Mon 7-Dec (9pm) grand final Somerton Thunder v Seaton Spartans, Sat 19-Dec (2pm) Christmas concert at Gateway Community Church Reynella, Sat 9-Jan (tba) Brad Smith's wedding, January pre-season training (details tba).
Welcome to Movember! Movember is an annual, month-long celebration of the moustache, highlighting men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer and depression in men. Mo Bros, supported by their Mo Sistas, start Movember (November 1st) clean shaven (though players have been given an week or two this year as part of their Port Pirie preparations) and then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache. During Movember, each Mo Bro effectively becomes a walking billboard for men’s health and, via their Mo, raises essential funds and awareness for Movember’s men’s health partners – The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue – the national depression initiative. At the end of Movember, the Thunder are off to Port Pirie for an exhibition game and to celebrate their moustaches and the end of the month.
The idea for Movember came about in 2003 when a few mates were having a beer in a small bar in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Inspired by the women’s health movement, it was recognized that men were lacking a way to engage and actively involve themselves in their own health. During a conversation about fashion and past trends, the idea came up to bring the moustache back for one month, and in doing so, have some fun, raise a small amount of money and hopefully encourage men to talk about their health with each other. Since this time, Movember has continued to grow each year, both in terms of participation numbers and funds raised. In its first year, 30 Mo Bros took part in Movember and last year, in Australia alone, 125,000 Mo Bro & Sistas got on board, raising more than $8million for each of Movember’s men’s health partners.
Today, in its sixth consecutive year, Movember takes place around the world. Motivated by what was happening in Australia, a further five countries now embrace the Mo each November - New Zealand, US, Canada, UK and Ireland are all helping Movember to achieve its ultimate goal – to change the face of men’s health globally. To date, Movember has raised AUS$60 million globally for the fight against prostate cancer and depression in men. And, more importantly, as a direct result, male awareness of health issues has improved with Movember helping to spread health messages directly to millions of Mo Bros & Sistas around the world. Going forward, Movember will continue to work towards helping to change established habits and attitudes and make men aware of the risks they face, thereby increasing early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment. So get some nuts and grow a mo!
"Nah, I can't this year ‘cause I'm washing my hair". "Sorry mate, love to grow a Mo but I'm getting married in Movember". "Oh look mate, you know I'd love to but my boss won't let me". Enough. Spare us, please. These are excuses, not reasons. Get some nuts and grow a mo! Now you know what they say - never sign anything you haven’t read, always eat your crusts and make sure you know the rules. Just so we’re clear:
1. Each Mo Bro must start November with a clean mo (though as discussed, Thunder players can start beards early this year if they choose).
2. For the entire month of Movember each Mo Bro must grow and groom a moustache according to these rules:
• There is to be no joining the Mo to the side burns – that’s a beard. There are no beards.
• There is to be no joining of the handlebars on the chin – that’s a goatee.
• A small complimentary growth under the bottom lip, aka a tickler, is allowed.
Last but not least, and unrelated to Movember, we loved this article by Peter Goers as he tours the new Adelaide Crows Museum.
One of the group asked me if I was a Power spy. "No," I said, "we have much better facilities, a 140-year history and 37 premiership cups."
Happy Movember folks and grow those mos. Regular updates and pictures coming soon. Go on, click on the Movember link and join our team!
Thunder to meet the Spartans at the Dome at 9.15pm November 2, 2009 --
With the SABASA finals only three weeks away, things are heating up at the Distinctive Homes Dome though that tends to happen naturally as we move into summer but we digress. The Thunder (1st) tonight meet the Seaton Spartans (3rd) in what should be an entertaining affair on the Cal McKinnon Court. Look for bad facial hair to dominate proceedings, with rumours abounding that several players are well into their Movember quest already. Our bothan spies tell us the Thunder should be at near-to full strength, whilst the Spartans wear silly shorts, no shirts, carry shields and swords around, and yell a lot. Sounds like fun. Get there early for what should be a crackerjackmajetski of a contest.
Thunder slay Spartans 51-31 November 3, 2009 --
The Thunder last night slayed the Seaton Spartans 51-31 in an entertaining affair, both teams showing flashes of brilliance amidst moments of mediocrity. With veteran Gavin Clark leading the way, the Spartans showed they're legit and will compete for the SABASA A Grade crown, whilst the Thunder did enough to say they're not far off peak form. Stepping away from their familiar 3-2 zone for the night, the Thunder looked hungry and were led by centre James Smith's near triple-double (12 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) and some sweet shooting from guard Cal McKinnon. Sporting some of the most ordinary moustaches seen in a long time, the players look good for the upcoming Port Pirie exhibition clash in just four weeks' time. The win wraps up top spot in the minor round ahead of the big grand final rematch against Marion next week.
Overseas basketball wrap November 4, 2009 --
There's a whole lot happening overseas in basketball so we thought it was an opportune time to have a look at what our young Aussies are up to overseas. The above video features Australia's Aron Baynes, who has been playing very well for Lietuvos Rytas in Europe. He throws down a pretty vicious dunk, so much so he was ranked number one play in the Top Ten Plays of Euroleague Week 2. Watch the video. Super stuff!
Meanwhile in the NBA, Australia's David Andersen and Nathan Jawai have enjoyed career weeks, posting highs for points, rebounds and everything else considering neither of them have really done much (or anything!) in the NBA prior to this season. Our Aussie performances to date are as follows, keeping in mind Patrick Mills is injured. Click on the above photo for a full-size version of Andersen getting blocked. Wow!
Finally, he's not an Aussie, but this video is worth a look too. A bat flys across the court and eventually meets his maker, courtesy of Argentinian San Antonio Spur Manu Ginobli. Watch how he smacks the living stuffing out of it, then hands it courtside. Now that's cool.
36ers' Nathan Herbert joins the Movember cause November 5, 2009 --
A long-time supporter of Movember, Adelaide 36ers' guard Nathan Herbert has joined the Movember cause. His coach Scott Ninnis however, hasn't joined the cause and we're using this post to publicly call him out and demand that he joins in. Motivation and leadership come from the top and if it's good enough for the Thunder's coach to look like a Class-A dill in support of mens' health, then it's good enough for Scott too. C'mon Scott, join in this year or at least, announce that you'll be part of the team next year and we'll even link to your Movember site. Talking Movember, we apologise for the lack of photos this week. A minor technical hitch meant no photos were taken on Monday night but we hope to have this fixed by next week. Meanwhile, enjoy this edition of 36ers TV and to Scott, again we say - get some nuts and grow a mo!
The truth behind the NBA trophy as SABASA finals program is released November 6, 2009 --
Enjoy the above video as the Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom discovers the truth behind the NBA trophy from former Lakers' championship players Earvin Johnson and James Worthy. "That's a heated tray." One day we'll reveal the secret behind the SABASA trophy but we digress. Speaking of SABASA land, the SABASA have released the program for the upcoming finals series with the A Grade Men games as follows:
23 Nov - 8.45pm: 3v4 semi-final on Court 3
23 Nov - 9.35pm: 1v2 semi-final on Cal McKinnon Court
30 Nov - 8.30pm: prelim final on Cal McKinnon Court
7 Dec - 9.00pm: grand final on Cal McKinnon Court, followed by presentations
The full program has been uploaded to our ladders, programs, statistics page with finals game details for all grades. Enjoy.
