NBL champion Damon Lowery will be writing for Fox Sports Australia during this season — here’s his recap of Round 4!
PERTH (defeated Cairns)
HOOYAH– Beware of the BBBB (Biblical Bounce Back Bryce). Ordinary games are not tolerated by this man, Bryce Cotton, and a vicious response was always coming. It came in the form of 35 points at 58%, 7/10 (3pt).
HARDEN UP – To whoever wrote the lyrics for, and chose to show the club’s post-game victory song. Eminem ain’t got nothing to worry about. Check it out on the Perth Wildcats Twitter page if you want a little giggle.
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Bris Bullets secure first win of season | 00:56
CAIRNS (defeated by Perth, defeated by Sydney)
HOOYAH – No excuses. That should be the motto of every team. Adam Forde wanted nothing to do with the excuses being offered up by journalists in his post-match media conference. Fordy also admitted to putting his team through a pre-season HELL WEEK! That’s Navy Seal stuff and if that’s not a HOOYAH, I don’t what is.
HARDEN UP – To my fellow Michigan Man, you know we don’t like being teased, and in the words of R&B singer Mario “You should let me love you” but, Rob Edwards, it’s hard for me to do that when you go to Sydney and put up a measly five points – you’re an MVP contender! Can’t wait to see your “bounce back” game this week.
ADELAIDE (def Sydney, defeated by Melbourne)
HOOYAH – You think Dejan Vasiljevic forgot that Brian Goorjian cut him from the Olympic team? The human torch was not gonna let Brian and the Kings beat em twice in a row and helped himself to 26 points with five triples and seven rebounds.
HARDEN UP – A 27-point beat down at the hands of Melbourne was an embarrassment after what you all achieved on Friday night against the Kings. Were you drinking your own bathwater a little? You gave up 60 points in the paint and then the old 1-on-1 ‘demons’ came out – that’s when you’re at your worst. Humble yourselves and get back on the grind.
SYDNEY (def by Adelaide, defeated Cairns)
HOOYAH – If the HULK played basketball, I’d pay my hard earned to see him play Keli Leaupepe one-on-one. Keli has been a fully grown “Beast” & recorded back-to-back double-doubles, and is fast becoming the Kings’ most reliable monster, I mean player.
HARDEN UP – Your offence! I know this is a new era of basketball but DAMN – you’re averaging 36 3-pointers and literally everyone who got minutes across both games, jacked one up – that has to be a record.
Former King gets revenge with 26-points | 00:38
ILLAWARRA (defeated Tasmania)
HOOYAH – In a polished team performance, Will ‘Davo’ Hickey, stood out. He came off the bench and stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in 21 minutes – seven boards were offensive. I’ve never seen a guard do that. My Man!
HARDEN UP – I gotta give you guys a “pass”, after dishing out one of the most comprehensive beatdowns of the season. I got nothin’ for you, but something for everybody else … Put some respect on their name!
TASMANIA – (defeated by Illawarra)
HOOYAH – In a game worth forgetting Lil Big Man, Jordon Crawford, stood up with 19 points at 58% with four rebounds and five assists.
HARDEN UP – Without a shadow of a doubt, this was the worst game of Milton Doyle’s NBL career, which reminds us all that even champions can turn in an absolute stinker from time to time. The worst part is it came off the back of Milton declaring his interest in becoming a Boomer one day. 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist to go with 7 TURNOVERS!
BRISBANE (defeated SEM Phoenix)
HOOYAH – Godzilla on the glass, Tyrell Harrison tied the record (in 40-minute era) for most offensive rebounds in a game (12). He had 21 points and 17 boards and was enormous for the team in a must-win situation.
HARDEN UP – Y’all still ain’t using Rocco like you should be. The kid has got a God-given gift and you can’t find a way to get him the ball? He had 3 shots and one of them was three. Damn!
Tasmania suffer worst loss ever | 00:59
SEM PHOENIX (def by Brisbane)
HOOYAH – In the current crisis, 15 shots a game is simply not enough for Matt Hurt. 24 points on 10/15 FG at 67% demands more of the ball.
HARDEN UP – While starting Nathan Sobey off the bench might be the right idea for the short-term until he finds his rhythm, doing it against the Bullets was a mistake. After all the build-up and bad blood, Sobes was ready to go full Hannibal Lecter and you took the sting out of the game and it bit you in the ass.
MELB UTD (defeated Adelaide)
HOOYAH – Have you ever played 450 games of anything? Chris Goulding became the 31st player to play 450 NBL games. Too many accolades to list here, so just Google him. I call him “The Gladiator” because he continues to entertain. Oh, and he scored 13 points in 21 minutes.
HARDEN UP – Here is the second pass for the year. When you’re emptying your bench up almost 30, you get the pass.
NBL
HOOYAH – To athletic referee Ken Widgeon, who noticed a hand clapper had made its way on to the floor during live play, then hustled to get it off the court with players coming down in transition like the running of the bulls. Ken looked like that frog in that old school video game. Who’s up for Ken ‘Frogger’ Widgeon?
HARDEN UP – Nobody loves a blow out and man there were TOO MANY of them this weekend. Three of the last four games had margins of 33, 26, and 27 points…c’mon now – no laying down, put up a fight!
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