Hoops

Boomers vs Flames, 8 Dec 2018 (live on SBS & Foxtel)

She's a fantastic coach I agree.
Not that I blame the Rangers for bringing one of their own up through the system. That's a good club mentality.

I'm stoked for Cheryl & the team for pulling that off today. That was a big win for basketball in general and the power of heart & teamwork.
And Melbourne's was a big loss for arrogance/apathy.

At what point does it get acknowledged that Cheryl Chambers is the best coach in the wnbl? Should be coaching Boomers or Rangers, in fact they should be fighting over her. Instead she's commuting to Sydney. She takes her absolutely decimated team and beats the star studded line up of the Boomers. Incredible! Imagine the gulf in terms of budget between those two teams.

Tahlia "Clutch" Tupaea! Barely had a rest all game and coming up huge down the stretch

Meanwhile Lara McSpadden looking significantly better than the last time she played significant minutes in the tv game. Really impressed with her today against this Opals front court.

Snelly playing a handy one as well.

Conti slidin so fast. Has beeen terrible all season.
Molloy ending careers.

im glad young players like pollerd and Melbourne are moving away.
That team will destroy you're development.

So far so good, but can Sydney's short rotation keep this up?

COURTESY OF ADELAIDE NOW

Richmond approached Boomers star Joe Ingles about making a shock switch from basketball to AFL.

The Tigers confirmed they targeted the 203cm powerhouse among several other basketballers in Damien Hardwick's first year as coach in 2010.

"Damien had a chat and kick with him to see if he was interested," football chief Craig Cameron said.

Although the club's adventurous recruiting plot went no further, friends are convinced the 24-year-old has the ability to make a seamless transition to the AFL.

A keen footballer as a junior, Ingles's athleticism will next month help spearhead the country's Olympic medal hopes in London.

Former South Melbourne Dragons owner Mark Cowan, who is on a sub-committee at Richmond, helped alert the club to Ingles's talent. Cowan likened his football potential to West Coast sensation Nic Naitanui.

"I've got no doubt he could do it (swap to AFL) because it is the way he moves," Cowan said.

"You can see he's got the turn of pace, the explosiveness and speed, and obviously at 203cm he's got the vertical leap side of things covered.

"I've had an occasional kick with him. He's a left footer and he's a very accurate and penetrating kick. He can kick 50 metres. The closest player to him in the AFL at the moment is Nic Naitanui."

The 2007 NBL rookie of the year - who is totally focused on basketball heading into his second Olympics - said the football club's interest in him was short-lived.

"I was about to go to Europe at the time and start that (so) it died off pretty quickly," Ingles said.

AFL players with basketball backgrounds include Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury, Melbourne's Jack Watts and North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein.

Ingles is contracted to play another season for Regal FC Barcelona after becoming only the second Australian to win the 2012 Spanish league championship this month.

Hard to see the Flames get this one, Boomers to drop it back to 3rd gear early and cruise

Boomers by 20+ in this game.

Being their 2nd game of the round doesn't matter so much given it's a Wednesday-Saturday double but I still rate the Flames' chances of victory as near-Buckley's. Though not absolute zero. Sydney's playoff hopes are over but they do play with heart and seem to have a nothing-to-lose mentality rather than a we suck mentality, and despite being absolutely stacked the Boomers have somehow managed 4 losses already including 2 to Bendigo.
Hoping we don't get a blowout on TV. Go Flames!