Julius Hodge signs with the Melbourne Tigers November 7, 2009 --
Julius Hodge is back, having signed with the Melbourne Tigers. Released by the Adelaide 36ers last year after (you choose):
a) rocking up late to practice more times than not;
b) not rocking up to practice at all;
c) several ordinary performances on the road and no, we're not talking during the game either;
d) making a mockumentary video about (not) drinking the poison and doing weights after every game;
e) being named the best player in the league by perennial Coach of the Year Brian Goorjian;
f) not being paid on time and arguing with the team owner about payment;
g) not showing up for a game against Wollongong to make a stand against the owner for not paying him;
h) 36ers' Coach Scott Ninnis declared Hodge's famed work ethic as a "crock of you know what" after the 36ers' released him;
i) SA Police issuing a summons for Hodge to appear before a court of law on charges of somethingorother;
j) most of the above;
k) all of the above;
..... he's back and mark our words when we say this is not going to end well. Perhaps it won't end well for Adelaide as Julius (also referred to as Judas) Hodge goes on a tear, reaffirms his status as the best player in the league and leads Melbourne to a title ..... or he returns to his alleged worst and Melbourne fracture further and fall away from the finals. Either way, it's going to be interesting and as usual, the truth is most often somewhere in between the two extremes. It's certainly going to be entertaining and mark 5 December in your calendars folks, not only because it's exactly one week after the Thunder and Port Pirie Panthers clash, but because that's the night Julius comes back to Adelaide. Not since Mark Bradtke returned for the first time with Melbourne has a game had such anticipation for all the wrong - or right - reasons. Get in early though if you're looking for a ticket 'cause our prediction is that like the Panthers-Thunder game, it'll be a sellout. Back soon.
Ladder predictor updated as Coach Smith pleads "vote for me!" November 8, 2009 --
Interesting story coming out of Monday night's post-game press conference, where Coach James Smith reportedly pleaded for the public to vote for him as the 2009 Man of Movember. Our bothan spies sent us this picture as Smith, Iced Coffee in hand, pleaded for votes.
"I hear Josh Gondolf has the early lead. Josh Gondolf? He hasn't even shaved yet. The guy is a pretender. You can't vote for someone who still has a beard. He should be disqualified and all his votes should go to someone more worthy - like me," he may or may not have said.
Gondolf reportedly got stuck into a verbal stoush with Smith at that stage, calling Smith's mo "a fake itself" and they reportedly had to be separated by teammates. Makes for interesting times in the locker room in the weeks ahead, particularly with Gondolf leading Smith 13-10 in the votes to date (including today). With nearest vote-getter Terry Sleep on only 4 votes, it looks to be a two-man race.
Meanwhile in other news, the SABASA ladder predictor is unchanged after we managed to tip each game correctly last Monday. The ACH Flamingos doused the Hallett Cove Flames 39-38 on the back of a late veteran foul from the recently married Paul Mundy, the Somerton Storm fired the ACH Guns 50-35 to continue their run, the Somerton Thunder slayed the Seaton Spartans 51-31, and the ACH White Flamingos outshone the ACH Grey Favourites 48-39. It remains terribly close for the B Grade finals, whilst the A Grade finals look pretty much set.
A Grade Men Finals
1. Somerton Thunder 14-0, 48pts
2. Arndale Allstars 10-4, 40 pts
3. ACH Flamingos 9-5, 38pts
4. Seaton Spartans 10-1-3, 35pts
B Grade Men Finals
5. Marion Magnetics 6-8, 32pts
6. Happy Valley Wolves 8-6, 29pts
7. Hallett Cove Flames 7-1-6, 29pts
8. Somerton Storm, 5-9, 24 pts
Missing the Finals
9. ACH White Flamingos 4-1-9, 23pts
10. ACH Guns 4-10, 22pts
11. ACH Grey Favourites 4-10, 21pts
12. ACH Bullets 1-1-12, 17pts
Thunder to face Magnetics as we celebrate the 1960s November 9, 2009 --
South Adelaide Basketball Club - 1965 summer premiers
Back row: Albert Leslie (1968 Olympian and ex-36ers Assistant Coach), Dean Whitford (1964 Olympic reserve), Don Shipway (ex-36ers Coach), Bob Hannam, Neville Spry, Brian Whitford, Wayne Crook
Front row: Joe Clarke (also West Torrens ruckman), Michael Ah Matt (1964, 1968 Olympian), Ashley Koch, Scott Davie (1964 Olympian), Bruce Ninnis (Scott's father), Barry Wakefield.
No real reason for us publishing the above photo (click for a larger version) at this time but when we saw it on the Hoops SA website recently, we couldn't resist. Several players have direct or indirect ties to the Thunder and the Salvation Army's Jultopia Carnival teams as follows:
- Dean Whitford is the father of Thunder Hall of Famer Paul Whitford, and coached fellow Hall of Famers Greg and James Smith in the late 80s
- Brian Whitford is Dean's brother and has strong ties to Adelaide Congress Hall Salvation Army, playing with them for many years
- Scott Davie player/coached the 1986 South Australian Jultopia side to a premiership win in Launceston, Tasmania
- Bruce Ninnis is the father of Jultopia Dream Teamer Scott Ninnis, and coached several SA Jultopia teams, incl the 1984 premiership team
That was one serious team, with three Olympians and numerous state representatives and we'd love to see them line up against the Thunder on the Cal McKinnon Court one night but sadly, it's likely to never happen. Speaking of the Cal McKinnon Court, the Thunder tonight take on the Marion Magnetics as the minor round enters its penultimate week. Coach James Smith continues to avoid declaring the finals early, saying earlier this week that "with the Port Pirie game coming up, our focus has shifted slightly so for now, it's all about Pirie and we'll worry about the SABASA finals when we get back." Interesting strategy that could see them ousted from the SABASA finals if they're not careful but they at least have the double-chance up their sleeves. Tonight's game against Marion could go either way, with Marion unveiling a bevy of lineups this season as numerous players miss games for a myriad of reasons. For that reason alone, we're tipping the Thunder by 12 points though our bothan spies tell us Captain Brad Smith could miss the game with a right-hand injury after a serious incident with a bronze whaler shark on the weekend. We shudder to think what that's all about. Get there early to get a good seat. We will be.
Brad Smith sets shark-catching record November 10, 2009 --
In an attempt to increase his votes in this month's thrilling "Man of Movember" poll, Brad Smith has gone all out and in a style reminiscent of The Footy Show's Shane Crawford, has set a new world record for shark-catching. Armed with a $30 fishing rod from K-Mart, a pair of thongs, his bare hands and a Trevor Chappell-like moustache, Brad wrestled the beast for 90 minutes in the tranquil waters of the Gulf of St Vincent. Having previously tamed numerous eagle rays with just his bare hands, the Bronze Whaler was no match for Smith though we're told he suffered a nasty right-hand injury and at the time of printing, was doubtful for last night's match. We asked Brad for a quote but he was too busy voting for himself in this month's poll. The 281kg combined total weight - a pending State and Australian record - was caught on 8kg line and together with Brad's 87kg and the shark's 186kg, smashed the previous combined total weight record set by 1984 Olympic Gold Medallist Dean Lukin and a 50g can of tuna - or at least that's how we think it works. Brad is convinced this will win him votes but alas, that's not how it works. You decide, so keep voting and don't be fooled by gimmicks. Make your selection from the photos which we hope to publish shortly.
