20 – points and 10 rebounds per game, three SEABL Player of the Week awards in 2007, welcome to 20-to-1, Karen Ashby! A picture of consistency and genuine dominance, Karen has led the Lady Miners exceptionally in 2007. A member of the All-SEABL team for the past three seasons, the 27 year old, 185cm Ballarat native can expect a similar honour this season, should her rich vein of form continue. With a leading score of 34 points in 2007, Ashby has the ability to burn teams at the offensive end and will continue to worry opposing coaches for the rest of the season.

19 – The number of AIS men's scholarship holders for 2007. The talent of these youngsters is a constant reminder to all that basketball in this country is in good hands. Even without six of its regular players in Round 13, the youngsters pushed Nunawading all the way and made them work hard for their victory. The ‘tute is proving to be a fantastic pathway for scholarship holders to both US colleges (Ben Dowdell, Andrew Ogilvy, Patrick Mills) and the NBL (Shannon Seebohm
and Tyson Demos).

18 – The age of AIS superstar centre Andrew Ogilvy. As mentioned, the young AIS centre is soon off to US college to play for Vanderbilt University. His dominance in this year’s SEABL has been felt by many teams, particularly the Nunawading Spectres, who felt the power of a 45-point and 16-rebound performance.

17 – The number of wins registered by the Geelong Supercats this season. Mark Leader’s 2006 ABA National Championship winning team have taken all before them in 2007, going undefeated to this point of the season. Their depth is unrivalled, to the point where they have the luxury of starting star import Shawn Myers off the bench. Their embarrassment of riches is the envy of many other clubs, their crowds the best in the league and their ‘team first’ philosophy is evident to all who have the privilege of seeing them play.

16 – The number of wins registered by the Ballarat Lady Miners in season 2007. Like the Supercats in the men’s competition, the Ballarat women have been the team to beat right from the word go. Led by Karen Ashby (see above) and the versatile Kellie Abrams, Ballarat have dropped just two games all season. Coach Kym Cassells has her team playing fantastic basketball, and they rightly deserve their Championship favouritism.

15 – This was the second half points total for the Frankston Lady Blues in their Round 14 clash against the Lady Miners. The struggling Lady Blues managed to shoot just 19% from the field, and ultimately lost by 34 points. This game pretty well sums up the season for the girls from Frankston, where they have won only three from 19 games, including losses in their last seven games. Hopefully the girls can end the season on a high and take some confidence into 2008.

14 – points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists was the stat line for Cassie Jordan of the Launceston Tornadoes, making up a rare triple double. Jordan has had a very consistent season to date, averaging 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals per game. Others to achieve a triple double this season include Geelong’s Jason Reardon and Frankston’s Andrew Harms.

13 – rebounds per game, welcome to the countdown Knox Raider and Australian Opal Hollie Grima. In addition to huge rebounding numbers, Hollie is pouring in 25 points per game, and making a big impact in the nine games she has played after a late start to the season. The Tasmanian native inflicted some pain against her former state recently, dominating the Lady Thunder for 35 points and 17 rebounds.

12 – The number of three-point field goals unloaded by Troy De Vries against Frankston in March. Add to that another eight triples by Troy against the Blues in April, and it seems clear that Frankston are De Vries’ favourite team to play against! In his first SEABL season, Troy has shown his amazing shooting ability, further enhancing Thunder coach Mark Radford’s reputation for selecting quality American imports.

11 – This is the amount of wins so far by Canberra, Frankston and the AIS in the SEABL Men’s East Conference. Yet despite their strong seasons, one of these teams seems set to miss the playoffs. With Geelong and Southern Districts in strong winning form, the dogfight between these three for the two remaining playoff berths is sure to be entertaining. Ironically, their winning records would place them clearly in the top three of the South Conference, but that realisation is cold comfort for these three quality teams. Keep an eye on this battle over the next few weeks!

10 – The number of blocks by the Albury Wodonga Bandits’ Bradley Sheridan in their home clash against the Hobart Chargers. ‘Rowdy’ is well known for his defensive attributes and exceptionally long arms, with the Chargers feeling the full force of this ability. Against much taller opponents, Sheridan reached the rare milestone of double figure blocks, while also dropping 18 points and creating well for his teammates. Interestingly, despite Sheridan’s efforts all season, Albury are yet to beat a team in their own conference, perhaps explaining why they occupy last position on the East ladder.

