Crosscourt: Latest news and happenings out of round 9 of the 2023-24 NBL season
An NBL tradition is no more, thanks to a controversial commercial dispute - leaving Melbourne fans furious.
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Melbourne United announced on its social media during the week that its now traditional post-game ice cream freebie was no more.
Crosscourt, always chasing the hard news stories, can reveal the reason attendees at United home games won’t get a free frozen feed from club sponsor Bulla on their way out of John Cain Arena is because Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust cracked down in support of its exclusive venue partner Delaware North.
The move is, presumably, because the icy treats you’ll find in the fridges at the stadium are the likes of Frosty Fruits and Connoisseur — products of competitor Peter’s.
Due to a change in venue restrictions by Melbourne and Olympic Parks, we are unfortunately no longer able to give away free Bulla ice creams following our games.
— Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) November 30, 2023
We want to thank Bulla for their ongoing support & for all the ice creams given to our fans over the past 5 seasons. pic.twitter.com/qVRJj0DdTw
Fans blew up United’s social media accounts with some rather creative and amusing responses to the news their postgame party had been pooped.
“End of an era — Why does Olympic Park hate ice creams?” One asked.
“The fun police have struck again,” another said.
Another summed it up as: “That’s Bullas**t!’
In a statement, a Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust spokesperson said United was given permission to give away free ice creams at seven of their 14 home games this season.
“This decision was made to assist Melbourne United in supporting its partner relationship, and to balance M&OP’s commitment to providing opportunity for the club’s partners to engage with fans with the requirement to honour the exclusive supply agreement held by M&OP’s catering partner at John Cain Arena. No decision has been made on arrangements for partner activations for the 2024/25 season and beyond,” the statement read.
NBL HITS BACK AT 36ERS’ ROAD TRIP FURY
The NBL has hit back after the Adelaide 36ers lashed the league over a horror road double that left players sick and contributed to one of the franchise’s most pitiful performances.
Coach CJ Bruton and star DJ Vasiljevic were furious after four flights in three days from Adelaide-Melbourne-Christchurch-Sydney-Hobart they say left the sleep-deprived Sixers unable to fire a shot in a Saturday night 94-59 rout at the hands of Tasmania.
Club boss Nic Barbato, on Sunday, told Crosscourt no club should endure the New Zealand-Tasmania Thursday-Saturday road double again.
In a statement, though, the league’s Sean Gottliebsen said the Sixers, whose game finished around 10pm Thursday, NZ time, before a departure at 6am Friday, could have taken a later flight.
“The Adelaide situation was complicated and while the club had an option to take an alternate, later flight out of New Zealand, it elected to leave earlier,” the NBL’s Sean Gottliebsen said.
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But it’s understood the next flight out of Christchurch wasn’t until after 4pm, leaving the Sixers in a no-win situation, Barbato said. He said the Sixers were forced to weigh up an early departure for more time on the ground in Hobart or a later arrival that would have shrunk their prep time.
Gottliebsen said player welfare and the integrity of the competition was among the league’s highest priorities when considering scheduling and travel arrangements.
“We will continue to work with the clubs on the schedule and travel required, but need to maintain a fixture that prioritises the ability for families to attend between Thursdays and Sundays,” he said.
“We understand this has an impact on the ideal spread of matches.
“Double-headers are common in the NBL and have been a feature of the schedule for several years.
“Clubs receive the schedule with adequate time to make logistical decisions about how best to navigate the challenges double-headers can present.”
Vasiljevic, after the game on Saturday night, questioned the NBL’s commitment to being “one of the best leagues in the world”.
“That’s poorly done by the NBL, in all honesty,” Vasiljevic said.
“I played in college, I played everywhere and this is probably the worst road trip I’ve had in a long time.
“I’m not trying to s**t on anyone but … It takes a toll on guys. Again it isn’t an excuse, the JackJumpers are a well-coached and well-driven team but, if we want to do this type of road trip, I would have loved to have played tomorrow (Sunday). Give us two days to recover.”
“You talk about being one of the best leagues in the world, (then) don’t treat your athletes like this, for real.
“It’s not good for the NBL, fix the schedule. It’s as simple as that.”
