as we assist with the team’s return to the court.”
Despite the setback NBL officials are confident next week’s season openers will go ahead.
In a statement issued on Saturday the NBL said they would continue to follow advice from the government and health authorities but the second cancellation this week does raise concerns that regular season games will be impacted at some stage with the competition due to begin on Friday December 3.
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And if teams are forced into lengthy periods of isolation, without an ability to train together, it could have a major impact on clubs throughout the season.
“The decision to cancel tonight’s game at the WIN Entertainment Centre has been made in line with the NBL’s health and safety protocols,” the NBL statement said.
“The health and safety of the players, coaches, clubs, staff and fans is the League’s number one priority.
“The NBL will continue to follow the advice of governments and health authorities and further testing will be carried out on any individuals impacted or those deemed close contacts.”
The NBL Blitz will finish on Sunday when Brisbane play Adelaide and South East Melbourne Phoenix face Melbourne United in a double header. The winner of the Bullets and 36ers clash will end the pre-season tournament undefeated and claim the Loggins-Bruton Cup.
JACKJUMPERS IMPORT BRINGS THE HIGHLIGHTS
Josh Adams’ poster dunk on debut for the Tasmania JackJumpers has attracted over 1.5 million views on the NBL’s social channels.
You can expect these numbers to rise throughout the season given Adams is a proven performer in the dunking and jumping department.
Do yourself a favour and google: Josh Adams: Insane jumps in his career.
Watch Every Game of the 21/22 NBL Season Live & On-Demand with ESPN on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial >
It’s an impressive collection of highlights from Adams, who impressed while playing with the Dallas Mavericks at the NBA Summer League in 2018.
His name ain't Jack but he's a jumper 😳
— The NBL (@NBL) November 14, 2021
Josh Adams takes flight in MyState Bank Arena. #NBLBlitz live on @kayosports 📺@tasmania#DiscoverTasmaniapic.twitter.com/Aa0hvrdYt8
Goorjian says NBL now the big baby Boomer
Illawarra coach Brian Goorjian is focused on winning a seventh NBL championship, but he also has one eye on a booming domestic competition that has become a legitimate breeding ground for Australian Boomers selection.
Australia’s quest for a World Cup position will ramp up in February with Asian Cup qualifying games against China, Japan, and Chinese Taipei.
Basketball Australia hasn’t released the game locations and timings, but NBL players will likely be available for selection even if the league doesn’t pause the season.
Australia’s NBA players, including Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, and rookie guard Josh Giddey will all be unavailable for the World Cup qualifiers, giving Australian-based players an important chance to play for their country.
The NBL is loaded with current and potential Boomers, including Chris Goulding, Nathan Sobey, Xavier Cooks, Sam Froling, Mitch Creek, Ryan Broekhoff, Luke Travers, and Angus Glover.
Goorjian has urged the NBL to do its best to accommodate the qualifiers in February because a Boomers’ World Cup berth rests on the leading local players being on hand.
“I’m not abreast of the political side of this with Basketball Australia and the NBL and how much time there will be, but there is going to have to be something that gives these guys an opportunity to play these games or there would be concern of qualifying,” said Goorjian, who is keen to continue Australia’s momentum after winning a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
“These Asian teams are becoming stronger, and you have to bring the NBL’s best and if you do, they need to be organised and it needs to be serious, or you are not going to get it done.
“There are going to be a lot of NBL players who play important games for Australia to qualify.
“I know Japan have named a new coach; I know China is stopping their competition for a good period of time to get the team prepared. They are taking this very seriously and they are going to be very competitive.
“And I know those two countries.”
Goorjian, though, believes the Boomers are strongly placed because the NBL is now a direct line to the national team.
He loves the direction of the domestic competition as a genuine international league.
“Larry Kestelman and the NBL, what they are doing as far as rules, thinking outside the box and being innovative is hugely beneficial to the Boomers,” he said.
“Having an extra import, the Next Stars program, players from Asia like Zhou Qi coming here.
“To qualify for the World Cup and the Olympics without our NBA players, the NBL is becoming a very important part of the Boomers.
“Now being at the pre-season Blitz there are so many young upcoming guys who are exciting.
“Guys like Glover and others who I don’t know their faces or names yet, but are getting opportunities. Coaches are now fearless in giving them an opportunity and time to showcase their talent.”
Goorjian also praised the NBL coaches for playing their part in producing basketball that is transferable to the global game.
“It is not like the Boomers are playing a brand and then you come to the NBL, and it doesn’t represent,” he said.
