Illawarra basketballers in NSW teams for Under 20 Championships
Illawarra’s Talor Goodall, Dominique Cooks and Sean Mullan have been chosen for the NSW Men's team for the Australian U20 Championships, which will be held in Albury from Feb 17-23. Another local Fiona Sparks has been chosen in the women’s team. The full squads are:
NSW U20 men:
Talor Goodall – Illawarra; Dominique Cooks – Illawarra; Sean Mullan - Illawarra Steven White - Manly Warringah; Josh Black - Gosford City; Dane Hillmann - Gosford City; Rhys Murphy – Hornsby; Brad Simpson – Queanbeyan; Paul Brotherson – Hills; Shane Harris-Tunks - Bankstown / Liverpool
NSW U20 women:
Fiona Sparks – Illawarra; Sophie Kleeman – Newcastle; Alex Duck – Albury; Teagan Burke – Bathurst; Katie-Rae Ebzery – AIS; Razz Muir – Shoalhaven; Kristen Barnes - City of Sydney; Sally Potocki - City of Sydney; Kate Gaze - AIS / Sutherland; Michelle Joy - Sutherland Illawarra baseballers score as Patriots qualify for final
The New South Wales Patriots, aided by their two Illawarra team members, have qualified for the Final of the 2008 Claxton Shield scheduled to be played at Blacktown Olympic Park from February 8 – 10.
In the recently completed final preliminary round six Eastern Division fixtures the Patriots won the best of three games series two games to one win over the Queensland Rams.
With the winner of the series destined to become the Eastern Division qualifier the Patriots had to win the hard way after losing game one 2-1. The second game produced a 5-3 win for the home team meaning the game three winner would advance.
The final game produced a classic tussle with the Patriots holding out the Rams for a 1-0 result.
Illawarra team members Trent D’Antonio and Tim Atherton played their roles in the Patriots win. D’Antonio, playing with a fracture in his right hand, batted 1 from 3 in the opener while Atherton scored as the solitary Patriots run having come into the game as a pinch runner in the eighth inning.
In game two Atherton was in the action again by coming into the game as a pinch runner and scoring as the first of three runs for the Patriots in the decisive seventh innings. D’Antonio batted 2 from 3 with one run batted in and also scored as the third run in the seventh. Former Wests Cardinals pitcher Matt Williams was the Patriots winning pitcher for this game.
The thrilling third game saw neither Illawarra player feature in the statistics with the game’s solitary run coming from catcher Patrick Maat’s two out single in the fourth.
The Patriots will play the Southern Division winner Western Australia - Perth Heat in the Final. The Heat qualified when the Victorian Aces failed to sweep South Australia in all final round three games played at Alton Stadium. (report by Frank Booth)
Further Claxton Shield details are available at the Australian Baseball internet site –
www.baseball.com.au Knowles, Sachs and Dowler in Aussie Rollers Paralympic test event
The Australian men’s wheelchair basketball team has lost a golden opportunity to defeat the current World and Paralympic champions Canada, at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics test event, falling 55-49 in a low-scoring grand final.
Photo: Tristan Knowles
Whilst Australia had picked their absolute best team for the event including Tristan Knowles ("Highlube" Wollongong Roller Hawks) and West Sydney Razorbacks stars Grant Mizens, Troy Sachs and Brendan Dowler (both former Wollongong players) Canada were playing at the tournament without the world's number one-ranked player Patrick Anderson and were also missing the services of head coach Mike Frogley.
Photo: Brendan Dowler
The absence of Anderson and Frogley had undoubtedly contributed to Australia's 57-46 win over Canada in the preliminary rounds but, once again at international level, the Rollers were ultimately found wanting in their chase for gold.
Despite several strong seasons and excellent teams, including this particular squad, the Rollers have tasted their only top-ranking international gold medal success in the Atlanta Paralympic Games in 1996.
Poor shooting throughout this tournament undoubtedly set the Rollers on a path to destruction in the grand final, with the Australians connecting on just 17-of-59 field shots (29%) and 12-of-28 free throw attempts.
“If you shoot twenty-nine percent from the floor, you are not going to win a basketball game,” said head coach Ben Ettridge.
“We just have to learn and go back and see the things we did wrong. Overall, to see our shooting percentages fall away the way they did during the week is something we need to address. We have twelve to thirteen strong players available for the squad and the closest we all live together is nine hours travel, so it is hard to get the group together - but we will overcome that and move forward.”
Action photos from the NBL, WNBL, WABL, SL, WNWBL and NWBL can be viewed at www.photoexcellence.com.au Retirees feature in Illawarra junior cricket’s younger grades
In Illawarra’s under 11 one day matches last Saturday, a number of players batted well to reach the compulsory retirement score of 30. For Wests Red J Moore scored 30 in the win over Thirroul, while A Caruso made 30 for Balgownie White (7/118) in the team’s hard fought 5 run win over Keira Red (3/113) in the 26 over a side game. In Helensburgh’s win over Dapto both openers J Anderson and S Brady both retired at 30
There were also some excellent performances in the under 10s with Balgownie’s J Lackenby top scoring at 32 in its win over Wests Blue whose top wicket taker was J Hall with 3/19. In the same game Wests Blue’s K Richards top scored on 28 not out. Helensburgh Black’s J Clark also got amongst the wickets taking 3/14 in the loss to Dapto Gold.
