How does the SA Country HP set-up work?
Mel was the HP Country Manager and a very good one by all accounts, yet Butler when he was the BSA HP Manager used to train the SPPX / NPP country athletes along with his Metro athletes.
I've never understood the crossover and this is even more wild considering Butler was essentially let go by Basketball SA.
I take it he will oversee everything to do with country athletes from now on and leave Sam Adams / Dee Ranford to focus on metro?

Great appointment by CoE

SAC shouldn't exist but given the current management of BSA I wouldn't want to be merged in under them either.

Basketball in SA is a shambles. This whole situation is a perfect example of that.

It's a joke, clearly shows why SAC shouldn’t exist.

this is great news.

Some very lucky SA Country players + families plus coaches.

There are a handful of current SA Country juniors that look destined for Australian National teams and they have a great person to lead them there.

Would be a good thing if he was able to coach at a club now.

* national programs

You are actually correct. There are SOME very lucky players and coaches.

The other 80% won't get acknowledged.

Families - will be lucky if he talks to them....

Spot on Shade. Lucky ones are COE getting Downer.

Scott isn't exactly the most personable type of individual that country folk will bond with. They are a tough organisation to please with a lot of ground to cover and people to please. If only the minority are looked after then he will have issues with their board or committee.

Couldn't see this being a step forward for him.

Classic - The old HP bashing! i know from over the border SA HP has looks fantastic with U18G/U16G Metro gold medals and U16B SAC silver medal. Love or hate Scott Butler his finger prints are all over this.
I noticed 10 SA players recently invited to the CoE - Again Scott Butlers finger prints are all over this.

I know my state didnt have the representation! and its fair from a train wreck

The HP Managers in all states tend to get the negative feedback and i really cant understand why? OK they may not have the greatest people skills but that shouldnt be over shadowed by there results in the HP space.

+ im interested in which SA COuntry kids are bound for Australian National teams?? Sienna Lehmann. Issac Riddle are the only 2 i can see in the U17 squad, a massive congratulations to them??

sorry Issac Riddle is Metro!

Frogface are you suggesting each State's HP Manager is solely responsible for State team results and indivudual player's achievements because I'm sure you are not. Therefore you can't give them all the credit either.

Players like Sienna Lehmann or more accurately for your sake Lara Somfai or Isabelle Borlase have made it where they have in spite of Basketball SA HP. Somfai specifically in spite of the previous CEO and HP Manager.

Talent is talent, well before the player/s make it onto the State Peak Body's radar. Why do you think they get on the state radar? Elite A Grade/Aus Junior level talent has very very little to do with the particular HP Manager at the time. Anyone actually involved in HP understands that, clearly you are just a parent and/or bystander.

I think SAC have pulled off a real coup. I would think the Metro people are a bit disappointed with the deal they've been given by comparison, but happy to be proven wrong.

I wish Sturt had recruited him. An introvert with a very solid work ethic who HAS achieved results and is dedicated. Just what the Sabres need right now.

Sturt need a bit more then a great manager to come into there club and turn it around. Just from a quick glance at results, the 1 and 2 divs are not winning many games. Last season was bad but this one looks like it will be really bad.

Unfortunately this once great club has almost zero talent left now with all the coach's and juniors that have left.

Scot Butler did a great job with SA HP. Huge loss.
Onwards and upwards for him, but not for the Sabres as things look at the moment. south Adelaide have some tremendous talent at the lower /mid end of juniors and Eastern, Norwood West and Forestville looking strong at the top.

Not overly close to the happenings there but Liam F had a mic drop moment as he left. Not sure Scott B would've wanted to clean up the mess..... too far gone. So great for Country SA though.

Rainey yeah Sturt is not the place to be by many. The boys club in charge there were foolish for putting LF in that position and paying him mega bucks of folks money to do it. Never a good idea to ruffle that many feathers. He dumped the club the first chance he got to run off to the big leagues...Club is struggling big time. All major talent has walked.

All after the mess that he left at North. Sturt either a bit slow on the uptake or knowingly incompetent

Sturt has rightly or wrongly moved from high performance focus to family focus.
Basically Forestville without the money.
Parents running the club for parents.
As long as they don't complain when their teams don’t win anything then everyone is happy.

Family focus? How did you come to that conclusion?

They've HAD to rebrand to family focus because the top talent has walked. Just as long as they have a good NBL1 team, all is a-okay in their minds. There motto used to be something about basketball excellence is leading Australia. What is it now? 'A family club where the NBL1 team is worth a watch?’

People might say it's a family club but that doesn’t mean that’s the focus. Forestville isn’t a family focus either. They are both district clubs with alot of history of winning.

A question that hasn't been asked is why the role wasn't advertised, if it was an understudy of Mel's currently at SA Country makes a bit of sense for a promotion, but to bring in a person not directly involved in the Country system, not sure that would pass too many due diligence tests? Maybe the new person is the right person, but for a state body it just looks odd.

SAC aren't a state body.

The actual state body BSA does it on a regular basis. All its senior positions have been pre determined or weren't advertised.

Not sure that's entirely true; I remember the CEO role was advertised.

All its senior positions have been "pre determined" OR "weren't advertised".

What was Liam F mike drop moment?

Seriously SAC have lost the f$&king plot with their ridiculous dress code of Coaches at the State Country Championships! Some (Mod: Unnecessary!) running around courts at Mt Barker tonight spitting venom at Coaches for god forbid wearing a hat or thongs whilst they Coach! No wonder SAC are laughing stock & can be never taken seriously perhaps SAC should put their focus in developing umpire pathways that produces competent umpires for the future!

Dress code was communicated clearly. Not sure what the problem is?! It's not a domestic competition.

Imagine getting this worked up over not being allowed to coach in hats or thongs.