PS. Believe or not, some of the above story is true but we don't want to ruin the fun by telling you which bits are or aren't fabricated. Meanwhile, heed our advice when we say - swim in those waters at your own risk. And finally, wow, is it hot or what? Stay cool, San Diego.
PPS. The votes will appear differently today after Bando withdrew from the competition after Movember sponsors noted he could go missing at any moment so awarding him the grand prize of "Man of Movember" was fraught with danger. Mrs Bando was reportedly happy with the news.
Lest we forget November 11, 2009 --
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.
Thunder defeat Magnetics and confirm team to play Port Pirie November 12, 2009 --
The Thunder took care of business on Monday night just gone, defeating a feisty Marion Magnetics side that is a heckuva lot better than 5th place on an A/B Grade Men combined premiership ladder. With several new players and a few familiar faces to boot, the Magnetics, led by Thunder SACBA veteran Andrew Brook, took it right up to Somerton but fell short 51-35 as Somerton's extra legs took their toll on the Marion team that was lacking any real firepower from the bench. The win leaves the Thunder on top of the ladder and guaranteed of a home final.
Meanwhile, the Thunder confirmed today that veterans and ex-Port Augustans Andrew Zajer and Ray Wickstein will play in the upcoming Port Pirie game on Saturday 28 Movember. Both players reportedly jumped at the opportunity to join their counterparts and are looking forward to returning to "the old stomping ground" for the exhibition match. This leaves the likely final Thunder lineup looking like this:
4 Josh Gondolf (g) - 455 games
5 Cal McKinnon (g) - 140 games
6 Bradley Smith (f) - 612 games
7 Nick Kyriazis (f) - 481 games
8 Brad Anderson (g) - 86 games
9 Ray Wickstein (g) - 78 games
10 James Smith (c) - 633 games
11 Terry Sleep (c) - 140 games
12 Tom Halman (f) - 42 games
15 Andrew Zajer (f) - 84 games
52 Kerwin Penn (g) - 71 games
Coach: James Smith
Asst Coach: Josh Gondolf
Captain: Bradley Smith
Vice-Captain: Nick Kyriazis
We have two new heroes - Emily Pridham and Vaibhav Bedi November 13, 2009 --
Totally unrelated to basketball but definitely worthy of comment, we couldn't resist a story about two of our newest heroes - Emily Pridham and Vaibhav Bedi. Both are a beacon of hope to a world in need of heroes and role models - and these guys sure fit the bill.
Pridham is a 15-year-old Brisbane school girl who has been suspended for shaving her head to raise money for vital cancer research. She and her family told Channel Nine News her father is battling leukemia. He underwent a bone marrow transplant a few weeks ago but has been given only a few months to live. Ms Pridham decided to shave her head as part of a fundraiser for cancer research.
"Basically my way of coping is to try and help other people going through the same thing," she said. Ms Pridham said she has been banned from Mount Alvernia College until her hair grows back. Barbara Pridham said she supports her daughter's fundraising decision. "I am just appalled that she could be suspended by a Catholic school that promotes joy, respect and community spirit," she said. We concur.
Mount Alvernia College released a statement to Channel Nine News that said Ms Pridham had breached the college's uniform guidelines and had been suspended because of "ongoing issues". By Tuesday morning, Ms Pridham had established a Facebook group to support her and was quickly gathering members. She said on the page: "My inbox and Facebook wall are overflowing with messages of support. I Love my MAC girls, and thanks for standing behind me, It really shows that in times of need the girls will always stick together .."
We're with you Emily. Seriously Mount Alvernia College, what gives? We're just hoping there's more than meets the eye with this story .....
Meanwhile, a luckless Indian romeo is suing Lynx after he failed to land a single girlfriend during seven years of using their products. Vaibhav Bedi, 26, is seeking £26,000 from parent company Unilever for the "depression and psychological damage" caused by the lack of any Lynx effect. Court officials in New Delhi have agreed to order forensic laboratory tests on dozens of his half-used Lynx body washes, shampoos, anti-perspirants and hair gels. Lynx - marketed as Axe in India - is famous for its saucy ads showing barely clothed women throwing themselves at men.
But Bedi says in his court petition: "The company cheated me because in its advertisements, it says women will be attracted to you if you use Axe. I used it for seven years but no girl came to me." When contacted Unilever declined to comment on the case. But India's leading compensation litigator Ram Jethmalani warned: "There is no data to substantiate the supposition that unattractive and unintelligent men don't attract women. In fact some of the best looking women have been known to marry and date absolutely ghoulish guys. I'd suggest that the company settles this issue out of court."
Mr Bedi, you fight the power. Stick it to the man. Beat the system. We're with you. In the meantime, we have to admit we love the whole "unleash the man leather" idea (we should point out that the above picture isn't Emily Pridham, but is part of a Lynx marketing campaign). All it needs is a few moustached Thunder players and a giant Coke Zero bottle or two, and we'd buy it by the bucketload. Back soon folks.
Movember - in memory of Ricky Byrne and Jack Kay November 14, 2009 --
Editor's Note: Today's story is by Thunder Coach James Smith, who asked for some air time and seeing he's the coach, who are we to argue?
Movember - why do we do it? After 14 days (actually, it's 28 days as I started 2 weeks early), I can tell you that the constant itching and reminders from my kids that "you're hairy, Dad" are growing tiring. So why do we do it? Let me tell you a few stories and you'll see why.
Ricky John Byrne died last Saturday, suffering from depression. Saving you the detail, the "Black Dog" took one final big bite and Ricky took his own life. Ricky was a much-loved cousin of my wife Pauline Smith (nee Byrne) and needless to say, the question is "why?". On Thursday this week, our family travelled to Goolgowi in remote New South Wales (near Hay) to farewell Ricky, a simple man who loved his family, had a wicked sense of humour, and lived life to the fullest. A funny man, he would be the last person to take his life - or so we all thought.
On the way to Goolgowi, we passed (pictured above with me from left to right above), Kevin Kay, Craig Farrell and Graeme Smith. They're riding 3000km from Geelong to Cairns - in 19 days at around 150km a day - to raise funds and awareness for mens' health. Click on the above picture to go their Movember website and to read more about their journey and adventures. Their blog for Thursday reads (and I quote):
"Day 4 Hay to Hillston 172kms. Got away to a flyer to beat the heat & made it to Goolgowi 100 odd kms away in the morning. Lunch at the towns only pub & thanks to Jo & Graeme for the nice spread. A huge wake to a funeral taking place with the pub packed. Chat with several of the locals then off towards Hillston. Temperatures now soaring 42 degrees. we make it to the Black Stump Hotel for drinks and tallest bar in Australia, hosing down then off to Hillston. Stay at Hilston Hotel. Great feed and service by Carl Leonard. The other pub in town visited. Great and geerous locals. Thanks for donation and support. Today is to be however a sad one with news that Kevin Kay's (our support driver) father had passed away. Heartfelt and deepest sympathy to Kevin and family on the passing of Jack. After discussions it is decided that we arrange for Kevin to be taken back in the morning to Geelong via Vicpol TMU. Thanks guys. Kevin insists that he will be back on board later in the trip however we all know family more important. Thanks for all the work you have put in & we will keep you posted."
