Worthing Thunder bagged their first win of these season as they truimphed in a thrilling overtime victory over the Essex Pirates 95-92.
Adam Williams was the difference maker for Thunder. He had 18 points, including arguably the game winning basket, and the Thunder looked much better with him on the floor. John Nottley also had a big game with 18 points and 9 rebounds, and Shaun Durant added a double-double of 13 points and 11 boards.
Essex returnee Taner Adu scored 31, almost carrying his team to victory.
Pirates had the right gameplan early on, really hassling Thunder so they could not get into any type of rhythm. Thunder sometimes stuggled to get the ball up the court and gave the ball away plenty of times. Worthing's lack of a genuine point guard was very apparent, but the return of Sherrad Prezzie-Blue should really help this team compete.
When Thunder were down 14 I thought they were out of it, but they showed fantastic character with a run that was inspired by the play of Adam Williams, who was my MVP for the night.
Pirates couldn't contain Durant and Nottley downlow, so it was a little frustrating that too often Thunder settled for drives or long shots. Mbye and Capers, in particular, missed quite a few shots (although they worked tirelessly defensively, and did make some big shots during Thunder's run in the third)
I felt a bit sorry for Essex by the end because they did work very hard, although in the end I always felt that Thunder's superior experience would pull them through. They really relied on Taner Adu. He was their go-to-guy whenever they needed points, and duly delivered especially in the first half.
Felt like they could do with a couple of genuine big guys as Sturt really looked dangerous from deep, but despite working hard, is not a natural big. The match was probably theirs for the taking in the third, and perhaps lacked a killer instinct.
It was a messy game, with lots of turnovers and sloppy play. Nevertheless, it was thrilling towards the end with the lead changing hands all the time in the final quarter and overtime. The refereeing was a bit odd, inconsistency seemed to be the key word. Questionable calls on travelling and fouls, admittedly I think a lot went in favour of Thunder.
Worthing Thunder
Adam Williams - sparked Thunder's comeback and was the key player for Thunder. He really came up big at the end, and I feel he was as important to Worthing as Adu was to Essex. 8 out of 10
John Nottley - did a good job inside again, was surprised to read the stats and see he had 18 points, he certainly scored them quietly. 7
Marlin Capers - also quiet, but scored steadily. Looked out of sorts in the first half and the energetic Pirates defense pushed him out of his comfort zone, but came back strong in the second half. 6
Mansour Mbye - missed a few open threes early on and seemed very wasteful in possession. To his credit he was very important in containing Essex in the final part of the match and hit some massive free throws. 6
Shaun Durant - great on the boards and scored efficiently inside. Felt he should have been fed the ball a little more than he was, but his double-double made him probably our 2nd best player on the night. 8
James Brame - did his best at the point but didn't look comfortable. He defended hard. 5
Pepe Zafirov - did okay as a backup for the big guys, but fouled out. 5
Gareth Laws - seemed a good veteran presence, but didn't see a lot of time. 6
Dominic Baker - thought he did a decent job with the time given to him and didn't look out of his depth. 6
Essex Pirates
Taner Adu - really was their most important player and if they had won he would have deserved credit for the victory. Seemed like he was being asked to do too much though, seemed to be relied on as the point guard and the go-to scorer. 8
Adrien Sturt - anchored Pirates defense inside, when he fouled out they couldn't stop the Thunder bigs. Has a nice shooting touch from deep and punished us a few times for leaving him open. 7
Jamell Anderson - young, athletic and enthuasiastic but really lacked killer instinct. Scored well, though, and played some good D. 7
Samuel Toluwase - undersized, but strong and aggressive, worked hard for his points. Fouled out. 5
Daniel Briglia - looked okay, but nothing special. Didn't appear to have any weapons. 5
Colin Sing - expected to see better from him. Didn't look very confident and passed up a few open shots. 4
Zach Gachette - has potential, but probably isn't ready for big minutes at BBL level. 5
Tom Woods - ineffectual. 5
Sunday, 31 October 2010
Friday, 29 October 2010
Youngblood leaves Lions
In an interesting development, veteran power forward Robert Youngblood has left the Milton Keynes Lions and an alternative veteran has been drafted in. 6'6'' Trinadadian/British naturalised forward Shawn Myers joins the Lions after a number of seasons at the Cheshire Jets.
Controversy surrounds this signing, but the Lions have indicated that Youngblood's leaving was on "mutual consent". I'd be surprised if the 6'7'' power forward doesn't reappear either in the BBL or EBL.
Myers is a former BBL All-star, and whilst the Lions have let go the oldest player in the league (Youngblood, 41) they have replaced him with a player 3 months younger!
Controversy surrounds this signing, but the Lions have indicated that Youngblood's leaving was on "mutual consent". I'd be surprised if the 6'7'' power forward doesn't reappear either in the BBL or EBL.
Myers is a former BBL All-star, and whilst the Lions have let go the oldest player in the league (Youngblood, 41) they have replaced him with a player 3 months younger!
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Thunder win a trophy game, then lose a championship game ... and Zabas.
