In Ball Today

Greetings fellow Ballaholics. We are now in our essence with action in the NBL, NBA, WNBL and the ASEAN leagues in full throttle.

In the NBL, Wollongong and Perth top the table with the other eight teams neck and neck heading towards the mid point of the season. There are still a number of top notch players out due to injuries so the power base could shift as they return. Most recently, the Gold Coast Breakers pulled off a huge upset of the New Zealand Breakers last night in NZ.

Meanwhile in the WNBL, Bulleen and Townsville remain undefeated at the top of the ladder. On the bottom rungs sit the AIS and Perth both of whom are hungry for a win. Defending champs Canberra continue to have an up and down ride at this stage of the season but never count them out.

Remember the Singapore Slingers?? Well guess who sits atop the ASEAN Basketball League ladder?? So far the Slingers are undefeated after four matches in the newly formed competition. Have a look through the rosters of the teams on the league website and you will see a few former SEABL players along with a few others who have played here in Australia.

And finally, in the last week, we have gotten our NBA fixes!! Early on, the Denver Nuggets have to be the team of note with Carmelo Anthony lighting up the score sheets. The Orlando Magic are also looking ominous. Defending champion LA Lakers have a few injured players but are winning close games through the scoring of Kobe Bryant. San Antonio rookie DeJuan Blair has proved to be a future double/double machine with his ferocious efforts off the glass.

Oh, don't forget, for us true fans, the NCAA kicks off its season in the next week or two...go Heels!!

Final wrap of SEABL

Here is the SEABL Wrap up for the year, I will get more up soon. Again sorry for my abscence but my health took control!!

KNOX RAIDERS - 2009 CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL MEN CHAMPIONS

Knox Raiders have secured the 2009 SEABL Championship after a surprising 125-98 victory over Frankston Blues in front of well over 1800 spectators at the Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre.

Raiders imports CJ Massingale was awarded the Hugh McMenamin Medal for Grand Final MVP finishing the game with 30pts, 6rebs, 5ass and 2stls.

Both teams started the game well as the lead changed numerous times in the first quarter. Massingale and Mick Hill kept the scoreboard ticking for the Raiders in the first quarter as the Blues relied on guards Andrew Harms and Mitch Chapman. Neither team could grab the advantage and the teams were tied 30-30 after one quarter.

Raiders second import Lester Strong (25pts, 10rebs, 2ass) stepped up in the second quarter and dominated inside the paint at both ends of the floor as he and Rigby were able to contain South Men MVP David Gruber. Lester scored a number of alley-opp dunks to fire up the “Raider Nation” to guide the Raiders to a 70-56 lead at the half.

Knox came out in the second half and stepped up at the defensive end to keep Blues David Gruber out of the game. Blues Andrew Harms never gave up and played hard but was faced with tough defence from the Raiders on every play.

John Philip started the fourth quarter and hit three shots from long range to increase the Raiders lead further and consolidate the Championship for the Raiders. With four minutes remaining Raiders coach Graham Longstaff benched his starting five and all received a standing ovation from the large contingent of Raiders supporters.

Click here for boxscore

BRISBANE LADY SPARTANS - 2009 CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL WOMEN CHAMPIONS

Brisbane Lady Spartans held on to secure their first SEABL Championship with a 77-69 victory over Minor Premiers Knox Raiders. Lady Spartans Holly Smith (18pts, 8rebs) dominated the game and received the Barbara Barton Medal for MVP of the Grand Final.

Spartans dominated the first half as the Raiders struggled to convert and produced costly turnovers, which resulted in numerous fast break points for the Spartans. Raiders injured center and All SEABL team member Emily Fryters was struggling early as the Spartans played an uptempo game style that had the Raiders concerned.

Lady Spartans guards Kate Willey, Shona O’Bree and Cassie Smith were a dominant trio on defence as they didn’t give Raiders Sarah Graham any free space and the Raiders struggled to find an offensive threat. Brisbane held a 40-26 lead at half time and looked to be in full control of the game.

Knox Raiders coach Heath Anderson asked for his girls to lift during the half time break and they responded, as they outscored the Lady Spartans 25-23 to bridge the gap. Caitlin Cunningham dominated in the third quarter to keep the Raiders in the game and with his starting five not producing Raiders coach Heath Anderson went to his bench and Danni Bone, Lill Keane and Megan Sinclair played hard to bridge the gap to 68-70 with 2mins remaining.

Brisbane remained composed in the last quarter and held on to secure the win as the Raiders were forced to foul in the final seconds, but Brisbane made the free throws and held on to secure the win.

Click here for boxscore

2009 ALL SEABL SOUTH MEN TEAM

Frankston Blues have completely dominated the voting for the All SEABL South Men team, with
three players receiving recognition. It is the first time in the history of the SEABL to have three

players all from the one team. The "All SEABL Team" is decided by the coach and captain of each team. The team is selected by playing position from a list of players that received Most Valuable Player votes throughout the regular playing season.

DAVID GRUBER led all players in the South team for the second consecutive season with 13 of a possible 14 votes, averaging 23.3 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.0assist per game. This is Gruber’s fifth consecutive selection to an All SEABL Team. Gruber dominated the league all year despite receiving only one Player of the Week recognition.

ROB KAMPMAN averaged 22.1pts, 10.6rebs and 2.7ass to earn All SEABL team selection in only his second SEABL season. With Gruber and Harms receiving a majority of the defensive attention, Kampman was able to step up and provide the Blues with a consistent performance each week. Kampman recorded a double double on 13 occasions this season and received Player of the week honors for round nine when he averaged 34pts and 13rebs in the Nations Capital.

The unsung hero of the Hobart Chargers this year was second year import CHUCK LONG. Chuck was awarded the Defensive Player of the Year award and averaged 18.7pts, 10.7rebs, 4.1ass, 2.0blks and 2.3stls. Chuck received Player of the Month recognition for April and recorded 19 double doubles including the 30pts, 15rebs, 6ass, 3blks and 4stls against Mt Gambier on 19 June.

With five 30+ pt games including a season high 40pts@60%, 8rebs on 18th July against NW Tasmania, Frankston Blues 24 year old ANDREW HARMS earns his second All SEABL team selection. Harms had a standout season and has been a major reason for the Blues league leading 23-4 regular season record. Harms was the only player to receive two player of the week recognitions this season and recorded a triple double (34pts, 11rebs, 11ass) against Geelong on May 23.