So on the very day we farewelled Ricky, three champions of Movember farewelled one of their own, with Kevin Kay's father Jack passing away. We don't know Kevin, Craig or Graeme very well - we only met them for a few brief mo-ments - but our thoughts and prayers are with them, with Kevin's family, and with Ricky's family. Life is so short and there's enough trials and tribulations out there without adding our own man-made ones. Depression is real, folks. Ask Ricky's family if you don't believe me. If you're doing it tough, get some help. If you know someone who's doing it tough, lend them some help. We're all in this together and friends, quite simply, that is why we do what we do. Happy growing.
Oz NBA watch November 15, 2009 --
The NBA season motors along as we week three and Australia's players continue to impress. "Rookie" David Andersen is logging good minutes for Houston, Andrew Bogut is being spoken of as a potential All-Star with Milwaukee, and Nathan Jawai had his first career start with Minnesota. We included the above video of the Top Ten Dunks for this week because those who saw Miami v Cleveland on One HD would've surely rated Chicago-bound Dwyane Wade's dunk number one but we're not sure. Check out the dunks and for us, Andre Iguodala ..... wow.
Finally, rumours abound that LeBron James may compete in this year's dunk contest with James White and Jason Richardson. Our advice to LeBron is - don't do it. Check out two of Shannon White's dunks from this past week (neither of which made the Top Ten). LeBron won't win.
Ladder predictor updated as the minor round enters its final week November 16, 2009 --
As the SABASA minor round draws to a close, things are heating up in the win/loss column. The Thunder finish the season engaged in friendly fire with the Somerton Storm, with the Thunder to wear their white strip for just the second time this season. To mark the occasion of what should be an undefeated season and a "Coke Zero" in the loss column, our bothan spies tell us the Thunder have secured a single-game sponsorship deal with Coke. We asked Vice-Captain Nick Kyriazis for his views but all he allegedly said was, "Damn cheapskates would only give us two bottles of Coke. Granted they're big bottles, but only two? I pity the poor bloke who has to drink last. Might need to bring a fork."
Across the rest of the league, there's a stack of huge games. The friendly fire theme continues with the ACH Flamingos taking on the ACH White Flamingos - the whites should make the finals if they win but they'll get no favours from the pinks. The Hallett Cove Flames and ACH Guns clash, the winner likely to claim a finals position over the loser - should be a crackerjackmajetski. And finally, the Marion Magnetics are hoping for a miracle if they're to make the A Grade finals, needing to beat the Arndale Allstars and have the ACH Grey Favourites beat the Seaton Spartans. Giving the higher-ranked teams their dues, this is how our ladder predictor says it'll pan out but we've been wrong before.
A Grade Men Finals
1. Somerton Thunder 14-Coke Zero, 48pts
2. Arndale Allstars 10-4, 40 pts
3. ACH Flamingos 8-6, 36pts
4. Seaton Spartans 10-1-3, 35pts
B Grade Men Finals
5. Marion Magnetics 6-8, 32pts
6. Happy Valley Wolves 7-7, 27pts
7. Hallett Cove Flames 6-1-7, 27pts
8. Somerton Storm, 6-8, 26 pts
Missing the Finals
9. ACH White Flamingos 5-1-8, 25pts
10. ACH Guns 5-9, 24pts
11. ACH Grey Favourites 4-10, 21pts
12. ACH Bullets 1-1-12, 17pts
Meanwhile, it's all quiet on the air pocket front but our bothan spies tell us Thunder Coach James Smith struck one of the infamous Distinctive Homes Dome high-density air pockets in last week's game against the Marion Magnetics. The Thunder players have all strangely gone to ground on the issue - much like their Coach - but retired forward Theo Kyriazis had plenty to say, saying, "I feel vindicated and now you'll hopefully all get off my back about the air pockets. They're dangerous and something needs to be done about it." We agree Teddy, we agree.
PS. When the NBA introduced a "you can't go from high school to the pros, so have to spend one year in college" rule, PG Brandon Jennings went to Europe out of high school instead and played OK, but didn't set the world on fire. Comes home to the US, is drafted by Milwaukee at pick 10 and so far this season, is averaging 20.7ppg , 4.3rpg and 5.2apg to lead the Bucks to a 4-2 record. Then yesterday, he went nuts. Scored 29 points in the third quarter against Golden State to give the Bucks the win. Finished with 55 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists. Wow.
Thunder lineup announced for the upcoming clash v Port Pirie Panthers November 17, 2009 --
Less than two weeks until the exhibition game between the Port Pirie Panthers and Somerton Thunder. The Panthers this week play against the 2009 SACBA A Grade champion Prince Alfred Old Collegians whilst the Thunder spend the weekend resting up in preparation. We'll bring you game reports from the Panthers v PAOC clash next week but for now, it's worth noting the Thunder have announced their team to take on the Panthers and whilst it resembles their 2009 SACBA B Grade championship side, it's only just, with several handy additions from both the 2009 Jultopia championship and 2009b SABASA teams. The Thunder - with likely starters marked with an asterisk - will line up as follows, with statistics drawn from the players' combined Salvation Army Basketball Association and SA Church Basketball Association careers:
Kurt Fearnley - a Movember hero November 18, 2009 --
The word hero is thrown around too much. At leaguelineup.com, we like to reserve the title for only the most deserving of people. Kurt Fearnley is one of those people. Born without the lower portion of his spine and already a legend as a Paralympian and World Champion - including his pushing his wheelchair the last five kilometres on a flat tyre at the Athens Paralympics to win gold in the toughest marathon in Paralympic history - Kurt Fearnley is taking on one of the biggest challenges for men’s health - crawling the 100 odd kilometres of the Kokoda track in Papua New Guinea to raise money for Movember. Yes, crawling, not walking. Crawling a track many men have died walking. Kurt is crawling.
Calling it "his biggest challenge yet" Kurt is teaming up with some of his closest friends and family to crawl for up to 12 days to raise money for men’s health. Kurt, who lost an uncle who suffered from depression, wants to raise money and awareness for depression. By crawling the Kokoda track, Kurt hopes to demonstrate a willingness to work as a team but importantly, to be prepared to ask and receive help, often a challenge for Australian men.
As he mentioned to the Age newspaper recently, "I lost a family member to depression. Blokes in the country find it hard to talk to other fellas. If you're in a position to turn to your friend, to turn to your brother, your cousin, you can ask for help. So much more can be accomplished - even the toughest of tasks. Even a guy in a wheelchair can feel confident enough to crawl the Kokoda Trail."
An update after week one reports that Kurt has started his crawl and is doing well. Specifically, he wanted us all to know that his mo is coming along very nicely. Word has it that Kurt is faster than all of the team and some of his brothers and cousins who are joining him on the trek are having trouble keeping up. The above photos are care of the producer of Seven’s Sunday Show who has just flown back after doing a story on Kurt’s Kokoda Crawl. Kurt's story will air on Sunday Night, Movember 22nd, 6.30pm on Channel Seven. You can follow his story at his Movember website here where his $24000 places him just a few dollars ahead of the Thunder's efforts so far. Kurt - you are an inspiration to Mo Bros and Sistas globally. No, make that an inspiration to all mankind. A true hero.