Worthing Thunder, spurred by a fantastic peformance from Marlin Capers, logged their first win of the season as they triumphed 92-79 over the Plymouth Raiders. Capers had 28 points from an 11/17 shooting performance and was backed up by double-doubles from Durant and Nottley plus a great game and 21 points from Mansour Mbye.
This win came without star guard Evaldas Zabas who was suspiciously absent.
The next day, Thunder travelled north to Cheshire, where they lost to the Jets 74-67. It was a close game, with Thunder working hard to draw level in the final quarter, but in the end the deeper Jets had a little too much. Capers once again impressed, dropping 31 points, nearly half of Worthing's total. Another decent double-double performance from Nottley was useful, but Mbye was woeful, missing all 12 of his shots and turning over the ball 7 times.
Worthing also received the news that Evaldas Zabas had submitted a request to transfer to another BBL side. The side turned out to be the conquered Plymouth Raiders who have released England international Taner Adu.
This win came without star guard Evaldas Zabas who was suspiciously absent.
The next day, Thunder travelled north to Cheshire, where they lost to the Jets 74-67. It was a close game, with Thunder working hard to draw level in the final quarter, but in the end the deeper Jets had a little too much. Capers once again impressed, dropping 31 points, nearly half of Worthing's total. Another decent double-double performance from Nottley was useful, but Mbye was woeful, missing all 12 of his shots and turning over the ball 7 times.
Worthing also received the news that Evaldas Zabas had submitted a request to transfer to another BBL side. The side turned out to be the conquered Plymouth Raiders who have released England international Taner Adu.
Saturday, 9 October 2010
A couple of new signings
Two BBL clubs appear to be on the verge of some new signings: Essex Pirates, who certainly look like they need it, and Mersey Tigers, who certainly look like they don't.
The Pirates are rumoured to have picked up 6'10'' naturalised Australian forward/centre Adrien Sturt. The 24-year-old will add some much needed height to the Essex frontcourt, as so far they have been relying on young athletic forwards Sam Toluwase, Colin Sing, Jamell Anderson and Myles Hesson who are all undersized.
Pirates are missing a number of signings for the start of their season, including returning 6'9'' bigman Alan Metcalfe. The new signings yet to make their debuts include Americans Mike Mokeski, 6'9'' and Turner King 6'3'', and 6'8'' Brit Kene Anusionwu.
Once they have these players in place, Essex could be much more of a challenge than we have seen so far.
Mersey Tigers have also made the decision to bring in reinforcements as high scoring guard/forward Jerome Gumbs looks set to return. The 6'5'' swingman is from the US Virgin Islands, but also has a British passport. He played very well for the Tigers last season and makes this strong Mersey side even deeper. To me, Tigers look one guard away from dominating the BBL this season.
The Pirates are rumoured to have picked up 6'10'' naturalised Australian forward/centre Adrien Sturt. The 24-year-old will add some much needed height to the Essex frontcourt, as so far they have been relying on young athletic forwards Sam Toluwase, Colin Sing, Jamell Anderson and Myles Hesson who are all undersized.
Pirates are missing a number of signings for the start of their season, including returning 6'9'' bigman Alan Metcalfe. The new signings yet to make their debuts include Americans Mike Mokeski, 6'9'' and Turner King 6'3'', and 6'8'' Brit Kene Anusionwu.
Once they have these players in place, Essex could be much more of a challenge than we have seen so far.
Mersey Tigers have also made the decision to bring in reinforcements as high scoring guard/forward Jerome Gumbs looks set to return. The 6'5'' swingman is from the US Virgin Islands, but also has a British passport. He played very well for the Tigers last season and makes this strong Mersey side even deeper. To me, Tigers look one guard away from dominating the BBL this season.
Thursday, 7 October 2010
Missing In Action?
So here's my top 5 list of British basketball players that aren't signed to BBL teams this season. I should add that there could be perfectly decent reasons why these players don't have teams, I'm just surprised, as I would have thought they would be in demand as skilled British players.
Dru Spinks
6'5'' hardworking guard/forward. Dru has been the heart of Milton Keynes for so many years now, it was a big surprise when he wasn't re-signed this season. It was an even bigger surprise that another team hasn't jumped at the chance to get a great defender, savvy veteran and consummate team player.
James Noel
Returned to Plymouth last season after nursing an injury. Skilled British bigmen are pretty rare, and Noel is certainly skilled enough to warrant a place.
Daniel Sandell
It was only a few years back that Dan Sandell dropped 38 points in a BBL game for (an admittedly very poor) Birmingham Panthers. He's a consistant performer still, and could probably be a good scorer in this league given good minutes. I think he deserves a place.
Ali Gall
Sharpshooter had a good number of seasons at Plymouth and is a rare kind of role player in this league. He'll do a good job as a spot-up shooter whenever needed, but he is also capable of exploding for game changing scoring runs.
Darren Mills
Another talented swingman who's been around the BBL for a long time. Based in London these days, so perhaps the lack of a London BBL team is the deciding factor, but I'm sure there is space for him on a team close to London?
Dru Spinks
6'5'' hardworking guard/forward. Dru has been the heart of Milton Keynes for so many years now, it was a big surprise when he wasn't re-signed this season. It was an even bigger surprise that another team hasn't jumped at the chance to get a great defender, savvy veteran and consummate team player.
