The Good, The Bad and The Scheibs... ep.18
Well it was all Cairns in a two game sweep of the 2016 QBL GF series on the Brisbane home court. BBI were never in this thing at all, and it was obvious that the chip was headed back to the north for the tenth straight year.
I watched this on the official broadcast NBN nice high quality feed and hardly any lag. I got to say I loved Daniel George as an expert commentator, he was classy as always, sharp, insightful and unlike so many in the game he told the truth, warts and all. Dave Derwin was professional, informative, and his experience in the game showed, these two were both very good. I get that the play by play guy, just by virtue of owning the company gets the mic. However the amount of times you offered your opinion John is appalling, learn the role of the play by play guy and leave the expert comments to the two guys that actually understand the game.
Now firstly Brisbane, wow! That performance will go down as probably the most lopsided 2 game series I have ever witnessed. To think it was on your home court too. What it showed was that one side was prepared, confident, committed and superbly led. Brisbane on the other hand led early in the first quarter of both games that was it, the other 70 minutes it was all the Marlins. Offensively their vaunted outside shooting game was non-existent, you live by the three or you wither and die shooting a lousy 20 something precent. The continued 4 year misuse of their trump card, Dusty Rychart was a sad but oh so familiar sight. The constant rotating of players ad hoc only added to the offensive disarray. Do they even have a pick and roll game with say their two best players, Anderson and Rychart? Too many one pass, three point launch, so predictable. Defensively the pack defence was a pack of you know what. Constantly having a mismatch in the block with guards and a marshmallow trying to defend Cam T in the post was embarrassing. A team that is smaller, apparently deeper, quicker and more mobile that was happy to play a half-court game and only attempting some full court pressure with a minute to go was a head scratcher. Calling a timeout down 17 with 30 odd seconds remaining in game 2 was another WTF moment, and there were lots of them. The coaching staff’s total reluctance to make any adjustments throughout the 80 minutes reeks of arrogance or incompetence. Either way this Tarrant led side is once again the ugly sister, the bridesmaid, the Washington Generals and if given a chance might even rival the 9 year run of seconds by the hapless NSW Blues. Where to now for this Brisbane side? You make the GF for three out of four years but fail at the crucial last step and at home for all to see has the club, management, coaching staff and playing group at the crossroads. Already it is rumoured that a mass exodus of players is on the cards. Let’s remember rumour has it, last year the teams leadership group went to management and demanded that the Tarrant’s be given another year. The fact that they did this and management appeared to have agreed is a big red flag right there. No quality club is run by the playing group, EVER! Why won’t the clubs quality returning junior players play for the team? Off the top of my head, McCarron, Bairstow, and Ben Wilson are just a few. So their reluctance to play for the current management, means the club has to spend their hard earnt on guys like Jeffries, Carter and imports. The same management team stays and it will only get worse. With the rumoured return of Spartans to QBL, BBI will no longer be the top team in the South and with that goes their run of GF appearances. They better get a bucket of money but even then with the lack of basketball nous currently at the club that’s no guarantee for success, just see where that got Wizards!
Let’s get to the good stuff, Cairns Marlins oh my how dominate were you guys! Trigger destroyed the pack defence and Damon Heuir showed who is the most dominate perimeter player in this league right now. Toss in the class, smarts and sheer size of Alex Loughton and it was a true beat down. The Marlins stood on the throats of the hapless lower cases and snuffed the life out of their carcass with a brutal beat down that would make Anderson Silva proud. A team that finished its season winning 8 straight and every one of them was sudden death is a truly deserving winner. The Marlins recorded their first championship since 2009 and made it their ninth overall, a Queensland record.
Led by quality coach Jamie Pearlman and a skipper who relished his role in James Mitchell this side came into Brisbane full of confidence and eager to get stuck into the Southerners. From the opening tip they made their intentions known, pound it inside to the evergreen Cam Traghard and he didn’t disappoint as he turned back the clock and picked up 50 points, 28 boards and a series MVP for his efforts in the two games. When the Brisbane side collapsed it was a kick out to easily the second best player in the two games Damon Heuir for a three or a drive and dish to an open teammate. Heuir has blossomed into a true pg. these days and he made everyone on his side better and has done this for an entire season. If Trigger was the series MVP, Heuir was Cairns season MVP and deservedly so.
Keep in mind that with six weeks to go most pundits me included had written this side off and tossed them by the side of the road like so many Marlin seasons before. Cairns always have an impressive roster, year in year out. Trouble is the group on paper was rarely the same one that lined up week to week and as soon as Taipans NBL preseason started you could write off this side. However this year was different and it comes as no surprise that during the 8 game winning streak, the line-up was basically intact and as the wins came so did the confidence and a champion was crowned. Well done lads you were deserved winners.
Finally to me Greek mate, it’s been a pleasure being involved in BE and I have enjoyed the antics we have gotten up to over the years. From Amateur night recordings in your lounge, eating Katerina’s home cooking. Travelling around the state, me bagging you, you attempting to do the same to me. One things for sure, you got a love and a passion for the sport and you’re an absolute gun with a camera, a computer and a basketball game to cover. The governing body never embraced you or your commitment, probably because you told it the way you saw it. Your coverage killed anything anyone has ever attempted. Well done mate and you never know what you had till it’s gone. Now go get a real job you idiot, you’re not going to sue me for that are you? Ooopah…. 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.
