Crosscourt: Likes and dislikes from round 16 of the 2024-25 NBL season
It’s a system that’s left many bamboozled since its inception and two head-scratching moments have led to high-profile calls to scrap the coach’s challenge — and a big rule change from the NBL. LIKES AND DISLIKES
Basketball
Don't miss out on the headlines from Basketball. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The NBL has been forced into a late-season tweak to its coach’s challenge system amid a farcical scene in Tasmania as calls from South East Melbourne’s basketball boss to have the mechanism scrapped could land him in hot water.
The issue reared its head on Friday night during the third quarter of Tasmania’s clash with Adelaide when the referees decided on a jump ball, despite coach Mike Wells’ unsuccessful challenge to a foul called on 36ers’ big man Montrezl Harrell.
Commonsense would suggest it should have been JackJumpers ball, after referees boss Scott Butler said the challenge was thrown out because “Montrezl basically drives him (Ian Hummer) under the basket, takes him out of the rebounding contest, pretty straightforward foul.”
But, instead, Harrell and Majok Deng lined up at centre court, the 36er winning the tip, with insult added to injury when Hummer was whistled for a foul on the next play that sent Kendric Davis to the line for two free throws.
JackJumpers’ coach Scott Roth was left incensed and players and fans bewildered.
A flummoxed Roth was caught on the mic during the broadcast saying “I don’t understand” and veteran referee Vaughan Mayberry was heard to say “I miscommunicated what I’ve been told”.
The NBL confirmed it was looking into comments on X from Phoenix general manager of basketball Simon Mitchell, after he opined : “End the challenge rule now. This very moment. Get rid of the challenge rule @nbl. You don’t have a grasp of its purpose. Wastes time, get it wrong anyways … lose it. Not convinced it provides a consistent or correct call. Just another opinion.”
“The NBL is disappointed in the comments and are considering next steps,” a league spokesman said.
On Sunday morning, the NBL stuck to its guns on the jump ball decision, insisting it had reviewed the play and it was the correct course of action on the night.
End the challenge rule now. This very moment #NBL25
— Simon Mitchell (@SMitch_72) January 10, 2025
I repeat again......get rid of the challenge rule @nbl. You don't have a grasp of it it's purpose. Wastes time, get it wrong anyways .. lose it. #nbl25
— Simon Mitchell (@SMitch_72) January 10, 2025
But, in response, the league has made “an immediate adjustment to its rules which will ensure all unsuccessful coach’s challenges result in the play resuming from the point of interruption as though the challenge was never called”.
“On review … the game was correctly restarted with a jump ball due to the lack of team control,” a league communicae read.
“With this change, that play situation would now result in Tasmania receiving the ball at the closest throw in location.”
But on the same day the league announced the “immediate” change, Sydney coach Brian Goorjian was left fuming when it appeared the old interpretation was apoliced and Cairns was awarded possession on his successful coach’s challenge.
“How is it their ball? We got the stop, you made a mistake, it’s official,” Goorjian said.
“The rules changed, that was what immediately hit me like a ton of bricks.
“I feel like we’re back to square one. I was relieved (with the rule change) because I thought the game (Friday) night was a comedy act.”
The Jackies felt dudded again, early in the last quarter, when Roth won his own challenge when 36er Kendric Davis was trapped in the corner and game-winning hero Deng was whistled for “pushing Davis out of bounds”.
“The contact by Deng looks marginal and it looks like Davis actually decides to fall out of bounds of his own free will,” Butler explained on the NBL broadcast.
Butler’s explanation suggests the referees might have missed a flop warning and Adelaide was awarded the ball. Melbourne United champion Pete Hooley said Roth had a right to feel aggrieved.
“This is another one that’s going to frustrate Scott Roth and I understand,” Hooley said on the broadcast.
“If there’s no foul, given Davis has fallen out of bounds, Tasmania need to have the ball there.
“He’s (Roth) done his job, I understand the rules of it, but that’s twice.”
Despite feeling hard-done-by on those calls, the JackJumpers fought back from 14 down to force overtime on five points in four seconds from Deng. He let out an audible sigh during the post-game press conference as Roth was asked about the two decisions.
MAJOK DENG TIES THE GAME 🤯
— NBL (@NBL) January 10, 2025
Watch live on ESPN 📺 pic.twitter.com/0H9C1jYugN
Roth, who has had a number of run-ins with the NBL head office this season, played a straight bat, saying, “I just go with the flow”, with a wry smile on his face.
“I don’t even know when I win them (challenges) and I lose them, because I have no idea, to be quite honest with you, I just listen to the (assistant) coaches and they say ‘do it’ and that’s all I do.
“The one that was in the corner, I actually thought he (Davis) stepped out of bounds and I thought it was our ball and then I thought we had the rebound and then he (Harrell) went over our back, but both those didn’t transpire in their view.”
DISLIKES
INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED?
Frustrated Brisbane Bullets officials will seek a please explain from the NBL about the wet court surface in Traralgon after three players were injured.
The NBL, on Sunday, told Crosscourt the conditions were “deemed safe based on our minimum standards policy”, after Saturday’s clash was marred by serious injury concerns to Bullets Josh Bannan (knee) and Deng Adel (groin) and Phoenix guard Derrick Walton Jr (hamstring), who all slipped on the wet court.
