The SBL Scoop – Mark Shipley

Welcome to the first edition of ‘The SBL Scoop’. This is a new column that discusses teams and players in the SBL, along with any other interesting events or issues surrounding the league. This is very much focused on topics of interest, and may occasionally be spiced up by the writer’s opinions or perspective on a particular issue. So get yourself a coffee and a biscuit, and I hope you enjoy this week’s edition of the Scoop.

I was sitting on my lounge chair watching Derrick Rose scorch the Heat in game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, thinking of what to write about for the first edition of the scoop. Many topics sprung to mind:

1 – Are Perry Lakes the real deal?
2 – Is Jarrad Prue the best rebounder in SBL history?
3 – Who is leading the ‘Race to MVP’?
4 – Is Adrian ‘AJ’ Majstrovich the ‘Kevin Durant’ of the SBL?
5 – Can the Bucc’s climb out of the hole they are digging themselves?
6 – Is the Men’s competition stronger or weaker than last season?
7 -  Why does it take 15 years to fix scoring equipment in Rockingham?

After a monster dunk by Taj Gibson over D Wade, and changing my mind 87 times; I thought what better way to kick off the column by discussing this seasons ‘Race to MVP’, as it always sparks an interesting debate!

Before I discuss the candidates, I think it is important to note that a number of factors should come into play regarding the Most Valuable Player. Sure, statistics are important, but leadership, the teams WIN/LOSS column, consistency and the intangibles are all important factors that need to be considered.

In the past, the league MVP has gone to the best player on a poor team, using Kurt Slabofpepsi (sorry Slabs :)) and Jarrad Mohr in 2002 as a perfect example of this (Their teams combined for 14 wins that year!). This definitely proves there were flaws in the voting system used at that time. Even after asking numerous people around the league how they work out the MVP in the SBL, I have yet to be given a definitive answer? At least the most recent winner (Ryan Zamroz - sharpshooter from the Buccaneers in 2010) was a deserving recipient which makes me think they have improved the structure over time.

Enough of my ranting and onto the candidates:

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5

Coming in at NUMBER 5 in the race to MVP I have Stanley Ocitti from the Cockburn Cougars. With Cockburn rolling in 2nd spot with 10 wins and only 3 losses, this superstar has a valid claim for a higher ranking.

Statistics – 21.8 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 3.1 APG, 45% FG, 88.6% FT, 42.9% 3P.
A beast on the block, Ocitti is one of the main reasons Cockburn have jumped into the top 4 this season in the SBL. He has set the league on fire with an array of dazzling moves and thunderous dunks. Ocitti also loves to hit the trey ball, shooting an impressive 42.9% from deep. With nearly 9 defensive rebounds a night, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals, the Cougars big man is also making a huge impact on the defensive end. He is no doubt a class pick up, and if he keeps up this dominance for the entire season, the Cougars Den is going to be nightmare fixture come finals.

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4

Sitting at NUMBER 4 in the race to MVP is Ben Beran from the Lakeside Lightning.

Statistics – 27.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 45.7% FG, 41.3% 3P and 81.8% FT.

This guy can beat you in a number of ways, whether it is taking bigger guys out to the perimeter or smaller guys down on the block. A fearless competitor with a plethora of offensive moves, Beran has led this team over the past two seasons to phenomenal records. I think anyone who pulls down close to 10 rebounds a game with Prue in their side needs a special mention. With the Lightning sitting on top with 10 wins and 2 losses, the only reason I don’t have BB on top is because he has missed games through injury. If he stays healthy (along with his running partner Luke Payne), look for the lightning to have another Grand Final birth this year, and for Beran to make a serious push for MVP.

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3

Coming in at NUMBER 3 in the race to MVP for 2011 is none other than Adrian ‘AJ’ Majstrovich of the Perth Redbacks.

Statistics: 31 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 54.1% FG, 45.5% 3P and 84.7% FT.

Left foot jab step, jab step, defensive player moves, left hand jimmy, SWISH! I’ve seen this happen enough times to make my mind boggle, and AJ has made a career out of sweet shooting and a well-rounded offensive game that includes post moves, step backs and a deadly left hand hooky off the block. With the Redbacks sitting on a 6 and 6 record and in 7th place overall on the ladder, I think with their list the Redbacks are slightly underachieving so far this season, especially with the addition of Wagner back into the line-up. For that reason I put AJ in at number 3 in the race to MVP. I also don’t know why he is nicknamed ‘AJ’, his middle name must be Jermaine? I’m calling him AM from now on.

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2

NUMBER 2 in the race is definitely knocking on the door of the number 1 spot this season. After an off season working with the wildcats, Gregur Hire has improved out of sight, posting Dwight Howard like numbers for the Wolves this season. At 6 ft 6 in his boots, this impressive stat line cannot be ignored.

Statistics – 22.8 PPG, 16.5 RPG, 5.3 APG, 51.4% FG and 67% FT.

This season Greg has hit the SBL court with a lot of confidence, and has returned ridiculous numbers in particularly in the rebounding department. He is a menace on the offensive glass working alongside Matacz and Vaudriel, which leads to a lot of second chance points for the Wolves outfit. He simply wants the ball more, and can’t seem to be boxed out, very similar to that of Prue from the Lightning. Either way you look at it, he is definitely a big reason for the Wolves sitting 3rd on the ladder this season.

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1

Coming in at NUMBER 1 and leading the race to MVP this season has to be Anthony Lee of the Perry Lakes Hawks.

Statistics – 29.7 PPG, 15.5 RPG, 2.6 ASP, 51.3% FG, 45.2% 3P and 80.5% FT.

I think it fair to say that this guy is a box score stuffer! With 2 Power Player of the week awards under his belt and being very close on all other occasions, this Perry Lakes swingman is definitely one of the best Imports to venture into our league over the past few years. Standing at 6 ft 4 inches, Lee is an animal on the glass, pulling in 15.5 per game which is unheard of for someone of his length. He can play multiple positions on the floor which makes him a nightmare matchup for opponents. I personally saw him tear apart the Wolfpack when they overcame a 23 point deficit in round 8, and Lee was huge part of the rally in that game. He continues to be a force on the offensive glass, and loves to assert his authority when faced by a smaller defensive player. If you go big on Lee, he can take you off the dribble or pull up for sweet jumper. Either way you look at it, he has taken a moderate Perry Lakes outfit (who have recently been boosted with the addition of Ben Purser, and will continue to grow with the addition of Peter Crawford) to a top 4 spot on the ladder. Anthony Lee is a perfect example of how to compete; his energy and will to win have me putting him as the man to chase for the Race to this year’s MVP!

Article by Mark Shipley

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The opinions, views and comments in this article are those of the individual and are not the opinions or views of the State Basketball League or Basketball WA.