Firstly apologies to everyone for the lack of a post in recent weeks both here and on the Hoops Forum. My new job has been great, but the study / learning and overall nature of the position has seen me barely have time to scratch myself – let alone get a decent preview together! Also coaching two WABL teams will clearly take up much of the remaining time I have during the week… So you can begin to understand that it’s been a bit crazy for me for the past six weeks but life is getting back to normal now and on the plus side I really am loving my new job in the city!

 

For my R@nD0m POV post this week, I thought I would look at something which is a regular talking point amongst most metro clubs, and something I am sure some country folks take for granted – Stadiums… And more to the point – ranking them in a grading system of easiest to play at for visiting teams, to hardest to play at for visiting teams with some Pro’s and Con’s thrown in there for good measure! This week I will cover seven stadiums in Part 1 of my Analysis, and then next week I will do the remaining seven and do up an official ranking table. Would be great to see some feedback on the SBL Facebook page on what you all think are some of the better or tougher venues to play at in the League or even in WABL.

 

Eaton Recreation Centre (South West Slammers)

There were rumour’s late last year that the Slammers were going to move back to their original home at South West Sports Centre aka The Hay Shed this season but that obviously didn’t eventuate for whatever reason. Whilst I have fond memories of travelling down to see many a game at the old Hay Shed in my younger years, there is just something different about Eaton which I can’t quite put a finger on but it’s not as intimidating as Hay Park was back in the days of Edwards, Bennett, Smith, Fitch & Boyd.

Pros – The travel factor is always going to get you some points, particularly when it is impractical to fly down there and also even more so for metro clubs, particularly North of the River clubs, when having to deal with Peak Hour traffic on Friday night games. I love the fact that the entire court feels enclosed down there with the sponsors boxes really giving it a more NBL-type feel to it with the corporate folk being so close to the action. Another bonus is the kiosk down there is one of the best in the League and its very close proximity to the SBL Court is an added bonus for families / people in wheelchairs etc for access reasons

Cons – I think the Grandstands are too far back behind the Corporate Boxes, especially as they are mobile it would be great to see them a bit close just to see the difference it makes. The rings at Eaton are also notorious for not being ‘shooter friendly’ much like Curtin quickly became known for last year.

Overall a nice stadium but it definitely has its faults and I for one would love to see them make the move back to the Hay Shed in the near future and re-live some of the amazing atmosphere they used to get inside that place! League Ranking – 9^th

 

Wally Hagan Stadium (Cockburn Cougars)

A venue with very much a love/hate type of feel to it, I for one love the old shed in Hammy Hill and even more so since it gained a piece of our history with the old Court 4 & 5 floorboards from Perry Lakes now being used on Courts 3 & 4 at Wally Hagan. For visiting SBL teams there is nothing more intimidating then a game versus the Cougars in front of what I think are definitely contenders for the most parochial metro fans in the League when that place is full on both sides of the court.

Pros – Where to start here… I think it’s one of the better courts in the SBL to shoot on, always gives you good value for money and aside from the imminent threat of some verbal and liquid abuse from the very intimidating sponsor’s boxes; it really is a nice court to play on. Speaking of those sponsors boxes, their incredibly close proximity to the court as well as the angle they are on always manages to trap the noise in extremely well and if they are full and rocking, along with a packed grandstand and bar area getting loud as well – it is almost impossible to get a W for winning teams at the Cougar Den.

Cons – THE proximity of those boxes to the sideline… Basically cancels out diving for loose balls along that entire sideline haha My only other gripe would be the fact that the Bar is fully enclosed… maybe if they had a better balcony area whereby you could hear the sounds on court etc, it would make it one of the best venues in the League to watch SBL at.