SEABL 300+ game veteran SAM ARMSTRONG took on extra responsibility this year as playing coach of the NW Tasmania Thunder. The extra work load didn’t faze Sam as he produced one of his best seasons, leading the league in scoring with 25.64pts. Sam scored a league best 53pts@64% in Brisbane on 12th June and recorded 30+ pts on nine occasions. Sam announced his retirement from the SEABL during the year and has finished a fantastic career with his second All SEABL team selection.

2009 ALL SEABL EAST MEN TEAM

Three new faces receive recognition for sensational seasons this year with MVP favorites Joe
Werner and CJ Massingale earning recognition for the second consecutive year. The "All SEABL
Team" is decided by the coach and captain of each team. The team is selected by playing position
from a list of players that received Most Valuable Player votes throughout the regular playing
season.

CJ MASSINGALE had another standout season and is rewarded with his third All SEABL Team Selection. CJ had a sensational year, finishing the season as leading scorer (25.0ppg), including seven 30+pts performances. . Massinagle guided his Raiders team to their third Conference title in four years, and will be hoping to cap his brilliant individual season with team success and win the Championship this weekend.

Dandenong Rangers forward DUSTY JURA earns All SEABL team selection in his first season after averaging 24.0ppg (2nd), 12.7rpg (2nd) and 1.6ass. Jura started the season at a blistering pace recording 34pts and 9rebs in his first match. Jura received Player of the Month accolades in June after producing two 40pts and 15+rebs games.

CHRIS GOULDING received the Australian Youth Player for the second consecutive year this season and has been awarded with his first All SEABL team selection as well this year. Goulding averaged 20.8pts, 3.7rebs, and 2.9ass in his third season with the Brisbane Spartans. Chris was a member of the Australian Boomers Squad this year, but injured his ankle in round 14 and missed numerous camps. Goulding has shown over the past few years he is a talented athlete and after two years as a development player in the NBL, he is sure to give the NBL a shake this year in his first season with the Gold Coast Blaze.

Brisbane Spartans forward ASH CANNAN receives his first recognition on the All SEABL East Men Team in his first season back in the SEABL after stints in US College and the Big V. Cannan was instrumental in his teams Minor Premiership this season, and finished the season averaging 19.4pts, 9.7rebs and 2.2ass. Cannan’s passion on the court shows up in every game and he received Player of the Week recognition in round 18 for averaging 19.5pts, 13rebs, 3ass and 3stls on the Spartans 2 game road trip to Victoria.

JOE WERNER scored a double double in all but three games this season and earned Player of the Week for his performance in round 12 with 45pts, 20rebs, 3blks and 2ass against Ballarat. Joe averaged 21.8pts (4th), led the league in rebounds with 13.6 per game, and 1.5ass for the year. Joe was a dominant force all year for the third placed Cobras and scored 20+pts on 15 occasions and 15+rebs on 10 occasions.

2009 ALL SEABL WOMEN TEAM

All five players awarded a position on the All SEABL Women team are first time recipients of the
award. The "All SEABL Team" is decided by the coach and captain of each team. The team is
selected by playing position from a list of players that received Most Valuable Player votes
throughout the regular playing season.

Having received 19 out of a possible 20 votes, KELLY WILSON was the leading vote getter for the All SEABL Team after a consistent season which saw her guide the Bendigo Lady Braves to a 13-7 record. Wilson led the league with 22.8 points as well as recording 5.8rebs, 4.5ass (2nd) and 2.1stls this season.

Joining Kelly in the back court is Ballarat Lady Miners AMY LEWIS. Lewis joined the Lady Miners after a successful rookie season with Townsville in the WNBL and was an influential player for Ballarat this year. Lewis scored 20+pts on five occasions with a season best of 27pts@62% on 25th July. Lewis finished the season averaging 16.5pts (6th), 4.7rebs and 2.27ass.

Transferring to Knox Raiders in the off-season has been a fantastic move for EMILY FRYTERS. Emily led the league in rebounds for the second consecutive season with 11.8 per game. Fryters was a dominant threat in the paint all season and recorded a season best 19 rebounds on May 3 against Dandenong. Emily damaged her ankle in round 18 of the regular season but has been working hard to be fit for the Championship game this weekend against Brisbane.

With 22pts, 16rebs and 4ass in her second SEABL game New Zealand Tall Fern LISA WALLBUTTON showed she was going to be a threat in the competition. Wallbutton guided the Lady Bandits to their first ever finals appearance with an 11-9 season record. Wallbutton finished the season averaging 18.8pts (3rd), 11.6rebs (2nd), 1.7ass and 1.2blks. Wallbutton started the season with player of the month recognition in March.

The final position on the All SEABL team is awarded to Kilsyth Lady Cobras AMY DENSON. Earning Player of the Month recognition in June, Denson averaged 19.5pts (2nd), 10.5rebs (5th), 1.8ass, 1.5stls and has been one of the standout front court players.

More Catching up.

2009 ALL SEABL D LEAGUE TEAMS

With 8 men’s teams and 7 women’s teams contesting for the D League title many promising young players have had fantastic seasons and have been rewarded with a position on the All SEABL D League teams. The "All SEABL D League Team" is decided by team coaches. The team shall be selected by playing position from a list of players that received Most Valuable Player votes throughout the regular playing season.

Earning the guard position, having received a vote from all but one coach is Sandringham Sabres Josh Wilcher. Josh led the league in scoring (21.1pts), and assists (6.8ass) and also finished the season with the Golden Hands Award. Joining Josh in the backcourt is Kilsyth Cobras guard Cameron Johnson who also received six out of a possible seven votes from the coaches. Cameron averaged 14.2pts and scored 20+ pts on three occasions during the season.

Nunawading Spectres Maalo Hicks averaged 15.1pts, 9.1rebs and 1.3blks for the season and received six votes from opposition coaches. Hicks was the dominant big man of the competition scoring 20+pts on six occasions and recording a league best 25 rebounds on 29^th March against Dandenong.

Joining Hicks in the frontcourt is Kilsyth Cobras Liam McInerny and Frankston Blues Ben Jacobsen. McInerney averaged 14.1pts and 7.1rebs including a season best 23pts, 17rebs and 2ass performance against Sandringham on the 9^th May. McInerney was a key member for the Cobras this year and has departed Australia to commence a US College career with NCAA Division 1 school Stetson University. Ben Jacobsen was the Blues leading scorer averaging 15.5pts. Ben started the season at a blistering pace with 24pts, 7rebs and 3ass in round one and was a dominant force for the remainder of the season.

