Hoops

The road home for the 36ers

You'd think if they beat us here twice and are in better form now that we've got no hope in Melbourne.
They may even add another Import that's trialling with them, if he fits.
Having said that you can't pick a winner this season and our best 3 players were down, last night. We've won games without playing well. NZ outta form we may be able to pinch that one. Maybe 2 at home.
Couldn't we beat Melbourne at least once this season?
and we're a chance tomorrow.

The Tigers (8-10) just beat NZ (9-13) in a huge come from behind win. Keeps the Tiger's resurgence alive, but puts a huge dent in NZ's hopes of a late revival. The Tigers are in good form and probably only need 7 of the next 10 to secure a finals berth.

I wouldn't underestimate winning in Melbourne. Tigers have been lucky so far against us this year. Their only luck so far has been our teams lack of consistency.

If the Sixers can combine the 1st half of every game this season with the 2nd half of last nights game, you've got a team that could win nearly every game there.

Just up to the players and coaches if they can keep it up.

There is buckley's chance that a team with a 13-15 record will nab the last finals berth. I believe a team will need at least 14 and a season series split over other teams, but more likely 15 wins.

The teams in contention are:
Wollongong (played 21, 11-10)
Adelaide (played 21, 10-11)
New Zealand (played 21, 9-12)
Melbourne (played on 17, 7-10, having 4 games in hand on the other teams).

To reach 15 wins, Wollongong needs to win 4 of 7, Adelaide 5 of 7, NZ 6 of 7, and Melbourne 8 of 11.

Wollongong are still in the box seat, and I think that their long-awaited demise will not eventuate. They are a good enough team, even without Ty McKee.

Wollongong's remaining schedule is:
16 Jan v Gold Coast
20 Jan v Townsville
22 Jan @ Townsville
04 Feb @ New Zealand
06 Feb v Gold Coast
12 Feb v Melbourne
13 Feb @ Adelaide

Wollongong are 9-1 at home and have a positive season record because they play the best structured team basketball of anyone in the comp. Their games against Gold Coast, Townsville, Melbourne and Adelaide are all winnable. I think Wollongong are a chance of winning 5 of their last 7, but should win at least 3.

Adelaide has season series standings against the other competitors as follows:
Hawks: lead 2-1 with a +25 points
Breakers: trailing 1-2 with -11 points
Tigers: trailing series 0-2 with -14 points

The equation as I see it is that Adelaide need to:
1. win 5 games, or 4 games with Wollongong only winning 3;
2. not lose the final home game to Wollongong by more than 25; and
3. have both Melbourne and NZ finish with less wins, as we are likely to lose both season series.

The last finals spot could easily be decided in the last game at home against the Hawks, but we could also easily blow it well before then. At the moment, I can't see where even 4 more wins for the Sixers are going to come from with only two home games remaining.

Nice one DJ Rod...

I always think it's good to see a supporters road trip, at Smyth's last game there was a large contingent of Taipans fans (thanks for helping push the crowd total to over 8000 guys =)).

Ill be there DJ Rod. Good to see a tour happening.

We need to win at least 4 of those 7, and I would suggest 5.

Home games should be a W.

Gold Coast would be tight, but we need a W to get onto the right foot. They are 9:1 at home, so a W would really get the spirits up high. I say that game is the deciding game. A win gives us momentum, an L slows us a bit, but gives hope
I fear Melbourne is our bogey side this season, we need to get both of those as W's
New Zealand is always hard in NZ, but hey we did it last season and are 6:4 at home
Townsville (A) -they are 7:3 at home which says we have a 30% chance