Review process needs a review
Forde: Get rid of challenge
Taipans coach Adam Forde has described the coach’s challenge as “useless” after a non-decision in the win against the Phoenix.
The Taipans have not stopped these past few days as they prepared for the first Boxing Day game at the Cairns Convention Centre in franchise history.
But there was plenty to talk about out of the 94-75 win against the Phoenix, the Taipans’ first at the Snakepit since November 11, and it was the unsuccessful challenge of Tahjere McCall’s fourth foul that drew the ire of last season’s coach of the year.
McCall did everything he could to get around South East Melbourne’s Anzac Rissetto to get to Abdel Nader, but was adjudged to have fouled the former NBA forward.
It happened right in front of Forde and the Taipans bench, and he didn’t hesitate in calling a challenge – and the boos poured from the 3600-strong crowd when it was eventually judged to be unsuccessful.
Forde made his point clear post-game. He said the league’s premier defenders, such as Melbourne United’s Shea Ili and Matthew Dellavedova and Perth gun Jordan Usher, could be on the bench faster in future.
“It wasn’t a foul, so if they want us to speed the game up, you may as well just get rid of the challenges,” Forde said. “I didn’t like we were unsuccessful with the Sydney challenge.
“If you were to slow down every defensive on-ball coverage, Ili is fouling out, Delly is fouling out, Usher is fouling out – all the best on-ball defenders are fouling out.
“He didn’t touch him, he navigated, he got as narrow and slim as he could, contorted his body over the on-ball, then Nader flops and we’re unsuccessful with the challenge. “Just get rid of it, it’s useless. “It was fantastic the boys were able to stay locked in knowing that one of best defenders, one of the league’s best on-ball defenders, was on four fouls. Ecstatic with the collective result.”
McCall and fellow defensive weapon Bul Kuol both had four fouls, but played through foul trouble as the Taipans strengthened their spot in the top six.
Forde praised the duo for their ability to stay locked in and play through adversity.
“It makes it challenging,” Forde said. “You talk about people nominated for defensive recognition and these guys aren’t, (other than) maybe a little shout out every now and again – Tahj leads the league in steals, Bul would have a fantastic defensive rating.
“It’s fantastic we don’t get caught up in the moment and we just move on to the next.
“You can’t say anything to them, you can’t say anything to anybody anymore, so it’s cool we just move on and focus in on ourselves.”