Tigers Aim To Snare An Advantage

The Age

Wednesday January 23, 2008

Stephen Howell, With AAP

FOR the Melbourne Tigers, the solution is simple, although it will not be easy: win their remaining seven games and they will finish second, which brings two big advantages in the looming National Basketball League finals.

A top-two finish puts the teams straight into the best-of-three semi-finals, dodging knockout earlier rounds; and it gives two home games, a big advantage in the push to the best-of-five grand final.

With the Sydney Kings (20-3) having grasped top spot, the Brisbane Bullets (17-7) are the challengers to the Tigers (17-6), and this makes Melbourne's home game against Brisbane next week its most important of the home-and-away season.

On form, the Tigers and Bullets should win all other games, so lose this and Melbourne is in trouble - if the pair finish with the same win-loss record, Brisbane will get second place because it has won the head-to-heads, leading 2-0 with one to play.

Despite the bitter brace, the Tigers do not believe Brisbane has their measure.

"I think we're building nicely," said forward Stephen Hoare at the weekend when Melbourne thumped the New Zealand Breakers after a sizzling first 24 minutes. Coach Al Westover said: "That first half was the best half we played all year . . . I can't remember a half where we had two turnovers and shot 60%."

Before the Bullets match, the Tigers will play the Adelaide 36ers in Adelaide tonight and Singapore Slingers in Melbourne on Saturday.

Former Tiger Lanard Copeland, now with the 36ers, will miss tonight's match after being given a one-game suspension for adopting a threatening attitude to a referee in the loss to Wollongong last week.

The South Dragons' task is to get rid of the wooden spoon placing. The Dragons can do it by beating the Slingers away on January 30, assuming that is the only win for either team - it would give them the head-to-head 2-0. Before then, the Dragons play the Kings in Sydney tonight and the Hawks away on Friday.

Scouts from the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors will be at tonight's game to watch Dragons guard Joe Ingles. South coach Shane Heal said Ingles had a realistic shot at the NBA but would benefit from another year in Australia.

"I just think in 12 months' time, he'll be bigger, stronger, more mature and a better player," Heal said. -- With AAP

THE RUN HOME

MELBOURNE TIGERS

Record: 17-6

(10-2 home, 7-4 away)

Tonight: v 36ers (10-14) in Adelaide

Saturday: home to Singapore (5-21)

Jan 30: home to Brisbane (17-7)

Feb 1: v Hawks (7-16) in Wollongong

Feb 7: v Breakers (12-12) in New Zealand

Feb 9: home to Dragons (4-19)

Feb 16: v Razorbacks (10-15) in Sydney

SOUTH DRAGONS

Record: 4-19

(3-9 home, 1-10 away)

Tonight: v Kings (20-3)in Sydney

Friday: v Hawks (7-16) in Wollongong

Jan 30: v Slingers (5-21) in Singapore

Feb 2: home to Breakers (12-12)

Feb 6: home to Taipans (13-10)

Feb 9: v Tigers (17-6) at the Cage

Feb 16: home to Kings (20-3)

© 2008 The Age

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