SBL Shootaround Podcasts. Women's - Randy Miegel (2-time Grand Final coach, 2-time Coach of the Year, Goldfields Giants 20th Anniversary Team captain) Men's - Ben Ettridge (2 championships/6 Grand Finals Joondalup Wolves, 2 World Championships, 218 games)
Episodes
Monday Jun 29, 2020
Monday Jun 29, 2020
We continue to try to raise our game every episode here of SBL Shootaround and this time around, we are joined by a very special guest for the entire show in studio.
Basketball Writer Chris Pike and two-time SBL Coach of the Year Randy Miegel have the honour of being joined by one of WA basketball's greatest coaching minds this century, Craig Mansfield and it takes on an added degree of fascination considering Randy and Craig went to battle as coach of Mandurah and Lakeside respectively in the semi finals of 2017 and Grand Final of 2018.
We begin the show with some discussion around some current basketball news including Darcee Garbin being confirmed to join Sami Whitcomb and Ryan Petrik at the Perth Lynx in the WNBL along with getting Craig's thoughts on the SBL season cancelled, replaced by West Coast Classic, his decision to stand down from Lakeside Lightning for 2020 and plenty more.
It's then time for our conclusion to our month long preview of how the SBL season would have panned out without the interference of COVID-19. Chris and Randy predict their playoff teams, Grand Finalists, Champions, Wooden Spooners and individual award winners in a discussion heavily dissected by Craig Mansfield.
It's then time to reflect on the remarkable career journey of Craig Mansfield that saw him take the Lakeside Lightning to a Grand Final aged 24 and since go on to coach the Swan City Mustangs, Kalamunda Eastern Suns and again the Lightning more recently in between a two-year stint at the University of North Dakota.
It's a candid discussion about coaching philosophies, maturing from a coach he admits he was too young to be to how he sees things now, why he felt he needed to step away at the end of 2014, his marriage to Courtney Mansfield (nee Byrnes), close bond with Ali Schwagmeyer and so much more.
It's all made possible thanks to Bassett-Scarfe Realty (www.bassettscarfe.com.au).
Tuesday Jun 23, 2020
Tuesday Jun 23, 2020
We are back with Episode 5 of SBL Shootaround with plenty to discuss including our NCAA Tournament to crown the Ultimate SBL Championship team, our predictions for how the SBL season 2020 would have played out and a special basketball and musical guest in the form of Wayne Simmons.
Basketball writer Chris Pike and two-time SBL Championship winning coach Ben Ettridge are back with you for another episode of SBL Shootaround and again it's a fully packed show that we hope you all find enjoyable.
The opening segment is made up of the co-hosts running through how they expected the 2020 SBL season would have played out prior to being cancelled. They predict their top 8, Grand Finalists, Champions, Grand Final MVP, All-Star Five, wooden spooners and individual award winners MVP, Most Improved and Coach of the Year.
It's then time to chat with this week's guests and what a lot of fun we had speaking with former SBL import Wayne Simmons. He came out to Australia on a whim, is still here in Perth 30-plus years later and has a long history in basketball, had a fascinating and successful musical journey and more recently has been doing incredible community work that's seen him earn a Pride of Australia Award. He has some stories that you just have to hear to believe!
We are only just warming up too as we then move on to discussing the Round of 32 of our Ultimate SBL Championship Team NCAA Tournament. We've pitted 32 championship winning teams against one another, we'll be putting it out to vote to our listeners to advance as well so stay tuned to social media to get involved!
We also discuss Ben Ettridge joining the Kalamunda Eastern Suns as an assistant coach, the upcoming West Coast Classic and plenty more in a fully loaded episode of SBL Shootaround.
Monday Jun 22, 2020
Monday Jun 22, 2020
We are back with another episode of Women's SBL Shootaround and with so much to talk about along with two very special guests, it's a show well worth tuning in for.
Episode 4 of SBL Shootaround gets underway with co-hosts Chris Pike and Randy Miegel talking about the exciting news with the Perth Lynx signing former Rockingham Flames superstar Sami Whitcomb to make her return to the WNBL.