“There are a lot of new, young coaches who are putting in styles of play that are really transparent with what we are trying to do at the Boomers.
“There are multiple guys handling the ball, lots of dribble hand-offs, lots of movement in the pick and roll and the court spread.”
Boomers veteran Matthew Dellavedova, who is expected to be captain if he plays, is open to representing Australia in the World Cup qualifiers.
“I love pulling on the green and gold and always want to try and make myself available anytime I can for that,” Dellavedova said.
“I recently got an email about it (the Boomers), but right now I’m just getting ready for the season and I haven’t had a chance to think about it yet and how it would fit into the season.”
Just Rowdy things.@RBroekhoff45#NBL22 Blitz pic.twitter.com/QUHMePEd42
— The NBL (@NBL) November 15, 2021
Broekhoff’s NBA ambition
Watch for South East Melbourne Phoenix guard Ryan Broekhoff to push hard for another shot in the NBA.
Broekhoff re-signed with the Phoenix for two more years in June, but he has an NBA-out in his contract.
The former Dallas Mavericks swingman has impressed in pre-season training and games and I’m tipping him to have a big year after a quiet campaign by his lofty standards in his maiden NBL season.
Besson set to climb
New Zealand’s NBA-bound French guard Hugo Besson is set to rapidly climb the draft board predictions following his hot start to his NBL career.
Besson — currently ranked 34 in mock draft predictions – has impressed Breakers officials so much that the coaching staff have started him over Jeremiah Martin, who was in the NBA last season with Cleveland.
The rising French star scored 24 points in 29 minutes in New Zealand’s win over South East Melbourne on Saturday night.
Besson’s performance attracted high praise from respected ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony, who declared: “Besson made some explosive plays off the bounce, including one nasty dunk on 7‘2 Zhou Qi and knocked down three 3-pointers.”
Bogut’s high praise
Former Cleveland forward Channing Frye has declared the Cavaliers would have struggled to win the 2016 NBA championship against Golden State if Australian big man Andrew Bogut was fit.
Speaking on Cousin Sal’s Against All Odds podcast, Frye conceded the Bogut’s knee injury played a major role in the Cavs coming back from a 3-1 Finals deficit to topple the 73-9 Warriors.
“You know what everyone talks about the Draymond Green thing, and as players yeah that was important, but people forget that Andrew Bogut got hurt in that series,” Frye said.
“That was really the thing that changed us because Bogut was blocking everything.
“With his screens and his passing, they (the Warriors) were clicking, and it was almost impossible for anyone to beat them.”
Sotto’s sting
Whatever you do, be careful if you criticise Adelaide 36ers Filipino centre Kai Sotto because he has a big and vocal fan base.
Just ask experienced NBL commentator Matt McQuade, who recently copped a barrage of criticism from Philippines fans after saying he doesn’t expect Sotto to feature strongly in the Australian league.
Speaking on the NBL Roundtable podcast on Clutch Radio, McQuade declared the Philippines league isn’t at the same high standard as the Australian competition.
“I don’t have much respect for the Philippine league, in terms of talent level overall,” McQuade said.
“The kid (Sotto) is 7’1, he has got athletic ability, but the NBL is a massive step up from the PPA — it is just a different ballpark completely.”
McQuade’s comments were picked up by a Philippines news outlet, who were critical of his viewpoint.
Sotto’s Filipino fans will have a direct link to the NBL this season after the league signed an exclusive multi-year deal with Tap Digital Media Ventures (Tap DMV) in the Philippines.
Tap DMV, the Philippines’ leading sports media distribution company, has the rights to live and delayed NBL content and highlight clips and will be aired on their linear channel, Tap Sports and OTT platform, Tap Go.
LIKE
The international representation in the NBL this season is already attracting significant global eyeballs.
South East Melbourne Phoenix’s Chinese recruit Zhou Qi has been particularly popular in China.
Qi’s first NBL dunk in the Phoenix’s opening pre-season game against the Sydney Kings picked up a whopping 50 million views on the club’s social media channels.
In case you missed it!! 😤 @officialzhouqipic.twitter.com/SwHhVPxcEI
— South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) November 13, 2021
DISLIKE
The NBA season is well and truly underway, and Boomers star Dante Exum continues to sit on the sidelines after being waived by Houston.
Exum deserves an NBA deal, especially after his standout Tokyo Olympic campaign with Australia.
SHOOSH
Which NSW-based NBL player was shopped around by his club over the off-season. The player in question couldn’t find a home and has been told not to expect big minutes this season.
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