James Noel
Returned to Plymouth last season after nursing an injury. Skilled British bigmen are pretty rare, and Noel is certainly skilled enough to warrant a place.
Daniel Sandell
It was only a few years back that Dan Sandell dropped 38 points in a BBL game for (an admittedly very poor) Birmingham Panthers. He's a consistant performer still, and could probably be a good scorer in this league given good minutes. I think he deserves a place.
Ali Gall
Sharpshooter had a good number of seasons at Plymouth and is a rare kind of role player in this league. He'll do a good job as a spot-up shooter whenever needed, but he is also capable of exploding for game changing scoring runs.
Darren Mills
Another talented swingman who's been around the BBL for a long time. Based in London these days, so perhaps the lack of a London BBL team is the deciding factor, but I'm sure there is space for him on a team close to London?
Monday, 4 October 2010
Lightning strikes twice as Heat beat Thunder again
A hardworking performance from the Worthing Thunder wasn't enough for them to stave off victory, as the Guildford Heat took last nights BBL Trophy game 86-67. Lithanian guard Evaldas Zabas was once again the most important player for Thunder, he finished with 17 points.
The first quarter was fairly erratic, the teams traded baskets with Heat briefly pulling into a small lead. Some great defending from inside duo Shaun Durant and John Nottley kept Thunder close. Bulgarian Pepe Zafirov also impressed with a fine spin move down low.
In the second Thunder looked a much better team. It was here we saw the quality of little Lithuanian Evaldas Zabas who scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half. The Heat had no answer for him as Schneider, McLemore and even the usually reliable Julius Joseph all fell victim to his superior moves. Thunder pulled themselves ahead, and actually built a decent 7-point lead before a 3-pointer from Schneider ended the half.
After half-time things started to fall to pieces for the West Sussex outfit. As the Heat began guarding Zabas out of the match. With Zabas' creavity gone Worthing looked out of ideas. John Nottley consistantly settled for long range efforts, of which he missed a lot. Perhaps this was just an off shooting night for him, as he was open for those shots and I remember him as having a nice shooting touch.
Durant and Mbye especially were too often forcing things, and in the end it was just simple good defence and sensible offense that allowed Guildford to pull away. Zafirov was ejected not too long after and after that there was no way back for Thunder.
Worthing threatened to go on a run, but this was stifled by a very poor call of charging into what was both a moving screen and inside the key (NOTE: although to be fair I thought the referees were good in general, probably favouring Thunder in the first half). Tiredness appeared to affect the undermanned Thunder as the clock ran down they could not lift themselves.
A good win for the Heat and a frustrating result for the Thunder as once again limited numbers appeared to be the key to the loss.
Player Review
Thunder
Evaldas Zabas - in the first half he looked a level above anyone else on the court, with some fine driving moves he breezed past every defender. When he was off the court Thunder looked a bit lost. 8 out of 10
John Nottley - had a good double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds, but looked far more effective when he was aggressive. Too often settled for long shots. 7
Mansour Mbye - quite regularly disrupted Worthing's offence by jacking up an ill-advised shot or driving too early in the possession. Has an plenty of talent and strength, but needs to get his teammates more involved. Tried to be a go-to-guy but it didn't work. 5
Shaun Durant - really worked hard on the glass pulled down 10 rebouds. Had a decent couple of post-moves, but turned the ball over a few times looking for a foul that didn't happen. Defended well. 6
James Brame - dependable and consistant. Found himself playing point guard sometimes, while his talents would have been put to better use elsewhere. 6
Pepe Zafirov - came up with some big threes during Thunder's run in the second. Looked useful and intune with the offense but felt he would benefit more coming on as a back-up. Was ejected in the third. 6
Marlin Capers - veteran American who hasn't played professionally for a while. Looked a little rusty and noticably out-of-sync with the offence. Will do better once he's had more time with the team, I'm sure, but last night he was poor. 4
Dominic Baker - local born guard (NOTE: who I have played against. Yay) showed promise. Had one nice drive to the basket, and looked good when he played with confidence. 6
Guildford Heat
Martelle McLemore - solid performance from the American, although it was noticable that he never took over the game like BBL Americans from the past might have. Had 17 points. 8
Mike Martin - still very good into his 30's. Quietly racked up points and rebounds and worked hard for Heat defensively. 8
David Schneider - missed a few threes early on, but contributed big in Heat's third quarter revival. Wasn't quite as much of a point guard as I had thought. 6
Julius Joseph - dependable veteran, Heat rotated quite often and had a lot of depth. Felt he would have contributed more with a few more minutes. 7
Tomas Janusauskas - big Lithanian was a handful for Thunder's big men. Looks a good non-permit pick up for the Heat. 7
James Porter - the weakest of Heat's Americans, and one of the weaker players on the court. Missed an easy dunk. 4
Tayo Ogedengbe - looked good. Athletic, defended well, should be a dependable starter. 8
Dean Williams - another good veteran presence for the Heat. 6
Lekan Popoola - weakest player on the court, including the kids. Every defensive play he was beaten off the dribble or fouled. Have seen better from him though, so was just an off day. 3
Oscar Ociepa & Richard Green - got a couple minutes at the end, but didn't do anything. 5
The first quarter was fairly erratic, the teams traded baskets with Heat briefly pulling into a small lead. Some great defending from inside duo Shaun Durant and John Nottley kept Thunder close. Bulgarian Pepe Zafirov also impressed with a fine spin move down low.
