Lots of Sport

I've been shooting lots of sport lately for a local newspaper which has kept me very busy, from table tennis to motor racing and a lot of other stuff in between.

Alex Duck wins again.

For the second consecutive season Lady Bandit Alex Duck has received the SEABL Women Australian Youth Player of the Year Award.

At 18 years of age it's a great effort.

She's been an outstanding player for the local Albury Wodonga team and the accolades are well deserved.

The name Alex Duck will no doubt be one to watch in Australian Womens basketball for years to come.

Congratulations Alex!

Lady Bandits bow out.

It's been a great season for the Albury Wodonga Lady Bandits making the playoffs for the first time.
I wasn't at the game against Dandenong but going on the box scores it appears to have been a cracker!
On a head to head basis the teams have been separated by a matter of 2 points on each occasion leading up to the elimination final with Dandenong holding on both times.
And so it continued with with Dandenong getting out to an early advantage only to see it pulled back and then overtaken by the Lady Bandits, who went on to lead at the final break.
In typical fashion Dandenong regained the upper hand taking the game by, you guessed it, 2 points!
Despite the loss the girls can hold their heads high having achieved some great things this season.
Support has been strong from the local crowds and should hold them in good stead for the next season.
Well done girls.

Guest Blog Spot

Here's a link to a guest blog spot I had on Peter Robert Casey's hoops blog just recently.

Guest Blog

Trevor.

Cool Hoops Video.

I found this looking through Peter Robert Casey's blog.
Peter had mentioned Rucker Park to me in an email so I Googled the name, discovered some history and ended up finding this going through his older blogs.
Some great stuff on that blog!
Go check it out.
Peter Robert Casey

Vince Carter at Rucker Park.

Lady Bandits looking good!

I finally managed to get along to another home game and snap a few shots of a couple of great games.
The men went down to a strong Geelong outfit but all the same made the Supercats earn their victory.
With some bad luck during the season via the loss of two imports, the latest being Fernandez Lockett with a knee injury, the boys have been doing it tough.
First replacement in the form of Jermaine Williams has been doing a great job and slotted in quite well.
The latest replacement in Miles Pearce is a mountain of a man and with only a couple of games to fit in has been given a huge pair of shoes to fill.
The season hasn't looked too impressive on paper but the action and effort throughout cannot be denied.
Going down in some close games and with the younger players stepping up as they have good things could be on the horizon for the embattled team.
The women on the other hand have had a great season.
It's a young team with a new coach and a couple of imports from 'across the ditch'.
Lisa Wallbutton and Toni Edmondson have been brilliant for the team but then so have the local youth.
I've previously posted a pic of the young bench and what these girls have achieved this season is nothing short of amazing!
Under the guidance of 'supercoach' Ken Kereama they've taken the game to the stronger regional teams and come out looking the goods.
Satruday night was the perfect example, hosting Sandringham.
Down by 13 at the long break they soon closed the gap and finished the game with an 8 point victory.
Without having made a playoff series in their short history they currently sit 5th with a game to go.
They'll have the whole of Albury and Wodonga behind them and should they manage to host a final the roof would surely be lifted off the 'Hideout'!
Good luck girls!

Personally it's been a great season of shooting with plenty of action captured and while it's no NBL this league definitely provides a great night's entertainment.
With names like Gruber, Crosswell and Herbert, just to name a few, and the imports from the US, and of course NZ, no wonder it's become our premier winter league.
To have access to this level of basketball in regional areas is a huge boost to the game.

Aussie hoops is alive and well and our SEABL is helping to show the way.

Trevor.

T-Bone hits a Hundred!

Local sportsman Tony 'T-Bone' Ferris joined the hundred club last night at Albury Stadium when his Bandits faced Sandringham Sabres.

With the Sabres coming off a spate of victories the home side were always going to be up against it.

However with T-Bone knotching up his hundred there was something special to play for.

Early in the game the Bandits were looking the goods and it was only after the first break that Sandringham started to apply the pressure.

With Nathan Crosswell calling the shots on court the experienced Sabres began to wear down the Bandits and take control of the game in the second term.

Having said that the boys from the Border weren't about to let them have it all their own way and put in some big efforts to keep pace with their more fancied opponents in the last half.

Young Jack Duck took the court to the pleasure of the crowd and immediately set about getting hold of the ball, showing he's a player to watch in the future.

