Crosscourt: Likes and dislikes from round 18 of the 2024-25 NBL season
Confusion reins over the NBL’s refereeing and review bunker after one of the most controversial calls of the season – and there was one glaring absence in its wake. LIKES AND DISLIKES
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The Twitter refs have been out in force over a block-or-charge decision during Adelaide’s win over Sydney that might be one of the most divisive calls of the NBL season.
And during Cairns’ upset win over Perth also at the weekend, the broadcast team glaringly did not cross to the review centre for an explanation of why Wildcats coach John Rillie’s challenge of a similar decision was unsuccessful.
With 2.55 to go in the third quarter of Adelaide’s rousing win over Sydney on Friday, the Kings’ Jaylen Adams careened to the hoop as 36er Kendric Davis slid across to create a roadblock.
The whistle on the floor was a blocking foul, to which incensed Sixers coach Mike Wells decided to challenge.
Replays appeared to show Davis got there in time before Adams barrelled through him.
That was not the view of referees’ boss Scott Butler in the review centre.
“Does the defender establish legal guarding position? He does not,” Butler said on the broadcast.
“Davis is still sliding across right up to the point of contact, that means he’s actually late to the contest.”
“Does the defender establish legal guarding position? He does not.â€
— Michael Randall (@MickRandallHS) January 24, 2025
“Davis is still sliding across right up to the point of contact, that means he’s actually late to the contest.â€
On this interpretation, how many charges this season should have been blocking fouls? https://t.co/nHl9h0Vlompic.twitter.com/oaitXMWwYl
The overwhelming view was the play was a charge – even NBL legend Derek Rucker had to bite his tongue on the broadcast – but there were also some who felt the referees got it right.
“I’m just going to let that one slide and aknowledge the brilliance of Jaylen Adams,” Rucker said.
It throws up the long-held concern around consistency of refereeing in the league, with a number of other similar calls – just in the past week – going the other way.
Late in the fourth quarter of Saturday night’s Wildcats-Taipans game, Perth coach Rillie challenged a charge call on Keanu Pinder after he ploughed through Cairns’ big Sam Waardenburg.
The NBL’s greatest player Andrew Gaze felt it was a “50-50” call and, given the evidence of previous days, it meant he, like all of us, had no idea which way it would go.
Interestingly, there was no explainer from the review bunker, as has been customary this season, the commentary team left to make sense of it.
“So they deemed he was in a legal guarding position,” Gaze said.
An NBL spokesman said the commentators chose not to go to the replay centre to seek further clarity on the Pinder challenge - despite some confusion in the box.
The division of opinion on these calls shows that so many moments in a game are down to interpretation – even when it’s slowed down and reviewed from multiple camera angles.
The variance also underlines why there is almost universal frustration among coaches, players, officials and fans.
Who’d be a referee?
DISLIKES
HAWKS NEED DAYS BACK
Illawarra deserves to be championship favourites, but the Hawks desperately need import forward Darius Days to return from injury to seal the deal.
This was on show in Thursday’s upset loss to the Cairns Taipans as the Hawks’ offence went cold in an uncharacteristic display.
The Hawks missed Days’ ability to drop a key bucket or make a big play, especially when the scoring dries up.
Illawarra officials released a statement confirming the American had a hamstring strain, but there was no time frame on his return.
Hawks fans will have their fingers crossed that Days’ injury isn’t long-term because he has been stellar this season.
The star forward is averaging 11.4 points on 50 per cent shooting from the field, while adding 6.6 rebounds.
Illawarra faces the JackJumpers in Tasmania on Thursday and must win to stay on top of the ladder.
Melbourne United, the Sydney Kings and South East Melbourne Phoenix are all within reach of the Hawks, should they stumble.
ARE WILDCATS REALLY THE REAL DEAL?
Perth Wildcats blew two golden chances to silence the doubters in Round 18 and they failed with against both Melbourne United and Cairns.
The Wildcats were on the up, moving into second position on the ladder following five straight wins.
This set up a blockbuster round that could have further cemented their championship credentials – but they couldn’t get the job done.
It’s hard to be overly critical of the six-point loss to United because they competed in a tight tussle.
However, Saturday’s double overtime home loss to last-placed Cairns is inexcusable for a side with championship aspirations.