In the second Thunder looked a much better team. It was here we saw the quality of little Lithuanian Evaldas Zabas who scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half. The Heat had no answer for him as Schneider, McLemore and even the usually reliable Julius Joseph all fell victim to his superior moves. Thunder pulled themselves ahead, and actually built a decent 7-point lead before a 3-pointer from Schneider ended the half.
After half-time things started to fall to pieces for the West Sussex outfit. As the Heat began guarding Zabas out of the match. With Zabas' creavity gone Worthing looked out of ideas. John Nottley consistantly settled for long range efforts, of which he missed a lot. Perhaps this was just an off shooting night for him, as he was open for those shots and I remember him as having a nice shooting touch.
Durant and Mbye especially were too often forcing things, and in the end it was just simple good defence and sensible offense that allowed Guildford to pull away. Zafirov was ejected not too long after and after that there was no way back for Thunder.
Worthing threatened to go on a run, but this was stifled by a very poor call of charging into what was both a moving screen and inside the key (NOTE: although to be fair I thought the referees were good in general, probably favouring Thunder in the first half). Tiredness appeared to affect the undermanned Thunder as the clock ran down they could not lift themselves.
A good win for the Heat and a frustrating result for the Thunder as once again limited numbers appeared to be the key to the loss.
Player Review
Thunder
Evaldas Zabas - in the first half he looked a level above anyone else on the court, with some fine driving moves he breezed past every defender. When he was off the court Thunder looked a bit lost. 8 out of 10
John Nottley - had a good double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds, but looked far more effective when he was aggressive. Too often settled for long shots. 7
Mansour Mbye - quite regularly disrupted Worthing's offence by jacking up an ill-advised shot or driving too early in the possession. Has an plenty of talent and strength, but needs to get his teammates more involved. Tried to be a go-to-guy but it didn't work. 5
Shaun Durant - really worked hard on the glass pulled down 10 rebouds. Had a decent couple of post-moves, but turned the ball over a few times looking for a foul that didn't happen. Defended well. 6
James Brame - dependable and consistant. Found himself playing point guard sometimes, while his talents would have been put to better use elsewhere. 6
Pepe Zafirov - came up with some big threes during Thunder's run in the second. Looked useful and intune with the offense but felt he would benefit more coming on as a back-up. Was ejected in the third. 6
Marlin Capers - veteran American who hasn't played professionally for a while. Looked a little rusty and noticably out-of-sync with the offence. Will do better once he's had more time with the team, I'm sure, but last night he was poor. 4
Dominic Baker - local born guard (NOTE: who I have played against. Yay) showed promise. Had one nice drive to the basket, and looked good when he played with confidence. 6
Guildford Heat
Martelle McLemore - solid performance from the American, although it was noticable that he never took over the game like BBL Americans from the past might have. Had 17 points. 8
Mike Martin - still very good into his 30's. Quietly racked up points and rebounds and worked hard for Heat defensively. 8
David Schneider - missed a few threes early on, but contributed big in Heat's third quarter revival. Wasn't quite as much of a point guard as I had thought. 6
Julius Joseph - dependable veteran, Heat rotated quite often and had a lot of depth. Felt he would have contributed more with a few more minutes. 7
Tomas Janusauskas - big Lithanian was a handful for Thunder's big men. Looks a good non-permit pick up for the Heat. 7
James Porter - the weakest of Heat's Americans, and one of the weaker players on the court. Missed an easy dunk. 4
Tayo Ogedengbe - looked good. Athletic, defended well, should be a dependable starter. 8
Dean Williams - another good veteran presence for the Heat. 6
Lekan Popoola - weakest player on the court, including the kids. Every defensive play he was beaten off the dribble or fouled. Have seen better from him though, so was just an off day. 3
Oscar Ociepa & Richard Green - got a couple minutes at the end, but didn't do anything. 5
Saturday, 2 October 2010
Team GB - What could be possible?
This summer the national basketball team of Great Britain (Team GB) dominated their qualification group and won a place at the next Eurobasket Championships to be held next year in Lithuania. It was a hugely impressive display (although rendered pointless by FIBA changing the structure of the tournament meaning all but 1 of the teams in the qualification round are now in the championship, but I digress) by a clearly very talented team.
6'9'' Chicago Bulls small forward Luol Deng was the star, of course, averaging a superb 22.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game. These are fantastic statistics, but beyond the numbers Deng really was the key factor in GB's success, he made the big shots and came up with stunning plays exactly when we needed them. A true class above anyone else in the tournament.
So with Deng as our catalyst can Team GB make an impression at the next Eurobasket? Let's examine Deng's supporting cast and, in one case, potential co-star.
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| Deng is GB's main man. |
So with Deng as our catalyst can Team GB make an impression at the next Eurobasket? Let's examine Deng's supporting cast and, in one case, potential co-star.