SABASA minor round concludes as we pass 47000 fans November 19, 2009 --
The SABASA minor round came to a close on Monday night with most results as predicted. The Thunder found their Somerton colleagues to be a feisty opponent who wouldn't back down, the Thunder up 19-17 at halftime. The second half saw the Thunder find their groove and with a bevy of spectacular passes from Anderson, Gondolf, Kyriazis and J.Smith, they stretched the lead to the final margin of 54-29 despite the absence of Captain B.Smith, who reportedly sat out the game due to a contract dispute with Coke Zero. In the other games, the ACH Guns surprised the Hallett Cove Flames 42-24 to steal fourth position for the B Grade finals, the Seaton Spartans held onto fourth place in A Grade with a 36-13 win over the ACH Grey Favourites, the Happy Valley Wolves were too strong for the ACH Bullets 59-29, Arndale Allstars held out the Marion Magnetics 41-31, and the ACH Flamingos triumphed in the local derby v ACH White Flamingos 60-37. The final ladder is:
A Grade Men Finals
1. Somerton Thunder 14-Coke Zero, 48pts
2. Arndale Allstars 10-4, 40 pts
3. ACH Flamingos 8-6, 36pts
4. Seaton Spartans 10-1-3, 35pts
B Grade Men Finals
5. Marion Magnetics 6-8, 32pts
6. Happy Valley Wolves 7-7, 27pts
7. Somerton Storm, 6-8, 26pts
8. ACH Guns 6-8, 26pts
Missing the Finals
9. ACH White Flamingos 5-1-8, 25pts
6. Hallett Cove Flames 5-1-8, 25pts
11. ACH Grey Favourites 4-10, 21pts
12. ACH Bullets 1-1-12, 17pts
Meanwhile on the air pocket front, the infamous Distinctive Homes Dome high-density air pockets claimed another victim on Monday, with Cal McKinnon allegedly running into one as he left the confines of his own court. The club again has chosen to say quiet on the matter but surely some time soon, they'll have something to say on what is clearly an issue of great importance. Stay tuned for more air pocket news.
And finally, we passed 47000 Thunder Fans today, another milestone in our quest to reach 6,012,000 all-time fans. Thanks for visiting our site.
PS. The premiership ladder for all grades is available at our ladders, programs, statistics page at the top of our website.
Port Adelaide are back in black November 20, 2009 --
With news this week that Port Adelaide has chosen a new guernsey (above) for the 2010 AFL season and beyond, we asked the Thunder guernsey designers for their thoughts. Believe it or not, these people actually exist and came up with the original Thunder "Christmas tree" design that the team still wears today, 12 years later. Passionate Port Adelaide people, they noted they like the new guernsey, still like the old guernsey with its similar Christmas tree design and are glad it will still be worn on special occasions, but remain steadfast in their opinion there is a better Power guernsey out there - and no, it isn't just the black and white prison bars which aren't in fact prison bars, but represent the wharf at Port Adelaide. They sent us a copy of their guernsey (see below) and whilst it's too late for Port Adelaide to wear this, you can be rest assured discussions were had with Port Adelaide officials and talk continues about what the future may hold. For now, we enjoy the back in black "V" style, rave in support of the away guernsey - is a 6012% improvement on this year's rubbish - and dream of the future.
In focus - the Thunder backcourt November 21, 2009 --
Only a week remaining until the big exhibition match between the Port Pirie Panthers and Somerton Thunder and not since man landed on the moon 40 years ago in 1969, has there been this much excitement and anticipation. OK, perhaps that's a slight exaggeration but it's not too big a leap to say that just as the world had no idea what would lie in waiting for Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins, we have no idea what lies in waiting for the Thunder but in an effort to build the drama, the hype, the atmosphere and the buzz (no pun intended), we bring you a weekend in focus on the Thunder team for the upcoming clash and first up, it's the backcourt where the Thunder will play five guards.
4. JOSH GONDOLF
455 games, 451 threes, 196/344 FT @ 57.0%, 477 PF @ 1.1 fpg, 2575 pts @ 5.7 ppg. 18 SABASA, 6 SACBA and 5 Jultopia premierships. Thunder debut 1996, Jultopia A Grade debut 1997. Assistant Coach. Long-range bomber at two-guard. Holds SABASA record for most threes in a game (12), and several other free throw and threes records. Sparkplug off the bench who can shoot the Thunder back into a contest.
5. CAL MCKINNON
140 games, 222 threes, 123/189 FT @ 65.1%, 109 PF @ 0.8 fpg, 1525 pts @ 10.9 ppg. 4 SABASA, 1 SACBA and 4 Jultopia premierships. Thunder debut 2007, Jultopia A Grade debut 2005. Combo guard with great handles and a deadly shot who can play either the one or two-guard positions. Is a perfect 4-for-4 in Jultopia carnivals alongside close friend Josip Vucetic. Will start for the Thunder at point guard.
8. BRAD ANDERSON
86 games, 27 threes, 28/104 FT @ 26.9%, 161 PF @ 1.9 fpg, 447 pts @ 5.2 ppg. 3 SABASA premierships. Thunder debut 2008, Jultopia A Grade debut 2000. Combo guard with genuine size who can play either the one or two-guard positions. Remains the only basketballer - dead or alive - to successfully complete a 720-spin on a fastbreak (in Jultopia Melbourne in 2000). Will provide serious hustle off the bench.
14. RAY WICKSTEIN
78 games, 152 threes, 53/80 FT @ 66.2%, 98 PF @ 1.3 fpg, 851 pts @ 10.9 ppg. 6 SABASA and 3 SACBA premierships. Thunder debut 2001. Point guard with a match-winning combination of speed, range and guile. The most-experienced player in the Thunder line-up, albeit for other clubs including the Northern Heat of the CBL. Port Augusta native who "returns home" to quarterback the Thunder for much of the game.
52. KERWIN PENN
71 games, 122 threes, 17/37 FT @ 45.9%, 68 PF @ 1.1 fpg, 551 pts @ 7.8 ppg. 1 SACBA and 2 Jultopia premierships. Thunder debut 2008. Jultopia A Grade debut 2008. Tall combo guard who regularly makes the triple from NBA-distance. The only Thunder player to have played in an exhibition match against Port Pirie (with the Central Districts Lions in 2008). Will come off the bench to play either guard position.
In unrelated news, it'd be remiss of us not to mention our newest nominee for "hero of the week". 81-year old grandfather Eric Steward went for a short drive in Yass to pick up the milk and 700km and nine hours later, wound up in Geelong. Believe or not. The story goes like this:
A relaxed Mr Steward and his wife Clare cracked jokes revealing Mrs Steward's son had heard about what had happened to his stepfather on local news in England. However, it had been a terrifying wait for Mrs Steward on Monday, when her husband went missing while taking an early morning drive to pick up some milk at Yass, near Canberra. He took a wrong turn and, not perturbed, just kept on driving, and driving and driving ... all the way past Melbourne and toward Geelong.
"This is a lot of fuss, I am really just here to entertain you, I just went out on the road for a nice, peaceful and quiet drive never expecting to be doing all this," the 80-year-old former navy seaman joked with reporters. "When I began to run out of petrol I thought to myself, I've come a long way, and all I wanted to do then was have enough petrol to find the next gas station. It didn't worry me, I don't worry about things, when you get to 80 and beyond it doesn't matter that much. I just thought with a bit of luck I will eventually find my wife again, which I did."