Although a dissapointment to go down on T-Bones big night it still shows Albury/Wodonga has some great young players who'll benefit from playing against the likes of Crosswell.

It can only be a good thing for basketball in the region.

Trevor.

Half Time Entertainment

While the NBL teams have their own dancers we've been treated to some of the same in recent weeks.

The DMB Dancers were at Albury Stadium again last night for the Bandits v Sandringham game.

Once again they put on a high energy set keeping the crowd entertained at the long break.

Some great colours and sounds helped showcase the young up and coming talent this region has to offer, not just on the court but off of it as well!

Trevor.

Bandit's at Home...

Friday night saw another big night of basketball on the Border with the men and women facing a Tassie challenge.
The women were first up taking on Launceston and as has been the case so many times this season set the pace from the word go.
Launceston weren't about to waste a road trip and fought well but the girls held on for a good win.

The men had it tough from the outset but put in a determined effort throughout the game.
They couldn't however send their Tassie challengers, Hobart, packing and despite some big efforts went down by a narrow margin.

The big excitement for the game was the half time shoot out with a young local player hitting the shot from the centre and taking home the big dollars.

All in all another entertaining night of basketball.
The fans here on the Border can certainly not complain about the level of competition they've been witness to this season.
A few more wins would be nice but hey, it's been anything but dull!

Trevor.

In Pink!

Well the Men and Women of the Border Bandits have had a tough couple of weeks here in Albury with defeats at the hands of Knox Raiders and Brisbane Spartans.
Regardless of win or loss the teams are still putting in big efforts, the opposition has simply been too strong.
Jermaine Williams has settled in to his new role with the club and the younger players for the women are getting court time.

Of course tough games of basketball are one thing.
Life can be a lot harder for many.

Friday night helped to reinforce such an issue with the Brisbane Spartans turning up... in pink!

Of course they are raising money for breast cancer and their uniforms certainly make a big statement!
So for a good cause I'm simply adding some images to this page to document the plight of those suffering this affliction via the generosity of others in the community.

Good on ya' Spartans!
Keep up the good work.

Enjoy.

Trevor.

The Real Snowwombat!

A mate of mine from work was kind enough to create a new logo for me.
I thought it was a ripper!
Keaton Ferguson is a very talented artist from Wodonga who can breathe life into an idea, not only with a mouse and PC but with pen and paper.
Within minutes of my request he had a number of ideas running around his head, committed them to paper and went from there.
This is the final cut we both felt best represented my current photographic efforts.

Trevor.

Albury Cougars

With all the training and a big trip away last weekend I haven't had the chance to blog lately.

The big trip was up to Illawarra for round 2 of the Southern Junior League basketball comp.
I took the Albury Cougars 16 women 2's away aiming at a perfect 4 from 4 result.
Up against teams like Illawarra and Canberra the weekend was looking tough.
The weather had closed in on us, with some wild winds overnight almost putting a hold on our beach plans, however a small group headed down Saturday morning for some fresh sea air prior to heading off to Berkley Stadium.
Then it was time for business!
With the first win taking place in overtime it was obvious this was going to be a tough slog.
A solid second game helped us on the way to that elusive spot in the second round of state.
However, Sunday came and things changed.
A 3 point loss saw our plans fall to the wayside and a big defeat in the final game relegated us to just the SJL rounds only.
While disappointing, overall the girls played some of their best basketball this season.
The team began working well together and we can take some positives into the next comp which happens to be the Country Championships held in Maitland on the upcoming long weekend.
We're hoping for something special at Country, with the aim of bringing back the title as we did last year.
Time will tell.
With the job of coaching taking much of my time I wasn't able to do a lot of shooting.
The chances I had weren't helped by the darkness of Berkley Stadium, as can be seen on the back wall in the final image.

PS: Don't forget to click on the images to view them larger.

Trevor.

The Boys (and Girls) are back in town!

What a big night of basketball on the Border!
The Lady Bandits faced off against Frankston Lady Blues Saturday night with the opportunity to take yet another win for the season.
The Albury girls are becoming quite a formidable opponent for any team in the league and with stars such as Toni Edmondson and Lisa Wallbutton it's no surprise!
Toni had a big night again with 26 points and 10 rebounds topped only by Lisa who hit 28 and 10.
Of course the young local girls are stepping up to the plate as well with Alex Duck finishing on 14 and 5 while Ellie Gleeson, with some good court time chipped in with 5 and 4.
The home side took the points with a strong 75-51 score.