Results of under 11s:
Balgownie Black 1/93 (D Saul 20) defeated Wests Blue 5/91 (D Bridges 20, D Cadona 2/6)
Wests Red 1/69 (J Moore 30 retired) defeated Thirroul 4/68 (C Waldock 2 catches))
Wollongong 8/92 (J Thompson-Gardener 20, S Matinca 2/8, T Rigby 2/4) defeated Keira Black 9/47 (H Gardiner 2/5, R Hewat 2 catches)
Balgownie White 7/118 (A Caruso 30 retired) defeated Keira Red 3/113 (N Davidson 22)
Helensburgh 0/107 (J Anders 30, S Brady 30) defeated Dapto 7/103 (C Billet 29, S Daffra 28, C Allsop 2/8)
Results of under 10s Pool A:
Balgownie White 9/107 (J Lakenby 32, L Mikleus 2/8, J Hall 3/19, M Phillips 2 catches) defeated Wests Blue 6/74 (K Richards 28)
Wollongong 7/60 defeated Keira Black 6/59
Dapto Gold 79 ( J Clark 3/14, J Loman 2/4) defeated Helensburgh Black 58
Corrimal Green 9/102 defeated Thirroul Blue 8/99 (A Kudass 2 catches)
Results of under 10s Pool B:
Wests Red 112 defeated Balgownie Black 73 (T Cherukuri 2/1, C Eaton, B Rada & D Bridges each took 2 catches)
Port Kembla 1/105 defeated Keira Red 96
Corrimal Red 9/116 (N Henderson 20, L Faulkner 2/14, O Mason 2/10, R Laurence-Lane 2 catches) defeated Thirroul White 69
All other grades of Illawarra junior cricket apart from the 10s and 11s are halfway through two day games. Love your junior cricket? Want to tour USA & WI?
Wanderers Australia, which specialises in junior groups traveling the world in sport has organized a junior boys cricket tour departing in July 2008 to the West Indies. The tour will begin in Barbados and will include a stopover in Los Angeles, where there will be the opportunity to visit Disneyland and play teams from the United States Cricket Association.
The tour will consist of 2 boys’ teams traveling together to the United States, Barbados and possibly Antigua, and will consist of boys aged between 14 and 18. A first XI and second XI are selected on form on tour, to allow players to play with and against their own level.
The tour will be led by experienced tour staff and will include Mr Brett Cranfield who is MIC cricket at Scots College in Sydney and manager of the NSW Schoolboys team and Mr Andrew Yarad, who is 1st XI coach at Trinity Grammar School in Sydney.
The tour will depart on July 1st 2008 and returns 17 Days later. Each team on tour will play approx 6-7 matches against 1st XI school and junior club teams across the islands playing every 2nd day, with alternate days for sightseeing and travelling around the islands.
There are no tryouts or selections for this tour. Places are filled on a first come first in basis via payment of your initial deposit of $400.00. All players irrespective of ability will play equal time on tour.
For more details on costs, itinerary and payments go to www.wanderersaustralia.com.au or email cricket@wanderersaustralia.com.au or call Kylie Fussell of Wanderers Australia on 02 42 943 779. With next season secured, Hawks next home game on February 8th
With the club signing its commitment for the next NBL season on Monday (February 4), the Hawks players are keen to provide a good show for their supporters in the last two home games. The team plays its next home game against the third placed Brisbane Bullets on Friday February 8th. For ticketing information for future games click on: The Wollongong IMB Hawks.
HAWKS FUTURE GAMES
(Home team first)
Hawks vs. Bullets 08-Feb
Razorbacks vs. Hawks 09-Feb
Hawks vs. Taipans 13-Feb
Bullets vs. Hawks 16-Feb Junior Basketball at Shellharbour
Basketball competitions for young players are being organized for Sunday mornings at Shellharbour City Council’s Croom Rd Albion Park Stadium. Separate Competitions for Years 3 & 4 (junior) and Years 5 & 6 (senior). For details and registration ring 4257 3468. Sydney FC’s soccer holiday clinics to be repeated at Easter
As the Christmas School Holidays camps just completed were fully booked out Sydney FC is running them again in the Easter school holidays in March. The club's fun School Holiday Clinics are for children aged between 6-16 years. The clinics cater for footballers of all skill levels with a focus on fun and enjoyment with the emphasis of the coaching centering around progressive skill drills and small sided games.
Clinics will be run at Macquarie University and Centennial Park. To register interest contact Chris Tyrrell at christophert@sydneyfc.com. Videos of local Sports on YOCTV
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