Easily my favourite stadium in the metro area aside from the Hothouse, to watch a SBL game at. Great people involved with the club either in the canteen or up in the Bar (Here’s looking at you big Pete Stanley!) but also a very well maintained and decent court to play on. (And thank god they’ve gotten rid of the buckets from the roof… for now at least!) League Ranking – 4^th

 

Morley Sport & Rec Centre (East Perth Eagles)

Considering the other venues the Eagles have played at in the past (Eagle Indoor Sports definitely comes to mind!), the new ‘Eagles Nest’ is actually not that bad considering it is managed by a third party so the Eagles don’t have much control over the upkeep of the stadium itself. Good proximity to the city and easy to get to whether you’re coming from NOR or SOR, and a nice enough court with good sized change rooms which is always a bonus for visiting teams.

Pros – Definitely a nice shooting court, and even though the main Grandstand isn’t that big and with sponsors boxes on the other side of the court, the ‘openness’ feel to Morley still makes it’s a nice stadium to both watch and play at.

Cons – I personally don’t mind it, but they have used explicit music in the past and I know with young WABL players as well as some adults who might not like the language used, it would definitely be a deterrent.

A very simple stadium similar to that on offer at Belmont but it works and that really is all you can ask for. Won’t win any League Awards but does its job and on that proviso, it ranks around the ‘average’ scheme of things for me. League Ranking – 11^th

 

Eighth Street Stadium (Geraldton Buccaneers)

Arguably the toughest venue in the League for visiting teams (Although Joondalup seem to have figured out how to win up there in recent years… What’s your secret Etto & Trigger?!), one of the more iconic venues in the League has gone through some name changes in recent times but I like to call it purely by the name it was originally known as for the Street it sits on. Whether it is the ‘friendly’ locals located directly above the visitor’s bench (Teams are much more lucky these days now they’ve removed the bar from up there – It wasn’t uncommon for some Gero Amber Rain to fall on visiting teams from those previously mentioned friendly locals… Disappointing as it was a quirky benefit of having such a unique setup) or the change rooms being directly behind the benches meaning instant access pre and post-game, Eighth St is a venue where visiting wins are well earnt and for the Midwest Maniacs, losses are more times than not expected for any team venturing up to the Crayfish Coast.

Pros – Where to start here… Maybe it’s the 800+ fans they get each and every game that are also the loudest in the League EACH AND EVERY game! (Put that number up to around 1,000+ come finals time!) Three rows of sponsor’s boxes on one side of the court, with a grandstand behind that which goes all the way to the rafters and is regularly filled that high, and then directly above the Changerooms behind the team benches, you have another 10 – 15 row ‘mini’ grandstand which usually house some of the more ‘eccentric’ Buccs fans!! Or maybe it’s the sense of history you get from playing on a court which I think is the most similar in terms of playing surface to the old Perry Lakes Showcourt, but the biggest advantage would be the travel factor. 400+ kms on a coaster bus is never easy, and even more so when you realise that on average 11 out of 13 teams who make the journey to the Midwest each year… Lose.

Cons – The fact they have removed the upstairs bar is a massive one for me… but somehow the locals always seem to get their drink of choice up top to lubricate the vocal cords enough to abuse the absolute heck out of anyone on court not wearing a Buccs singlet!!

Historic, ‘Seasoned’ and always a tough place to get a play in let alone get a win at… Eighth Street is one of the main reasons why the Buccs will always be contenders. Regular huge crowds with amazing community support, particularly when they get into the Finals – and a noise factor which has to be seen to truly understand how intimidating it can be for visiting teams. Gero sets the benchmark for the League year in and year out. League Ranking – 1^st

 

Brookman St Stadium (Goldfields Giants)

A stadium which holds a special place in my heart given my affiliation with the Giants whilst living up in Kal, the old shed still gets rocking when the Giants are on a roll and its very unique setup of two levels of sponsors boxes on one side and very ‘on top’ of the court, along with a massive grandstand and the corner bar area which is regularly filled to capacity, shows why especially during the Giants title runs in 2007 & 2008 – it is so hard to get a W up in the ‘Goorlie for visiting teams.