Attention then turns to a painstaking look back for Randy on the 2018 Grand Final loss for his Mandurah Magic against the Lakeside Lightning, where his team led 74-64 with 5:30 remaining only to fail to score again and concede the game's final 21 points in his last game at the helm.
It's then time for our first guest on Episode 4 and it's brand new Perth Lynx WNBL and two-time Rockingham Flames Women's SBL championship winning coach Ryan Petrik. He chats about getting the job as Lynx coach, the signing of Whitcomb, potentially Darcee Garbin and others, and also reflects on his 10-year stint in the Women's SBL coaching at the Flames, his 2019 season coaching the Rockingham men and plenty more including the West Coast Classic, life at home with championship winning captain Chelsea, his rivalry with Randy Miegel's Mandurah Magic.
It doesn't stop there, we then chat to inspirational Mandurah Magic captain and 304-game SBL veteran Rachel Halleen. We discuss her knee injury and decision to avoid surgery on her ruptured ACL and how pumped she is to return to the court in 2020. We also reflect on her court, the remarkable players she's earned a reputation guarding, her time with Randy as coach of the Magic and plenty more.
We then finish our discussion on looking at how the teams were shaping up for the 2020 SBL season with a focus on the Rockingham Flames, South West Slammers, Warwick Senators and Willetton Tigers.
It's all made possible thanks to Bassett-Scarfe Realty (www.bassettscarfe.com.au).
Monday Jun 15, 2020
Monday Jun 15, 2020
We are back with the fourth episode of Men's SBL Shootaround and once again it's a jam packed show with talk about the West Coast Classic to replace the SBL, dissecting five more teams, naming some of the best one-off Australians to come west, the announcement of a new competition and then a very special interview.
Co-hosts Chris Pike and Ben Ettridge opened Episode 4 of SBL Shootaround by reflecting on last week where we spoke to Mark Utley and Seb Salinas along with continuing the discussion over the superstars of the 1990s you would pay to go and watch.
Discussion then turns to some players who come west to spend a short time in the SBL and take the league by storm. It generated into a comparison over Perth Wildcats legends Shawn Redhage and James Crawford.
It's then time for this week's special interview and it's a man who has had an impact on the SBL and basketball in Western Australia like no other over the past 30 years since coming out from Moreno Valley, California.
Whether as a championship-winning player who had a game remarkably similar in style and output to his idol Magic Johnson, then as a player-coach where he was named 1999 Coach of the Year and then continuing on in roles ranging from coach to General Manager of the SBL, CJ Jackson has had an impact like no other.
Still involved today as coach of the Perth Redbacks, he has endless stories to share including how he even taught Reggie and Cheryl Miller to trash talk and why he is so keen on instilling confident in his players now after what he went through at the start of his college career.
It's quite simply an interview that will have you mesmerised and you might like to listen to over and over.
The action on SBL Shootaround doesn't end there. We then have a close look at how the Perth Redbacks, Rockingham Flames, South West Slammers, Warwick Senators and Willetton Tigers were shaping up for the 2020 SBL season, and now are looking for the replacement West Coast Classic.
There's then an announcement about a special competition to crown the ultimate SBL champions and Ben Ettridge signs off with a very special message from the heart during the challenging times we are now dealing with as a society.
Sunday Jun 14, 2020
Sunday Jun 14, 2020
We are back with the third episode of Women's SBL Shootaround and we have a very special guest in the form of an SBL, WNBL and Australian Opals superstar along with further discussion of how the SBL season was looking, the West Coast Classic, the new Perth Lynx coach and plenty more.
First up on Episode 3 of SBL Shootaround with Chris Pike and Randy Miegel is a discussion about two-time Rockingham Flames championship-winning coach Ryan Petrik being appointed new head coach of the WNBL's Perth Lynx. Randy reflects on his year's coaching against him, talk about how good it is for an SBL coach to get this opportunity and plenty more.
It's then time for this week's special guest and it is three-time SBL championship-winner and dual WNBL championship-winning superstar Darcee Garbin. In a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion, Darcee opens up about her time with the Flames in the SBL and with Ryan Petrik as her coach along with what her plans were for this 2020 off-season and what her plans now are.