Having received five votes Kilsyth Lady Cobras Brittany White has been recognised for her sensational season. White averaged 12.4pts and scored 15+ pts on five occasions, helping the Lady Cobras to a fourth placed finish. Alana Wallis finished the season as the Knox Raiders leading scorer with 12.6pts and captained her team to a third place finish. Wallis scored a season best 19pts on 27^th June to guide her team to victory over Frankston.

Nunawading Spectres Michelle Meneguzzi and Jackie Vanderzaag helped their team secure the Championship and have also been rewarded for their sensational individual performance this season. Vanderzaag led the league in scoring with 13.8pts and scored 20+pts on three occasions. Vanderzaag had a season best 27pts against Sandringham on 4^th July. Meneguzzi averaged 8.9pts, 2.3rebs and led the league in rebounds with 10.3rebs. Meneguzzi, although playing a majority of time in the paint, also finished 8^th in the Golden Hands Award.

Rounding out the frontcourt positions is Dandenong Rangers forward Erin McNamara who despite only playing 10 games left a big impression on opposition coaches. McNamara finished the season averaging 12.9pts and 4.4rebs, and had her best game on Sunday 19^th April with 20pts, 3rebs, 2ass and 2blks.

2009 AUSTRALIAN YOUTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CHRIS GOULDING of the Brisbane Spartans and Albury/Wodonga Lady Bandits ALEX DUCK have been rewarded for another sensational season, earning consecutive Youth Player of the year awards. In his first season in the SEABL, Sandringham Sabres guard DANIEL DILLON wins the South Men Australian Youth Player award for a standout season.

In his first season in the SEABL, DANIEL DILLON wins the South Men Australian Youth Player of the Year Award. Daniel had been a consistent contributor for the Sabres this year and finished the season averaging 19.8pts, 7.2rebs, 3.5ass and 1.6stls.

Sandringham Sabres 194cm guard/forward Daniel Dillon received MVP honours in two of his team’s three games in round 17, and received Player of the week honours. Daniel recorded 31pts@60%, 7rebs, and 3ass to guide the Sabres to their 11th consecutive victory, defeating ladder leaders Frankston easily 103-82. Dillon also played a pivotal role in the Sabres 96-93 victory on the road at Knox the same weekend with 20pts@54%, 8rebs, 6ass and 3stls.

Dillon helped the Sabres to a 13-13 regular season record, grabbing fourth position in the clubs rookie year in the SEABL. Dillon received 42 votes out of a possible 42 from a panel of coaches and captains from all SEABL South Teams and was by far the standout youth player in the League. .

CHRIS GOULDING received 30 out of a possible 42, to clinch consecutive Australian Youth
Player awards ahead of team mate Tyson Demos. Chris finished the season as the fifth
best scorer averaging 20.8pts per game, helping the Spartans to the minor premiership with
a 24-3 regular season record.

20 year old Chris Goulding returned to Brisbane after spending the 08/09 NBL season with
Perth Wildcats and received Player of the Week honours in week 2 Goulding started the
weekend with 23pts, 5rebs, 2ass and 1stl against Mt Gambier on the Friday night. Chris
continued his hot shooting streak the following night with 31pts@45%, 5rebs, 2ass and 1stl at the Snakepit, helping Brisbane record a 108-97 victory against Kilsyth. In round six Goulding recorded a season high 36pts@65% and 6ass against Ballarat.

More from: www.seabl.com.au

2009 STATISTICAL AWARD WINNERS

The SEABL have announced the 2009 Statistical award winners today, with Knox Raiders import CJ Massingale winning his second consecutive SEABL scoring title averaging 25.0 pts in the East Conference. With a season high of 38pts in round 6 against Knox, Bendigo Lady Braves guard Kelly Wilson was the Women leading scorer, averaging 22.8ppg.

NW Tasmania Thunder playing coach Sam Armstrong won the South Men Leading Scorer title averaging 25.6 points per game. Armstrong dominated the scoring for the entire season, scoring 35+ points on seven occasions and scoring a season high 53pts in round 13 at Brisbane.

Albury/Wodonga import Fernandez Lockett had a great first season in the SEABL, and dominated the South Men rebounding categories before injuring his knee and was unable to finish the season after round 15. Lockett averaged 14.8 rebounds per game and recorded double digit rebounding totals in all put four games this season with a season best 24 rebs in his first SEABL game in round 2.

Kilsyth Cobras Joe Werner was awarded the East Men leading rebounder title, averaging 13.6 per game. Werner was a monster on the boards, and recorded 20+ rebounds on three occasions. Knox Raiders Emily Fryters won her second consecutive rebounding title despite changing teams in the off-season. Emily dominated the glass at both ends of the floor leading the women’s league with 11.81 rebounds.

Kilsyth Lady Cobras Sarah Parsons won the Golden Hands Award for the second straight year with a 3.63 average. Bendigo Braves youngster Kevin Probert had a breakout season and was rewarded with the East Men Golden Hands Award, recording a 3.70 average.

Despite entering the season late Sandringham Sabres guard Nathan Crosswell made an instant impact on his team and finished the season with the South Men Golden Hands Award with a 5.4average.

The Golden Hands Award is determined by adding Assists and Steals, then subtracting the turnovers to give a total, and then averaged per game.

Sandringham Sabres Josh Wilcher dominated the D League Men scoring category finishing the season with a 21.1 average, 3pts clear of second place Kris Davis of Bendigo. Kris Davis despite missing the last seven games of the season due to being elevated up to the Bendigo Braves Championship team finished as the D League Men Leading Rebounder with an average 10.85 per game.

Jackie Vanderzaag guided the Nunawading Spectres to the D League Women Championhsip and was also the league leading scorer with 13.78 points per game. Team mate Michelle Meneguzzi dominated the rebounding title all season and finished with a 10.35 average and the title as leading rebounder.

I Have Returned!!!

Allo all, I must first offer apologies for my abrupt abscence due to my gall bladder deciding it was time to play up. I missed an important weekend of local basketball so here is a brief catch up.

Firstly from the SEABL: courtesy as always of: www.seabl.com.au

2009 CRAZY JOHN’S SEABL DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Hobart Chargers Chuck Long and Kilsyth Cobras Quincy Henderson have shown that US
imports can play defence after being awarded with the Defensive Player of the Year award
for their respective conference. Knox Raiders dynamo guard Julia Tan was voted as Best
Defensive player in the Women’s League.