Pros – A beautiful court to play on (Had some of my best KBBA Div 2 performances on that court!!) – Friendly shooters rings, expansive court and well maintained floor mean most visiting players love playing up there. Though they have died off in recent seasons given the Giants on-court struggles, the Goldfields crowds challenge their Midwest cousins for noise whenever it is above 600+ inside Brookman St, and even more so when ‘Hit The Road Jack’ starts blaring out of the sound system signalling yet another visiting loss.

Cons – Easily the coldest venue in the League come June / July… especially when Frenchy conveniently forgets to close the roller door come half time, means bench warmers takes on an entirely new meaning you see rookies rugged up in jackets / towels / anything that can keep them remotely warm! Added to this is the fact that the visitor’s changerooms somehow don’t have a glass in one of the small window openings… Just four metal bars to ensure no one gets in – So you can understand how cold players must get at Halftime breaks on 5 degree night up in Kal and you’re supposed to be listening to your head coach figure out a plan on how to win, when all you can think of is grabbing that warm jacket of a rookie who needs to ‘toughen up more and look after the veteran!’ Another obvious con is the travel factor out to Kal… Not as bad these days as many clubs pay the extra $$ to catch the hour long flight out there, but any club busing it out to the Goldfields has a long 7 – 8 hour drive ahead of them (Even longer if the bus breaks down or on the way home the next morning with many a sore head from sampling some of the ‘Goorlie’s enticing nightlife!

Extreme Cold, Extreme noise when they’re up and about on-court from the Giants Faithful & one of the nicest courts in the League are the main reasons why I rank Kal so highly in terms of League venues. Like Gero, wins are well earnt and the added bonus of rookie initiations post-game always seems to add that little bit more to a Goldfields Road Trip! League Ranking – 2^nd

 

Joondalup Basketball Stadium (Joondalup Wolves)

In its finals years as a League venue with the redeveloped Joondalup Arena soon to become the new home of the Wolfpack, the JBS is going to be missed when it comes time to farewell the venue which holds many fond memories for Wolves fans, especially during their success in the early 90s and over the past couple of seasons. One of very few courts to still have the older styled ‘oversized’ backboards (Who remembers the backboard slap – man that felt like you could touch the sky when you did that back in the day… maybe I’m just showing my age, or my current poor levels of fitness!)

Pros – Probably some of the better visitor’s changerooms in the League, and the overall atmosphere at a Wolves home game makes it an enjoyable experience for both visiting players and spectators alike. Rings are nice to shoot on and the floor given its age is still holding up very well in its final couple of seasons. The stadiums ideal location right next to the Joondalup Train Station is also a massive bonus, especially for teams like Rocko & Mandurah who can catch the one train to the Northern Suburbs and makes for a very drink friendly away game!

Cons – A few here, within direct relation to the court. Firstly there is the corner three point line fiasco, where you have to shoot on tippy toes if you have anything bigger than a Women’s Size 7 shoe due to the way the court was initially designed means the ‘tighter’ than usual court catches many a visiting player, particularly US Imports, literally out of bounds more times than not out of corner situations. The concrete around the court also is very dangerous given it leaves nowhere for out of control players to land on fast breaks aside from cold, hard concrete which have led to many cuts, bruises and worse injuries in the past. The fact that the Wolves logo in the Centre Circle doesn’t have the half way line ‘cut out’ also is a negative given the logistical nightmare it can be for refs to determine when the ball is in the front or back-court, especially on aggressive press defences.

It will be sad to see the JBS gone in two years’ time when the Wolves move to the Arena. One of the oldest venues in the League with some serious history & memories for all that have played / watched games up there, it is a court which will be missed by many come 2018. League Ranking – 5^th

 

Ray Owen Sports Centre (Kalamunda Eastern Suns)

The Shed in the Sticks as I like to affectionately refer to it. I must say it is great to see the Suns get regularly good crowds up there in recent times, with the stand behind their bench & the 2 – 3 stands they get out on the far side of the court, regularly filled during Suns home games. Probably the most unique bar setup in the League being high above the Grandstand and giving punters literally a birds-eye view of what is happening on court.

