Friday 26th May 2017
6pm Women | 8pm Men
GAME NIGHT PROGRAM FRIDAY 26th MAY 2017 Printed by
14 Hepner Place North Geelong 3215 Ph: 52722558
VS SEABL WOMEN – 6:00PM SEABL MEN – 8:00PM
TONIGHT’S GAME IS SUPPORTED BY
FROM THE FRONT OFFICE Here’s my hope... I hope you can look around the stadium tonight see the seats full, the courtside boxes full and 1000 different Hawaiian shirts on display… but obviously that’s just my hope because clearly we had to print this before we know how the night pans out. Having said that, you only have to think back 6 days to see the result of people buying into what we are trying to build here, last weekend was nothing short of AMAZING. It was wall to wall fans, from the front row to the back and the atmosphere in the stadium was electric, it was like winding back the clock 15 years and watching our teams at full flight and it’s thanks to the support our domestic clubs and our unbelievably loyal members and partners. I’m sure you would agree with me that it would be great to see that every week and hope that many of the people that attended last week are back again tonight. I assure you, our production team are working hard to make sure you have the best experience possible every time you step into the stadium. As many of you would know; two weeks ago one of our favourites played his 350th game for the club and also his 350th SEABL game having never played a senior game in another team or league. That game was played away from home against the Frankston Blues. It was a night to remember, after the vocal Geelong crowd watched our girls dominate the Blues and watch Alex Bunton on fire on the boards, we then watched not one, but two master classes. Firstly from Nathan Herbert who racked up 32 points before taking a break (finishing with 34) and then the milestone man himself Jamie Medved… his 18 minute performance included 5 from beyond the arch and amassed a massive 21 points. The showman was out to entertain that night and the crowd loved it…. Well at least the Geelong supporters did Tonight we bring the celebration home. Following a phone call from Jamie’s beautiful wife Laura it was decided that we would hold off the celebration for one week and allow #52 to celebrate his milestone in game 352… It’s easy to see who has the brains in the Medved house (just joking Jamie). So for those that have known Jamie for years, that have supported his careers for many years we say welcome. We hope you have a great night and ask you to make as much noise as you can every time Meddy touches the ball.
Finally before I wrap up I want to pass on the clubs congratulations and best wishes to Sara Blicavs and Alex Bunton who were both selected in the Australian Opals Training Squad this week. The girls have been selected as part of a 21 person squad that also includes the wife of Supercat Kris Blicavs (Stephanie Blicavs - nee Cumming). The selection of Sara is reward of consistency after back to back to back to back strong seasons for the Supercats in the SEABL and a standout season for the Dandenong Rangers in the WNBL last summer. For Alex it's a true sign her star is on the rise. Having returned from injury with the Supercats last SEABL season, she headed to Russia playing in 34 games for the Moscow Dynamo and has returned to the Supercats posting BIG numbers. As a club we aim to build a culture that allows everyone to excel and while the selection of both girls will challenge the Supercats depth over the back half of the season, we are confident that the team will remain strong enough to keep our championship aspirations on track and we could not be happier for the opportunity that sits in front of both Sara and Alex. Please join with us tonight and saying congratulations to Sara, Alex and of course Meddy and enjoy and big night at the Geelong Arena. #SeeRed #SupercatsFamily Regards, Dean Anglin CEO
MATCH DAY PREVIEWS MEN Luina Geelong Supercats (3rd East Conference 7-3) vs. NW Tasmania (5th South Conference 3-7) @ Geelong Arena, Friday 8:00pm vs. Canberra Gunners (8th East Conference 1-8) @ Belconnen Basketball Stadium, Saturday 7:30pm AN opportunity to further consolidate a spot inside the East Conference top four has presented itself for the Luina Geelong Supercats this weekend. The Supercats, who are riding a three-game winning streak, face two opponents that have battled through the opening eight rounds of the season. First, it’s a meeting with North West Tasmania on Friday night at home. The Thunder are coming off a home loss to Dandenong after consecutive wins over Bendigo and Melbourne. They are reliant on import duo Ahmad Starks (20.8 points per game) and Jeremiah Ingram (19.6ppg) for the majority of their scoring. On Saturday night, the Supercats head to the national capital for a second meeting with Canberra in May. When the Gunners came to Geelong, it was the home team that prevailed 89-59 in an impressive defensive effort. However, Canberra will go into the clash at Belconnen with renewed confidence after an upset 107-86 win over Albury-Wodonga last week. Former Ballarat import Roy Booker starred for the Gunners with 29 points, while big man Ben Allen and Broderick Doran both finished with 21. “We will again be relying on all available players to play their part if we are to beat NW Tassie and the back up in Canberra the next night,” coach Leon O’Neill said.
