NBL Finals: Hawks tie the score to 1-1, force Game 3 - Mar 9, 2010 (by Eurobasket News)
Hawks - Perth 75-63
Cameron Tragardh (209-C/F-83, college: ORU) has scored a game-high 29 points to lead the Wollongong ahm Hawks to a 75-63 victory over the Perth Wildcats in Game Two of their Grand Final series and force a deciding third game. The man known as 'Trigger' bounced back from a sub-par performance in Game One to lead his team to a 12-point win. Luke Martin (181-G-81, college: UTEP) added 11 points for Wollongong and Rhys Martin (193-G-86, college: Nova SE) 10 [read more]
Hawks - Perth 75-63 Cameron Tragardh (209-C/F-83, college: ORU) has scored a game-high 29 points to lead the Wollongong ahm Hawks to a 75-63 victory over the Perth Wildcats in Game Two of their Grand Final series and force a deciding third game. The man known as 'Trigger' bounced back from a sub-par performance in Game One to lead his team to a 12-point win. Luke Martin (181-G-81, college: UTEP) added 11 points for Wollongong and Rhys Martin (193-G-86, college: Nova SE) 10. Kevin Lisch (188-G, agency: Warren Sports International, college: St.Louis) top-scored for Perth with 11 points, while Stephen Weigh (198-G/F-87) added 10 and Shawn Redhage 9. Game Three will be held at Challenge Stadium in Perth on Friday night at 7:00PM local time. *Courtesy of Sportal
NBL Finals: Wildcats take 1-0 lead - Mar 5, 2010 (by Eurobasket News)
Perth - Hawks 75-64 The Perth Wildcats are within one game of a historic fifth NBL championship after a 75-64 win over the Wollongong ahm Hawks in Game One of the NBL Grand Final series at Challenge Stadium on Friday night.
The Wildcats came into the championship decider with home court advantage after finishing as minor premiers for the first time since 1995 and beat the Gold Coast Blaze 2-0 to enter the Grand Final.
Now one more win either in Wollongong on Tuesday night or back in The [read more]
Perth - Hawks 75-64 The Perth Wildcats are within one game of a historic fifth NBL championship after a 75-64 win over the Wollongong ahm Hawks in Game One of the NBL Grand Final series at Challenge Stadium on Friday night. The Wildcats came into the championship decider with home court advantage after finishing as minor premiers for the first time since 1995 and beat the Gold Coast Blaze 2-0 to enter the Grand Final. Now one more win either in Wollongong on Tuesday night or back in The Jungle next Friday will see the Wildcats become the first NBL franchise to win five championships after also winning in 1990-91, 1995 and 2000. The win was largely set up by a 22-2 run either side of quarter-time and then a strong finish to the final quarter with the Hawks now requiring to hold home court advantage on Tuesday to force a decisive third match back in Perth. Shawn Redhage (203-F-81, agency: Warren Sports International, college: Arizona St.) set the tone for the Wildcats with seven of his 15 points in the first quarter and is now a game away from being a championship captain in his first season as skipper. Import guard Kevin Lisch (188-G, agency: Warren Sports International, college: St.Louis) also continued his superb finish to the season with 15 points including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Fellow import Galen Young showed his effectiveness inside with 11 points and seven boards. Jesse Wagstaff and Damian Martin added eight points each while the only Wildcat with grand final experience, Martin Cattalini, celebrated his 450th NBL match with four points and is one victory away from a fourth career championship. Tim Coenraad (201-G/F-85, college: Nova SE) led the way for his more-experienced Hawks team-mates with 16 points that included 4-of-5 from three-point territory. Veteran Mat Campbell (196-F/G-76, college: Towson) added 13 points and Luke Martin 11 off the bench, of which 10 came in the second quarter. The Hawks' inside presence wasn't there as it has been all season with Larry Davidson restricted to five points and three boards, and Cameron Tragardh five points and nine rebounds. The Hawks started strongly in an attempt to take The Jungle crowd out of the contest early and raced to a 13-7 lead thanks to three-point bombs to Campbell, Glen Saville and Coenraad. The home side then went on an inspired 13-point run to open a 20-13 lead as it stifled Wollongong's offence, caused some turnovers and capitalised. Davidson scored just before quarter-time to bring