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| Gordon with his GB shirt. |
The man I speak of is Ben Gordon. Gordon is a 6'3'' guard who currently plays for NBA's Detroit Pistons. He was born in London but has spent the majority of his life in America. However, Gordon has pledged his alleigance to the Union Flag and is expected to represent GB next summer and at the London 2012 Olympics too. In Gordon, Team GB has a second NBA megastar, something very few national teams can boast.
So with Deng and Gordon leading the way for Britain who else is set to shine for their country? 6'9'' power forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu is a sure bet. Pops is a rebounding machine. At the qualifiers he averaged 13.5 rebounds per game. To give you an idea of what a fantastic achievement this was, 7'0'' Orlando Magic centre Marcin Gortat, considered a strong rebounder at NBA level, also played at the tournament. In virtually identical minutes for Poland, Gortat managed 8.9 rebounds per game. Pops puts 100% heart into every GB performance doing everything that's
asked of him, and doing it well.
Lets not forget that when Team GB qualified (and qualified well) this summer, they did so without three key big men. Veterans Andy Betts and Robert Archibald pulled out with injuries, while former first round NBA draft pick Joel Freeland felt he needed to concentrate on his club career over the summer. All three of these guys have a lot to offer Team GB, especially young Freeland who is establishing himself as an excellent player in the Spanish ACB, probably the world's best league outside the NBA. Daniel Clark was available this summer, and really proved his worth with some terrific performances. Current team captain Andrew Sullivan, playing in the UK for Mersey Tigers this year, is a tireless worker and still has plenty to give this GB team.
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| Sharpshooter Reinking is a key scorer. |
GB has always been considered much stronger at the forward than at the guard. Ben Gordon will go along way to remedy that problem, but certainly there is not the same level of depth. Naturalised veteran Nate Reinking provided some excellent scoring relief for Deng and Mensah-Bonsu averaging 14.5 points per game. Reinking is 36 now, going on 37 in December, but refuses to be written-off, if anything getting better with age. GB has talent coming through the ranks of the US college system. Ogo Adegboye and Justin Robisnon both contributed at the qualifiers, in particular pure point guard Adegboye impressed with unexpected maturity and savvy. GB mainstays Jarrett Hart and Mike Lenzley were absent, though, and the national side will be a better team when they return.
Now that is the foundation for a very strong team that GB can put forward for the next couple of years. But there are some wildcards too. Britain-born New York Knicks shooting guard Kelenna Azubuike has been unable to qualify for the national team as he doesn't currently have a UK passport. If, and it is a Yao-Ming-sized if, Azubuike can be accepted as a British citizen he would be a massive asset with his shooting and strong defence.
There is another NBA player who could potentially qualify for GB. Portland Trailblazers forward Dante Cunningham appears to have some British lineage. In the same position as Azubuike, Cunningham lacks the necessary British passport, and barring some decent development might well be unlikely to break significant minutes into the rotation anyway.
Plymouth Raiders - Team Preview
Plymouth Raiders
Point Guard: Raiders had one of the best British point guards in the league last year. Anthony Martin averaged 7.3 assists per game, one of the league leaders. Martin has swapped Britain for Denmark, though, and despite promising early recruitment Raiders now look probably the weakest team at the 1.
Raiders initally signed England international Matthew Guymon who looks a good prospect and could certainly develop into a decent player. But deep into Raiders' pre-season, Guymon pulled out for personal reasons, moving closer to home and signing for EBL side Reading Rockets.
Guymon is difficult to replace as Raiders have already signed three permit players, and there isn't really a glut of BBL level point guards around in the UK. Instead Plymouth now rely on stop-gap solutions including 6'3'' shooting guard/small forward Taner Adu who has good ball-handling skills but not the court vision of a true point. Adu will play the majority of the minutes here and as a player deserves more than the grade I will give for point guard, but he is out of position and would contribute more with a proper playmaker.
Guards Cody Toppert and Brian McKenzie will back-up the point until coach Gavin Love makes the decision to bring someone else in. On Raiders current performances it's clear that even if Guymon was still around, Plymouth would need more.
Grade: D+
Shooting Guard: Raiders have plenty of depth here, in fact if Guymon was still around the depth would be a bit scary. Aside from the aforementioned Adu Raider have signed 6'4'' American swingman Brian McKenzie and American/German shooter Cody Toppert.
Two highly contrasting styles: McKenzie is more of a powerful, athletic player bruising his to the hoop, whilst Toppert is primarily a shooter who can really punish a team if he gets hot. Together they make an intruiging combination especially if a point guard capable of setting them up is brought in.
Experiencd Toppert led German third division side BG Illertal with 18.9 ppg last term and should be a dependable scorer replacing erratic Englishman Ali Gall. McKenzie is fresh out of Providence College in America, where he was known as a lock-down defender and a pure athlete.
Jay Marriott is a better player than he has shown at BBL level. He has proved that, if given the minutes, he can contribute well, but once again Raiders appear to have too much swingman depth for him to see much more time.
Grade: B+
Small Forward: Samuel Cricelli was probably the highlight of Worthing Thunder's last year. He averaged 11 points and 6.8 rebounds playing out-of-position for much of the season. At Plymouth he has the opportunity to move to his more natural small forward, where he can come into his own as a strong defender and a skilled shooter.
