Basketball New Zealand

Sean Marks (Photosport)

Former Tall Black Sean Marks made his 2009/10 regular season debut over the past week, but his New Orleans Hornets suffered a double blow in what has been a disastrous start to the NBA season.

Already reeling from a 3-6 record, the Hornets fired coach Byron Scott midweek, then watched All-Star point guard Chris Paul limp off the court with a severely sprained ankle that could keep him out of action for the next two weeks.

In the same game – a 78-86 home loss to Portland Trailblazers – Marks, who helped carry Paul to the bench, recorded his first court time, chipping in one point (1/2 FT), seven rebounds and a block in 15 minutes.

Veteran Kiwi Phill Jones and his Cairns Taipans also continued their woeful run through the Australian NBL with two more losses in Round Eight.

Jones led the Snakes with 17 points (8/12 FG, 1/3 3pt), three assists, two steals and two blocks in a 70-85 home loss to Townsville midweek, but illness limited him to 1m 25s and two points in a 64-79 road loss to Perth Wildcats over the weekend.

After a 3-1 start to the season, the Taipans have now lost seven of their last eight games.

Mika Vukona and the Gold Coast Blaze enjoyed success against Townsville, defeating their guests 93-77 on Friday. Vukona had nine points (4/5 FG, 1/2 FT), three assists, two rebounds and a block in 22 minutes as the Blaze improved to 5-6 for the season.

In the Australian WNBL, former Tall Ferns captain Aneka Davis secured bragging rights over compatriots Natalie Purcell and Suzie Bates, as Townsville Fire defeated Logan Thunder 77-56 on the road.

Davis compiled 17 points (6/14 FG, 5/6 FT), eight rebounds and two blocks in 28 minutes, while Purcell had seven points (3/8 FG, 1/3 3pt), seven rebounds, a steal and an assist in 28 minutes and Bates was scoreless (three rebounds and three assists) in 11 minutes for Logan.

Townsville are now 6-1 for the season, while the Thunder are 4-4.

Ferns point guard Angela Marino accumulated a double double of 22 points/10 assists as Adelaide Lightning repulsed the Australian Institute of Sport 99-77 at home, breaking a three-game losing streak to improve to 6-4.

Kiwi Lisa Pardon hit a trey as Bulleen Boomers suffered their first loss of the season, 65-79 at home to Sydney University Fire.

In Europe, Brendon Polyblank’s Fribourg rebounded from their first loss of the Swiss LNA with a 101-96 win over Lugano Tigers.

Polyblank had contributed 13 points (5/9 FG, 1/2 3pt, 2/2 FT), five rebounds and an assist in 32 minutes of Fribourg’s 83-89 midweek loss to Boncourt, but now sit 8-1 for the season.

Former Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin guided his Kepez Bld Antalya outfit to a 60-57 win over Darussafaka in the Turkish Basketball League, improving their record to 3-3.

Kepez conceded a 2-1 free throw count, but both teams managed a combined 19/43 from the stripe. Baldwin’s side defensively dominated their opponents around the key hole, restricting their opponents to just 10/39 (26%) 2pt.

In Korea, Craig Bradshaw’s LG Sakers fell to 9-5 for the season with an 88-93 loss to SK Knights. Bradshaw recorded seven points (3/4 FG, 1/1 3pt), two rebounds, two assists and two steals in 11 minutes.

Tall Fern Jillian Harmon starred for Pool Comense in the Italian Lega A, but her 16 points (7/13 FG, 2/4 FT), six rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes off the bench was not nearly enough to avoid a 57-89 loss to Familia Schio. Comense are now 1-4, one spot off the bottom of the table.

In US college basketball, Micaela Cocks and her Oregon Ducks rounded off their exhibition season with a 109-65 win over Western Oregon.

Obviously benefiting from coach Paul Westhead’s up-tempo system, Cocks produced 16 points (7/13 FG, 2/3 FT), five rebounds, five assists and a steal in 25 minutes. Oregon host Eastern Washington today in their regular season opener.

Tall Ferns centre Kim Barnes and UC Irvine began their campaign with a 42-64 loss to San Diego State. Barnes clocked 35 minutes, for two points (1/9 FG), three rebounds, a block and a steal.

Junior Tall Black captain Dion Prewster helped San Jacinto College improve their record to 6-0 with a 94-87 home win over Temple College. Through the first five games of the season, Prewster was averaging a double double of 13.2 points/11.6 rebounds, adding 4.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.2 blocks and shooting 56.5% FG, 76.9% FT and 4/10 3pt.