Darcee also discusses being a free agent in the WNBL ahead of the 2020/21 season and what she is weighing up in choosing where she'll continue to play her basketball with an eye to continuing opportunities with the Australian Opals with the ultimate goal of next year's Tokyo Olympics.
There's plenty more discussed including her bond and rivalry with netball superstar sister Sophie, dreams she is working towards and plenty more.
Chris and Randy then come back to have a look at how the Lakeside Lightning, Mandurah Magic, Perry Lakes Hawks and Perth Redbacks were looking for the 2020 SBL season, and now for the replacement West Coast Classic.
We also welcome on board our first ever sponsor on SBL Shootaround - big thank you to Bassett-Scarfe Realty (www.bassettscarfe.com.au).
Monday Jun 08, 2020
Monday Jun 08, 2020
Massive third episode of Men's SBL Shootaround with two very special guests who are both all-time greats of basketball in Western Australia on top of discussion around how the 2020 season is looking, how teams were shaping up and plenty more.
SBL writer Chris Pike and dual championship winning coach Ben Ettridge are back again as co-hosts of SBL Shootaround and things continue to heat up as action begins to get closer to hitting the basketball court in 2020.
Things open up on the third episode with a lookback on Episode 2 starring James Fitch along with a discussion over how the 2020 season is looking like still having some sort of competition while Ben Ettridge provides his top five players he used to idolise watching play in the SBL during the 1990s.
It's then time for the first guest and it is 289-game player and now veteran coach Mark Utley who drops by. He discusses how his current team at the Kalamunda Eastern Suns has handled COVID-19 and how they are now looking, and were looking along with a reflection on his first season at the club in 2019.
But there's plenty more to discuss including Ben and Mark reflecting on their long history as opponents, teammates and coaching rivals as they share some stories you just have to hear to believe. The former SBL Personality of the Year doesn't fail to deliver.
Then it's time for Ben Ettridge to reconnect with his long-time Joondalup Wolves captain Seb Salinas. Now with 449 games in the SBL under his belt including winning two championships, playing in seven Grand Final in a remarkable career that is still showing no signs of slowing down.
Then Chris and Ben are back to look at how five more teams were shaping up for the 2020 season - the Joondalup Wolves, Kalamunda Eastern Suns, Lakeside Lightning, Mandurah Magic and Perry Lakes Hawks.
All that and much more in another episode of SBL Shootaround that you just don't want to miss!
Monday Jun 08, 2020
Monday Jun 08, 2020
We are back with the second episode of Women's SBL Shootaround and there's once again plenty to talk about in the world of basketball in Western Australia. We have our very first special guest while dissecting four SBL teams for 2020, talking about what looks likely to still happen this year and plenty more.
SBL writer Chris Pike and Goldfields Giants legend and two-time SBL Coach of the Year Randy Miegel team up once again to bring you the second ever episode of SBL Shootaround as basketball action begins to get closer to happening in 2020.
First up the co-hosts reflect on the first episode, talk about the possibilities of what might still happen on the basketball court in 2020 and then get ready to speak to this week's guest, a former teammate of Randy's at the Giants along with being a dual championship player at the Perry Lakes Hawks, Dion Dagostino.
Dagostino is now also a three-time SBL Grand Final coach and took the Warwick Senators to last year's decider in his first season in charge of the Women's SBL club. That's only the tip of the iceberg of where the discussion goes and it includes looking back on his playing career, the pain of being let go as coach by Perry Lakes, what brought him back to the SBL and also he reveals exclusive details on the 2020 season he and his Senators are still preparing for.
Chris and Randy then dissect how the Cockburn Cougars, East Perth Eagles, Joondalup Wolves and Kalamunda Eastern Suns were shaping up for the 2020 season with predictions on how they were destined to perform.
It's then time to wrap up this episode and look ahead to Episode 3 which will include a very special interview with Rockingham Flames, Townsville Fire and Australian Opals superstar Darcee Garbin.
