Team-By-Team: Hooyah & Harden Up (Round 8, NBL26)

By Damon Lowery.

Author’s note – “HOOYAH” is the battle cry of the Navy Seals and is given out to celebrate great efforts & achievements.

A “HARDEN UP” is given out when a performance has not been at the expected level.

This is STRICTLY about basketball – it is NEVER personal.

Defeated New Zealand, defeated by Perth

HOOYAH: Isaac White, love the way you go about it man. My favourite thing about you is that it doesn’t matter which team you’re playing for, you’re always gonna find a way to score. Those 15 points on 6/8 off the bench, in 22 minutes, were huge against Perth

HARDEN UPL: Zylan Cheatham, you’re having a rock-solid season and your rebounding and defence can never be questioned. But against Perth, more offensive punch was needed from you. I think we can both agree that 4 points on 2/7 shooting is way below what you’re capable of.

Defeated Tasmania

HOOYAH: Casey Prather, ‘Mr. Fundamental’ you were at your efficient best once again, leading your team to a crucial road win with 28 points on 50 per cent shooting and 8 boards.

HARDEN UP: With captain Mitch Norton and big Jacob Holt returning to the lineup, you guys are nearly whole again. In a great two-point road win, the 15 offensive rebounds you gave up nearly brought you unstuck. Tidy that up and you’re a tough beat!

Defeated by Illawarra

HOOYAH : Mojave King, at the start of the season, you wasn’t even in the league. Head coach Adam Forde gave you a buzz last week to fill in as an injury replacement and you gave the Hawks and the entire league a reminder of what you’re made of. A career high 32 points on 81 per cent shooting is ridiculous. I’d be shocked if you didn’t have a long term contract by next week!

HARDEN UP: If you want to be taken seriously, your team defence needs to play with way more venom …you’re Taipans for crying out loud. The Hawks came to town and treated your home court with disdain and disrespect, scoring 107 points at an outrageous 74 per cent.

Defeated Melbourne and Cairns

DOUBLE HOOYAH ALERT

HOOYAH: JaVale McGee. You were at your dominant, ‘Chamberlain-esque’ self against ladder leader Melbourne United. 37 points, 14 rebounds, and 1 ‘snatch block’ that was dubiously called a goal tend. What’s a snatch block you ask? That’s when the offensive player shoots the ball and you jump up and literally snatch it out of the air without the ball hitting the floor.

HOOYAH: Will Hickey. In just your third game of the season, you register the league’s first and your first TRIPLE-DOUBLE with 19 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists … and you threw in 3 blocks just for the hell of it. I get the feeling that this will not be your last ‘Trip-Dub’ of the season.

HARDEN UP: It was great to see on socials, Head Coach Justin Tatum, assistant coach Joel Khalu, and JaVale McGee frolicking on the beach in Cairns after the win. While you guys were standing in the water taking pics, the jelly fish were deciding whether to sting you or not. Lucky they were in a good mood.

Defeated by Illawarra, defeated South East Melbourne

HOOYAH: TysonWalker, you played in your first ‘Throwdown’ against the Phoenix and you were the best player on the floor. 24 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and the ‘W’. Your ball-handling and speed in the open court had ‘em bamboozled. My man.

HARDEN UP: After going on the road and losing to Illawarra, when the final siren blew, you guys somehow thought it would be a good idea to congregate near the centre circle and huddle up. You guys know the code, the centre circle area is reserved for the home team. The Hawks didn’t take to kindly to it. Lucky it didn’t boil over. This rivalry is real.

Defeated by Adelaide and Sydney

HOOYAH: Parker Jackson-Cartwright. PJC, you gave the 36ers all they could handle, with a 21-point, 10 assist double-double. And just for fun, you threw in 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block?! #lilbigman

HARDEN UP: Your offence. You guys almost won both games in the round, but ALMOST only counts in horses hoes and hand grenades. It’s hard enough to win in this league, and scoring79 and 72 points makes it even harder.

Defeated Adelaide

HOOYAH: Dylan Windler, the lefty sniper from Belmont, Indiana … you’re making double-doubles look routine man. In the most anticipated game of the season, in front of over10,000 people, you go and get 18 points, 12 boards and 5 assists in a big-time road win. Keep it going my man!

HARDEN UP: Pass.

Defeated Tasmania, defeated by Melbourne

HOOYAH: John Brown III. You’re the living breathing definition of RELENTLESS. You’ve got the work rate of two normal people and you gave the JackJumpers headaches all night. Not only did you notch up a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds, but 8 of those rebounds were offensive.

HARDEN UP: Turnovers. The most anticipated ‘Throwdown’ I can remember in a while between first and second on the ladder and you guys simply couldn’t take care of the ball. 22 turnovers against the top team is not a recipe for success!

Defeated New Zealand

HOOYAH: Xavier Cooks. The win against the Breakers was ‘ugly’, but your game wasn’t. A 21-point, 14 rebound double-double will always look good.

HARDEN UP: Bul Kuol. I totally agree with you being frustrated after the referee way on other side of the court called you for your fifth foul, which I didn’t even think was a foul. But I totally disagree with the tantrum you threw by jumping up and down and screaming in the ref’s ear. Luckily, it didn’t cost your team and you came away with the win.

Defeated by South East Melbourne and Brisbane

HOOYAH: Bryce Hamilton, what a performance against the Phoenix. The way you score the ball is silky smooth. Even though you didn’t attempt one foul shot in 34 minutes of action, you still dropped 36 points on 70 per cents shooting, with 8 rebounds and 5 assists.  Nickname suggestion:‘B-Smooth’.

‍HARDEN UP: All of you. You’re now on a four-game losing streak and three of those losses were in the great state of Tasmania. ‘Defend the Island’ has been the mantra since your inception five years ago. Now the island is under siege, with teams showing up pillaging and plundering. It’s time to dig some trenches, regroup, and make the island safe again.