He's a difficult match-up for most teams, especially considering the variety of back ups here. McKenzie and forward Lehmon Colbert will get the majority of the reserve minutes, although there may be a chance for Marriott to force his way into meaningful court-time.
Grade: B
Power Forward: 6'6'' American Lehmon Colbert would be somewhat undersized in Europe, but at BBL level he will be fine at the 4. Athletic and strong, Colbert has so far shown to be Plymouth's best player this season. New out of NCAA college Jacksonville, Colbert had 12 ppg and 7 rpg last season, and should be a dominant force inside.
Cricelli will also get minutes at the 4 when Raiders go small (hmmm, Cricelli is taller than Colbert...), likewise Anthony Rowe when they go big.
Grade: B
Centre: 6'8'' Anthony Rowe was a Plymouth junior who took his skills stateside and has returned a highly skilled player. He pulled down an impresive 8.6 rebounds per game last year and added 12.3 points. Admitedly, I haven't seen Rowe since he was much younger. I recall him as being slight but having long arms and a decent touch inside. It will be interesting to see how he has progressed.
Sharing time with Rowe is American Otis Polk. Polk is a big bruiser who has been criticised for his lack of athleticism and speed. He has certainly made a slow start to the season, showing only glimpses of promise, but Raiders have a rich history of powerfully built big-men. Terrance Durham and Carlton Aaron are two of the most memorable imports from their past. If Polk can live up to their standard he wont be shrort for minutes.
Grade: B+
Key Additions: I'm a big fan of free-scorer Taner Adu. He is such a great offensive threat, but would undoubtedly serve Raiders much better without the pressure of being the only player capable of playing the point.
Key Losses: I've said it before, but Raiders need a point guard more desperately than anything else. Anthony Martin would have been perfect, but they'll need to look elsewhere.
Full Roster:
Taner Adu 6'3'' SG/PG/SF
Jamie Burchell 6'5'' SF
Lehmon Colbert 6'6'' PF
Sam Cricelli 6'7'' SF/PF
Jay Marriott 6'5'' SG/SF
Brian McKenzie 6'4'' SG
Otis Polk 6'9'' C
Anthony Rowe 6'8'' PF/C
Cody Toppert 6'4'' SG
Point Guard: Raiders had one of the best British point guards in the league last year. Anthony Martin averaged 7.3 assists per game, one of the league leaders. Martin has swapped Britain for Denmark, though, and despite promising early recruitment Raiders now look probably the weakest team at the 1.
Raiders initally signed England international Matthew Guymon who looks a good prospect and could certainly develop into a decent player. But deep into Raiders' pre-season, Guymon pulled out for personal reasons, moving closer to home and signing for EBL side Reading Rockets.
Guymon is difficult to replace as Raiders have already signed three permit players, and there isn't really a glut of BBL level point guards around in the UK. Instead Plymouth now rely on stop-gap solutions including 6'3'' shooting guard/small forward Taner Adu who has good ball-handling skills but not the court vision of a true point. Adu will play the majority of the minutes here and as a player deserves more than the grade I will give for point guard, but he is out of position and would contribute more with a proper playmaker.
Guards Cody Toppert and Brian McKenzie will back-up the point until coach Gavin Love makes the decision to bring someone else in. On Raiders current performances it's clear that even if Guymon was still around, Plymouth would need more.
Grade: D+
Shooting Guard: Raiders have plenty of depth here, in fact if Guymon was still around the depth would be a bit scary. Aside from the aforementioned Adu Raider have signed 6'4'' American swingman Brian McKenzie and American/German shooter Cody Toppert.
Two highly contrasting styles: McKenzie is more of a powerful, athletic player bruising his to the hoop, whilst Toppert is primarily a shooter who can really punish a team if he gets hot. Together they make an intruiging combination especially if a point guard capable of setting them up is brought in.
Experiencd Toppert led German third division side BG Illertal with 18.9 ppg last term and should be a dependable scorer replacing erratic Englishman Ali Gall. McKenzie is fresh out of Providence College in America, where he was known as a lock-down defender and a pure athlete.
Jay Marriott is a better player than he has shown at BBL level. He has proved that, if given the minutes, he can contribute well, but once again Raiders appear to have too much swingman depth for him to see much more time.
Grade: B+
Small Forward: Samuel Cricelli was probably the highlight of Worthing Thunder's last year. He averaged 11 points and 6.8 rebounds playing out-of-position for much of the season. At Plymouth he has the opportunity to move to his more natural small forward, where he can come into his own as a strong defender and a skilled shooter.
He's a difficult match-up for most teams, especially considering the variety of back ups here. McKenzie and forward Lehmon Colbert will get the majority of the reserve minutes, although there may be a chance for Marriott to force his way into meaningful court-time.
Grade: B
Power Forward: 6'6'' American Lehmon Colbert would be somewhat undersized in Europe, but at BBL level he will be fine at the 4. Athletic and strong, Colbert has so far shown to be Plymouth's best player this season. New out of NCAA college Jacksonville, Colbert had 12 ppg and 7 rpg last season, and should be a dominant force inside.