WOMEN Luina Geelong Lady Supercats (3rd East Conference 6-3) vs. Launceston Tornadoes (1st South Conference 7-2) @ Geelong Arena, Friday 6:00pm vs. Canberra Capitals Academy (7th East Conference 2-6) @ Belconnen Stadium, Saturday 5:30pm A WEEKEND of contrasting challenges faces the Luina Geelong Lady Supercats in Round 9 as they look to strengthen their grip on a top-four spot. Friday night sees the Launceston Tornadoes in town for the first time since their buzzer-beating win over the Lady Supercats in Round 4 last year. The Tornadoes are currently pacing the South Conference and are coming off consecutive wins over Dandenong and Melbourne. After a solid season with Adelaide in the WNBL, former Geelong pivot Tayla Roberts has continued that form into the SEABL year with Launceston. She is averaging 24 points per game on 53.7 per cent shooting. Her battle with Lady Supercat Alex Bunton looms as a key one. The two Laurens – Mansfield and Nicholson – provide the bulk of the remainder of the Tornadoes scoring at 18.8 and 13.4ppg respectively. Saturday night’s meeting with the Canberra Capitals Academy looms as a tricky one for Geelong. While the Caps are languishing in seventh spot, they are coming off a 72-62 win over AlburyWodonga in Round 8. Keely Froling is the key for Canberra. She averages a team high 15.9 points per game and her match-up with Lady Supercats star Sara Blicavs will be one to watch. When they last met on May 6 it was an even spread of scoring by Geelong that resulted 72-55 win, with four players scoring in double figures, led by 13 points apiece from Blicavs and Bunton. However, Canberra has since added Sengalese import Aminata Fall, who is averaging 9.5ppg and 8.5rpg through her opening two games.
CLUB NEWS MY RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE HUMBLE, THAT’S JUST DANDY 25 May 2017 | Geelong Advertiser | DAMIEN RACTLIFFE
LIFE membership is one of the most prestigious recognitions in sport, and Howard Dandy’s admission to the Victorian Basketball Referees Association’s list could not be more fitting. The 70-year-old has dedicated a lifetime of service to the sport, and a year after receiving a VBRA service award his standing has been upgraded to life membership. And what a life it’s been. “I started when I was about 12 or 13 — I’m 70 now so it would be thousands and thousands of games over the years but I’ve enjoyed it all,” Dandy said yesterday. “You have moments when you might do a bad one but generally speaking great” “Last week I got a diamond service award for 50 years. I hadn’t even thought about it. It doesn’t really add up until someone asks you about it.” Dandy began refereeing on a concrete court at St Mary’s in 1959, thrown into the deep end in the men’s competition — there were no junior or women’s comps in those times. Neither were there coaching clinics or referee schools — Dandy was simply handed a grey T-shirt and a whistle and off he went. The pathway to a career opened up, but by this time Dandy had a family, a job as a schoolteacher and also played in a band. When given the opportunity to reach the highest it’s been level of refereeing, Dandy had a tough decision to make. “That was my goal but I was playing in a band and it was around the time the national league was gathering momentum,” he said. “They called us to a meeting and said everything in your life, apart from your family and job, has got to go by the wayside. My kids were very young at that stage and they were saying you had to be prepared to fly interstate for the national league, and you’d be virtually told where you’ve got to be and when. I thought it was too much commitment so I thought I’d stick around Victoria then.” Along the way, Dandy met the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince Phillip as they inspected Albert Park courts in the mid 1980s, he was an official at four Australian championships and he was given the task of overseeing the referee program in the Geelong and southwest Victorian areas. One of his most controversial games was between the Supercats and Melbourne Tigers, when Dandy reported a Geelong player for striking an opponent and breaking his jaw. The player copped 12 weeks before the Tigers victim sued. Dandy was called to give evidence in the Supreme Court and the claimant won. Cancer, a bone marrow transplant and open-heart surgery has tried its best to stop Dandy, but the veteran ref is planning another return. “I had a heart attack late last year and that pulled me up, but in my mind I’m not retired,” he said. “When I get the OK I’d like to go back, even if it’s only kids’ games. I enjoy doing it no matter what it is, kids or adults.” Dandy said he was proud of the VBRA accolade, which adds to life memberships at the Geelong Basketball Association and Geelong Referees Association. “I’m very, very proud. I didn’t ever think about those sorts of things, you just do what you do because you enjoy it,” he said. “I enjoy helping a lot of younger refs, and many of them are now doing the national league, which is very nice to see. I feel a bit of satisfaction out of that. I enjoy even doing the local finals, that was always really good. We’ve got a good comp in Geelong, a very good standard, so I’m hoping to get back to it, maybe not in a fullbore way, but just get back and help out.”
