WITH nine rounds of the Queensland Basketball League (QSL) Men’s done and dusted the ladder is really starting to take shape as it becomes clear which teams are more offensive or defensive. Sitting on top of the table is RedCity Roar with their undefeated record intact thanks to 10 straight wins and subsequently leading the way for points scored given their explosiveness and plethora of options when it comes to attacking the rim. In terms of points against Ipswich Force have proven incredibly difficult to score against given their defensive tendencies while down the bottom of the ladder the Seahawks have proven to have somewhat of a leaky defence and inability to score with fluidity.

Best offensive teams:

RedCity Roar sit pretty in first place with an impressive 1054 points for, highlighting their ability to attack the basket and do so in a convincing fashion. With the likes of Harry Froling in their team who averages 30 plus points a game it is incredibly difficult to stop the Roar from scoring. Throw in the likes of Darryl McDowell-White who is also handy when it comes to hitting the scoreboard sitting at an average of 24.2 points a game and brother William with 23.22 points a game it is no wonder why Roar hold the title for the most offensive side in the league.

The Southern Districts Spartans also rank second for points scored with 981 to their name, indicating why they are positioned so highly on the ladder while Logan Thunder have also proved their attacking ability recording 965 points. While neither team has a representative in the top five when it comes to average points it is their ability to share the load around that makes them damaging, as a host of players can bob up and have an impact. In a reflection of their ladder position, North Gold Coast Seahawks have been unable to effectively find the net in 2020 sitting at a lowly 627 points for the season, the only side to sit in the 600s with the next closest, the Northside Wizards on 715 points.

1 RedCity Roar (1054)
2 Southern Districts Spartans  (981)
3 Logan Thunder (965)
4 Brisbane Capitals (957)
5 Sunshine Coast Phoenix Teal (934)
6 Ipswich Force (870)
7 South West Metro Pirates (855)
8 Toowoomba Mountaineers (764)
9 Gold Coast Rollers (728)
10 USC Rip City (720)
11 Northside Wizards (715)
12 North Gold Coast Seahawks (627)

Best defensive teams:

Ipswich Force have conceded the least amount of points of any team throughout the competition so far credit to their impressive defensive efforts across the court. They have only had 734 points scored against them 51 points less than the next best in the Spartans. Southern Districts claimed second spot, a clear indication of their ability to play both a defensive and offensive game as they sit second for points scored as well. The Spartans have a relatively even spread of players that can stand up and flick the switch between offence and defence with Tyrell Harrison leading the pack with a collective 16 blocks. It is a bit of a mid-table logjam with a number of teams ranging between that 820 points to 860 points conceded highlighting the overall defensive attributes of the league.

In terms of individual defensive efforts, Froling is a key contributor for the Roar with a competition high 102 defensive rebounds while South West Metro Pirates’ Tanner Krebs has proven to be a menace off the boards with 84 rebounds to his name. Nelson Kahler has been an influential member for the Phoenix Teal with 75 rebounds and 15 blocks throughout the year, playing an integral role in their defence. Languishing down the bottom of the ladder North Gold Coast Seahawks and Toowoomba Mountaineers have struggled to stop teams from scoring. The Seahawks have had an all-round difficult season , unable to register a win so far with their defence proving to be leaky much like the Mountaineers who, hold onto ninth spot on the overall ladder but have failed to stop their opposition from scoring.

1 Ipswich Force (734)
2 Southern Districts Spartans (785)
3 Brisbane Capitals (792)
4 Gold Coast Rollers (797)
5 South West Metro Pirates (821)
6 Sunshine Coast Phoenix Teal (839)
7 Northside Wizards (845)
8 RedCity Roar (855)
9 USC Rip City (864)
10 Logan Thunder (898)
11 North Gold Coast Seahawks (955)
12 Toowoomba Mountaineers (985)

Photo sourced from: Brad Anderson