Roy Ward

After leading my under-18 side in baldness and bench minutes I realised my basketball talents were best outside the court. I’ve covered basketball and other sports for Fairfax Media and Rural Press, I’m proud to have met and told the stories of many of Australia’s best basketballers both in country and overseas. I love basketball in all forms and all levels.

Follow me on twitter: @downtownball

Welcome, Mr Cotter

Welcome, Mr Cotter

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Damian Cotter has taken the coaching long road but ended up reaching the NBL. Cotter has been on the national basketball scene since the late 1990s when he began a near decade long stint with Knox Raiders in the South East Australian Basketball League. In that time he helped players like Mick Hill, Tommy Greer and others progress to the… Read more →

The NBL Points System: Help or Hindrance?

The NBL Points System: Help or Hindrance?

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As NBL teams begin assembling their rosters for next season, there is a debate brewing about the player points system and its future in the NBL. The NBL player’s association are demanding the points system be abolished immediately but league management want to keep the system as it believes it’s the only mechanism the NBL has against salary cap abuse,… Read more →

Wildcats Draw First Blood

Wildcats Draw First Blood

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The NBL championship is just one win away for Perth Wildcats although it may take them two games to get there. The Wildcats rode the hot shooting of imports James Ennis (30 points, 10 rebounds, four assists) and Jermaine Beal (19 points) and utter dominance on the offensive glass (20-11 offensive rebounds) to score a 92-85 win over Adelaide 36ers… Read more →

When the Hammer Falls

When the Hammer Falls

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Shane Heal’s resignation from the Sydney Kings will be a loss for the NBL and for the Kings franchise but in the long run it may be best for both parties. Heal called time on his current stint with the Kings following their loss to Wollongong on Friday night, a loss which assured the Kings of missing the NBL finals…. Read more →

Guilty as Charged

Guilty as Charged

This past week exposed the NBL’s biggest short coming. I’m not referring to the league’s tribunal and penalties system – I’m talking about the NBL’s lack of self respect. If those in charge of our men’s professional league want the current competition to become a world class league they can’t act with such fecklessness and self interest when faced with… Read more →

Wright or Wrong: Joey Speaks His Mind

Wright or Wrong: Joey Speaks His Mind

Depending on which state you’re from or which NBL team you follow, opinions are going to differ about who was at fault for the post game scuffle between Perth Wildcats and Adelaide 36ers at Perth Arena on Friday night. For those who haven’t seen the incident, a scuffle between James Ennis, Gary Ervin, Anthony Petrie and several others broke out… Read more →

NBL: Bigger and Better

NBL: Bigger and Better

The NBL has announced it intends to add four new franchises to the league for the 2015-2016 season. But where will those franchises be based and what could these new teams look like? There is no question that several major markets aren’t catered to by the current NBL and that we have a number of NBL quality players playing in… Read more →

Who Goes to Spain?

Who Goes to Spain?

A major question remains unanswered in the world of basketball. Who will Team USA send to the FIBA basketball World Cup in Spain in August? At present established USA stars Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo and Tyson Chandler are all out with injuries and, at present, it’s hard to see Bryant, Rose, Westbrook or Rondo being available… Read more →

Downtown’s NBL Awards Watch

Downtown’s NBL Awards Watch

The NBL has passed into the New Year and we at Downtown thought it was the perfect time to chart the state of play for each major NBL award as we head into the business end of the season. MVP Winner: James Ennis (22.5 points per game) is the MVP of this league at the half way mark of the… Read more →

The NBL Should Play on Christmas Day

The NBL Should Play on Christmas Day

It was Christmas night and not a creature was stirring in front of my family’s television, until my dad noticed there was a live cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Foxtel. That was the highlight of our evening viewing and after a day of food, family and presents we were in the perfect frame of mind for some… Read more →