SMELLS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT
CRUCIAL DOUBLE AHEAD
WHEN you are 1-8 every game is a tough one but the Snakes have a difficult weekend coming up straight after the FIBA bye.
Illawarra’s 4-7 record is not super impressive when you look at them on the ladder but they were sharp in their win over Adelaide before the bye and have winning form in Cairns.
That is the Friday evening assignment, before the Taipans make their first trip to Perth for season 201819.
BREAK LOOKS TIMELY
THE FIBA break may have come at a good time for the Snakes with rookie Devon Hall (left) sharing the club’s three focuses over the bye that they hope will get them back on the winning path.
“Turnovers, defensive rebounding and our ball screen defence,” Hall said. “We will work on a bunch of stuff. “It is a good thing we have a week to work on things.”
ANDERSEN COPS GUILTY PLEA FINE
ILLAWARRA Hawks veteran David Andersen (above) is free to return to play after pleading guilty to unduly rough play in their combustible win over Adelaide. Andersen was deemed to have made intentional contact with 36ers counterpart Nathan Sobey before the bye. By accepting he was at fault, the 38-yearold avoids a one-game suspension and is instead fined $1000. He can now suit up for Friday’s game against the Taipans.
NATE GETS JOB DONE
EIGHT points and two rebounds in 10 minutes on the court for the Australian Boomers on Friday evening hardly tells the story of Nate Jawai’s return to the green and gold.
The big man (right) looked excellent in his short stay on court.
He was super active on both ends of the floor, worked hard for post position and defended the opposing centre hard. Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis played him in shorter bursts, which seems to keep his energy levels up and he was able to attack non-stop.
DUO IN KIWI CUP BID
TAIPANS pair Jarrod Kenny and Rob Loe have qualified for a fifth straight World Cup with their New Zealand Tall Blacks teammates.
The Kiwis did it easy over the weekend, claiming a big 97-74 victory over Syria in Wellington on Sunday, which confirmed their spot at the 32-team World Cup in China next August. The pair combined for 17 points in the win.