Hoops

Copeland @ Altona

He's got his work cut out at Altona, players hated each other there this season

From what I've seen of Copeland he puts in the time - I used to see him (before he went to Sydney) at MSAC every morning before 7am with squads of guys and running individuals.

My gut tells me he'd be good in a player dev role but maybe struggle as the head coach.

On Lindsay Gaze's coaching, yes those Tigers teams should probably have won some more. That group 92-2000 was as good a collection of talent that has ever been in the league before or since. LV has detailed some more above, but he also had some blind spots such as overplaying starters and not really having a plan B when things didn't go to plan - just running plan A "better"

It was still the most entertaining basketball to watch (bias, obviously) so I wouldn't change it for the world.

The word was that Scheuler was not required at Kilsyth, I’d say he is looking for another winter coaching job.

Copeland has coached Big V before.

Geelong Div 1 for a season.
Hume City SCM for a season.
Sunbury Div 1 for a season.

Now it's Altona Div 2.

Schuller is United Assistant and U17 Aus Coach, doesn't have time for NBL1 team.

The info just has Copeland as mens Div 1 Coach

I think lets see how he goes, what was he like at Broadmeadows.

Gets people talking - more off-season noise

[And it was probably an indictment on Lindsay Gaze and his coaching that he had the GOAT (his son) on his team for 22 seasons plus star players like Copeland, Bradtke, Marcus Timmons and Dave Simmons yet only ever won two championships.]

I think the devil is in the details here.

In the 80’s, the Tigers had Gaze and no one else. It was only the 90’s where Gaze was accompanied by other stars. This was an era where you had a great Perth Wildcats group, and the GOAT coach Goorjian whose teams were always strong. Plus other teams popping up for a season or two- eg Giants with prime D-Mac, Chris Jent, Maley, Reidy.

Then, take away 1995 when Bradtke was overseas and 1999 when Gaze was in San Antonio. After 2000 everyone was getting old (Gaze and Copeland turned 35 in 2000) and there were other strong teams in this next era too (eg: Titans with Anstey, D-Mac, Mosley, Jason Smith, Crocs with Sam McKinnon and Rob Rose, etc).

So really, there were only 5 or 6 seasons where Lindsay Gaze had a truly elite roster at his disposal. And it was an era with plenty of strong teams. And they did win 2 championships from 4 grand finals.

And it was probably an indictment on Lindsay Gaze and his coaching that he had the GOAT (his son) on his team for 22 seasons plus star players like Copeland, Bradtke, Marcus Timmons and Dave Simmons yet only ever won two championships.

Copeland was my coach at sunbury years ago and it struck me as odd that he didn't talk about the basics of what to do on D. You'd think with all his experience as a player that he would understand the need to put in defensive rules unless the coaches he played for never put any emphasis on it.

Previous jobs doesn't always mean you're a terrible coach - previous jobs might be wrong fit, bad board, not enough $$ etc

Too often in Australia we sack or dismiss coaches after 1 attempt ... English Premier League and Soccer is historically known for sacked coaches to go on to have success at other clubs why is basketball different?

There's a bit of interest in this kid, so why not a new thread.

The previous thread reported that he'd quit one school after three games with the coach saying his guardian family was finding living in the US too hard and were to move back to Australia.

However, a follow up article has him immediately enrolling at a new school with an IB program.

From the guardian:

“Thon and my daughter Acacia have transferred from Metairie Park Country Day School to the Carlisle School in Virginia,’’ Smith wrote. “There were four major components that factored into our decision to transfer from Country Day.

“The Carlisle School offers the International Baccalaureate program out of Geneva, Switzerland, the Carlisle School was voted the No. 1 academic school in southwestern Virginia, my longstanding relationship with head coach Jason Niblett, and the close proximity to the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia area), where most of my family and relatives reside.

“In the case of Thon, I feel that he will experience an exponential growth academically and athletically in this environment. Thon had an opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., last year with stops at the White House, the Smithsonian, the Washington Monument and other major landmarks.

“We feel that Carlisle, though small and remote in location, offers us access to a major metropolitan area where Thon and my daughter will experience growth culturally as well.

“I also believe that the international basketball program that Coach Niblett is building at Carlisle is academically inclined and will allow me to continue to make dreams come true for international student athletes seeking recommendation of an excellent basketball opportunity in the United States."