Kilsyth Cobras first year import Quincy Henderson played 25 games in the regular season, and received a total of 14 votes to edge out Bendigo guard Warren Randall for the award. Henderson arrived in Australia known for his defensive skills and provided coach Grant Wallace with the necessary skills to shut down opposition players each week. Henderson would be required to play all positions as he attempted to contain his opposition and help his team to victory. His tireless work never showed on the stats sheet, but Henderson received at least one Defensive Player vote in each game he played this season.

Finishing the regular season as the second best shot blocker in the league, and ranking second in steals and fifth in defensive rebounds, Hobart Chargers forward Chuck Long was an outstanding player at the defensive end of the court and was rewarded with the South Men Defensive Player of the Year Award. Long was an intimidating force in the paint for most opposition teams, and was rewarded for his efforts with the award. He received a maximum of two votes on three
occasions throughout the season to finish with 14 ahead of last years winner David Gruber.

Julia Tan is a veteran of over 300 games and has been known for her tenacious defence and has been rewarded with the award that best describes her number one asset in the game. Tan returned to the Raiders this season after a disappointing year with Nunawading last year, and has provided Knox with veteran leadership at the defensive end. Tan led the league in Steals with 2.9 per game and was also ranked fourth in the Golden Hands Award. Sarah received 24 votes for the season to win the award ahead of last years winner Sarah Parsons who collected14 votes.

The Defensive Player of the Year award is determined through votes cast by head coaches at the
conclusion of each match, and was awarded for the first time last year.

SEABL Previews

SEABL MEN PREVIEWS

CONFERENCE GRAND FINALS

SOUTH MEN FINAL
FRANKSTON vs GEELONG
Saturday 22nd August – 7:30pm @ Frankston Basketball Stadium
Geelong has fought their way through to their fourth conference final in five years after a terrific 107-78 victory onthe road last week against Hobart. Geelong had six players score double digits with Import Ismail Muhammad dominating with 30pts@63%. Frankston are determined to secure their first Conference title since 2000 after a disappointing loss last year. Harms, Gruber and Kampman have guided the Blues to an impressive 23-4 regular season record including two
easy victories over Geelong. League MVP contender Andrew Harms has dominated the Supercats in both games this year averaging 32.5pts, 7.5rebs and 7.5ass including a Player of the Week performance in the rd11 victory with a Triple Double (34pts, 11rebs, 11ass).
Supercats enter this game on the back of a five game winning streak and are playing great basketball at the most important time of the year. Jason Reardon has been the Supercats consistent performer against Frankston this year averaging 22.5pts, 13rebs and 6ass. Geelong Imports Lee and Muhammad did not dominate in the games against Frankston this year but have showed in recent weeks that they love playoff basketball and keen to produce an impressive performance this week and secure the conference title.

2009 Head to Head

Round 3 Frankston def Geelong 116-94 (@ Geelong)
Round 11 Frankston def Geelong 128-115 (@ Frankston)

EAST MEN FINAL
BRISBANE vs KNOX
Saturday 22nd August – 8:00pm @ Carina Basketball Stadium
The Brisbane Spartans men take on rivals Knox Raiders at Carina for a fourth time this season. Over the years a fierce but healthy rivalry has begun and the stage is set for an East Conference Grand Final extravaganza. In round 10 the Spartans demolished the Raiders by 19 points, however two weeks later in front of 2000 spectators the Raiders snapped the Spartans 16 game-winning streak by 5 points in overtime. Two weeks ago, in the first semi final, both teams faced off again in front of a packed Carina Stadium where the Spartans prevailed by just 3 points. The atmosphere was electric and the black army, as the Spartans supporters are known as, were back in fine force. In all three games so far this season both teams have had a different player step up and provide their respective teams with respectable numbers. Brisbane center Greg Vanderjagt has averaged 23pts, 12rebs and 3ass against the Raiders this season and Knox coach will be keen for a solid defensive assignment from Lester Strong. Lester was impressive in the semi final game, but needs to make sure he stays out of foul trouble because he is worth more to the team on the court than sitting on the sidelines. Conference Leading Scorer CJ Massingale has averaged 27.6pts against the Spartans this season and after a disappointing performance in the semi final will be keen for a better offensive display this week. Massingale and Carroll will secure their third conference title in four years with the Raiders should they win this weekend.

2009 Head to Head

Round 10 Brisbane def Knox 121-112 (@ Brisbane)
Round 12 Brisbane Lost to Knox 103-107 O/T (@ Knox)
Semi Final Brisbane def Knox 113-110 (@ Brisbane)

SEABL WOMEN

PRELIMINARY FINAL PREVIEW

BRISBANE vs BENDIGO
Saturday 22nd August – 6:00pm @ Carina Basketball Stadium
The Carina Leagues Club Lady Spartans lost last week to Knox in Knox and now must win this week to earn the right to play in next week’s Grand final. Brisbane will be confident of securing the victory having defeated Bendigo twice already this season. Emma Randall has dominated in both games recording 21pts 9rebs in rd8 and 16pts 12rebs in rd 19. Her presence in the paint has been a major factor in both games and Lady Braves coach Jeremi Moule will need a solid defensive effort from Jasmine Finnigan. Bendigo guard and league MVP contender Kelly Wilson has also stamped her authority in both games averaging 20pts and is in fine form and keen to produce another solid offensive performance. Brisbane coach Donna Rinaldi may decide to let Wilson score her season average 22.75pts, but concentrate on shutting down Lady Braves other
offensive threats Finnigan and King. Bendigo has relied heavily on the threesome all year and need all three to produce double digits in scoring for Bendigo to clinch the victory.
Kate Willey and Shona O’Bree have had outstanding seasons this year, and play a pivotal role at both ends of the floor. Both Willey and O’Bree will share the defensive job on Wilson throughout the game and both are exceptional defenders and capable of shutting her down. Both players will also need to produce at the offensive end as the team can not rely on Randall to score all the points. This game will also be the last Brisbane gets to see of Australian Opal, Emma Randall, as she departs to New Zealand where she will compete for the Opals prior to returning to Europe to take up a contract. Should the Lady Spartans win they will need to play the Grand Final next week without their team MVP.