CLUB NEWS MY RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE LADY SUPERCATS PAIR MAKING CUT FOR OPALS CAMP 25 May 2017 | Geelong Advertiser | RYAN REYNOLDS LADY Supercats Sara Blicavs and Alex Bunton have edged closer to making the Australian team for the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup after scoring an invite to the Opals’ selection camp. The star duo will travel to Phoenix, Arizona, for the camp which runs from June 25 to July 3. It is a reward for a strong start to the SEABL season for both Blicavs and Bunton, who are key pillars for the Lady Supercats. The Australian team will head to Bangalore, India, for the Asia Cup on July 18 and have been drawn in Group B where they will play Korea, Philippines and Japan. The tournament is a crucial stepping stone towards the 2018 World Cup with the four teams that make the Asia Cup semi-finals scoring qualification. Blicavs has been in sizzling form this season averaging 23 points per game, six points above her career average. Bunton has played three games for the Lady Supercats this season with the 198cm centre averaging 11 points and 12 rebounds per game. With Opals head coach Sandy Brondello unavailable for the Asia Cup due to WNBA commitments, the team will be led by assistant coaches Paul Goriss and Cheryl Chambers. “The aim of the camp is to introduce the players to the concepts and game style that Sandy will install into the Opals program,” Goriss said. “It also gives the coaching staff the opportunity to evaluate the players’ skill set that will help the team be successful in Bangalore.” A mix of experience and young talent will make up the Opals selection camp squad from which the team for the FIBA Asia Cup will be selected which includes six members of the Rio Olympic team in Tessa Lavey, Rachel Jarry, Laura Hodges, Katie-Rae Ebzery, Erin Phillips and Marianna Tolo. “With the Olympic experience of players … it will be a very tough and competitive camp,” Goriss said.
WANT TO PLAY EXPERIENCE BASKETBALL? MY RUSSIAN Barwon Heads Seagulls Cameron O’Brien
seagullsbasketballclub@gmail.com
Christian College Eagles Basketball Club Olivia Cameron o.cameron@ccg.vic.edu.au Flora Murdoch murdochfamily45@bigpond.com Website CLICK HERE
0418 524 540
Deakin Wildcats Jonathon Walker Website
jonathonwalker@bigpond.com CLICK HERE
0437 233 541
Dolphins Steph Grayson Fiona Gray Website
president@dolphinsbasketball.org.au Fiona.Gray@anz.com CLICK HERE
0408 055 959 0428 786 769
Lara Jason Aherne Boys: Rod Randall Girls: Damian Withers Website:
seniors@laragiants.org.au juniorboys@laragiants.org.au juniorgirls@laragiants.org.au CLICK HERE
0417 306 327 0408 331 560 0433 930 888
Pivot City Craig Porte (P) Linda Turner (D) Website:
pivotcitybasketball@hotmail.com pivotcitybasketball@hotmail.com CLICK HERE
0407 966 676 0421 321 957
Rovers Craig Cole (P) Debi Oseckas Website:
craig.cole@bigpond.com pauloseckas@y7mail.com CLICK HERE
0418 325 251 0416 295 728
Sharks Paul Bugg (P & SNR) Website:
geelongsharks@gmail.com CLICK HERE
0448 458 456
Surfcoast Adam Forde (P)
