Very entertaining game, and great write up Issac. I was disappointed with our defense as the quicker Bullets just drove right by us. Farley stpped up like only he could to hit several long range bombs. And as you said, he openly laughed in the face of danger (defense).

Great win and to come back like that was inspirational. But we cant be giving up the early lead and letting it get out that big.

I thought the officiating was poor, esp by that one guy that seemed to have it in for us all night. I think tho, he came up with a puzzling one at the death that sealed the Bullets fate.

Great defense in the 2nd half, esp by Cooper and his many blocks. he stuffed Brannen back several times.

Well done lads and lets make sure we continue the good form against cairns and then into the playoffs.

Just want to add that I think Bryant Matthews is an absolute shocking player. However, he did get many offensive boards and 2nd chance points but other than that, he was a fish out of water.

My thoughts on the game:

Good crowd really getting into it for the final regular-season home game - 5842 was the count.

Is the posting signing usually at the last game?

Does anyone like Kerle?

Horror call in the second half. Brisbane player knocked it out of court but the call went their way. There wasn't a Sixer within a metre of the ball when it was hit, seriously.

Willie is really getting into these games and he torched them tonight. I don't know if Mick Hill was talking to him, but Willie seemed to relish every opportunity to give him crap after making the huge shots.

Matthews was big on the offensive boards -- just jumped straight over Holmes and Rychart time and time again. I was very surprised that we weren't way down on the boards at half-time. Dud free throw shooter and missed 4 open threes. Could better understand his limitations. I certainly don't think he's a shocking player at all.

We have to win convincingly against the Taipans. Certainly don't want to lose it and let our position be decided by our opponents' other games.

Matthews stat line was a mix of very good and just plain terrible. 18 rebounds was huge, 13 offensive rebounds is even bigger. He did shoot 7-26, which a disaster, but let's not forget that he is carrying an injury and Farley himself did have a 6-26 game the other week. However, Matthews did miss a ton of wide open looks. It seemed like he took and missed more than 4 3-pointers.

Kerle is a tool, Black is an excellent player & Brannen is huge.

Farley had a cracker. He looks like he is in playoff mode! I hope we re-sign him for next season, he is just a treat to watch play.

What was up with Dusty & Hill? Hill only played 5 minutes and was totally ineffective, which is not like him at all. Dusty looked fatigued and actually a little ill. I haven't read a paper in a few days, is an illness going through the team or something at the moment?

Apparently Farley was sick this week at some stage. Haven't heard anything about Rychart.

Dusty definitely looked a little out of sorts, but gotta given him credit for working hard in other areas , eg rebounding. Kerle may be a tool but he lays it on the line and is always dangerous. I thought Mick Hill, deservedly, got absolutely burnt by Willie at times, after coming into a time out laughing heartedley at a bad call of charging by the ref (whom is mentioned above) who did appear to be far less favourable to the Sixers.
Cheers.

yea i was wondering about hill especially as the other games he has played good minutes and done really well, i was surprised to see him play so little

Saw the game on fox. Just after a quick rule clarification.

Willie was fould and went to the line for 2. After that there was a technical foul on Black (according to John Casey). Willie then was given 2 shots for the foul, then Brett stepped up and had 2 free throws plus possession for the technical. As far as I was aware Black was on the court at the time. Now I was under the impression a techincal foul was only 1 shot and possession?

My main issue (and my OzHoops report will be up a bit later) is with THAT charge call against Farley.

Yes it was a charge, agreed, but ALL season it has not been called if under the basket, and in fact the ref guidelines to interpretations when they came out at the start of the season actually said not to call them under the basket.

2nd to last round of the season, and Campbell (the ref mentioned above) calls it under the basket...WTF??

I actually ended up commenting I thought he was on the FOX payroll rather than the NBL staff, and had to have a certain amount of camera appearances per quarter. Was the only way to explain some of the baffling decisions he made during the game.

Yes, last night's game was another referee horror story. You have to have nothing but utter respect and admiration for the job the Sixers do considering they have that extra hurdle to overcome. To have never dropped below 4th throughout this season makes you wonder if they could have held onto 1st or 2nd position if the umpiring was fair. I know, a lot of you will say I'm biased, but I know what I see and the jeers from the crowds also tell the story. Some of it is just plain rubbish that you have to wonder how they get away with it. The refs are definitely a protected species and the penalties are high for those who dare question.

I taped the game this morning and I think Carfino and Casey are ridiculous. God I hope we win the c'ship so we can stuff it up those eastern state pricks.

Im hoping that we don't meet brisbane in the finals, if rucker played and Mathews scored more on those open 3s he took the game would have been different.

Im hoping that they get knocked out early in the finals i think they are heading for a knockout final with Melbourne