The Good, The Bad and The Scheibs... ep.5
Week five and I headed up the coast to see the undefeated PClips take on the Logan Thunder. Well it was standing room only for a Sunday afternoon game and the place was pumping. Made me think of all the possibilities of a united Sunshine Coast Club competing in the QBL. With a bit of leadership and long term vision from the governing body this game could have been played in a much needed purpose built stadium that would service all the North coast. Instead we get BQ encouraging a second team just a few kilometres down the road joining the QBL. Propping up a broken, unequal, laughable three conference league where good teams miss out to bad teams with losing records shows the lack of leadership and vision prevalent at BQ these days. Everyone involved in the sport knows that the Sunny coast will support good quality basketball, they also know that there is only enough talent to support one QBL team. Shame BQ shame!
It warmed my heart to be able to once again buy a beer and shoot the breeze with Syd Page behind the bar at a MDore basketball game, that’s tradition right there! The game itself was a ripper and one of the best games played up the coast for a few years. These two teams are quality with the Souths two best line ups. Clips Warwick Meehl and Logan’s Derek Rucker are the best two coaches prowling the sidelines south of the tropic of Capricorn IMHO. It was neck and neck from start to finish, and as I thought, it was probably the fact that Logan played just 16 hours earlier then had to travel up the coast that proved to be the difference in this one.
For Logan, Justin Baker was sublime and for mine was the game’s best player, the fact that he didn’t touch the ball in the last 2 minutes was a contributing factor to the outcome. Baker had hit like five in a row and for some reason got froze out down the stretch. Mitch Young was a handful all night thou the PClips did as good a job of anyone all season of containing him. I thought Sepokas needed to shoot less and distribute more. I got no idea how Cann gets played ahead of true PG Shaun Carroll? M Cedar is not a pg but he was the best one the Thunder had on this night. They sort this issue out and they will be right on track to top the South pool and even host the whole thing.
PClips played a great team game and their eight players seem to know their roles. The two imports to me seem to be a perfect fit with the dynamic all Aussie backcourt of Page and Meehl. Best has worked out he needs to play both ends and seems totally committed and had a very nice game. Import Ferguson was the PClips best. This guy is a legit 6’9, long, with handles, moves and has feline quickness, he’s a matchup nightmare. The other import McAllister had 13 pts 14 boards and did a good job on the league’s best big Mitch Young, very efficient and a hard worker, I liked him a lot. This group has a tough run in front of them with a north trip and some quality teams to play, but they are undefeated and leading the Central pool by two games, so you can’t do better than that!
Well, it seems the real SWM turned up at Auchenflower and took their frustrations out on the rudderless, poorly coached Underscores. Can someone tell BBI coach Tarrant that the whole state with the exception of possibly him and Brian Kerle know that Anderson, Thompson and Rychart are by FAR their top three players. No idea why these three don’t play 30 plus minutes and Anderson should really never come off. Yes Dusty got in foul trouble, but only because BBI”S dog squad had another dog of a game and couldn’t contain anyone forcing him to pick up multiple players which lead to him getting in to foul trouble. The longer this season goes the more this group gets found out. Not improving your roster or the style of play you employ for consecutive seasons, is either total arrogance or poor form, I’ll let you be the judge of that one.
Former BBI junior and Caps QBL MVP Jarred Bairstow tore his old club a new one. He had 24 points off only 8 shots and got to the line 13 times and looked like he could do whatever he wanted. Wonder why he is not playing at his former club? Rookie coach Tate had the perfect mix of minutes for his best four players, that’s how you play a one off game, play your best players major minutes. Adam Tolo’s dynamic cameo off the bench for the Pirates helped too. Teysie and new import McGrew both had nice games. The fact that the Pirates shot 34 free throws to BBI’s 12 is the story of this contest. Pirates consistently took it at the Brisbane side and showed how far BBI have slipped defensively since the end of 2015. SWM should now get on a roll and win the South pool going away.
Macktown’s defence of its title appears to be over at this early stage. Losing 2 in a row on the road to Gladstone and Bundy ensures they won’t be hosting any playoff games and will struggle to even make finals. What’s with only having 6 players on the score sheet in Bundaberg? Oh how the mighty have fallen. Townsville win again and ensured Rocky had to settle for a split on the far north road swing. Rocky with 3 losses after week 5, means they pretty much have to win out to have any hope of hosting the GF and reaping the financial benefits it brings. Hope they have not budgeted on that?
Disclaimer: This article was prepared or accomplished by Rob Scheibner in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the views of the Basketball Expressions.
