The Man returns!!

Finally, JR Returns to a venue near you

By

ChuckE

It is a time honoured tradition in Australian sports for well serving sportspeople to have a Testimonial Season or Match. Over the years we have seen it happen for the likes of Wally Lewis, Alfie Langer, John Eales, LeRoy Loggins and countless others from all sports. While the practice has occurred several times in the sport of basketball, this year, supposedly due to financial reasons, the Townsville Cocs saw fit to part ways with John Rillie. Though this did not cause ripples and outrage around the sports world, most in Townsville and any true basketball fans in general were left puzzled. Many remember his commanding performance against Perth in the 2008-2009 NBL playoffs where he led from the front with a captains know of 34 points that included 10 three point bombs.

In the NBL off season there was a reshuffling of the competition with the league cut to eight teams and more local players left without teams. Upon his release by the Crocs, Rillie remained a presence in Townsville whether popping up at North Queensland Cowboy NRL matches or posting rapid fire information to his blog (http://jronfire.blogspot.com).

Fast forward to Wednesday 10 November 2009 and good ol’ JR has arrived on the scene in New Zealand. Visualize a Wild West theme with the new Gunslinger riding in to save the locals. The New Zealand Breakers were the media darlings of the NBL preseason, pick to finish at or near the top of the table. After an opening win against the Gold Coast Blaze, the team has sputtered to a four win, five loss season record. Along the way there have been nagging injuries to a few players with Kirk Penney out from an injury for another two to three weeks. The Breakers made their move on Tuesday releasing import Awvee Storey and signing Rillie.

The move gives the Breakers another veteran player with a winning attitude. Rillie will possibly see his first court time Thursday night as the Breakers host none other than the Perth Wildcats who will be hoping that Rillie on the horizon will not be a bad omen.

Hopefully this will give John Rillie the chance to finish his career on his own terms, not saying that this will even be his last season due to him always being in basketball shape. The NBL will only gain from the return of JR to the game he not only loves but lives.

Previously in a few articles written by yours truly, I have given John the nicknames of “Three Shooter”, due his long range capabilities or “Johnny the Sponge” because in my very first encounter with the very young Toowoomba kid back in the early 1990’s, he had a thirst for knowledge of the game and soaked up any and everything basketball. He was a total devotee to the game and at the time idolized George “Iceman” Gervin and Reggie Miller along with Mr. Jordan. That thirst for knowledge took him on an odyssey the went from Toowoomba to Tacoma and Spokane Washington in the United States, back to Queensland for a stint with the Brisbane Bullets, on to Adelaide for a title run with the 36ers. From there it was a stop in Sydney with the West Sydney Razorbacks before returning to Queensland to captain the Townsville outfit over the last three seasons.

The New Zealand Breakers now have in place upon the return of Penney a very potent long range attack. I am already throwing out the nicknames and thinking of the marketing potential. First up could be “The Posse”, sticking with the western theme featuring John “Three Shooter” Rillie, C.J. “The Kid” Bruton, and “Killer Kirk” Penney. The trio could also be marketed Indiana Jones style as “Raiders from the Three Arc”.

Previously in my blog (http://cdstarrbblog.blogspot.com), I have referred to the NBL with the slogan “Not Bad Lately”, now with the season roughly a third of the way through, things seem to be heating up. If there is a game in your area, get out and have a look. Alternately tune in to the weekly broadcasts on FOX. In conclusion, good luck JR and all other sportsmen plying their trade in these tough economic times.