Club-By-Club: Hooyah & Harden Up (Round 17, NBL25)

Author disclaimer: To all the players, coaches and administrators, the following opinions are mine and mine alone. It’s ALWAYS business – and NEVER personal. So, if I name you, shame you, offend you or slap you on the back and put your name up in lights, just accept it for what it is and move on.

By Damon Lowery.

Defeated Illawarra, defeated by Perth, defeated Cairns

HOOYAH – DJ Vasiljevic can spontaneously combust at any time. Just ask Cairns, the ‘Human Torch’ went up there and exploded for 32 points with 10 made triples. That’s the 2nd time DJ has made 10 in his career.

HARDEN UP – Lost to Perth in a rock-solid game and it was on the glass where you got punished. With one of the biggest front courts in the league, you gave up 14 offensive rebounds, and lost the overall rebounding count by 16.

Defeated by Perth and Cairns

HOOYAH – Josh Bannan overcame a knee injury a few days ago and not only did he suit up against Perth, he stepped up with a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double. That’s Warrior stuff.

HARDEN UP – There’s a temporary ‘closed’ sign on the kitchen door. Keandre Cook hasn’t been cookin lately. Against Perth he only had 5 points on 2/9 FG in 31 minutes, while he was 5/16 vs Cairns.

Defeated by South East Melbourne, defeated Brisbane, defeated by Adelaide

HOOYAH – Scoring is in his DNA. 35 points in 35 minutes, including 7/11 from deep, Rob Edwards was bigtime against Brisbane.

HARDEN UP – Sam Waardenburg was plagued by foul trouble against Brisbane and only managed 5 points and 2 rebounds in 19 minutes. Luckily the win was in the bag.

Defeated by Adelaide, defeated Melbourne

HOOYAH – This is the game I’ve been calling for and this is the game I knew was in Sam Froling. Sam completely man handled the 36ers with a career-high 35 points and 13 rebounds.

HARDEN UP – Giving up 63 in the 1st half to the 36ers makes coach Justin Tatum toss and turn at night. Credit to you for tightening the defensive screws against Melbourne United.

Defeated New Zealand, defeated by Illawarra

HOOYAH – OMG! Chris Goulding did it again. ‘The Gladiator’ transformed New Plymouth, New Zealand into his personal shooting colosseum. As if hitting 9 triples and having 39 points wasn’t enough, CG43 wasn’t done. Trailing by 1 with 5 seconds left, Chris ripped the hearts out of the Breakers by hitting his 10th 3-pointer.  42 points and the game winner. Are You Not Entertained?!

HARDEN UP – Your offense isn’t firing on all cylinders, but what’s up with the defence? Since when do you guys let teams run up the score? Illawarra gave you 117 reasons why you need to get back to the drawing board ASAP.

Defeated by Melbourne, defeated Tasmania, defeated by South East Melbourne

HOOYAH – Anytime you score your career high and get the W, a HOOYAH is coming your way. Sam Mennenga was aggressive and unstoppable against Tasmania, recording 29 points on 13/15 FG including 3/4 from deep, and 9 boards. That’s wassup!

HARDEN UP – Jonah Bolden, your 6-point season average tells me that scoring big isn’t your thing, that’s ok. Against Tasmania, you had ZERO points on 0/3 FG in 26 minutes? Please don’t tolerate that. Much better with 9 points, 10 rebounds vs SEM.

Defeated Brisbane and Adelaide

HOOYAH – The grownest of grown men. Kristian Doolittle is all business and no nonsense. Kristian scored a career-high 27 points against Adelaide and snatched 10 rebounds to go with it.

HARDEN UP – I got nothin for you, carry on.

Defeated Cairns and New Zealand

HOOYAH – It’s time for management to make Matt Hurt a contract offer he can’t refuse. With all due respect to all former Phoenix players, Matt is the kind of player the Phoenix have never had, a total mismatch for everyone in the league. 33 points at 78% and 7 rebounds v CNS. UNGUARDABLE.

HARDEN UP – Jordi Hunter you had 12 offensive rebounds against Cairns, great effort…butttttt, over half of em was off your own missed layups. (Insert smirk face emoji).

Defeated Tasmania

HOOYAH – As far as I’m concerned, the race for the 6th Man of the Year award is over. Kouat Noi has been getting non-stop buckets all season. Kouat went off on the JackJumpers for 32 points, including 18/19 FTs.

HARDEN UP – The Kings were hoping for offensive punch out of Bul Kuol this season. Bul is struggling in that regard and only made 2 FTs in 25 minutes for his 2 points against Tasmania. Let’s go Bul.

Defeated by New Zealand and Sydney

HOOYAH – He comes off the bench these days, and it doesn’t matter, cause Jordon Crawford is plutonium! Jordon touched up NZ to the tune of 26 points at 60%. Lil Big Man!

HARDEN UP – Ian Hummer my man, I know this is a tough league but it ain’t that tough that you can’t get a single solitary positive stat. I’ve heard of a triple-double but I’ve never heard of a triple zero? In New Zealand, you played 11 and a half minutes, and had NO points (cause you didn’t shoot), NO rebounds, NO assists, NO steals, NO blocks, and 2 turnovers. Only one way to go after that, and that’s up. 11 points against the Kings was an improvement.

HOOYAH – A league that gives teams the opportunity to win 50 grand is the league for me.  And all you have to do is outscore every other team on your road game in the Summer Shootout. Not a bad side hustle. PS, Cairns is the clubhouse leader as we speak.

HARDEN UP – I got an appreciation for regional and small community support, but playing games in these regional venues makes me nervous. We’re constantly having issues, we’ve got slippery courts, average air conditioning, and dodgy shot clocks. We’re supposed to be the 2nd best league in the world – we can’t lower the standards because some places can’t reach the bar.