OVERTIME MAG OVERTIME MAG TIP OFF And we are off and in the words of Lebron James, it’s about damn time. Excuse the ‘lateness’ of this issue but we were pretty keen to get some crisp images from the first Molten Victorian Youth Championship games over the Labour Day Weekend (your cover is courtesy of Big V Chairman Daryl Neal), hence the mid- month release. So if you weren’t able to get down to Frankston to catch the very first tip, you get a pretty decent run down of what we can expect this year. Mixed results, unexpected turns and some pretty insane talent were all on offer in round one. That was just a taste-test. A sample. A tickle of what you can expect on a weekly basis from the very best youth in the state. Davin Sgargetta delves into how it all came about and grab some coach opinons on the new competition. We’re excited (if you can’t tell) and we hope you are too. Although the Molten Victorian Youth Championship is the main feature, it would be remiss of me not to mention what else we’ve got crammed into the chockers March issue. 28 pages of gold are at your disposal with previews and tips of every single division- always a reader pleaser (did you like that?). Then your looking at a great piece by Roy Ward on the return of Sarah Millar after a devastating knee injury last season. Ironically, she’s studying to be a Doctor. We have a glance at the always hot topic of promotion and relegation in the Big V which gives you, the reader, an opportunity to throw your 2 cents in as well. Its all about reader interactivity at OT. We’ve got all the usual suspects such as Grantley’s Post and Aussie Hoops, but Overtime also now has The Backboard with Bethany Charles, who looks at players lives off the floor. Vicki King is our inaugral guest. That’s it from me. Massive issue, we’re sure you will enjoy it and good luck for season 2013! Happy reading- Ed. MARCH 2013 EDITION MARCH 2013 EDITION OVERTIME MAG OVERTIME MAG Well respected sports writer GRANTLEY’S Grantley Bernard’s monthly AUSSIES HOOPS POST take on all things hoops. The language of basketball is one of its own, to stop spreading and infiltrating the young. AUSSIE GUNS PREPARE BENDIGO WIN THE perhaps more so than in any other sport around Unfortunately ohyeahbut – or yeahbt – seems to come BIG DANCE the world. Thanks largely to the street basketball from the sense of entitlement young players carry these FOR MARCH MADNESS culture, the sport has a variety of words and terms days. That sense of entitlement usually comes from for almost every aspect of the game. parents who are over-protective and over-supportive of COURTESY OF BASKETBALL AUSTRALIA The Bendigo Spirit have taken their kids to the point of glossing over reality. It is one out the WNBL Championship in If you drive to the basket, the ring, the net, the rim, the thing to encourage your child in sport. It is another to Plenty of Aussies will be in action at the NCAA emphatic fashion, defeating the bucket, the cup, the hole you can finish with a dunk, a build up the kid and over-inflate the sense of their true Tournament this year with up to 17 players in Townsville Fire 71-57. slam, a jam, a flush. There are various terms that mean ability as basketball players. It is about not being taught the mix. Notably, the St Mary’s Gaels face a It was the first time in club history the same thing: screen, pick, pin. You get the idea. to take responsibility for their actions on the basketball sudden death First Four play-in game against that the club had taken the title and court. Middle Tennessee to make the tournament. emotions spilled over after the final Some coaches and players have their own favourite buzzer went. and familiar terms and words - some that might even So when the kid with the over-inflated sense of ability – Good luck to everyone in the tournament, no be foreign to other teams. If anyone has heard former and perhaps a pushy parent – meets the coach with a doubt they will all make us proud. After having the best record in Boomers coach Brian Goorjian in full flight, it would pay different perspective, there is bound to be an issue with the league for the majority of the to have an interpreter on hand, or subtitles if watching one or the other, probably both. Because they’ve been season, the Spirit did not cave to on TV. lead to believe they are the next coming of Michael Perhaps a compliment to basketball is that much of its Jordan, some kids don’t believe they have to do the Full list of Aussies in 2013 NCAA Tournament expectation, instead embracing it when