Hoops

Sixers / Hawks game night

Big Marty, it almost comes across that Hill has decided what he will do with the ball prior to receiving or starting his move.
If he could learn to pull out when he's driving against 2 or 3, drive and dish it would be fantastic.

The pro's of course he rarely takes bad jumpers early in the shot clock that others on the team do WAY too much.

Notice we still hesitated on the catch and shoot with 3 or 2 seconds left on the shot clock!?!

The only clash between Hill and Ng is both tend to require the team to make the spaces and the openings for them to shoot.

Ng isn't a pick and pop player, or a guy who could make his own shots like Maher; he relies on plays to be centered around him shooting. Granted he's on fire when he gets the open shot, but he'd be a much better player if he worked on making his own shots more.

Hill is exactly the same, never really drives to the basket unless the corridor opens; never really seems confident driving to the basket when the lane is crowded. Considering he'd have Burston and Balls waiting inside, he should just throw a pass off the lay-in out to one of them for the 12ft Jumper. Only other complaint about Hill is that he puts too much power behind his shots. The man can easily get 15-18ppg if he works on the old "soft touch" technique.

TR - Not so sure that Hill and Ng co-existing is an issue.

Ng and Herbert co-existing whilst managable having them both on the court at the same time just dosn't seem to work.

We run Gilchrist/Tez/Hill/Holmes/Balls than we end up running

Tez/Ng/Herb/Holmes/Balls (or Coop, hopefully Burston starts taking that spot more regularly)

Would much prefer Ng and Herb to be sharing the backup 2 spot (maybe even try starting one to give Tez a bit of a wake up?) unless either one is having an exceptional game than you might play Herb & Ng together.

Their health really.
And Groves gets into my team 'cause physically he's still got it (not as good as he was) and I'd tell him to stop jacking up threes and to play to his strenghts

Hawks had a shocker, shows you what 11 days off can do to your shooting. The 36s really benefitted from the amazingly low shooting percentage of the Hawks 29%. The Hawks put up 70 shots and the 36s 67 so I don't think anyone could say that the 36s beat them on defence. I agree that the refs had no idea about calling travel at one stage Cortez left the floor and landed with the ball still in his hands no call. One of the features of the game was the persistence of the Hawks, even at the end Saville and team mates were still having a go and the ball was still not going in. I wouldn't be too confident if I was the 36s good luck to you the Hawks were having a really bad night. The good thing for the Hawks is that they've had that night now and with a bit of luck they probably won't have another one like that this season.

Great win but who else gets the feeling the fat lady is nowhere to be seen in regards to the four bottom placed team.

Share top spot on the ladder with Perth now as well. Good work boys.

I was gonna visit my son last nite and watch FOX, but he had a graduation thingy .. so I missed seeing it.
I had a quick look on ozhoops and a coupla Hawks fans mentioned Cortez Groves a wonderful athlete,but with NFI, doesn't play to his strenghts. John Gilchrist drove right all night.
Kinda been mentioned on here re Groves and that no one has seen Gilchrist drive left.

Awesome game, awesome win!

Bean I think the lack of basketball knowledge by BT isn't such a bad thing, the who is melvin thing could well be a question plenty of casual tv watchers were thinking themselves.

Enjoying the banter between the commentators this season, didn't think I would to be honest.

Huge win Sixers.Does it get any better than this??
Must have got it done at defensive end.

Hawks dreadful at HOME, 29/22/52 shooting %'s.
Coenraad, Campbell, no FG.
Points in paint, 42/28 tells the story.
Maybe Hawks have been playing above themselves and now finding their true level.

Posts seem to indicate Sixers can improve.

Speaking of that clueless commentator (no not the Hammer, the OTHER clown) did anyone hear this exchange in the first half:

HEAL: There goes Melvin Thomas, still sets a good screen, can't see anything! (ok I'm paraphrasing)

COMMENTATOR X: Who?

Great win by the Sixers tonight. First time I've seen them in a few weeks and it was great to see how many guys were pressuring their man and deflecting passes/ disrupting their opponents offence in the first half.

So good work Scotty, it looks to me like they are starting to scrap the way you used to back in your SE Melb days! Progress!

Second half I thought the guys coasted, but fair enough since they never let the Hawks back in and they'd want to be fresh for the Crocs.

First half the offence was better, with the team looking like they had a plan to score in mind on a regular basis. 2nd half fell back into bad habits too much, but can't complain when you lead by double digits for the entire 2nd half!

Groves FFS you are the most frustrating import we've ever had! Good D once again but for crying out loud learn to get your shots in the flow of the offence!

Only other comment: improve your rebounding boys! If the Hawks could make a basket in the second half they would have made a game of it with all the offensive boards you gave up!

All in all, great to see this team progressing. Watching tonight it was clear to me that this team is learning and playing with more purpose than they were at the start of the season. Hope it continues! Can anyone remember the last time the Sixers won two straight on the road? Must have been a long time!

Tez looked like he really wanted to put on a show for the old fans. Lets not forget he had his best season in Wollongong.

Aw - wished I saw it...
Anyways I love the way he guards - pretty smart and clever...

Yes offensive rebounds, I know I shouldn't have, but I laughed at the 4 in a row with 4 threepointers missed.
I'd guess, like us , Cortez Groves thought he was gonna have a good one, the way he started.

It seems (without seeing the game) Gilchrist - Groves
came out firing and we led start to finish with comfortable win against the top team on their home court, giving our bench a run, also seems good for Friday.
I can't really comment on Tez being dumb on the court,
was great, last game here and could have a good one Friday and will be interesting to see him guard Hodge here.
Great result in this game, with Gilchrist POTW.

Coenraad missed dunk hahaha...nothing's going right.

Groves was hot early and really cooled. Gilchrist however is killing it.

Hahaha @ the commentator calling Burston 'Conrad'.

Good timeout by Ninnis. We're starting to look very sketchy on offense, couple of easy turnovers.

hahaha....wtf, we got lucky on that no travel call.

Gilchrist looks impressive on live stats.
Did we swap Burston - Cooper over about 3 times in 2 mins. As live stats said ?

And that no call on Ng is about the 4th foul not called on Woollongong so far. Sigh @ NBL lack of consistency.

Interesting article from the townsville bulletin on Joe Ingles training session with the Crocs.

townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,17888402%255E24151,00.html

Described as 'the next Brad Newley', talks about receiving an offer from the Sixers, but also Ingles' desire to play somewhere where 'young players are brought through to the highest level'.

So Ingles is far from a signed deal with the Sixers. Looks like he wants to go somewhere where he will get plenty of court time.

Ingles broke his foot 45 minutes into the training session and will be out for 3 months.