Good solid win over Kazakhstan, which has the potential to be a danger game for us. Now at 2-0 heading into a big game against Hong Kong.
The game in five
1. The first quarter was a bit of an offensive shootout early on, with both teams firing early. We went into the break up by 6, but a raft of offensive boardsto the Kazakhs after last week's debacle had a certain NT manager pulling his hair out. Fortuately, the team applied themselves on the boards for the rest of the night.
2. Catic played his first NT minutes in the second quarter, so congratulations to him! His only contribution for the night was an offensive board, but he'll be better for the run.
3. The 2nd quarter was another arm wrestle, marginally won by the Aussies again, to go in at the half 10 points up. Faletoese was on triple double watch, with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, along with a dominating defensive performance. A lack of minutes in the second half killed his chance to get the trip dub.
4. The contest was killed off by a 11-0 run to start the third quarter. While the Kazakhs managed to pull the game back a bit through the rest of the quarter, the game was pretty much in garbage time in the fourth quarter.
5. Our defense was merely solid tonight, but I was really happy with the offensive performance from all players. Our bigs finished well inside, our guards finished their drives, hit their jumpers and got the ball to the bigs. And Faletoese proved he is a capable replacement for Rieffel, with an all round solid game.
Darby Walters medal
Really hard to give votes with most of our offense firing. Any of about 7 or 8 players could have got votes.
3. Dylan Scoggins. The big man was asked to score, and score he did. 16 points on 6-8 shooting, hitting all your fouls shots, 2 assists and an offensive board, and no turnovers? can't ask much more from your big man than that.
2. Vladimir Shishaev. This guy ain't flashy, but he just keeps getting the job done week after week. 18 points. 7 assists. 3 offensiv boards. Nuff said.
1. Keith Anderson. As I said, this could have gone to any of about 4 or 5 players - Schnieder, Lonergan, Faletoese and Walker in particular can consider themselves unlucky. But Anderson go the job done with 18 points on 9-13 shooting, and grabbed a couple of offensive boards as well.
Leaderboard
9 - Dylan Scoggins
8 - Leigh Reiffel; Vladimir Shishaev
6 - Darren Lonergan
5 - Scott Schnieder
3 - Brent Degas; Lionel Walker; Keith Anderson
1 - Jone Bogan; Thad Hadley
Rudolph Radford medal
3. Emori Faletoese. Dominating defensive display. While Mulikov lead the Kazakh's scoring, I don't think any of his poitns were scored on Faletoese - rather most were scored in a short patch on Schnieder. He provided some solid rebounding from the SF position, and got a steal as well. One of the better defensive displays of the season so far.
2. Dylan Scoggins. Managed to drag down 8 defensive boards, and shut down the opposing centres. Really good all around game from the Scog man.
1. Keith Anderson. Managed double figure rebounds, and provided some rim protection with a couple of blocks. While the opposing PFs did ok, they didn't get away from us.
Leaderboard
10. Vladimir Shishaev
6. Scott Schnieder
5. Lionel Walker
4. Emori Faletoese; Keith Anderson
3. Darren Lonergan; Leigh Reiffel; Dylan Scoggins
2. Brent Degas
Jackson Mansfield medal leaderboard
Shishaev extends his lead, but Scoggins has rocketed up to second, and takes the lead in the Darby Walters medal.
18. Vladimir Shishaev
12. Dylan Scoggins
11. Leigh Reiffel; Scott Schnieder
9. Darren Lonergan
8. Lionel Walker
7. Keith Anderson
5. Brent Degas
4. Emori Faletoese
1. Jone Bogan; Thad Hadley