FORMER TEST CAPTAIN THROWS SHADE AT 36ERS
Former Australian Test cricket captain and SEN Tassie presenter Tim Paine mocked the Sixers on Twitter.
“Due to todays travel commitments in which I left Hob 10.10am & landed in Adel 1.10pm I’m unlikely to be at my best for tomorrow mornings show,” Paine wrote.
Due to todays travel commitments in which I left Hob 10.10am & landed in Adel 1.10pm I’m unlikely to be at my best for tomorrow mornings show. https://t.co/k5FrWxWcWj
— Tim Paine (@tdpaine36) December 3, 2023
TIME TO MAKE BOLDEN A BOOMER?
Four years after Jonah Bolden pulled out of the Australian Boomers squad due to lack of minutes, the former NBA star turned Sydney King has emerged as a genuine contender for next year’s Paris Olympics.
Bolden’s scintillating three-point shooting performance in Friday’s loss to Perth only enhances his Olympic selection chances.
Jonah, the son of Kings legend Bruce Bolden, finished with 28 points, including seven of eight from range.
Bolden’s brilliant shooting performance has prompted calls for the Kings big man to play for the Boomers at next year’s Paris Olympics, given the Boomers’ struggles from deep during the national team’s failed 2023 FIBA World Cup bid.
The 6’8” forward possesses the size to play at the four or five spot and his athleticism and understanding make him an elite defender.
Bolden’s potential return to the Boomers would be a stunning turnaround, given he upset some Australian basketball figures when he walked out on the team prior to the 2019 World Cup in China, citing “personal reasons”.
CJ SAFE, FOR NOW, AS SIXERS URGE NBL TO END HORROR ROAD TRIP
Embattled Adelaide coach CJ Bruton’s job is understood to be safe — for now — with the club prepared to take into account the weekend’s horror road trip it believes should never happen again.
Bruton’s squad endured four flights from Adelaide-Melbourne-Christchurch-Sydney-Hobart in less than three days to face New Zealand on Thursday night, then butter up for a Saturday clash with a well-rested Tasmania.
It resulted in a pair of losses, including one of the worst performances in the club’s proud history — the 59 points only just eclipsed a franchise record low in a 35-point drubbing at the hands of the JackJumpers.
Code Sports has been told several 36ers have taken ill from the arduous trip, which prompted Bruton and star DJ Vasiljevic to lash the NBL over its scheduling — and call for clubs to charter private jets to ferry players in conditions more conducive to competitive basketball.
Some saw the post-game comments as making excuses, with the Sixers’ roster imbalance, poor starts in games, lack of production from key stars and Bruton’s hesitancy to try the likes of exciting Next Star Trentyn Flowers or emerging big man Kyrin Galloway in expanded roles under the microscope.
But Adelaide chief executive Nic Barbato doubled down Sunday, calling on the league to ensure no club ever had to make the New Zealand-Tasmania tour again.
“It’s a horror road trip and it should never happen,” Barbato said.
“Going forward it should be the last time any club gets a schedule like this.
“We will keep discussing this with the league.
“There is no way you can put in a competitive contest going from Christchurch to Tassie in that short amount of time after a game and with the travel before it.
“The players haven’t slept, they have had to try to make time for recovery, you play a big game in NZ and it’s not the level where the NBL should be.
“I’m not saying we would have won (against Tasmania) but what I am saying is it ensured there wasn’t a competitive contest.
“It’s wrong.”
In the last of a three-year deal, Bruton is out of contract at season’s end and Barbato said the club would remain patient and trust the legendary six-time NBL champion to right the ship, buoyed by an uptick in form since Vasiljevic’s mid-season arrival — 3-3 before the round 9 stinker.
“We’re not happy with where things are at, obviously,” Barbato said.
“But we’ve got to take the road trip into account.
“We’re home now, we can have the rest, we can prepare the week.
“We’ll have debriefs this week about what we need to do as a club and what the coaching staff need to do and what their solutions are to prepare for this Saturday’s game.
“CJ’s got a contract to the end of the season. We, as a collective club, need to bounce back from this and Saturday night (against Cairns) at home is the perfect opportunity.”
