Round 4 Men's Previews

Matthew Clarke

North Adelaide Rockets v Central Districts Lions - Sun, Apr 6, 3:00pm at Hillcrest

Erik Burdon’s 20+ point first quarter against Norwood included a blitzkrieg of 3-balls, and a solid knock to the pine didn’t ruin his focus. Jason Reardon is yet to settle in to the lineup, but a couple of blistering outlet passes indicated that when he does, the Rockets’ transition game will reach new heights. Centrals’ new mixture of young and old will have plenty of offensive punch, but the challenge in this game will be whether it can contain North’s running game. Point guard Matt Clarke has slotted well into the Lions lineup, but will need help from Matt Atkins and Rob Cameron to shut down Burdon and Michael Zorich.

 

Southern Tigers v Norwood Flames - Sun, Apr 6, 3:00pm at Morphett Vale

With the retirement of Ben and Tim Hodges, and the loss of David Bowley, the Tigers front court took an off-season battering. The signing of Brad Bungey helps, but he will be under constant pressure when pitted against the top-5 teams of 2007, all of whom have tall lineups. Norwood is no exception, with Keith Krause and David Cooper at 202 cm, and Dan Thompson and Tom Cioffi not far off. Expect Rupert Sapwell’s Flames to wear out Southern by pounding the ball inside relentlessly.

 

Woodville Warriors v South Adelaide Panthers - Sun, Apr 6, 3:00pm at DH Dome

Michael Cobbing returns to the CABL coaching ranks for the first time since his stint with Norwood ended in 2004, and will be hoping that former 36er Paul Rees is able to provide enough support to keep opposition frontlines off the boards. Ryan Meakin, a feature of Warrior groups earlier this decade, makes a welcome return, but Woodville will again rely heavily on the all-round abilities of Cam Wilson. With another Academy season under his belt, South’s small forward Tom McKenzie will be more of a focus, and expect Mark Fuller to have a solid game against his former club.

 

West Adelaide Bearcats v Forestville Eagles - Sun, Apr 6, 3:00pm at Port Adelaide

Both West and Forestville participated in finals in 2007, but the addition of Brad Gerlach and Dan Wilson to an already solid back-court will mean that it should again challenge for a grand final berth this year. Matt Sutton’s performance this season will have a big factor in his NBL aspirations, so will be keen to do well against the young Bearcat guards. Peter Hoban has had a stellar off-season with the Academy, and he and Kane Oakley will pose problems for Blake Truslove, if he suits. Danny Phillips is one of the sharpest shooters in the league, and will need to be on target for West to stay in touch.

 

Sturt Sabres v Eastern Mavericks - Sun, Apr 6, 3:00pm at Pasadena

Sturt head coach and new 36ers assistant Liam Flynn has put his squad through a solid off-season, but the Sabres will not have the same advantage of surprise they did last year. Known primarily for his defence, Mark Bauer is in for another solid year, and if Gower can remain injury-free, Sturt will have a good mix of scoring options at all positions. Jarrod Younie’s possible season-ending Achilles injury is tragic for both him and Mavericks. With  the need to keep shooters Jye Watson and Phil Modra free to run the lanes, alternatives are Cameron Myles, whose court vision may suit Eastern’s style, and former SA Country representative Daniel Lean, who gained valuable experience as a backup last season.




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