Sunday May 31, 2020
Sunday May 31, 2020
We are back with our second episode of Men's SBL Shootaround and we had so much to discuss it's hard to imagine how we would have found time to cover the on-court action should there have been any!
SBL writer Chris Pike and six-time Grand Final, two-time championship winning coach Ben Ettridge teamed up once more to take a look at what the 2020 SBL season might still hold while then having our very first guest which was a fascinating interview with James Fitch before analysing how four teams were looking coming into the season and then having a discussion of our favourite basketball movies of all-time.
The James Fitch interview is one you don't want to miss. Coming out of the University of Idaho, he joined the South West Slammers in 1990 and never left, retiring in 2001. Along the way he played 315 games, won four championships and was named Grand Final MVP on three occasions.
He discusses all of that but also goes in-depth about why he still calls Bunbury home, talks about how he'd fare in today's game, how he is back involved at the Slammers with Mark Worthington and recalls some stories from during his career that simply must be heard to be believed. He and Ben Ettridge also recall some of their old battle stories for good measure.
On top of that, talk then turns to how the Cockburn Cougars, East Perth Eagles, Geraldton Buccaneers and Goldfields Giants were looking ahead of the 2020 SBL season.
The show then concludes with a discussion surrounding the favourite movies of all-time relating to basketball from both our listeners and co-hosts, and that's a discussion that can't be contained to just the one show!
Saturday May 30, 2020
Saturday May 30, 2020
We are excited to release the first episode of Women's SBL Shootaround with a look at the impact of COVID-19, the cancellation of the 2020 season, what might pop up in its place and in-depth look at the basketball journey of the co-host.
SBL writer Chris Pike and Goldfields Giants 20-year Anniversary Team captain Randy Miegel have teamed up to bring you Women's SBL Shootaround for 2020 - and while there might not be an official season, that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to talk about.
First up the discussion surrounds the impact COVID-19 has had on forcing the cancellation of the 2020 SBL season.
As a two-time Women's SBL Coach of the Year, Randy offers his unique insight into his thoughts on the decision, what it means for the competition and players overall, and what might still possibly happen this year in place. He also comes from the perspective as the father of a current player.
It's then time for an in-depth chat with Randy about his remarkable basketball journey that began at Murray Bridge in South Australia before he headed to the Sunshine Coast and then came to Kalgoorlie where he was a player and coach at the Goldfields Giants.
He resurfaced to coach the Mandurah Magic for five years in the Women's SBL up until the end of 2018 taking them to two Grand Finals which they were heartbreakingly close to winning.
There's all of that and much more as we begin this journey on Women's SBL Shootaround.
Monday May 25, 2020
Monday May 25, 2020
Welcome to the first ever episode of Men's SBL Shootaround. There might not be an SBL season officially going ahead in 2020, but that doesn't mean there isn't still plenty to talk about and that's what we are here to do.
SBL Writer Chris Pike and a man with a remarkable legacy in the SBL as a player and coach, Ben Ettridge, have teamed up initially to dissect everything that happened in the 2020 SBL season. But now instead we will look to help fill the void of not having a competition at all thanks to COVID-19!
The first episode of Men's SBL Shootaround begins with a discussion about the show and how it came about, and what we will look to bring to our listeners and West Australian basketball fans throughout 2020.
We then discuss The Last Dance documentary and all aspects of that before taking an in-depth look at the decision to cancel the SBL season and the ramifications of that, and whether or not it was the right call in our eyes.
Rather than a special guest for this first episode, it's then time for a look back on the basketball journey of Ben Ettridge from growing up the son of a coach to his own playing career with the Cockburn Cougars, Willetton Tigers, Mandurah Magic and Perth Redbacks.
We talk about his great success coaching wheelchair basketball too and look at his incredible performance with the Joondalup Wolves where he coached for seven seasons for six Grand Final appearances, two championships and almost an 80 per cent winning record.
He left the Wolfpack at the end of 2019 and we discuss what was behind that and also why things didn't work out at the East Perth Eagles for 2020.
All that and plenty more plus a call out for your top five basketball movies which we'll discuss on our second episode!