2009 Head to Head

Round 8 Brisbane def Bendigo 82-72 (@ Bendigo)
Round 19 Brisbane def Bendigo 77-62 (@ Brisbane)

SEABL Results

From Victoria way, the SEABL Results from last weekend:

SEABL MEN SEMI FINAL RESULTS

EAST MEN SEMI FINAL 1
KILSYTH (53) 100
(Werner 23pts 25rebs, Shanahan 20pts 6ass, Lang 14pts)
def
BENDIGO (32) 79
(Tanner 20pts 9rebs, Davis 14pts 7rebs, Randall 13pts)
MVP – Joe Werner (Kilsyth)

EAST MEN SEMI FINAL 2
BRISBANE (53) 113
(Vanderjagt 24pts 10rebs, Goulding 18pts, Demos 18pts)
def
KNOX (58) 110
(Hill 28pts 7ass, Rigby 21pts 5rebs, Strong 20pts 18rebs)
MVP – Tyson Demos (Brisbane)

SOUTH MEN SEMI FINAL 1
GEELONG (55) 101
(Lee 25pts 10rebs 5ass, Muhammad 18pts 11rebs, Cox 15pts)
def
SANDRINGHAM (53) 90
(Conn 23pts 13rebs, Dillon 19pts 10rebs, Crosswell 18pts 6rebs 4ass)
MVP – Clifton Lee (Geelong)

SOUTH MEN SEMI FINAL 2
FRANKSTON (36) 76
(Harms 24pts 9rebs, Gruber 18pts 12rebs, Kampman 15pts 6rebs)
def
HOBART (41) 72
(Banovic 31pts, Stewart 19pts 5rebs 4ass, Long 9pts 12rebs 5ass)
MVP – Andrew Harms (Frankston)

SEABL WOMEN SEMI FINAL RESULTS

SEMI FINAL 1
BENDIGO (43) 79
(Wilson 33pts 6rebs 6ass, Chalmers 15pts 8rebs, Finnigan 13pts 8rebs)
def
DANDENONG (34) 71
(Penaluna 17pts 4rebs, Todhunter 14pts 5rebs, 3ass)
MVP – Kelly Wilson (Bendigo)

SEMI FINAL 2
KNOX (32) 74
(Keane 24pts 10rebs 2ass, Graham 20pts 5rebs, Dunlap 16pts 15rebs 2ass)
def
BRISBANE (35) 56
(Randall 16pts 8rebs, C Smith 13pts 5rebs, H Smith 11pts)
MVP – Lill Keane (Knox)

SEABL CHAMPIONSHIP

SOUTH MEN (Conference Final)

Game 4:
Saturday 22 August –Frankston Blues vs Geelong Supercats
@ Frankston Basketball Stadium
Local tip-off: 7:30pm

EAST MEN (Conference Final)

Game 4:
Saturday 22 August – Brisbane Spartans vs Knox Raiders
@ Carina Basketball Stadium
Local tip-off: 8:00pm

Winner of both games will progress to the SEABL Championship game on Saturday 29^th August at Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre at 8:00pm

WOMEN (Preliminary Final)

Game 5:
Saturday 22 August – Brisbane Lady Spartans vs Bendigo Lady Braves
@ Carina Basketball Stadium
Local tip-off: 6:00pm

Winner of this game will progress to the SEABL Championship game versus Knox Raiders on Saturday 29^th August at Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre at 6:00pm

Ballin Round Australia, the Catch-Up!!!

Ball fans here are some of the recent goings on in the Ballaverse as I've seen over the last week or so. Firstly various reports from league playoffs around the country, a bit of Boomers info and mare. Happy reading.

The Central Australia Basketball League update courtesy of :
http://news-review-messenger.whereilive.com.au

Basketball: Matthews lifts Flames

18 Aug 09 @ 09:36am by Dale Clarke

Todd Matthews played a crucial role for Norwood in the fourth quarter on Saturday. Picture: Luke Hemer

A TODD Matthews-inspired Norwood outfit is now one win away from the Grand Final after beating Forestville 92-81 in the qualifying final at Mars on Saturday night.

In a highly physical rematch of last year’s Grand Finalists, Norwood’s defence was too strong for Forestville in the second half, turning a nine-point half-time deficit into a four-point three quarter-time lead and holding the lead for the rest of the game.

While most of the last quarter was an arm wrestle, it was a two-minute purple patch from Matthews that tilted the game in Norwood’s favour.

Matthews was able to drive through the Eagles defence several times in the last quarter to either score, or drop the ball into the laps of Dan Thompson or David Cooper to finish off.

Andrew Webber top-scored with 23 points, and hit the last of his six three-pointers to kill the Eagles - the Flames taking a seven point lead inside the last two minutes.

Webber also had eight assists, Matthews had 18 points and seven assists, and Cooper had 13 points and 14 rebounds.

For Forestville, Peter Hoban seemed its best option all night with 23 points and 20 rebounds, and Brad Gerlach had 17 points, with 14 in the first half.

The Flames will now meet Sturt at Pasadena, with the winner going express to the Grand Final.

Forestville will host West at Wayville in an elimination semi-final.

Women: North v South, elimination final

NORTH Adelaide’s women have lived to fight another day after knocking off South Adelaide 74-55 in the elimination final at Hillcrest on Saturday night.

Led by Olympian Jo Hill, who scored 21 points with 15 rebounds and six assists in a match-winning effort, the Rockets iced the game in the fourth quarter after leading by three at three-quarter time.

``The first few minutes of the game was scrappy and South got a jump on us,’’ North coach Mike McKay said.

``To our credit we were able to knuckle down and get back into the game.’’

Lauren Mansfield had 13 points with seven rebounds and Bec Lock chipped in with 13, while Tania Dhu was crucial with her eight points, six rebounds and four steals.

For South, Kerrin Truslove only scored seven points but still managed 17 rebounds, Cassandra Carpenter had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Sarah Peddle and Claire Johnson each added 11.

``Tania Dhu and Jamie-Lee Peris did a great job on Kerrin Truslove to keep her to seven points,’’ McKay said.

Women: Forestville v Sturt (qualifying final)

STURT is one win away from the Grand Final in the men’s and women’s competitions, after the Sabres women beat Forestville 72-62 in the qualifying final on Saturday night.

Sturt will now meet minor premier West in the second semi-final at Port Adelaide, while the men will come off the bye to play Norwood. The winner of both matches goes straight through to the final.

Angela Marino and Monique Bowley proved a headache for Forestville to deal with, Marino scoring 22 points with six assists and Bowley scoring 14 and dominating the rebounds to finish with 18.

Mia Newley top-scored for the Eagles with 21 and six rebounds.

Men’s: West v North, elimination final

WEST Adelaide put an end to North’s shaky season in the elimination final on Saturday night, 81-73.

The Bearcats won the game in the last quarter, where North only scored two field goals for the quarter, Westies overturning a one-point deficit at the last break.

