Isaac
Years ago

Ballinger out of Top End Challenge

Prospective Adelaide 36ers captain Adam Ballinger has withdrawn from the Sixers' team contesting the NBL's Pre-season Top End Challenge in Darwin from tonight.

Ballinger, 29 and a 205cm dual-club Most Valuable Player, pulled out with a slight back injury which coach Scott Ninnis was not prepared to risk further.

Instead the Sixers' mentor let fly at Basketball SA for still having its State Basketball League active so close to the NBL tip-off.

"Ours is the only state league still going and it's ridiculous," he said.

The SBL grand final Saturday between Sturt and Norwood will cost Ninnis three key players - Jacob Holmes, Darren Ng (Sturt) and David Cooper (Norwood).

Adelaide already is minus Matt Burston (knee) and Brad Hill (ankle) for the Top End Challenge and now Ballinger. It plays New Zealand tonight.

"It means if we win and again tomorrow, we will be playing the final of this tournament on Saturday with just seven players," Ninnis lamented. "Bear in mind, four of those seven will be Chris Molitor, Shannon Seebohm, Tom Garlepp and Peter Hoban.
Full article

Given the missing players, I don't think we'll be able to read much into the 36ers results in Darwin. Great opportunities for the young guys though.

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LC  
Years ago

Agreed - great opportunities for the younger guys. Better that Balls gets fully fit for the season proper.

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NVS  
Years ago

Ummmm hadnt the State Basketball league already started its season before the NBL got off their arse and decided what was happening this season. So it is Basketball SA's fault for running the season that they had already planned......Nice one Scotty.

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paul  
Years ago

NBL has started in September for some time now, and there was always a season planned for this year, even if some thought it wouldnt happen.

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thedoctor  
Years ago

That's not exactly true Paul. The sixers were a goner for a while there, and if the tigers didn't commit late in the piece I doubt whether any nbl would have been l
played. A bit unfair to expect BSA to schedule around an imaginary season

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Jonno  
Years ago

Without Ballinger, Hill and Burstons wat does our team look like??

I assume its something like

C Cooper/Gerlap
PF Holmes/Hoban
SF Herbert/Molitor
SG Groves/Ng
PG Gilchrist/Seehbohm

Is that correct??

Does that mean when Holmes, Cooper, Ng go back for state league finals we are left with a rotation of

C Gerlap/Hoban
PF Hoban/Molitor
SF Herbert/Molitor
SG Groves/Seehbohm
PG Gilchrist/Seehbohm

The guard rotation is still ok if Groves and Gilchrist play most the game but it looks very in experienced in fwd and centre positions, i guess its a good opportunity for those guys like Gerlapp and Hoban to push for minutes/spots in the team/league.

Would it be worth say getting a few exrtra guys like a Erik Burdon, Nick Hambour, other top state league players (dont know state league very well) to fly up and help out??

even guys from leagues like the SEABL like a Andrew Rice or Brent Hobba, they would give a little bit of extra size and experience

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Isaac  
Years ago

What's the point though? Obviously Molitor, Seebohm and Garlepp are their preferred youth options. Better to run them and have them get thrashed than bring in mercenaries just for the sake of a closer game.

Breakers are without Bruton, Forman and Pledger for tonight's game but have good coverage at each position anyway. Same deal with Adelaide really.

As for Ninnis' spray, I think he's just frustrated and it would make sense for our ABL-level leagues around the country to operate at similar time to work in a complementary fashion to the NBL.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

The BSA state league season is only running one week later than the seabl and has done so because clubs had request less double headers then they had last year. Also with the the lack of club nationals championships which would have been played this weekend anyway traditionally they where able to be a little fexible with the local clubs with scheduling.
Wouldnt have been an issue if sturt hadnt made finals.

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