Melbourne United claim emphatic 125-80 win over Sydney Kings
Melbourne United NBL star Melo Trimble has spoken up over the online trolling that marred the aftermath of his side’s first semi-final against the Kings.
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Update: Melo Trimble has lashed social media trolls as “childish” ahead of Melbourne United’s semi-final showdown in Sydney.
Trimble was among several United stars to be subjected to a barrage of abuse and vitriol after the Game 1 meltdown.
Sydney Kings copped the brunt of the hatred on Monday after its beat down in Melbourne.
“We been going through that all season, people now just noticing that,” Trimble said.
“As basketball players we always go through that, people always got something to say about us whether we play a good game or bad game.
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“I’ve been going through that since I was in college, I played for my home town and I was still getting people hating on me, it’s nothing new.
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“It’s something us athletes go through but we’re stronger than that, that’s way we play, between the lines, with our brothers.”
Trimble’s comments followed Kings owner Paul Smith outing troll, “Cheryl”, who blasted a player with savage texts on Facebook Messenger less than 30 minutes after the heavy loss to Melbourne.
The attack included: “I hope ur both f---ing ugly useless parents will die from toughest pain in front of u”, “U ugly f---ing pinocchio, and ‘U are not able to hit a sea from the ship you ugly f----t”.
United chief executive Vince Crivelli vowed to champion a league-wide approach to combat trolls.
“Unfortunately it’s part of the society we live in today where people feel like it’s their God-given right to hide behind a keyboard and bully or abuse people anonymously or not so online,” Crivelli said.
“I can assure you if it comes from any of our known members or people we wouldn’t tolerate it, there’s no place for it, it’s not necessary.
“All it does is cause harm and abuse and in a world where mental health is such a big issue it’s just not something we should be tolerating.”
But Trimble refused on Tuesday to be distracted by the social media byplay, with Game 3 on Thursday in Sydney a chance to qualify for the grand final series.
“We’re hungrier I feel like,” Trimble said.
“Everyone has been doubting us and saying we shouldn’t be here, us to get swept (by Sydney), so all the pressure is still on them and for us just to go out there and play basketball.
“I feel we really found our swagger … we’re the most talented team and we’re showing that, we’re going to stay humble, confident and get this win on Thursday.”
THE MATCH - UNITED DEMOLISH KINGS
Sydney Kings went into the finals as the only team in NBL history to own top spot on the ladder throughout the regular season.
Now, the Kings, with purse strings the size of Bondi, could be eliminated for the second year running by Melbourne United in a semi-final.
United knotted the best-of-three series at Melbourne Arena with a withering display of basketball that was as brutal as it was beautiful.
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Granted Sydney gets home court advantage again on Thursday night but Kings coach Will Weaver goes in losing seven of the eight quarters played already.
The four minutes either side of half-time on Monday night was a scoreless horror show for the Kings.
Xavier Cooks spilt the ball twice.
Shaun Bruce threw the ball away.
Andrew Bogut was pinged for an offensive foul.
Four consecutive defensive stops by United would start a 38-0 run and ended with a record single-game score.
The previous record? 123 points last season when United needed four over-times to stop Illawarra Hawks.
The 45-point margin in the end is also largest winning margin since 2010 – the NBL 40-minute era.
It was calamitous basketball for the Kings. Nothing worked. Save for Jae-Sean Tate early but even he petered out.
Casper Ware couldn’t hit the side of a barn for the second consecutive final.
Bogut either coughed up fouls or got dunked on by Shawn Long.
More on Long next. Enormous.
The next 40 minutes and overtime, if required, will decide which team advances to the NBL grand final series to play the winner of Thursday’s night’s Perth Wildcats-Cairns Taipans showdown.
LONG AND STRONG
Shawn Long’s first basketball mentor, “Coach Jimmy” aka James Johnson sr, growing up in Morgan City, Louisiana, knew what to look for when his then star point guard was ready to explode.
In short, when expressive Long grabbed his jersey and pounded his chest, watch out.
“Whoever guarding him,” coach Jimmy said, in a short documentary about Long, titled Against All Odds, posted on YouTube, “You better bring your lunch bucket because you got to work son.”
None of the Kings, not least Bogut, had lunch buckets as Long went mental from go to whoa.
Long set the tone then and went on to torment the Kings with multiple dunks, an early three, and 11 powerhouse rebounds.
THE COACHES’ BOX
United coach Dean Vickerman remains focused on beating the Kings on Thursday night despite the blowout result.
“The margin doesn’t matter, the teams did what they’re supposed to do, won at home, and we know it’s extremely tough to win any semi-final on the road,” he said.
“History says it’s very difficult and we understand that, but we believe we’re playing the right way.”
Sydney coach Weaver backed the Kings to bounce back, despite conceding United has been the aggressor.
“From the outset they were clearly in the mindset they were going to step up their physicality,” Weaver said.