West had a handful of key contributors - Ryan Kersten with 21 points and four assists, Chris Molitor with 17 points and seven rebounds, Blake Truslove with 11 and 11, and Anthony Spadavecchia impressive all-round with 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists.

Nick Hambour was outstanding for North with 16 points and 16 rebounds, and Dallas Quigley stepped up for 16 and eight.

But the Rockets probably needed a big game from defending Woollacott Medallist Erik Burdon, who had 12 points on 4/20 from the field - a defensive win for the Bearcats.

Finals - week two, Saturday:

Wayville:
Forestville v North (women’s first semi-final, 6.30pm)
Forestville v West (men’s first semi-final, 8.15pm)

Port Adelaide:
West v Sturt (women’s second semi-final, 6.30pm)

Pasadena:
Sturt v Norwood (men’s second semi-final, 7.30pm)

SEABL Development League report: courtesy of Mark Quinn, League manager

D LEAGUE MEN GRAND FINAL RESULTS

SANDRINGHAM (44) 89
(Wilcher 23pts 9ass, Mueller 19pts 8rebs, Burum 18pts 9rebs 2blks)
def
KNOX (43) 81
(Gibcus 22pts 7rebs, Moult 19pts 7rebs 4stls, Bass 16pts 14rebs)

Sandringham Sabres were crowned 2009 CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL D LEAGUE Champions after defeating Knox Raiders 89-81 last night. Knox Raiders who defeated Minor Premiers Nunawading last week to earn the Grand Final berth started the game strongly behind the inside presence of Bass, Gibcus and Moult. Raiders started the game with a zone defence which caught the Sabres by surprise as dynamo guard Josh Wilcher was held and Sandringham were fored to find other avenues to score. Knox finished the quarter with a one point advantage. Sandringham were the better team in the second quarter as Burum and Mueller stepped up and provided the Sabres with a consistent scoring presence as the Raiders continued to do a stellar job on Wilcher
defensively. Sandringham produced three late baskets and went into the half time break with a one point advantage. Both teams shot the ball well, but the Sabres held on to the lead throughout the third term. In the fourth term Knox produced some costly errors late in the game and Sandringham Sabres Josh Wilcher was able to shrug off the constant defence and scored
11pts in the final term to guide his team to the Victory.

MVP – Neal Mueller (Sandringham)

D LEAGUE WOMEN GRAND FINAL RESULTS

NUNAWADING (34) 62
(Cole 14pts 2ass 5stls, Vanderzaag 13pts 3rebs 2ass, Yousef 12pts 5rebs)
def
DANDENONG (14) 34
(Appleton 6pts, Martin 5pts 11rebs, Dear 5pts)

Nunawading Spectres were crowned 2009 CRAZY JOHN'S SEABL D LEAGUE WOMEN Champions after defeating Dandenong Rangers 62-34 last night. The Spectres started the Grand Final strongly. In contrast the Rangers suffered with a number of costly turnovers and it was Nunawading by 15 points at quarter time. The Spectres extended their quarter-time lead to 20 points by half time in a low scoring game. The Rangers had a lot of work to do in the second half to be a threat to the Spectres. Accuracy and lack of scoring potential continued to plague the Rangers in the second half quarter although they were able to keep up with the Spectres in the third quarter. The Spectres however dominated at both ends of the court and capitalised on the Ranger's turnovers. By three-quarter time their lead was 22 points. At the 7 minute mark of the final quarter, the game was well and truly over. Nunawading were never headed and went on to record at 28 point championship win, 62-34.

MVP – Nardine Yousef (Nunawading)

Time to Catch up for tha week!!!

Ok, university studies have taken away a large amount of my blog time but here is my weekly update on the Hoops universe as I see it.

Down South Australia way here is the latest for the finals series from Basketball SA:

The Central ABL enters finals mode on Saturday August 16, with four standalone games guaranteed to attract large crowds.

At 7pm at Port Adelaide, West Adelaide and North Adelaide battle to stay alive in the mens elimination final. The Rockets left it until the final minor round to confirm a finals berth. Despite a solid month which started in late June with wins over the Bearcats and the Eagles, their last two weeks were less impressive, with a one-point loss to last-placed South Adelaide and a win over Centrals which was not as convincing as the 22 point margin indicated. Reigning Woollacott medallist Erik Burdon will need to recreate his early-season form to keep the Rockets in the hunt.

West Adelaide's finals lead-up has also been topsy turvy. Two weeks ago they upset league-leading Sturt, but last week lost to Southern. The Bearcats have a good mix of shooters (Ryan Kersten, Chris Molitor, Josh Bond and Kurtis Phillips can all light up on any given night), but it is more likely that the inside battle between Blake Truslove and North's Nick Hambour will determine the outcome of this game.

North Adelaide's women also face a do-or-die game, against South Adelaide at 6:30pm at Hillcrest. Little separates these teams as they finished tied on the ladder and split their two regular season games, so it was only Norths superior points spread that gives them the home court advantage. Look for another great battle of the giants between centres Kerrin Webber (South) and Jamie-Lee Peris (North) to have a big impact on the outcome but also watch out for big improvers Claire Johnson (South) and Kirsty Williams (North) to play a part.

In the women's qualifying final, traditional rivals Forestville and Sturt lock horns at 6:30pm at Wayville for the right to play West Adelaide next week. Given recent victories over West Adelaide, many predict these two teams might meet in the Grand Final, and either way, this weekends game will go along way to determining the likely Grand Final participants. With current and former WNBL talent on show including Sturt's Angela Marino, Caroline Burgess, Monique Bowley, Brigid Bowley, Katie Orr and Forestville's Jess Mahony, Dee Ranford and Mia Newley, any outcome is possible.

In what will no doubt be the loudest game of the night, Norwood host Forestville in the mens qualifying final at 7:30pm at Mars in a replay of last years grand final. Norwood enter the finals on a two game losing streak but still boast the best backcourt in the competition featuring 36er David Cooper, Keith Krause and Dan Thompson. Forestville dropped games to Woodville and Sturt in July but finished the season with a 69 point rout of Eastern and with Brenton Campbell returning from injury late in the season to join Matt Sutton, Brad Sullivan and Brad Gerlach, Forestville appears to have the edge in the backcourt. How well Forestville handles the vociferous Norwood crowd will go along way towards determining which team retains the double chance and the right to face Sturt.