The critics already doubt if the Wildcats have what it takes to beat the league’s best teams and win the title and a shock loss to the Taipans will only fuel this perception.
Perth has another chance to prove everyone wrong in round 19 when they face top-four rivals South East Melbourne and Sydney
LIKES
DJ KEY FOR SIXERS
Adelaide is loaded with talent but the surging Sixers need one man in particular to fire if they want to progress deep into the post-season.
NBL champion and Boomer Dejan Vasiljevic is one of the league’s finest sharpshooters but his numbers are slightly down on last season.
Vasiljevic is averaging less points (19.7 to 18.8) while he has a NBL career-low in field goal percentage (38 per cent).
Vasiljevic stepped up on Sunday to help the 36ers cruise past New Zealand.
He finished with 11 points, including three of seven from range and added six rebounds and 4 assists.
Adelaide’s starting five all scored in double figures in the impressive 16-point win over the Breakers.
He remains one of the league’s best perimeter shooters as shown through his three-point percentage of 37.6 and Vasiljevic is the player to take Adelaide to the next level, especially if he can fire like he did against Cairns in round 17 when he dropped a 40-minute era record-tying 10 threes.
The man nicknamed ‘DJ’ caught fire early versus the Taipans with seven makes from deep in the first quarter.
The Sixers know import guard Kendric Davis will pile on the points, while fellow import Montrezl Harrell has also been consistent on the offensive end.
The final piece for Adelaide to be a genuine contender is Vasiljevic producing consistently.
If this can happen, anything is possible for the surging Sixers.
ADAMS DEFYING DODGY BACK
Jaylen Adams’ troublesome back is far from perfect, but the champion guard is bravely defying pain to lead the Sydney Kings to the finals.
Adams tweaked his back in Wednesday’s road win over the Phoenix, sparking fear he could be sidelined again.
He started the fourth quarter on the bench with the team physio before returning to produce a host of clutch buckets down the stretch.
Adams finished with 20 points, including five-of-eight from two-point range (62.5%), while he added nine assists and four rebounds.
The gun American continued his MVP-calibre form against the Adelaide 36ers on Friday, dropping an NBL career-high 43 points.
Sydney fell to the in-form 36ers for the second time this season, but Adams was brilliant in a beaten side.
It feels like the former Milwaukee Buck is finding his finest form at the right end of the season.
Kings big man Cam Oliver has built a close connection with Adams, especially in pick and roll action.
SPACE CAM IS CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF 🚀
— Sydney Kings (@SydneyKings) January 22, 2025
Watch via ESPN!#TakeTheThronepic.twitter.com/TGOIlfrF8g
This was on display in Wednesday’s win over the Phoenix when the pair combined to produce a contender for dunk of the year.
“Jaylen has been great, we’re the only two imports on the team, so we’re super close and we always hang out together,” Oliver told Crosscourt.
“I haven’t seen that many pick and roll scorers like him and he is super elite at it.
“I also believe I’m elite at pick and rolls, so having that connection together is awesome.
“He is a greater player and scorer, so we’ve just got to keep it going.”
RECORD-BREAKING PHOENIX BOUNCE BACK AFTER BASKETBALL BOSS’ BIG CALL
A day after South East Melbourne basketball boss Simon Mitchell said the Phoenix were the best team in the league, his side laid an egg against Sydney.
But they gave a little credence back to Mitchell’s audacious call by smacking an injury-ravaged Tasmania with franchise-record making vengeance, making it eight wins in their past 10 starts.
After worrying early signs, the Phoenix came home like a tidal wave, pouring in a franchise record 41 points in the fourth quarter on their way to setting an all-time club record mark of 116.
The JackJumpers were missing four of their best players but, with a rejuvenated Joe Wieskamp inserted into the starting line-up, the Phoenix played the type of ruthless basketball that has them primed for a season-shaping run home against fellow top-six teams Perth (A), Adelaide (H) and Melbourne United (A).
“Perth is going to be a big challenge going there,” coach Josh King said.
“They’re playing really well, they’ve got more than likely the MVP of the league Bryce Cotton, who’s a tough guard, but they’ve got other really good players alongside him.
“We’ll worry about Perth and then whoever else we’ve got after that.”
Originally published as Crosscourt: Likes and dislikes from round 18 of the 2024-25 NBL season
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