The men faced a tall outfit from North West Tasmania and from the first buzzer it was apparent we were in for a physical game.
Tempers flared many times with Fernandez providing some light entertainment via skipping, dancing and even sitting on the edge of a corporate box after a number of these skirmishes.
The Bandits were on top throughout the game and weren't about to be upstaged by their female counterparts finishing with a good solid victory 106-96.
Once again the local boys stood up and kept the score ticking over, Matt Gange with another solid game, 26 and 4, Matt De Koeyer on 17 and 4 and big Tony Ferris chipping in with 6 and 2.
All eyes have been on the latest addition to the team in Jermaine Williams.
He managed a game high 27 points with 8 rebounds for good measure!
And as for Fernandez, another top all round game finishing with 20 and 20.
No doubt about it, Fernandez can jump!
His rebounding at both ends of the court are giving the Bandits the opportunities to take the ball away from opponents and score via several quality outlets such as Gange, De Koeyer and now Williams, just to name a few.
Once again another great night of basketball on the Border and with our own Lauren Jackson watching from the sidelines, a very apt result.

Trevor.

Bandits' Road Trip

While I was unable to make the trip down the Hume on the weekend to see either of the two games the Bandits faced I was compelled to write something considering the outcomes.
Now, according to the box scores from the games the boys had a hard time against Bendigo, going down by 14 points.
Of course there are positives in any defeat, Broady Mills getting some more court time and scoring a few points, Matt Gange with another solid 15 point game and, although probably quiet by his standards, Fernandez Lockett chipping in with 18.
All eyes would have been on new import Jermaine Williams who hit a big 26 points in his first game for his new club.
Overall not a bad effort by the Bandits considering their position on the ladder compared to that of Bendigo.

Sunday they faced Ballarat and while the Miners have had a hard time of it lately they appeared not to show that form, leading at all but the first break.
The Bandits had a big final term however hitting 38 points to take the game by 7.
It was another strong effort by Matt Gange, who's proving to be quite a handful for opposition teams, with 18 points.
De Koeyer added 12 and Williams had another solid start to his term on the Border with 26 points but Lockett once again stole the show with a massive 42 points and 22 rebounds!
How I would have loved to have seen that!
The boys are showing they are a capable team with many players notching up solid scores.
With the disappointment of Smith behind them and the new injection of firepower via Williams hopefully they can go on and provide some quality entertainment for their many fans here on the Border.

Down the road a bit further the Lady Bandits faced one of the top teams in Dandenong and by all accounts it appears to have been a tight game all the way, the girls going down by 2 points.
This is a young team who are achieving some great things this season.
With some good coaching from Ken Kereema they should go on to bigger and better things by season's end.

Trevor.

Fernandez Lockett Slide

Fernandez Lockett has been a revelation for the Albury Wodonga Bandits this SEABL season.
He's an excitement machine providing athletic entertainment to Border fans.
Here's a few images to showcase his efforts this season thus far.

SEABL. Bandits v Gunners

Albury Wodonga Bandits hosted the Canberra Gunners on Saturday night with big expectations of another home court win.


The first quarter saw a fast and furious start with the Bandits taking the smallest of margins to the break.
The Bandits pulled away somewhat in the second with some great work from Lockett, much of that by way of defensive rebounds.



Going into the last half with an 8 point lead the Bandits were looking good, outscoring their opponents yet again.
Canberra however, weren't quite done and began the last with a desperation they hadn't showed to that point.
With only seconds to go the Bandits were holding on but a last effort saw the Gunners take a gutsy come from behind win by just a solitary point.



Although a disappointment for the Bandits they take solace in the fact that their new import was present for the game and should be on court soon to add that spark they've missed since the illness of previous import Eric Smith.
Hopefully he'll give the boys something extra up forward and be a support for high flying Fernandez Lockett, who once again impressed with some great areal plays.


Trevor.

SEABL, Bandits v Frankston, Lady Bandits v Ballarat.