The Stewards live in Pambula on the NSW south coast and were staying with friends in Yass so Eric could take his wife to a medical appointment in Canberra for cancer treatment. She became desperately worried about her husband when six to seven hours passed by after he went for the milk and contacted police.
"I eventually spoke to him on the phone, he didn't know where he was and I asked him if there were any signs around," Mrs Steward told reporters. "He said the West Gate Bridge' and I said what? There were moments of desperation to the point where it was indescribable really. He has been such, and is such, a wonderful husband and such a wonderful carer during my chemotherapy, which is really a hellish ride."
Mr Steward finally stopped at a service station near Geelong and sought police assistance. For the record, Mr Steward suffers from short term memory issues related to Alzheimer's disease.
Mr Steward, we nominate you for "hero of the week" and the next time we go missing for nine hours or so, we're going to use the same excuse to our wives. "Darling, I can see Uluru. Not sure where I am though." Good times, good times. Back tomorrow with the Thunder's frontcourt.
In focus - the Thunder frontcourt November 22, 2009 --
Continuing with our weekend focus on the Thunder's team to take on the Port Pirie Panthers next Saturday, we now look at the frontcourt.
6. BRAD SMITH
612 games, 86 threes, 574/1232 FT @ 46.6%, 1056 PF @ 1.7 fpg, 5020 pts @ 8.2 ppg. 25 SABASA, 5 SACBA and 6 Jultopia premierships. Thunder debut 1991, Jultopia A Grade debut 1996. Captain. 6-time SABASA club best & fairest. Versatile utility and lockdown defender, can play any position on the court. Most capped player in SABASA history. Breathtaking in the open court. Will start the game at small forward.
7. NICK KYRIAZIS
481 games, 250 threes, 267/510 FT @ 52.4%, 1027 PF @ 2.1 fpg, 2501 pts @ 5.2 ppg. 15 SABASA, 6 SACBA and 6 Jultopia premierships. Thunder debut 1996, Jultopia A Grade debut 1996. Vice-Captain. Talented point guard who also plays two-guard and small forward. Holds SABASA record for career assists. Licensed to thrill with some breathtaking passes to cutting big men. Will provide a spark off the bench.
9. TOM HALMAN
42 games, 39 threes, 54/83 FT @ 65.1%, 92 PF @ 2.2 fpg, 371 pts @ 8.8 ppg. 1 SACBA and 1 Jultopia premiership. Thunder debut 2007, Jultopia A Grade debut 2009. 2-time Barry Smith Medallist. Versatile utility and lockdown defender. Renowned press-breaker and master of all things hustle. Likely to be given job of silencing the opposition's leading scorer. Will start at two-guard and finish at small forward.
10. JAMES SMITH
633 games, 96 threes, 1231/1810 FT @ 68.0%, 1136 PF @ 1.8 fpg, 8993 pts @ 14.2 ppg. 25 SABASA, 6 SACBA and 8 Jultopia premierships. Thunder debut 1991, Jultopia A Grade debut 1993. Player/coach. 19-time SABASA club best & fairest, 8-time Barry Smith Medallist, 11-time Jultopia All-Australian. Versatile centre with deft shooting touch. Most capped player in Thunder history. Will start at centre.
11. TERRY SLEEP
140 games, 82 threes, 95/209 FT @ 45.5%, 168 PF @ 1.2 fpg, 1439 pts @ 10.3 ppg. 5 SABASA and 8 Jultopia premierships. Thunder debut 2005, Jultopia A Grade debut 2000. 3-time SABASA club best & fairest, 5-time Jultopia All-Australian. Versatile forward/centre who delivers in the clutch (eg 2009 Jultopia final). Is a staggering 8-for-10 in Jultopia carnivals alongside twin tower James Smith. Will start at big forward.
13. ANDREW ZAJER
84 games, 2 threes, 105/211 FT @ 49.8%, 121 PF @ 1.4 fpg, 569 pts @ 6.8 ppg. 6 SABASA and 4 SACBA premierships. Thunder debut 1997. Versatile forward and lockdown defender. Is 10-for-11 in SABASA/SACBA competition. Second most-experienced player in the Thunder line-up, albeit for other clubs including the Northern Heat of the CBL. Port Augusta native who "returns home" to provide a spark off the bench.
Back soon with more previews of the upcoming game and a look at Port Pirie if our bothan spies return with information from the Prince Alfred game as expected. Early indications are the weather will be fine in the low 20s - perfect for an evening of basketball. Meanwhile though, the Thunder tomorrow night take on the Arndale Allstars in the double-chance SABASA semi-final. Game preview will be posted tomorrow.
Somerton Thunder v Arndale Allstars - semi-final preview November 23, 2009 --
Tonight's semi-final sees the SABASA's two best teams go head to head in a contest for a grand final berth. With all due respect to the other ten teams in the combined A/B Grade Men competition this season, no-one has really troubled either of these sides and they deserve the chance to knock the living stuffing out of each other tonight and go one step closer to the John Pilley trophy. With a dozen players having represented the SABASA in Jultopia carnivals and ten players in the all-time Top Thirty list of career A Grade games played, these guys are no strangers to each other and those friendships will be put on the line tonight in what should be a ripsnorter of a contest.
For the Thunder, the key will be putting aside Port Pirie preparations and focussing on tonight's match alone. An unwanted distraction, the last thing they need is to be fixed on the weekend's exhibition match, take their eyes off the road, and crash head-first into an Arndale stobie pole. Arndale meanwhile, need to take it up to the Thunder and play their own game. At their best, both teams can take home the bacon and onion chips but for us, with a 14-Coke Zero record so far this season, the Thunder start favourites. We're tipping the Thunder by 8 points in a game worthy of the unique 9.35pm timeslot on Cal McKinnon Court. Be there or be at home relaxing after watching Flash Forward which coincidentally, we think is turning into another "Lost", and that's not a good thing. Get to the game early as a big crowd is expected.
Thunder through to grand final November 24, 2009 --
Despite fierce opposition from a fired up opponent, the Thunder last night won through to the 2009 Second Season SABASA grand final, courtesy of a 58-46 semi-final win. The game began in a flurry as the Thunder ran out to a 9-2 lead but the Allstars are a team built on resilience and character and they stuck at the task, the margin back to 2 points at halftime. The Thunder were hitting baskets but no one player was taking control of the match. This continued into the second half though best-on-ground Nick Kyriazis did his best to take the game by the thruff of the scrote, controlling the boards and running the fastbreak like only Magic Johnson before him. The final margin is a little misleading, with Allstar Craig Merrett (pictured above) fouled out with 10 minutes remaining, leaving Arndale minus arguably their best player. Arndale live on to fight another day, taking on the Seaton Ramblers Spartans in next week's preliminary final. Seaton surprised the ACH Flamingos and based on this week's comfortable win over the pink brigade, will give Arndale a tough contest. The Thunder meanwhile, have a week off and after their upcoming exhibition game against Port Pirie, we're fairly confident in saying they'll enjoy the break. Back soon, folks.
Latest Saturday weather forecast for Port Pirie - Mostly Sunny. Warm. 25 km/h winds from WSW. 35% humidity. 15 minimum, 26 maximum.