Cricelli will also get minutes at the 4 when Raiders go small (hmmm, Cricelli is taller than Colbert...), likewise Anthony Rowe when they go big.
Grade: B
Centre: 6'8'' Anthony Rowe was a Plymouth junior who took his skills stateside and has returned a highly skilled player. He pulled down an impresive 8.6 rebounds per game last year and added 12.3 points. Admitedly, I haven't seen Rowe since he was much younger. I recall him as being slight but having long arms and a decent touch inside. It will be interesting to see how he has progressed.
Sharing time with Rowe is American Otis Polk. Polk is a big bruiser who has been criticised for his lack of athleticism and speed. He has certainly made a slow start to the season, showing only glimpses of promise, but Raiders have a rich history of powerfully built big-men. Terrance Durham and Carlton Aaron are two of the most memorable imports from their past. If Polk can live up to their standard he wont be shrort for minutes.
Grade: B+
Key Additions: I'm a big fan of free-scorer Taner Adu. He is such a great offensive threat, but would undoubtedly serve Raiders much better without the pressure of being the only player capable of playing the point.
Key Losses: I've said it before, but Raiders need a point guard more desperately than anything else. Anthony Martin would have been perfect, but they'll need to look elsewhere.
Full Roster:
Taner Adu 6'3'' SG/PG/SF
Jamie Burchell 6'5'' SF
Lehmon Colbert 6'6'' PF
Sam Cricelli 6'7'' SF/PF
Jay Marriott 6'5'' SG/SF
Brian McKenzie 6'4'' SG
Otis Polk 6'9'' C
Anthony Rowe 6'8'' PF/C
Cody Toppert 6'4'' SG
Mersey Tigers - Team Preview
The Tigers, who currently have not fulfilled a criteria which would allow them to sign import players, feel a little bit like a work-in-progress. In BBL terms, though, that work is the Sistine Chapel.
Point Guard: I remember when Perry Lawson first joined the BBL. The 6'2'' playmaker was considered to have perhaps the highest potential for any young British guard who didn't take his skills Stateside. He's been around the BBL for a while now, with spells at Newcastle and Sheffield, and appears to have stepped up very well to starting this year.
Ideally, perhaps, Lawson would not be starting. GB star Nate Reinking had been picked up in the hope he would stay for at least a little while, but before he could make his debut he jetted off to a big contract in Turkey. For the moment this leaves the Tigers a little short staffed at the point. James Jones will get some minutes here, and young guards Sam Bogucki and Max Casanove might temp as back-ups until someone new is brought in.
If Tigers were to find a starting point guard, Lawson would certainly become the most talented back-up in the league, but for now, starting on his own, he could do with some help.
Grade: C+
Shooting Guard: 6'4'' guard James Jones narrowly missed out on a place on the GB side that qualified for next year's Eurobasket tournment, and from his early play this season you can see what he could have offered. Dropping 17 points, 4 assists and 6 rebounds in the first BBL championship game of the season, Jones is going to be a handful for every team this year.
The son of Manchester head-coach Jeff, and brother of Worcester guard Callum, he honed his skills in the American college system before joining the ranks of the Guildford Heat a couple of seasons back. For the Tigers last year he averaged 14 ppg and will no doubt he hoping to improve on this, and get back in contention for a GB squad place.
Behind Jones this season are 6'3'' Brit Sam Bogucki and Frenchman Max Casanove. Neither are particularly likely to play big minutes, and with the current breakdown of the squad, small forwards Aliu and Williams are more likely to fill in back-up minutes here when a big lineup is on the floor.
Grade: B
Small Forward: David Aliu is one of the best players that Liverpool has ever produced. Impressive Midnight Madness appearances championed Aliu's skills as the 6'6'' forward became known for his powerful inside play and fantastic fundamentals. Aliu can hurt you in a lot of ways offensively, and his force of will make him a good defensive presence. He didn't play last season, however, and may well need some time to shake off the rust.
Short-term Jet Jamal Williams has joined the Tigers primarily simply as an extra player to take the strain off the current team. I don't know an awful lot about him except that he is a Canadian with a British passport who averaged decent statistics in the Canadian college system. Whether he can be a force in the BBL is yet to be determined.
Grade: B
Power Forward: Having a former BBL MVP on your team is rare. A former BBL MVP who is British is virtually unheard of. But that's exactly what the Tigers have in Andrew Sullivan. A spell at the Eagles at the end of last season, and a key-role in the GB qualifying campaign over the summer prove that Sullivan is at the top of his game. He can dominate at this level, and alongside old master Tony Garbelotto the Tigers have a very dangerous team.
Good depth at the centre position and inside play of Aliu means Sullivan won't be missing a good back-up.
Grade: A
Centre: Coming off a stellar season at Sheffield, Tafari Toney was another player who came close to forcing his way into the GB team. Talented, athletic and powerful, Toney is tough to stop inside. He averaged the near double-double of 17 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last term. Known as "Tap", Toney's play inside with Sullivan is likely to be the highlight of this top-heavy team.
Being the closest BBL team to Manchester afford Mersey a unique oppurtunity. They can poach the top players from Manchester's highly successful youth programme who often venture to the abroad to develop themselves. One of the key players on that list is Andy Thomson. The 6'10'' forward/centre is capped by England and has that classic inside-outside European game which makes him such a difficult match up for the import big men, especially when he plays next to the powerful inside presence of Sullivan or Toney.