it mattered most. Import Kesley strategy and terminology has been embraced by other same as other kids or what the coach asks. sports, particular by the AFL in Australia with reference Mid-West Division Griffin showed her worth by winning the Grand Final MVP, dropping in 20 to turnovers and transition, zone defence and pressing, Ohyeahbut. Cody Ellis – Saint Louis (Perth, WA) among other things. points and snaring 11 boards for the Peter Hooley – Albany (Hahndorf, SA) The sense of entitlement also comes from kids who champs. Luke Devlin – Albany (Sydney, NSW) Basketball is a game that can be recognised by its have played rep basketball through the age groups and Sam Rowley – Albany (Sydney, NSW) terminology and its words. Sometimes there are even – with their parents - seem to think they should always Ryan Broekhoff – Valparaiso (Melbourne, VIC) Big V was well represented here new words introduced to the basketball dictionary, be picked because they were picked the year before or Matthew Dellavedova – Saint Mary’s with Eltham junior and recently maybe without us even knowing it. the year before that. (Maryborough, VIC) signed State Champ player Hayley But it doesn’t always work that way when it comes Mitchell Young – Saint Mary’s (Logan, QLD) Munroe coming off the bench and So I would like to nominate a contender for the hoops to selection. Parents and players seem to overlook Jorden Page – Saint Mary’s (Maroochydore, contributing to the win. dictionary and I reckon it’s one every coach – especially the fact that other players might have got better as QLD) at junior level – has heard: ohyeahbut. basketball players over the previous 12 months. Other Matt Hodgson – Saint Mary’s (Booval, QLD) Congratulations on behalf of Big V to Most people would expect that would be three words, players might have got taller, stronger and/or faster. the Bendigo Spirit! but every time it comes out of a player’s mouth, it’s one Other players might respond better to coaching and East Divison rapid word: ohyeahbut. It often sounds like the ‘u’ is instruction. Other players might work harder and put in Jordan Vandenberg – North Carolina State missing and often the ‘oh’ is dropped too: yeahbt. more effort. (Melbourne. VIC) That means the player with the sense of entitlement Shane Harris-Tunks – Colorado (Sydney, NSW) It is a common response to a coach’s comment, falls back in the selection order so that starters become Spencer Llewellyn – Pacific (Sydney, NSW) correction or criticism for a player who comes to the bench players and bench players don’t get selected in Jackson Aldridge – Butler (Sydney, NSW) bench after being subbed out. the team they think they should be in. Coach: “You need to make sure you connect on that down screen for your teammate to get open because It’s a similar scenario during the season when players West Division you missed the defender last time”. don’t get the minutes on the court they think they Hugh Greenwood – New Mexico (Hobart, should. They and their parents should stop and TAS) Player: “Yeahbt … (insert excuse about why player consider why that is the case. Or they could respectfully Cameron Bairstow – New Mexico (Brisbane, didn’t do what they were supposed to and why it was approach the coach to discuss the issue and listen to QLD) somebody else’s fault)”. what is said. Anthony Drmic – Boise State (Melbourne, VIC) Then imagine if the coach, when asked about the Igor Hadziomerovic – Boise State (Melbourne, It is an unfortunate word that has wormed its way issue, said to the player and/or parent: ohyeahbut. VIC) onto the lexicon of the young and become a common attitude through the society of youth, not just basketball Ohyeahbut. It’s a word that does not belong in or other sports, I assume. It is a word that may be hard basketball or the basketball dictionary. MARCH 2013 EDITION MARCH 2013 EDITION OVERTIME MAG OVERTIME MAG I had more time to rest. Millar said her experience rebuilding the strength in her knee and her leg had also “But in the balance it was good to be shown her how difficult rehabilitation work getting on with things and not thinking too is. much about it.” “Rehabilitation is really tough, it’s really MILLAR TIME Knee injuries rarely make someone a better much more of a mental challenge than a player than before the injury but Millar physical one,” she said. hopes her experiences have at least helped her to become a better, or at least more Being in a field which demands hours ONE way or another Sarah Millar knew she was going to compassionate, doctor.