Storms in the Traralgon region made for humid conditions, leaving the court at the Gippsland regional indoor sports stadium slippery.
It’s understood BA officials were in attendance at the game, with particular attention on the weather conditions and their impact on the safety of the court, given the Boomers are scheduled to play two internationals at the venue next month.
The combination of 35C day, barometric drop to around 20C with thunderstorms and 3000 people piling in at 7pm were said to exacerbate the conditions.
The steamy conditions inside the stadium caused windows in the upstairs VIP viewing area to fog up.
Brisbane chief executive Mal Watts confirmed the club want to work with the NBL to avoid a repeat.
“The Brisbane Bullets are passionate about bringing the excitement of NBL basketball to regional communities, showcasing the game to all fans across Australia and growing the game,” Watts said.
“It’s crucial, however, that professional playing standards are maintained to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our players – and the fan experience.
“We are committed to working closely with the NBL to strengthen processes and uphold minimum standards for court surfaces and game environments at all venues.
“By collaborating with the league, we can continue to deliver high-quality basketball while expanding the reach of our sport.”
Phoenix coach Josh King confirmed the court “was not 100 per cent good”, with Walton Jr set to have scans tomorrow and a best-case scenario likely at least three weeks on the sidelines.
Bullets coach Justin Schueller voiced his frustrations about the slippery court in his post-game press conference.
“It was a humid, rainy day here and the air cons definitely didn’t get on fast enough and the surface was slippery,” Schueller said.
“We identified that before the game.
“Deng re-did his groin slipping on the floor, Bannan does his knee slipping.
“It is just frustrating when you are told to deal with it when those things are raised (before the game).”
SIXERS’ SEASON ON THE EDGE
The Adelaide 36ers’ season that promised so much is on life support after the Sixers blew a five-point lead with 45 seconds left before losing to Tasmania in extra-time.
Kendric Davis continued his brilliant form with 39 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Sixers fumbled their way through a forgettable fourth quarter.
Adelaide (9-12) remain stranded in eighth position with eight games remaining in the regular season.
The 36ers face the ladder leading Illawarra Hawks at home on Monday before season-defining road clashes against Perth, Cairns and Sydney.
If Adelaide doesn’t make the top six it will be a major failure given their talent through the likes of Davis, Montrezl Harrell, Dejan Vasiljevic and Jarell Martin
LIKES
KELL’S GRIP ON NBL BUY OF THE YEAR
Illawarra’s Trey Kell has one hand on the NBL’s buy of the year honour after another dominant display for the high-flying Hawks.
Kell proved to be the difference in Saturday’s 108-100 win over the New Zealand Breakers, dropping a team-high 31 points.
He shot an efficient 8-11 from two point range (72.7 per cent), while he a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line.
The 28-year-old has become the perfect backcourt partner for franchise star Tyler Harvey.
He takes pressure off Harvey, which creates more time and space for the sharpshooter to shine.
Kell is averaging career-high numbers in points (19.3) and assists (3.9) in less game-time than his previous stints with Adelaide and the Phoenix.
In a further boost for the Hawks, the club has finally secured a major sponsor for the front of the playing singlet.
Former major sponsor Multi Civil and Rail (MCR) – owned by Wollongong Wolves chairman Tory Lavelle – has returned as a backer.
PHOENIX DEPTH SHINES
It’s never ideal when a former grand final MVP goes down injured, but the Phoenix’s guard depth stepped up in a big way against Brisbane.
You could understand if the team fell in a heap after Derrick Walton Jr left the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury.
Instead, the Phoenix found another gear to surge back from a 54-47 halftime deficit to record a comfortable 19-point win.
Fellow star Nathan Sobey stepped up in support of scoring machine Matt Hurt (32) with a game-high 31 points, along with five rebounds and seven assists.
Sobey was well supported by Angus Glover (eight points, including two threes) and young gun Owen Foxwell (five points).
Foxwell also delivered on the defensive end when he forced a turnover on Brisbane’s Mitch Norton.
Walton Jr could be sidelined for weeks, so the Phoenix will need every bit of their depth to keep winning in his absence.
WHITE RESPONDS FOR UNITED
The calls for Jack White to aim up were loud and he responded with a starring performance in Melbourne United’s thrilling win over Sydney.
Coming off a season-low three points against Adelaide, critics had questioned White’s impact amid United’s form slump, but the former Denver Nugget responded in a big way against the Kings.
He poured in game-high 23 points, added 10 rebounds and produced the game-winning bucket with just 2.1 seconds left.
White is one of the NBL’s premier players and United will need him to consistently produce at a high level to win this year’s championship.
Melbourne will look to build winning momentum when they travel to New Zealand on Monday to take on the Breakers.
More Coverage
Originally published as Crosscourt: Likes and dislikes from round 16 of the 2024-25 NBL season
‘Move on’: No excuses for Roth or Jackies after Perth horrorshow
Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth had no excuses for his side coming crashing back to earth after a horror loss to Perth, just two days after a stunning win over Adelaide. See what he said.
‘Loves it here’: JackJumpers boss on why Roth is here to stay
Tasmania boss Christine Finnegan has given an insight into fiery JackJumpers coach Scott Roth and why she sees a “common link” to NRL legend Craig Bellamy while addressing rumours the mentor might not see out his contract.