Port Pirie Panthers defeat Prince Alfred Old Collegians by six points November 25, 2009 --
Looking like two of the baddest gangsters going around, our bothan spies (pictured above) ventured to the Donaldson Stadium on the weekend to see the Prince Alfred Old Collegians play the Port Pirie Panthers. Their black tie disguises apparently worked - the locals didn't recognise them as Jonty and Daniel Smith, two of the Thunder Academy's most promising basketball prodigies - and they managed to pull apart the Panthers' game plan and whilst they retained their biggest secrets for Thunder Coach James Smith, they were willing to share the following:
"Port Pirie won by 6. They were up by 17 in the second quarter but Prince Alfred regained their composure and slowly wore them down, falling just short. Port Pirie's long-range bombs were off - only two triples all game - but they hit a lot of mid-range jumpers and were strong on the O boards. Prince Alfred's zone worked well, but they badly missed 2009 MVP Nic Blair, though his absence was covered by some dude from the Eastern Mavericks we didn't know and even worse, he didn't say hello to us despite our dapper appearance. Pirie had a lot of backcourt steals which should keep Wicky and the Halmanator (sounds like a great name for a TV series) busy but they're up to it. Fierce game - competitive and tough but in good spirit - and we can't wait for the Thunder's match this coming Saturday night, assuming we manage to stay awake."
So given that result, how did the Thunder go v PAOC? In their five matchups this past SACBA season, PAOC had a 4-1 record as follows:
- Prince Alfred A 47 d Somerton 35 (Penn 8, Galway 8, Hill 7)
- Prince Alfred A 70 d Somerton 40 (Galway 17, Penn 11, Gondolf 6)
- Prince Alfred B 44 d Somerton 37 (J.Smith 11, Penn 8, Halman 6)
- Prince Alfred A 53 d Somerton 40 (Galway 10, Halman 10, McKinnon 8)
- Somerton 52 (J.Smith 15, McKinnon 12, Galway 9) d Prince Alfred B 47 (preliminary final)
It's worth noting the Thunder team to play Port Pirie has six players from the SACBA team (Gondolf, Halman, Kyriazis, McKinnon, Penn and J.Smith), with five players from their SABASA brethren (Anderson, Sleep, B.Smith, Wickstein and Zajer). So we're guessing the big question is what difference do the five new players make? Given three of them played in the 2001-2004 SACBA seasons with Somerton when they won four-straight SACBA A Grade titles, you'd think the answer is "plenty". Add Mr Clutch and Mr 720 to the picture and we're with our bothan spies - we can't wait for the game. Finally before we go, we heard the bothan spies will be in uniform for the game. Mmmm. Back soon, folks.
Latest Saturday weather forecast for Port Pirie - Mostly Sunny. Mild. 29 km/h winds from WSW. 42% humidity. 16 minimum, 24 maximum.
Once were Warriors - James Smith and Lyall Gillett November 26, 2009 --
Our bothan spies have delivered again. Keen interweb fans, they've been scouring the world wide interweb and came across two interesting stories. Firstly, Port Pirie's Nelson Magor is unavailable for the upcoming Saturday game as he's off to the United States to tour high school teams as part of the South Australian Country Development Network Squad Program (click here for more details). Sadly, the bothans tell us he did an ankle in the last 15 seconds of the game and may be unable to play while on the trip. Whilst we don't know him, we wish him well.
Secondly, they came across a gem of a picture collection when they noticed Thunder Coach James Smith and Port Pirie forward Lyall Gillett playing together in 2005 in an exhibition game between the Woodville Warriors and Malaysia's national team. Smith is number 42 whilst Gillett is number 6. Click on the picture to see a larger version. We asked Smith for his views on the Panthers' forward but his reply was fairly straightforward and to the point. "If you think I'm going to say anything to you, so you can twist it and make something out of it that doesn't exist, and use it to fire up the Port Pirie players unnecessarily, you can think again. I played one game alongside Lyall. Seemed like a nice bloke. Went hard to the basket. We won, Malaysia lost. Good times. Sorry, but that's it. Now leave me alone and stop making things up!"
Granted he's right about us making things up most of the time but still, it's interesting that the two teams are linked in such a way. Add to this the fact that guard Ray Wickstein and forward Andrew Zajer have played against Port Pirie in numerous country carnivals over the years, and you can see that the game could already have a little extra spice on the table. Only a few days to go and for us ..... we're excited. Back soon.
Latest Sat'dy forecast for Port Pirie - Light rain early. Arvo clouds. Mild. 21 km/h winds from WSW. 1mm rain. 65% humidity. 14 min, 20 max.
Plans thrown into chaos as Thunder prodigies declare "We're ready!" November 27, 2009 --
With just two days until the exhibition match against the Port Pirie Panthers at the Donaldson Stadium in Port Pirie, the Thunder have had their plans thrown into chaos by three of their prodigies at the Thunder Academy with Daniel, Joshua and Jonty Smith declaring "We're ready!" Reminding everyone present that they have a lifetime gold pass from Coach James Smith to play whenever and wherever they choose, the youngsters stuck their tongues out at this afternoon's photo shoot and declared veterans Tom Halman, Cal McKinnon and Nick Kyriazis to be "yesterday's news". The bizarre move means the three regular Thunder players are unable to play the game due to their positions being taken by the talented trio. "You haven't heard the end of this. The three of them should prepare to be Halmanated. I'll be back," forward Tom Halman may or may not have said. We're not sure what to make of this though we suspect it's just another attention-seeking move from the tyros who in all reality, probably aren't quite ready to play but I guess we'll see on Saturday night. It certainly adds something extra to the game buildup and gives another reason to be at the game and not at the "Live at the Crossroads" concert up the road at Port Augusta. Somerton Thunder v Port Pirie Panthers ..... or Jimmy Barnes, Shannon Noll and Andy Killcross. Yeah, we agree. We'll be at Port Pirie too.
Meanwhile, we're happy, excited and slightly bemused - all at the same time. We're happy with the big developments yesterday at the AFL draft with Port Adelaide getting their man - John Butcher - at pick 8. Other selections were Andrew Moore at pick 9, and Jasper McMillan-Pittard at pick 16. To these guys, we say welcome to the Port Adelaide and leaguelineup.com family and it's great to have you on board.
We're excited about the state Liberal party and their vision for the north-western edge of the city. A 55,000 seat stadium (which is big enough to house the 47548 current Thunder Fans though this number is expected to grow in the coming years) amongst other things. We couldn't care less about everything else. Stadium or hospital and other important stuff. Yeah, again we agree. We're voting for the stadium too.
And finally, we're slightly bemused about murder suspect Antony Warlow being seen at an ATM this week. If we're not mistaken, the above picture of Warlow bears a striking resemblance to ex-Thunder guard Andrew Brook. We don't want to start trouble but the question must be asked: Have you ever seen Brook and Warlow in the same place at the same time? Nah, didn't think so. Interesting times. Only one day to go.
Latest Saturday weather forecast for Port Pirie - Arvo clouds. Mild. Breezy. 27 km/h winds from W. 56% humidity. 15 minimum, 22 maximum.
Game preview: Somerton Thunder v Port Pirie Panthers November 28, 2009 --
It's here folks! Assuming we're not swamped by consecutive overtimes that carry the game over into Sunday morning, by 10pm tonight we'll know the winner of the inaugural Port Pirie Panthers v Somerton Thunder exhibition match. With news that the Thunder tyros have withdrawn their earlier promise to suit up for the game, the Thunder have confirmed their lineup and our bothan spies tell us the Panthers lineup is also ready, though we doubt Magor will play seeing he's apparently in the USA, and we suspect one or two extras will be added to their team.
SATURDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2009 from 8.00pm at the DONALDSON BASKETBALL STADIUM, PORT PIRIE
(womens' game tba - click here to go to the Port Pirie Panthers' website)
PORT PIRIE PANTHERS (home team in black)
2 Yates
4 Leske
5 Magor
8 Brill
10 Hoare
11 Gillett
20 Ley
21 Jamar
34 Harvey
Coach: Clive Munzberg
SOMERTON THUNDER (away team in red singlets with blue shorts)
4 Gondolf
5 McKinnon
6 B.Smith
7 Kyriazis
8 Anderson
9 Halman
10 J.Smith
11 Sleep
13 Zajer
14 Wickstein
52 Penn
Coach: James Smith
Late breaking news is that retired guard Derek Poulton, who starred with the Thunder from 1994 to 1996 for 2 SABASA premierships in 5 seasons, will be one of two umpires on the game. Poulton, also known as Chuck Person-Poulton for his mid-game "Chuck Person-like" celebrations as a player, is reportedly donning the grey and black and we couldn't be happier. An excellent referee, he brings credibility to the whistle and will no doubt provide countless entertainment. Think Earl Strom, circa 1980, and you get the hint. "I tell ya what ..... steak dinner!"
As for tipping a winner, we've never been this uninformed and whilst we're unashamedly biased Thunder fans, we're relying on our bothan spies for a form guide. Somerton come into this game with a 15-Coke Zero record this SABASA season, whilst Port Pirie are 2-1 on their exhibition season. We're making the trip and can't wait to see the contest between guards Yates/Hoare and McKinnon/Wickstein, the highly-rated Craig Jamar versus twin towers Terry Sleep and James Smith, and to see former Woodville Warrior Lyall Gillett battle against forwards Tom Halman, Brad Smith and Andrew Zajer. We can't speak for Port Pirie but the Thunder look ready to take it up to the home team. For the simple fact that we'll upset our readers if we don't make a prediction, we're going for the Thunder by 6 points in what should be a crackerjackmajetski of a contest. If you're not doing anything on Saturday, make the trip up the highway and check the game out for the cost of just two gold coins. We will be and to the people of Port Pirie, thank you for this opportunity and we hope the game lives up to its billing and that everyone has a good time. Good times, good times. Back soon with the match results and photos (with a big thanks to Gabitron for the game pictures).
Latest weather for Port Pirie - Light rain late. Arvo clouds. Mild. Breezy. 33 km/h winds from WSW. 1mm rain. 71% humidity. 14 min, 19 max.
PS. Last but not least, it'd be remiss of us not to note what is a serious message that will be clearly delivered throughout the game. With both teams supporting Movember, the players are playing their part in delivering a message that depression is everyone's problem - and also to raise awareness of mens' health in general, and to raise funds for prostate cancer research. Try this simple test re depression:
For more than two weeks have you felt sad, down or miserable most of the time ... or lost interest or pleasure in most of your usual activities?
If yes, you may have a depressive illness. Try these questions next. Again, for more than two weeks, do these topics ring true for you?
- Lost or gained a lot of weight or had a decrease or increase in appetite?
- Sleep disturbance?
- Felt slowed down, restless or excessively busy?
- Felt tired or had no energy?
- Felt worthless or excessively guilty or felt guilt about things you shouldn't have been feeling guilty about?
- Had poor concentration or had difficulties thinking or were very indecisive?
- Had recurrent thoughts of death?
If you answered yes to 5 or more of the above 7 topics, you are likely to have a depressive illness. For more info, visit the beyondblue website, call 1300 22 4636, consult a doctor or health professional, or at the very least speak to a mate. That's what mates do and too often, we don't. Over a million Australians live with depression. With the right treatment, most recover. For those attending the game in Port Pirie, fundraising boxes will be available at the canteen and bar to donate to Movember in support of beyondblue and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. Thank you (in anticipation) for your donations and to the players sporting moustaches, in a small way, you've made a difference.
Thunder defeat Port Pirie Panthers 95-84 November 29, 2009 --
Somerton Thunder defeated Port Pirie Panthers 95-84 at the Donaldson Stadium in front of a crowd of 80 locals and about 20 Thunder Fans. More details soon but for now, a few numbers to whet the appetite while we recover from what was a fun weekend. Good times, good times.
QUARTER BY QUARTER SCORES
1st: Thunder 28 lead Panthers 17 (quarter score 28-17)
2nd: Thunder 53 lead Panthers 43 (quarter score 25-26)
3rd: Thunder 71 lead Panthers 59 (quarter score 18-16)
4th: Thunder 95 lead Panthers 84 (quarter score 24-25)
LEADING SCORERS
Somerton Thunder 95 - James Smith 22, Terry Sleep 18, Tom Halman 16, Ray Wickstein 10, Andrew Zajer 10, Cal McKinnon 7, Brad Smith 6, Josh Gondolf 3, Kerwin Penn 3
Port Pirie Panthers 94 - Stuart Yates 20, Lyall Gillett 12, Tim Dunkley 11, John Brill 10, Adam Williams 9, Ryan Hoare 7, Matt Leske 7, Trent Hoare 6, Brad Ley 2
LEADING TRIPLES
Somerton Thunder 8 - Terry Sleep 2, Ray Wickstein 2, Josh Gondolf, Tom Halman, Cal McKinnon, Kerwin Penn
Port Pirie Panthers 9 - Stuart Yates 3, John Brill 2, Trent Hoare 2, Tim Dunkley, Matt Leske
LEADING FREE THROWS
Somerton Thunder 17 - James Smith 8, Cal McKinnon 2, Terry Sleep 2, Brad Smith 2, Andrew Zajer 2, Tom Halman
Port Pirie Panthers 13 - Ryan Hoare 3, Adam Williams 3, John Brill 2, Tim Dunkley 2, Lyall Gillett 2, Stuart Yates
MATCH OFFICIALS
Matt Bromnitz, Derek Poulton
Back soon with more details from the game played at the Donaldson Stadium in Port Pirie last night. For now, enjoy a collection of the best game photos from last night's game. Click on the photo below to enter the folder, or enter via the "game photos" tab at the top of our website.
Last day of Movember 2009 November 30, 2009 --
It's the 30th of Movember, that exciting time when Mo Bros countdown the hours, minutes and seconds to the moment when they can rid themselves of unwanted follicles and return to the world of clean shavenness. This Movember, the Thunder had six participants (pictured left to right) - Brad Anderson, Josh Gondolf, Nick Kyriazis, Terry Sleep, Brad Smith, and James Smith. The fundraising efforts to date have been decidedly average but with the Global Financial Crisis et al, it's understandable. That said, it's not too late so with a big thanks to Clint Walker for being the first Movember donor for 2009, we issue a plea for more donations and note that there isn't long remaining before donations close. Click on our Movember link at the top of our website, choose your favourite Mo Bro from the players listed, and donate online via Credit Card. Thank you for your support for beyondblue and the National Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia - and see you again in 2010.
PS. While you're at it, remember to register your vote for the 2009 Man of Movember. With apologies to the Bando fans out there, Brad Anderson has only just been added after serving a two week penalty for starting Movember late. Get your votes in while you can, folks!