Vasiljevic said he’d hardly slept for four days and revealed he paid $2000 out of his own pocket to fly business class from Christchurch so he could be more comfortable.
“Wednesday morning, everyone is up at 4am, at the airport by 4.30am for a 6am flight to Melbourne,” Vasiljevic said.
“Land at 7.45am then rush to get to the international flight at 9am.
“We land in Christchurch at 2.30pm. Game is at 7.30pm on Thursday and most guys were asleep by 9.30pm the night before but me, I wasn’t asleep until 3am and up by 9.30am.
“Game finished by 10pm, back to the hotel by 11pm, and, next thing you know, we are at the airport at 4am for a 6am flight.”
The next flight out of Christchurch wasn’t until after 4pm, so the Sixers were forced to weigh up an early departure for more time on the ground in Hobart or a later arrival that would have shrunk their prep time.
Earlier this season, the Sixers also endured the 5500km Adelaide-Perth-Sydney Friday-Sunday double — which they split.
It’s understood the league is sympathetic to the Sixers’ concern but it plays a complex game of Tetris around venue availability, broadcasting and commercial requirements to fit its schedule together, with all clubs tested with road doubles throughout the season.
Vasiljevic, after the game on Saturday night, questioned the NBL’s commitment to being “one of the best leagues in the world”.
“That’s poorly done by the NBL, in all honesty,” Vasiljevic said.
“I played in college, I played everywhere and this is probably the worst road trip I’ve had in a long time.
“I’m not trying to s**t on anyone but … It takes a toll on guys. Again it isn’t an excuse, the JackJumpers are a well-coached and well-driven team but, if we want to do this type of road trip, I would have loved to have played tomorrow (Sunday). Give us two days to recover.”
“You talk about being one of the best leagues in the world, (then) don’t treat your athletes like this, for real.
“It’s not good for the NBL, fix the schedule. It’s as simple as that.”
***Additional reporting from Ryan Rosendale
BLOODY BANGER’S THUMBS DOWN FOR CAIRNS CROWD
Baynes isn’t a favourite with the Cairns faithful after his well-publicised on-court blow up after a Lat Mayen elbow and subsequent physical altercation with Taipans coach Adam Forde back in round two, for which he paid a five-game price.
Aron Baynes had a message for the Cairns locals 👎 pic.twitter.com/ZBaCWynPr0
— NBL (@NBL) December 1, 2023
On the Friday night, a bloodied Baynes was forced to leave the game late in the fourth quarter after receiving another elbow to the head, this time from Cairns forward Josh Roberts.
This time, Baynes produced a more professional display as Taipans fans relentlessly booed him, giving them a thumbs down with his giant hand as he left the court while holding a towel to his face.
CREEK’S HONEST MENTAL HEALTH STANCE
South East Melbourne Phoenix star Mitch Creek is one of the NBL’s premier players and he’s using his platform to promote a strong mental health message that it isn’t weak to speak.
Creek used his post-game interview on Saturday night to reveal he struggled mentally during the FIBA break.
He said he’d reached such a low point he needed a day off training but was able to respond and deliver a best-on-court performance in the Phoenix’s win over the Breakers on Saturday.
“To be dead serious with you, it was probably one of the hardest two weeks of my life,” Creek said on ESPN’s Switch post-game show.
“I went through a few things and off the court I had a few issues — and, honestly, training was hard, I had to take a day off.
“I was in a position where sometimes the bright lights and everything you see on the court isn’t always what it is off the court.
“The perception is that I go out and run around like an idiot 24/7 and jumping out of planes, but, at the end of the day, we’re real people with real issues.”
Creek finished with a game-high 26 points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals, despite his personal struggles, crediting his Phoenix teammates for lifting him up.
“I’m coming out here and trying to compete to do the best for this franchise, the game of basketball, the NBL and trying to represent everyone the right way, so the next generation can understand that it is OK to speak up and say you’re struggling a little bit,” he said.
“My teammates picked me up, all the guys stepped up, so to come out and put in a good performance is one of the most proud moments I’ve had in myself for a long time.
“And for me, a little bit of self-love is something I need right now.”
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Originally published as Crosscourt: Latest news and happenings out of round 9 of the 2023-24 NBL season
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