the Hawks back within five. The Wildcats again dominated to start the second period with two quick baskets to Young, one to Lisch and then a three from Wagstaff to suddenly see the home side up 29-15 after scoring 22 of 24 points. Wollongong then showed its heart to finish off the second quarter strongly. Luke Martin led the way with 10 points off the bench and suddenly at half-time the Wildcats only led by three. Lisch and Davidson traded threes to start the second half for their sides before a three-point play from Tragardh, his first points of the game, and two free-throws from Campbell saw Wollongong hit the lead at 43-42 for the first time since late in the first period. The Cats did hit back after that to lead by as much as six again, but two threes from Coenraad helped the Hawks stay within six by three-quarter time. Quick baskets to Young and Brad Robbins for Perth saw the margin stretch back out to eight points a minute into the final quarter, but a three to Campbell and free-throws to Dave Gruber and Coenraad soon had Wollongong back within three. Young bounced back from two-straight poor passes to score with just under four minutes to go to put Perth back up 67-62. Redhage and Coenraad then scored at either end before a wide open Damian Martin hit a three for Perth to stretch the lead back to six with 80 seconds to go. From there the Cats did enough with the Grand Final now heading to Wollongong for Game Two on Tuesday.
New Zealand Breakers superstar guard Kirk Penney (196-G-80, college: Wisconsin) and Wollongong Hawks head coach Gordie McLeod have been named the National Basketball Leagues Player and Coach of the Month respectively for January/February.
Penney left rivals in his wake this month polling 37 votes to take out the award. The closest anyone came to the Breakers guard was Julius Hodge from the Melbourne Tigers with 14 votes, followed by Adam Gibson from Gold Coast Blaze with 8 [read more]
New Zealand Breakers superstar guard Kirk Penney (196-G-80, college: Wisconsin) and Wollongong Hawks head coach Gordie McLeod have been named the National Basketball Leagues Player and Coach of the Month respectively for January/February.
Penney left rivals in his wake this month polling 37 votes to take out the award. The closest anyone came to the Breakers guard was Julius Hodge from the Melbourne Tigers with 14 votes, followed by Adam Gibson from Gold Coast Blaze with 8.
Over New Zealands nine games in the month of January/ February, Penney averaged 24.9 points per game, shooting the ball at a sweltering 44.4% from the field. Penney also averaged 2.6 assists and 5.9 rebounds.
A highlight of Penneys incredible two months was his performance against the Cairns Taipains on February 13th where he had 23 points, six rebounds and one assist. Penney was instrumental on the Breakers late challenge for a playoff berth and their season-ending six-game win streak.
The Hawks Gordie McLeod is considered a hot contender for Coach of the Year honours after helping lead his team to the 2010 NBL Grand Final series, and his efforts in January and February were outstanding. He finished a step ahead of the rest of his fellow coaches by scoring 30 votes, with New Zealands Andrej Lemanis seven votes behind with 23. Rob Beveridge from the Perth Wildcats, his opponent in the upcoming Grand Final series which tips-off Friday, was third with 18 votes.
McLeod had his troops firing on all cylinders in January and February. After recording a 6-3 record between rounds 15 and 20, McLeod helped his team to a surprise second-placed finish on the ladder despite losing dynamic import Tywain McKee to a season-ending back injury. During January/February McLeod guided his team to wins against, Townsville, Gold Coast, New Zealand, Melbourne, and Adelaide.
The NBLs Player and Coach of the Month for January/February took into account Rounds 15 to 20 inclusive. All NBL Head Coaches and accredited media were eligible to vote for the awards.
NBL Player of the Month January/February 2010
Kirk Penney New Zealand 37 Julius Hodge Melbourne 14 Adam Gibson Gold Coast 8 Mark Worthington Melbourne 7 Shawn Redhage Perth 6 Cameron Tragardh Wollongong 4 CJ Bruton New Zealand 1
NBL Coach of the Month January/February 2010
Gordie McLeod Wollongong 30 Andrej Lemanis New Zealand 23 Rob Beveridge Perth 18 Al Westover Melbourne 7 Trevor Gleeson Townsville 1
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