Hoops Heaven’s Basketball Hustle – Season 4, Episode 20

The NBL23 Play-In Tournament is done with the Perth Wildcats eliminating the South East Melbourne Phoenix who then got bundled out by the Cairns Taipans as they join the Sydney Kings, NZ Breakers and Tasmania JackJumpers in the final four which we break down on Hoops Heaven's Basketball Hustle.

Cody Ellis and Chris Pike break down the Play-In Tournament and if it was a success or not while also looking back on the now ended NBL seasons of the South East Melbourne Phoenix and Perth Wildcats as well as the outlook for the Brisbane Bullets under new coach Justin Schueller.

We also look ahead to what's to come in the two NBL23 Playoffs Series and discuss whether there's any hope for the Tasmania JackJumpers against the NZ Breakers without Josh Magette and just why having some less talent available might give Cairns Taipans a sniff against the Sydney Kings.

We open up this week's Hoops Heaven's Basketball Hustle with an update on how Cody Ellis' NBL1 West season is shaping up at the Warwick Senators with the coaching staff headed up by former Joondalup Wolves' championship masterminds Luke Brennan and Ben Ettridge.

We then get stuck into talking about the opening to the NBL23 Finals where we discuss an epic collapse by the South East Melbourne Phoenix but dazzling fourth quarter led by Bryce Cotton from the Perth Wildcats.

That led into Sunday's Play-In Game where the Cairns Taipans continued to prove the doubters wrong by beating the Perth Wildcats despite the absence of Tahjere McCall and Keanu Pinder. We talk about why that might have actually been a positive to allow DJ Hogg and Bul Kuol to shine.

We discuss the beginning of the first semi-final series and just how dominant and impressive the New Zealand Breakers were and why the Tasmania JackJumpers face such an uphill battle without their point guard Josh Magette.

Also on this week's Hoops Heaven's Basketball Hustle, we look back on our own awards throughout NBL23 with Matty Knight naming Milton Doyle the Player of the Year, Damian Martin naming Justin Simon the Best Defensive Player and Scott Ninnis narrowing down The Best Team Man winner of #TheGalen down to Xavier Cooks and Antonius Cleveland.

We then transition into giving our reaction to the #NBL23 award winners announced last week and then wrap up the seasons of the South East Melbourne Phoenix and Perth Wildcats.

We talk about the season of the Phoenix where they never quite fully clicked largely through to a tough injury run again and the absence of Zhou Qi. We then talk about their prospects moving forward, whether Simon Mitchell should remain in charge and if Tyler Johnson should be their recruiting target.

It's then onto the Perth Wildcats where we go through their roster and Cody Ellis gives a yes or no to who he thinks should be brought back, why this season never quite reached its potential and what the outlook is moving forward.

We then discuss the Brisbane Bullets announcing Justin Schueller as their new coach and wrap up the show by previewing the two Playoffs Series between the New Zealand Breakers and Tasmania JackJumpers, and Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans.

All made possible thanks to the support of Hoops Heaven (www.hoopsheaven.com.au).