Saturday night saw a double header at the Albury Sports Stadium with the Lady Bandits first up against the Ballarat Lady Miners.
Given their respective positions on the ladder, win loss ratio and so on the Lady Bandits were always going to be a chance to notch up another win at home.
However they didn't have things all their own way.
After they lead by a couple of baskets at the first break the Miners came back and took a 2 point lead going to half time.
Big efforts from Toni Edmondson, (28 points, 13 rebounds) and Lisa Wallbutton, (19 and 16) kept the home team strong in the final half.
With support from Alex Duck, (13 and 3) and Tara Blair, (11 and 3) the girls were able to hold on for a well earned victory, 77-64.

The men had a tougher proposition ahead of them when they faced Frankston with an unbeaten record.
The first term saw some physical work both under the basket and around the court and the Bandits went to the break with a handy 9 point buffer.
From there however the Blues stepped up the pace.
Their big men in David Gruber, (31 and 15) and Rob Kampman, (26 and 7) cut loose and caused some real headaches for coach Madigan.
The physicality of the match brought tempers to a head in the last term but by then the Blues had the score on the board and took the win 103-87.
Top performers for the Bandits were Lockett, (24 and 13) De Coeyer, (18 and 7), and Gange, (18 and 3).
Overall not a bad effort from the Bandits given the strength of the opposition.

Trevor.

Bandits v Kilsyth

Easter Saturday saw the Bandits host Kilsyth at Albury stadium and while a disappointing result for the Bandits the game still provided it's fair share of entertainment.
Local radio presenters Matt and LC called the game in the dry witted style that has made them so popular in the region.
A healthy crowd attended offering support for both the home side and the visitors.
And of course the usual physical encounter provided ample opportunity to cheer and jeer.
Fernandez Lockett once more provided entertainment with the athletic prowess we've already welcomed here on the border, pulling down some great rebounds and slamming a magnificent 'oop' that left the crowd roaring.
(Bit of a shame this photographer hadn't caught it...)
Overall it was great night out.
Of course it would have been better with another Bandits win but it wasn't to be.
Kilsyth simply started too hard and held their ascendancy, pulling away for most of the game.
Next weekend sees a double header at Albury Stadium with the Lady Bandits taking on Ballarat Miners while the men host Frankston.
Here's looking forward to another great night of basketball.

Trevor.

Bandits Big Night.

Albury/Wodonga Bandits faced another night of home games with the Lady Bandits facing Nunnawading and the men facing Mt. Gambier.
The women started hard and performed solidly throughout the game to take a well deserved and much overdue victory.
The star NZ imports performed well again as did local Alex Duck returning to her usual aggressive form.
Elle Gleeson found her feet again and overall the whole team lifted to take the win to resounding applause from the home crowd.
The men faced the Pioneers and ex Bandit Andrew Rice in what may well have appeared to be a foregone conclusion.
The Bandits, however, were quick out of the blocks and looked in control for the most part of the match.
With the Pioneers closing the gap several times and looking like pulling ahead import Fernandez Lockett was inspirational yet again claiming some big defensive rebounds.
Of course the highlight of his game in his short time in Albury has been his athletic dunks and Saturday night was no exception.
With plenty of support from DeKoeyer and Gange etc the boys were able to hang on for a great win.
It's been a while since the Albury stadium has heard such an ovation as received by both these teams.
Here's hoping to more of the same this season!

Trevor.

Water Polo Grand Finals

Albury Pool hosted the senior Grand Finals
in water polo starting early Sunday morning
March 29th.
With the sun hiding behind trees and
buildings the scenario faced me where the
player was often in full sun while the ball
was in full shade, or vice versa.
However the teams were pumped and the
atmosphere was as warm as the early morning
sun as the C grade final swung into action.

As the day warmed so did the competition
with the B and A grade men and women to
follow.
Some close games showed the even level of competition in the local league and I'm sure the players were quite comfortable in the cool water of the Albury pool, compared
to my position atop one of the diving blocks!

Quite a few young players took to the water, many of whom I've seen on the court at domestic and representative basketball not to mention their involvement in Netball, Aussie Rules etc.

It's good to see our youth encouraged to be a part of all sports in what is well known as a big sporting town.
(We did produce Lauren Jackson!)

As far as the day went all members retired to the Star Hotel for presentations after and were treated to a couple of slide shows containing images I've taken the last couple of weeks.

All in all a great day out.

Here's just a couple of shots from the day.

Trevor.