9 – out of 10, or 90%. This is the free throw percentage of Geelong point guard Braith Cox. Despite playing a backup role this season, Cox’s ability to get it done from the stripe is unwavering. Should the Supercats ever get in the position where they are being challenged in the fourth quarter, Braith is the type of player that you want to have on the floor. From 79 trips to the line this season, Cox has missed just eight times. Honourable mentions in this category go to the Thunder’s Armstrong brothers, with Sam shooting at 89% and Ben 86%.

8 – The number of games played for Knox import John Bryant so far this season. The off-season player exodus at Knox saw many people tip the Raiders to plummet down the ladder; a tip that has proven to be correct. The late arrival of Bryant has had an obvious impact on the Raiders’ fortunes, and together with the injury problems to fellow big man Craig Simpson, the boys from Boronia are definitely on Struggle Street. Despite their current six-game losing streak, the Raiders are amazingly still in playoff contention. Coach Cotter will be hoping his big American import can lift the team on his back and carry them to the playoffs to defend their title.

7 – games remaining for the two Tasmanian men’s teams. Both teams have five home games, and will need to make the most of these to ensure a berth in the playoffs. Both teams have been criticised for lack of bench depth, and will be keen to prove to the rest of the competition that they have the roster to cut it at playoff time. Both the Chargers and the Thunder have experienced players, capable of performing in pressure situations, so expect to see both teams figuring highly in post-season action.

6 – The number of games that Nunawading point guard Shane McDonald has recorded 10 or more assists in a game. The young Spectre has come on in leaps and bounds this season, almost doubling his production of points and assists from last season. Under the guidance of former NBA star and Spectres coach Sedale Threatt, McDonald has been given extra responsibility and his game has flourished as a result. It has been suggested that Shane has the ability to make the step up to the NBL; this season’s performances clearly demonstrate that to be a definite possibility.

5 – This is how many 40+ point games Hobart Charger Anthony Stewart has produced this season. Written off by many before the commencement of the season, Stewart has led from the front to be one of the league leaders in both scoring and assists. An early favourite for South Men MVP, his offensive prowess was shown recently against the Ballarat Miners, where he poured in 22 points in the first quarter.

4 – The number of SEABL women's playoff spots available. Aside from the Lady Miners who seem safe in top spot, all but two teams have a genuine chance of making the playoffs. With seven teams fighting for three spots, expect to see some desperate teams in the next few weeks. SEABL Spotlight expects Bendigo, Knox and Kilsyth to join Ballarat in the top four, but don’t be surprised to see Nunawading or the Tasmanian teams make a strong run.

3 – This is how many wins the Ballarat Miners have had so far in season 2007. Rookie coach Matt Shanahan has had it tough up in Ballarat this season. Despite solid contributions across the board from his players, ‘Bubble’ has been unable to guide his team to the same success as last season. Many narrow losses have been frustrating the team and despite a number of good performances, only three wins have resulted. However, the news is not all bad at the Minerdome. Youngsters Ricky Henderson and Adam McSwain have been relishing the extra opportunities given to them during this rebuilding phase. Expect to see them both become household names over the coming years, and to help bring Ballarat back to the success of past years.

2 – The number of overtime periods it took to separate Albury Wodonga and Kilsyth in their recent clash. In what was one of the games of the season, the Bandits eventually prevailed 112 – 109. A 40-point third quarter by the Cobras saw them reel in a 21-point half time deficit, thanks largely to dominant big man Chris Cameron. However, costly lapses late in the fourth quarter and the first overtime period by Kilsyth allowed the Bandits to capitalise, and ultimately the Herculean efforts of Luke McKerrow and Brad Sheridan got Albury the win. A genuine contender for game of the year.

1 – The number one teams in the SEABL, the Ballarat Lady Miners and the Geelong Supercats! Good luck to all other teams, but something extraordinary would have to occur for these two teams to not win the Championship. With just two losses between them for the season, the word ‘domination’ comes to mind. They are the benchmark of the competition, with amazing depth, talent and skill. Both are reigning ABA National Champions, and history seems almost certain to repeat itself again in 2007.

We hope you have enjoyed this week’s SEABL Spotlight. Be sure to check back next week as we examine another aspect of Australia’s premier winter basketball competition!