Down South in the SEABL things are shaping up like this:

East Mens Semi Finals:
Kilsyth slammed Bendigo 100-79 while Brisbane got the best of Knox 113-100.
This week sees Knox and Kilsyth battle for the right to face Brisbane in the East Final
South Mens Semi Final:
Geelong ran past Sandringham 101-90 and Frankston held off Hobart 76-72.
Hobart meets Geelong this weekend to gain a berth in the conference final versus Frankston.

The East champions will meet the South champions for the SEABL Championship.

In Ladies action:
Bendigo blew out Nunawading by a score of 68-44 while Dandenong slipped by Albury/Wodonga 60-58.
This weeks action sees Bendigo square off against Dandenong with the loser eliminated while Brisbane faces Knox with the winner through to the Grand Final and the loser to face the Bendigo/Dandenong winner for the other Grand Final berth.

In Queensland:

QBL Playoffs XXIV
MEN

QF1 Rockhampton Rockets (93) def. Mackay Meteors (69)

QF2 Brisbane Capitals (108) def. Northside Wizards (94)

QF3 South West Metro Pirates (110) def. Gold Coast Goannas (100)

Note- Semi Final rankings based on end of regular season ladder

Semi Finals:
Cairns vs SW Metro
Brisbane vs Rockhampton

QBL Womens:
Gladstone 98- Rockhampton 68
Caboolture 74- Maroochydoore 66
SW Metro 55- Gold Coast 54

Semi Finals:
Townsville vs SW Metro
Gladstone vs Caboolture

Get out this weekend and catch the action in your area.

Round the States, Aussie report

Firstly, here is the Finals Draw for the Men in the SEABL competition with game reviews courtesy of SEABL League Manager Mark Quinn

SEABL MEN MID WEEK PREVIEWS
SEMI FINALS
“Australia’s Premier Winter Basketball League”

SOUTH MEN SEMI FINAL

FRANKSTON vs HOBART

Saturday 8th August – 7:30pm @ Frankston Basketball Stadium

Frankston will enter this game, knowing exactly what happened at this time last year. Frankston went into the Conference Grand Final last year at unbackable odds after a sensational season but came up against the Hobart Chargers who played a brilliant game and defeated the Blues and win the Championship. Frankston have been determined all season long to host the Grand Final again this year and finally grasp that championship that they let slip last year. Frankston has held the number one position on the ladder all season and started the year with a 16 game winning streak.
Gruber, Harms and Kampman are the key members of the team, but clubs should never underestimate the talent of locally developed stars Mitch Chapman, Grant Dennis and Todd Mitchell. All players play a vital role for their club and although their worth never shows on the stats sheet they are key members to the success of the Blues.
The Chargers will be hoping that Mark Banovic has overcome his injury woes and is fit to play the Finals Series. Last year he was the game breaker throughout their Finals campaign and his output will have to be nullified for the Blues to win the game

2009 Head to Head
4/4/2009 Frankston def Hobart 97-89
17/7/2009 Frankston def Hobart 100-92

SOUTH MEN SEMI FINAL

GEELONG vs SANDRINGHAM

Saturday 8th August – 7:30pm @ The Geelong Arena

Vince Crivelli has guided his club to their first SEABL Finals appearance in their rookie season, which is a sensational effort. Vince is confident of securing a victory this week over the Supercats, despite losing in round eight. The Sabres have added Melbourne Tigers NBL guard Nathan Crosswell and Simon Conn to the line-up since their match early in the year, and the additions have made the Sandringham squad more balanced.
Daniel Dillon has been a standout all year and was rewarded with an invitation to train with the Boomers prior to their departure to South America. His duel with Supercats Nathan Herbert is sure to entertain the near capacity crowd. Both young players have exceptional skills and are vital players to their respective teams success.

2009 Head to Head
3/5/2009 Geelong def Sandringham 92-87

EAST MEN SEMI FINAL

BRISBANE vs KNOX

Saturday 8th August – 7:00pm @ Carina Basketball Stadium

Knox was the first team to defeat the Spartans this year, and will be confident of producing another quality performance this week to secure the win and host their second consecutive conference grand final. Brisbane has been the league leader all year with a star studded team that averaged 116 points per game. Spartans are loaded with offensive firepower with guards Demos, Goulding and Williamson all capable of a 30+ pt game.
However the unsung hero of the team is Ash Cannan, who is always there to grab an offensive rebound when needed, and can score points at will if left open. Knox Raiders Cam Rigby produced a stellar defensive job on Cannan in the Raiders wk 12 victory and coach Graham Longstaff will be keen for a repeat performance this week. Knox also have a team loaded with offensive firepower, with 2008 MVP CJ Massingale leading the conference in scoring with 25.0pts.

2009 Head to Head
16/5/2009 Brisbane def Knox 121-112
30/5/2009 Brisbane Lost to Knox 103-107 O/T

EAST MEN SEMI FINAL

KILSYTH vs BENDIGO

Saturday 8th August – 7:30pm @ Kilsyth Sports Centre

Bendigo have had a disastrous end to the season, but scraped into the finals as a result of the AIS team being unable to participate in the finals. Bendigo finished the season fifth with an 11-16 record, but lost their last three games of the regular season. The departure of import Matt Trannon was a huge loss for the team, as they have been defeated on the boards consistently. They will struggle in this statistic again this week against the fourth best rebounding team in the competition. Joe Werner, Tim Lang and DJ Taylor are all quality rebounders and will give Braves coach Wayne Larkins many headaches throughout the game.
Kilsyth import Joe Werner has had an MVP season and is one player the Braves will need to stop. His combination in the paint with mid season recruit Tim Lang has improved remarkably throughout the later stages of the season and the twin towers will trouble the Braves.

2009 Head to Head
14/3/2009 Kilsyth def Bendigo 101-81
10/5/2009 Kilsyth def Bendigo 110-95

Finals Schedule
Week 1 Semi Finals
Week 2 Preliminary Final
Week 3 Conference Grand Final
Week 4 SEABL Championship

In the SEABL Women's Division:

BENDIGO vs NUNAWADING

Saturday 8th August – 7:00pm @ Bendigo Stadium

Due to numerous injuries, Australian Opal commitments and unavailability’s the Nunawading Spectres have had a full squad for one game this season. That game was on 28th June and the Nunawading Spectres defeated Bendigo 84-64 with Opals Macleod and O’Hea doing major damage in the game. Both players have an injury cloud over them, but will be keen to participate in the game this weekend.
Bendigo has relied heavily on guard Kelly Wilson all season but has delivered averaging 22.7pts for the year. Wilson scored 22pts & 26pts in both games against the Spectres. Nunawading has Kristen Veal, one of the leagues best defenders in the lineup and will most likely be given the task of containing Wilson.