Injury or foul trouble is the only thing that can take Tigers' title of strongest inside combination.
Grade: A
Key Additions: Most of the starting line-up is new, but Andrew Sullivan is a level above almost any player in the BBL.
Key Losses: The back-court is, for the moment at least, significantly weaker. Star US guards Trey Moore and Kevin Bell have gone, and only Perry Lawson has been brought in.
Full Roster:
David Aliu 6'6'' SF/PF
Sam Bogucki 6'3'' SG
Max Casanove 6'3'' SG
James Jones 6'4'' SG/PG
Perry Lawson 6'2'' PG
Andrew Sullivan 6'8'' PF
Tap Toney 6'9'' PF/C
Andy Thomson 6'10'' PF/C
Point Guard: I remember when Perry Lawson first joined the BBL. The 6'2'' playmaker was considered to have perhaps the highest potential for any young British guard who didn't take his skills Stateside. He's been around the BBL for a while now, with spells at Newcastle and Sheffield, and appears to have stepped up very well to starting this year.
Ideally, perhaps, Lawson would not be starting. GB star Nate Reinking had been picked up in the hope he would stay for at least a little while, but before he could make his debut he jetted off to a big contract in Turkey. For the moment this leaves the Tigers a little short staffed at the point. James Jones will get some minutes here, and young guards Sam Bogucki and Max Casanove might temp as back-ups until someone new is brought in.
If Tigers were to find a starting point guard, Lawson would certainly become the most talented back-up in the league, but for now, starting on his own, he could do with some help.
Grade: C+
Shooting Guard: 6'4'' guard James Jones narrowly missed out on a place on the GB side that qualified for next year's Eurobasket tournment, and from his early play this season you can see what he could have offered. Dropping 17 points, 4 assists and 6 rebounds in the first BBL championship game of the season, Jones is going to be a handful for every team this year.
The son of Manchester head-coach Jeff, and brother of Worcester guard Callum, he honed his skills in the American college system before joining the ranks of the Guildford Heat a couple of seasons back. For the Tigers last year he averaged 14 ppg and will no doubt he hoping to improve on this, and get back in contention for a GB squad place.
Behind Jones this season are 6'3'' Brit Sam Bogucki and Frenchman Max Casanove. Neither are particularly likely to play big minutes, and with the current breakdown of the squad, small forwards Aliu and Williams are more likely to fill in back-up minutes here when a big lineup is on the floor.
Grade: B
Small Forward: David Aliu is one of the best players that Liverpool has ever produced. Impressive Midnight Madness appearances championed Aliu's skills as the 6'6'' forward became known for his powerful inside play and fantastic fundamentals. Aliu can hurt you in a lot of ways offensively, and his force of will make him a good defensive presence. He didn't play last season, however, and may well need some time to shake off the rust.
Short-term Jet Jamal Williams has joined the Tigers primarily simply as an extra player to take the strain off the current team. I don't know an awful lot about him except that he is a Canadian with a British passport who averaged decent statistics in the Canadian college system. Whether he can be a force in the BBL is yet to be determined.
Grade: B
Power Forward: Having a former BBL MVP on your team is rare. A former BBL MVP who is British is virtually unheard of. But that's exactly what the Tigers have in Andrew Sullivan. A spell at the Eagles at the end of last season, and a key-role in the GB qualifying campaign over the summer prove that Sullivan is at the top of his game. He can dominate at this level, and alongside old master Tony Garbelotto the Tigers have a very dangerous team.
Good depth at the centre position and inside play of Aliu means Sullivan won't be missing a good back-up.
Grade: A
Centre: Coming off a stellar season at Sheffield, Tafari Toney was another player who came close to forcing his way into the GB team. Talented, athletic and powerful, Toney is tough to stop inside. He averaged the near double-double of 17 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last term. Known as "Tap", Toney's play inside with Sullivan is likely to be the highlight of this top-heavy team.
Being the closest BBL team to Manchester afford Mersey a unique oppurtunity. They can poach the top players from Manchester's highly successful youth programme who often venture to the abroad to develop themselves. One of the key players on that list is Andy Thomson. The 6'10'' forward/centre is capped by England and has that classic inside-outside European game which makes him such a difficult match up for the import big men, especially when he plays next to the powerful inside presence of Sullivan or Toney.
Injury or foul trouble is the only thing that can take Tigers' title of strongest inside combination.
Grade: A
Key Additions: Most of the starting line-up is new, but Andrew Sullivan is a level above almost any player in the BBL.
Key Losses: The back-court is, for the moment at least, significantly weaker. Star US guards Trey Moore and Kevin Bell have gone, and only Perry Lawson has been brought in.
Full Roster:
David Aliu 6'6'' SF/PF
Sam Bogucki 6'3'' SG
Max Casanove 6'3'' SG
James Jones 6'4'' SG/PG
Perry Lawson 6'2'' PG
Andrew Sullivan 6'8'' PF
Tap Toney 6'9'' PF/C
Andy Thomson 6'10'' PF/C
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