20 June 2009
NUNAWADING (11-2) vs FRANKSTON BLUES (3-9)
Welcome back to D League action!! This afternoon we welcome the seventh-placed Frankston Blues into our home as they take on your very own, league-leading Spectres. Frankston have been unable to defeat any of the top-four teams in 2009, and led by 198cm Ben Jacobsen and 197cm Ryan Tindal, they come here today seeking the biggest scalp of all.
Jacobsen is among the league leaders for scoring (16.8 ppg 5th in DLM) and rebounding (6.8 rpg) and the Blues must direct their offense through him in the low post to have any chance of winning. His touch and turnaround jumper in the low post, combined with his 3-point range make him a tough matchup for the Spectres big men.
Tindal provides the Blues with hard-nosed play at both ends of the floor, providing a great complement to the scoring ability of Jacobsen. Tindal is 5th in the league for rebounding (8.6 rpg), and provides an aggressive attack at the hoop, shooting 8 free throws a game over the past month.
Its no surprise that over the past six weeks, as the performances of these two players have become better, Frankston has gone 3-4, including a heart-breaking 3-point loss. Interestingly, in the three wins, Tindal and Jacobsen have combined for 5 double-doubles. Limiting the presence of these two players will be key for the Spectres today.
For the home team, Sam Allen (14.9 ppg top 10 in DLM) returned to the lineup last week after five weeks on the sidelines, and had an immediate impact, scoring 24 points in 21 minutes on Saturday night. The Spectres averaged just 55 ppg in their only two losses of the season while Allen was out, and his aggression at the basket is crucial for continued success. On the Sunday against Bendigo, Allen showed his versatility, pulling in 9 rebounds to go with 12 points.
Maalo Hicks (14.8 ppg, 54 FG%, 9.7 rpg all top 10 in DLM) returned the dominant numbers that are expected of him last weekend, averaging 19 points (shooting 67%) and 11 rebounds over the two games, in just 21 minutes per game. They key for Hicks if to stay out of foul trouble and limit his turnovers. If he can do this, he can carry the Spectres a long way in 2009.
Mark Breda has been a big improver for the Spectres in 2009, playing the point position with Zac Natoli and Hayden Czwarno on SEABL duty. His 9.5 points and 6.2 rebounds rank him in the league top 20, while his 52.6 FG% ranks top 5 and, along with Mitchell Hawley (9.0 ppg), he has become a vital scoring threat in the Spectres high-octane attack.
After today, the Spectres have only one more home game before the final round of the season in six weeks, so cheer hard and help them get this win.
GO SPECTRES!!
Duncan Berg - Head Coach