2009 Head to Head
28/6/2009 Bendigo Lost to Nunawading 64-84
18/7/2009 Bendigo def Nunawading 78-60

DANDENONG vs ALBURY/WODONGA

Sunday 9th August – 12:00pm @ Knox Converse Stadium

Dandenong enter the game full of confidence behind a six game winning streak. Since the return of Probst, Moody and Penaluna back into the line-up the Rangers have been a true force in the league. Penaluna and Moody missed numerous games during the season due to commitments to the Australian (Penaluna) and Great Britain (Moody) national programs.
Penaluna has not played in either of the two games the teams have played this season, and will play a major impact in the games final outcome. Her battle in the paint against New Zealand Tall Fern Lisa Wallbutton will be a tough duel, and most likely to impact on the games final outcome. Australian Opals coach Carrie Graf will be interested to see the impact in this duel as both are likely to match up in the FIBA Oceania Qualification Series in coming weeks.

2009 Head to Head
2/5/2009 Dandenong def Albury Wodonga 67-65
4/7/2009 Dandenong def Albury Wodonga 67-65 Week

Latest from Boomers tour of South America courtesy of basketball.net.au:

Boomers down Uruguay

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 3:44 PM

By Basketball Australia

A second half surge has lifted Australia’s men’s basketball team to a euphoric seven-point victory over Uruguay at the Super 4 tournament in Rosario, Argentina, 101-94.

Uruguay came into the game on a high after defeating Brazil 90-80 yesterday and raced out to a ten point lead after one quarter and led by six at half time.

But after the break the South Americans could not handle the determination of a young Australian side desperate for its first win on tour, as the Boomers turned the match with a blistering 29-14 third quarter.

The inexperienced Aussies showed great determination in the final stanza to withstand a Uruguayan scoring barrage despite Joe Ingles, Peter Crawford and David Barlow all fouling out of the game and kept piling on points to triumph in the high scoring, free-flowing game.

Ingles top scored for Australia with 24 points, Nathan Jawai added 21 points and 4 rebounds while starting point guard Adam Gibson had his best game on tour with 17 points and 5 assists. Uruguay’s Martin Osimani led all scorers with 29 points.

Boomers head coach Brett Brown was pleased that his young team responded when Uruguay turned up the intensity.
“We’ve been starting games poorly and we did it again but we played with a great physicality from the second quarter onward and from there we built our case and closed the game out,” Brown said.

“We had nine turnovers in the first half with their press bothering us but we stopped doing that in the second half and took much better care of the ball.

“We showed good resilience and a disposition to play with some physicality without taking a backward step.

“Uruguay is a very physical team but we followed suit and played well under those conditions. We didn’t roll over and because of that you leave the game happy.”

Brown also made special mention of rookie Boomer Aron Baynes, who registered 9 points on 4-of-6 shooting as well as 5 rebounds and 1 blocked shot. Baynes holds Australian and New Zealand passports.

“Aron is a great addition to Australian basketball,” Brown said.

“We were on the verge of possibly losing him to New Zealand and he is a fantastic team mate and plays with such a high level of competitiveness.

“He’s 6 foot 10, he’s a big man, he’s athletic and I think he has a big future with the Boomers going forward.”

19 year old point guard Matthew Dellavedova did not suit up for the Boomers due to a stomach ailment, while his Australian Emus team mate Jason Cadee got on court for the first time on tour after recovering from an infected heel.
The Boomers depart Argentina tomorrow bound for Rio de Janeiro in Brazil where they will contest matches against Brazil and either Argentina or Uruguay on Saturday and Sunday morning, AEST.

All tour matches are part of Australia’s preparation for the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship against New Zealand at 6pm on Sunday 23 August at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Center; a 2010 FIBA World Championship qualifying event.

Quarter by quarter:
1. URU 27 AUS 17
H. URU 50 AUS 44 (23-27)
3. AUS 73 URU 64 (29-14)
F. AUS 101 URU 94 (28-30)

AUSTRALIA 101 (Joe Ingles 24, Nathan Jawai 21, Adam Gibson 17) bt
URUGUAY 94 (Martin Osimani 29, Esteban Batista 25, Gustavo Berrera 15)
at Old Boys Stadium
Rosario, Argentina

Tomorrows post will give details of other finals series from around the country.

The Other ACC gets close to Finals series

Calm down people in the Mid-Atlantic, you are not missing out on the usual ACC action. it will be on the way in late November as usual. Today I am referring to the Australian Club Championships which will be underway shortly. The Championships match top teams from various conferences and associations throughout the country into one big basketball fest to determine a national championship. I guess you could call it "August Mayhem" as opposed to "March Madness"!!!

Ok, a look around the leagues finds:

In the Big V Conference, Ringwood led by Sam Belt holds a two game lead over Melbourne with Latrobe City and Diamond Valley rounding out the top four heading into the final week of the regular season.
In the Women's Competition, Hume City sits alone at the top with Waverley and Bulleen secure for the playoffs while Melbourne and Diamond Valley battle it out for the final berth in the playoffs.

The Central ABL the Sturt Sabres through the scoring prowess of Darren Ng and the Norwood Flames sit atop the ladder followed by Forrestville and West Adelaide with , the Southern Tigers and Central Districts battling for the final playoff spot.
West Adelaide sits atop the Women's ladder with Forrestville, Sturt and South Adelaide giving chase. The final spot for the playoffs is being hotly contested by North Adelaide and Norwood.

In the SEABL, Brisbane and the AIS top the East Division while Frankston and Hobart holding down the top two spots in the Souther Division.
On the Women's side, Knox leads Brisbane followed by Bendigo and Kilsyth.

Finally, in the QABL, Cairns leads the way followed by defending national champions Rockhampton and Mackay with Brisbane, Northside and the Gold Coast battling for position number four.
The Townsville Flames top the Ladies Ladder with Gladstone, Rockhampton in the next two spots and a logjam of teams vying for the last playoff spot.

Most conferences are winding down their seasons over the next week with conference playoffs to be followed by the national championships.

For more info on teams and leagues have a look at the following links:

http://www.ababasketball.net.au
http://www.bigv.com.au
http://www.centralabl.com.au
http://www.qabl.basketball.net.au
http://www.seabl.com.au
http://www.waratah.basketball.net.au