Team-By-Team: Hooyah & Harden Up: Round 1, NBL27

By Damon Lowery.‍

Round 1 Edition

Author’s note: These opinions are mine and mine alone. It’s NEVER personal and always about the basketball.

A Hooyah is given for exemplary play and standout performances so if you get one – bask in the glory.

A Harden Up signifies an underwhelming effort or poor play so if you get one of these - cop it and just move on.

Defeated Melbourne

HOOYAH – Bryce Cotton: For the “umpteenth” time, you stood tall when the chips were down. Despite playing without sharp-shooter John Jenkins, Isaac Humphries, Flynn Cameron, who left the game early, and Nick Rakocevic, who fouled out, it didn’t matter even a little bit. You had 29 and 7 dimes and clinched the win on the road.

HARDEN UP – Nick Rakocevic: You were solid as a rock with 14 and 9 boards, but you only played 24 and a half minutes, why? Foul trouble, that’s why! You eventually fouled out with the game in the balance. With Isaac Humphries out, more responsibility was on you. You gotta do a better job staying on the floor.

Defeated New Zealand.

HOOYAH - Arnas Velicka: The Lithuanian playmaker extraordinaire ... OMG! Your debut in front of a packed house was outstanding. You had total and complete control of the game and finished with 23, 14 assists and the dagger 3 ball that sent fans into a frenzy. All aboard the Velicka Van - I’m riding shotgun!

HARDEN UP - Free throws. You made this game harder than it needed to be, going 15/28 from the stripe. You guys all got 130 pushups each, 10 for every miss - then you can move on.

Defeated by Sydney

HOOYAH – Keanu Pinder: I saw this coming. You played your best basketball when you were with coach Adam Forde in Cairns a few years ago. Now, you’re back rocking the orange and looking like an MVP candidate. Despite the loss, 27 in 27 minutes was serious business.

HARDEN UP – Jack McVeigh: Your skill-set has you featuring at the top of every team’s scouting report. Teams would be silly not to pay you extra attention. The Kings made you play in a crowd and sent the occasional double team and held you to 7 points on 3/7FG. You now gotta figure it out.

Defeated by New Zealand

HOOYAH – Will 'Davo' Hickey: You were my pre-season pick to lead the League in triple-doubles. You didn’t get one but you’re always around the mark. Your 18, 9 boards and 5 assists was not enough for the win, but it was real nice.

HARDEN UP – Darius Days: If the word on the street is true, you’re under pressure. You played only 7 minutes and managed one shot and missed it - but racked up 4 fouls. It starts in training, loosen up and let it rip man, it’ll be what it’ll be.

Defeated by Adelaide

HOOYAH – Cole Anthony: Good Grief! Talk about living up to the hype. Despite playing in an absurd minutes restriction straight jacket, your 21 minutes and 50 seconds were ruthless and efficient. I haven’t seen an Anthony this ruthless since Anthony Soprano was running amok in New Jersey. 30 points at 50% FG - you showed off your ball handling, your deft touch, and the three ball. An electrifying performance for the ages.

HARDEN UP - High performance staff and whoever else signed off on Cole Anthony’s grotesque minutes restriction: All of you somehow came up with the magical number of 22 minutes. Why 22? Why not 25? What’s the formula? Is it a secret like the Kentucky Fried Chicken special herbs and spices recipe? Did you not notice Cole doing windmill dunks in the warmup? 99% of the League would trade one of their calves for one Coles’ right now. This madness needs to stop.

Defeated Illawarra

‍HOOYAH – Parker Jackson-Cartwright: Owner of the fastest fast-twitch fibres in the League. You were not the Lone Ranger, but you still wreaked all sorts of havoc on the Hawks. You’re no stranger to double-doubles, and notched up your first one of the season with 23 and 13 dimes. I know it won’t be your last.

HARDEN UP – Izayah Le'afa: This is cautionary. You finished with 2 points, your scoring has been in decline for the last four seasons, and last season your three ball betrayed you shooting only 22%. I thought you passed up some threes. Back ya’ self, man - shooters shoot!

Defeated by South East Melbourne

HOOYAH – Kristian Doolittle: You’re dooin’ everything but selling the game-day tickets. Good thing you’re built for heavy lifting. 25, 6 rebounds and 7 assists = Mr. Consistency.

HARDEN UP – Dylan Windler: What’s wrong my man? I’m slightly concerned. You’re in struggle town at the moment and looking for your mojo. 2 points in 25 and a half minutes is NOT who you are. 1/6 from the field is not enough attempts either. I’m gonna need you to get uber-aggressive next game.

Defeated Perth, lost to Tasmania

HOOYAH – Dash 'I'm only 18' Daniels: I giggle out loud when you make grown-ass men look like kids. Last season when you were wearing blue, you averaged 4 points and 2 boards. In your first game in green you had 24 points and 12 boards. Your game has mutated … oh no! I have to say it … you’re a Teenage Mutant!

HARDEN UP – De'Shawn Schwartz: More fouls (5) than points (4). You were only on the court for 12 min and fouled out. Obviously not the debut you wanted but at least y’all got the win. Your team is blessed with firepower, but you’re gonna have to contribute more than that, and I believe you will.

Defeated Cairns

HOOYAH – Kendric Davis: You arrived late, and while Cairns was hoping jetlag would slow you down, it couldn’t. You picked up right where you left off last season. 26 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists was just another day at the office. Welcome back.

HARDEN UP – Pass.

Defeated South East Melbourne

HOOYAH – David Johnson: Possessor of one of the purest strokes in the League. After battling some injuries last season, it was great watching you let it fly. You came off the bench and scored a point for every minute on the floor. You dropped 26 points in 26 minutes and threw in 6 boards and 6 dimes.

HARDEN UP – Scott Roth's immune system: Listening to your pre-game chat, you sounded like you were chewing on rocks and were clearly battling something. Of course, you soldiered on and guided the boys to a win. Get better soon and congrats on the new deal.

HOOYAH – The referees who made the call: When De’Shawn Schwartz forced a turnover and Tassie got pinged with a disruptive foul – it was Skylar Mays who went to the line. The refs saw it, and rule the free throws invalid and gave the ball back to Tassie. It was the right call. Well done to the officials.

HARDEN UP – Whinging about the call: To those complaining about the referees who made the RIGHT call to strip Phoenix of the ball because the wrong player (Mays) took the Disruptive Foul free throws instead of Schwartz – the rules are the rules!