Pros – Very well-lit and open Stadium with nice hoops and a good run off at each end for fast breaks / contact etc. Probably has one of the best Canteen’s in the League also with a good spread available for players (Pre-Game) or spectators alike. Also as mentioned before, the good crowd sizes definitely add to the atmosphere up in the Hills and make even blowout games seem closer than what they are!

Cons – Sound System… Speakers only up one end of the court make it hard to hear the announcer for visiting spectators. Small changerooms also make it hazardous, especially when visiting imports decide to do their best Jackie Chan impersonations as was the case on Sunday! Another negative would be due to its ‘rural’ location, it has a tendency of getting very cold very quickly in the winter months.

Ray Owen is good without being great. A much better venue since they expanded to six courts and also upgraded the rings/scoreboards on the original four courts, from back in the Hornets days. League Ranking – 10^th

                                                                                                                                                                       

 

Here is my look at Week 12 in the Men’s State Basketball League. No one with double headers this weekend with the SBL All-Star Games on @ Bendat on Monday. Make sure if you’re not doing anything you get up to Headquarters and raise some valuable money for Lifeline:

 

Eagles @ Kalamunda (Ray Owen Sports Centre 8:30pm Fri Night)

Great to see the Suns get their second win in as many weeks on Sunday over the Buccs in a ridiculously high scoring match, but with Jervis and Dech back for the visiting Eagles – it is very hard to make a case for the home team in this one.

Prediction: East Perth by 19 pts

 

Redbacks @ Rockingham (Mike Barnett Sports Complex 8:30pm Fri Night)

These two sides only met a couple of weeks ago up at Belmont and even though in that game the Flames were without Coach Utley, they will have a tough job reversing the result with Vigor, Thomas & Smith the big factors in that win for the Redbacks.

Prediction: Perth by 8 pts

 

Cougars @ Lakeside (The Church 8pm Sat Night)

Lightning on a six game losing streak take on their local rivals in the Cougars, who sit half a game behind the League Leading Wolves. This could get ugly very, VERY quickly!!

Prediction: Cockburn by 29 pts

 

Magic @ Joondalup (Joondalup Basketball Stadium 8pm Sat Night)

Even the most optimistic of Mandurah supporters would be feeling pretty glum about this impending matchup. Is JJ fit yet, as if he isn’t this could be just downright embarrassing by Half Time with Mully done for the season!!

Prediction: Joondalup by 43 pts

 

Tigers @ Perry Lakes (Headquarters 8pm Sat Night)

Willo haven’t missed a beat since S Black took over from his old man and they head into this clash up at Bendat on the back of a four game winning streak and a strong possibility of making it five in a row with Hobbs still at least a week away if not two. Hawks coming off a heavy loss down in Rockingham last Saturday night and with the terrible news that Cassir is done for the year; it places more pressure now on the likes of Smith & O’Sullivan to be better role players for Nixy without the scoring prowess of Hobbs.

Prediction: Willetton by 17 pts

 

Giants @ Geraldton (Eighth St Stadium 7:30pm Sat Night)

Goldfields flying up to the Midwest for this clash and given the Buccs Week 11 form, would fancy themselves for the upset here. Cook to face the League tribunal after catching up on his Bruce Lee training moves inside the visitors changerooms up at Kalamunda on Sunday in the Buccs double digit loss to the Suns and Coach Trahair will want he losing to stop quickly if the boys from the Midwest wish to keep their position in the Top 4.

Prediction: Geraldton by 12

Senators @ South West (Eaton Rec Centre 6pm Sun Night)

The only thing stopping Stirling from a Top 4 position at the moment is their ‘Win 1, Lose 1’ form which based on current rotation, has them losing this one down in the South West. Form would also show though that the Slammers are currently sliding down the ladder quicker than the Jamaican bobsled team yelling ‘Cool Runnings’, as they have a six game losing streak including a very ordinary 1-5 record on the road, whilst their home record of 3-4 isn’t a whole heap better.

Prediction: Stirling by 24 pts

Article by Travis Young
Photo by Grant Lauterbach