surfcoastbasketballclub@gmail.com
0434 635 020 Nicole Crammond (S) Craig Smith Website:
surfcoastbasketballclub@gmail.com craig@championsblinds.com.au CLICK HERE
0409 043 691 0412 227 040
Tigers Owen McNicol (P) Paul Virt (S) Website:
tigersbc.geelong@gmail.com tigersbc.geelong@gmail.com CLICK HERE
0488 770 660 0419 755 389
Try Boys Mandy Johns (D) Kelwyn Hough (P) Sharni Ward Website:
mandy.johns@tpg.com.au tryboys@gmail.com tryboys@gmail.com CLICK HERE
0407 558 117 0408 122 488 0422 417445
Vytis Alex Wiasak (P) Stan Rebis Simon Jovic Website:
geelongvytis@optusnet.com.au srebis1@bigpond.com simonj@bigpond.com CLICK HERE
0411 806 284 0408 782 819 0409 371 291
YMCA Craig Herbert (P) Ash McDonald (JNR Girls) Sam Buckby (JNR Boys) Website:
craig.herbert@godfreyhirst.com ashley.mcdonald@godfreyhirst.com sam@buckbyelectrical.com.au CLICK HERE
0411 167 426 0413 727 363 0410 572 814
COLLECT YOUR FREE JAMIE MEDVED POSTER, THANKS TO
LUINA GEELONG SUPERCATS SEABL WOMEN Number
Full Name
Position
Player Sponsor
Age
2
Ellen Kett
Guard
23
5
Alex Duck
Guard
26
8
Agnes Emma-Nnopu
Guard/Forward
16
9
Chantel Horvat
Forward
18
13
Alex Bunton
Centre
23
15
Sara Blicavs
Forward
24
20
Ebony Rolph
Forward
22
24
Isabella Brancatisano
Guard
22
19
Georgia Tauschke
Guard
21
30
Charlotte Brancatisano
Guard
20
44
Eve Braslis
Forward
17
Head Coach Assistant Coaches Team Manager & Assistant Team Managers Strength & Conditioning Coach Physio
David Herbert Glenn Sharp & Darren Busuttil Beth Davis, Marcus Lovell & Malik Davis Chelsey Cameron provided by Corio Bay Health Group
LAUNCESTON SEABL WOMEN Number
Full Name
Position
Age
4
Ali Partridge
Guard
35
5
Lauren Mansfield
Guard
27
7
Paige French
Guard
17
8
Bec Abel
Guard
17
14
Lauren Nicholson
Forward
24
22
Jayde Brazendale
Centre
16
23
Olivia Chugg
Forward/Centre
25
33
Tayla Roberts
Centre
24
Head Coach Team Manager
Richard Dickel Jenn Heggarty
NEXT HOME GAME SATURDAY 17th JUNE vs SYDNEY UNI WOMEN 5pm & MEN 7pm
LUINA GEELONG SUPERCATS SEABL MEN Number
Full Name
Position
Player Sponsor
Age
5
DeMarcus Gatlin
Combo Guard
24
8
Kris Blicavs
Combo Gard
28
9
Nick Owusu
Point Guard
32
11
Nathan Herbert
Shooting Guard
32
15
Ma'alo Hicks
Power Forward
29
17
Nathan Freind
Guard
26
21
Kristian Rocci
Shooting Guard
23
24
Liam McInerney
Power Forward
26
42
Eric Gaff
Centre
30
52
Jamie Medved
Shooting Guard
34
54
Ash Cannan
Power Forward
35
Head Coach
Assistant Coach Team Manager & Assistant Team Managers Physio
Leon O’Neill
Luke Beauglehall Jesse Drever, Nathan Scarlett & Marcus Lovell provided by Corio Bay Health Group
NORT WEST TASMANIA SEABL MEN Number
Full Name
Position
1
Ahmad Starks
Guard
4
Jeremiah Ingram
Guard
8
Daniel Sepokas
Guard
9
Joe Chilcott
Guard/Forward
10
Tre Armstrong
Guard
11
Ben Richmond
Guard/Forward
12
Bradley Simpson
Forward
14
Brady Armstrong
Guard
42
Chudier Pal
Centre
Head Coach Assistant Coach Physio
Sam Armstrong Nick Haywood Ryan Carroll
NEXT HOME GAME SATURDAY 17th JUNE vs. MT GAMBIER WOMEN 6pm & MEN 8pm
Age
SEABL LADDERS EAST CONFERENCE UP TO ROUND 7
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