Received - 13th August 2008
CRUSADERS WIN MAJOR AWARDS
A number of Central Coast Crusaders players were recognised for their efforts in season 2008 with major awards presented at the Basketball NSW Finals Weekend held at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on 9-10 August.

Stefan Blaszczynski was named MVP of the league for the men's Waratah Australian Basketball League competition. He also took home awards as a member of the All Star Five and for Leading Point Scorer of the league with a total of 647 points from his 19 games this season averaging 34 points per game.

Also from the Crusaders Waratah ABL men's team, captain Tim Hudson was awarded the Leading Free Throw Percentage award for his 83.1% record and Brett Wilcox was the league's leading rebounder with an average of 13.5 rebounds per game.

Jason Taylor was named in the NSW Youth League men's All Star Five team, whilst Crusaders State League men's captain Michael Tyrrell received the Defensive Player of the Year award for his competition.

Two local media agencies who work closely with the Central Coast Crusaders were also recognised with major media awards. NBN Television picked up Best Game Promotion and Best Television Coverage, whilst Coast FM 963 were recognised for Best Radio Coverage thanks to their regular Crusaders spot on their Saturday morning sports show.

2008 Basketball NSW Major Awards
Men's Waratah Australian Basketball League

NSW State League Men

NSW Youth League Men

Media Awards

Received - 10th August 2008
CRUSADERS STATE LEAGUE MEN IN GRAND FINAL
THE Central Coast Crusaders will play defending champions the Penrith Panthers in the grand final of the men's NSW State Basketball League at 12:30pm today on their home court - Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal after defeating Macarthur Heat in a very physical semi final played yesterday.

Cameron Clayton was on fire for the Crusaders as they put on a show in front of a very vocal home crowd. Clayton hit some big three-point shots to rack up a 21 point game. Carlos Ferguson and Ryan Liubinskas also kept the scorers busy with 17 and 16 points each.

It was the experience of veterans Ian 'Moose' Robilliard, Eddie Whitmore and David Cracknell however that helped steady the ship and continue the Crusaders charge to a maiden title.

Macarthur came out looking to out-muscle Central Coast, but the 'Cru' stuck together as always and built on a 36-32 half-time lead to finish eventual 75-64 victors.

A big crowd is expected on the main court of Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal today for the Crusaders clash with the Panthers. If you're a Central Coast basketball fan - this is a game not be missed. Get in early and make sure you get a seat for what is sure to be a thriller.

NSW State League Men Semi Final

Central Coast Crusaders 75 [36] (Cameron Clayton 21, Carlos Ferguson 17, Ryan Liubinskas 16) def. Macarthur Heat 64 [32] (M McCoy 24, D Rados 12, B Ryan 7)

YOUTH WOMEN BOW OUT AS BRUINS PROGRESS
THE Bankstown Bruins dished up a double blow to the Central Coast Crusaders' chances of a NSW Youth League title yesterday by defeating the host club in semi finals of both the men's and women's youth divisions of the Basketball NSW Finals Weekend at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal.

The Crusaders were down by just two points (30-32) at half time, but failed to match it with the Bruins throughout the final two periods. Bankstown running away with a convincing 86-69 win to book them a spot in Sunday's grand final against minor premiers the Bathurst Goldminers.

Georgina Gamble led the scoring for Central Coast with 17 points, whilst Paige Melville and Caitlin Eirth also finished in double figures with 13 and 12 points respectively.

For the Bruins, Lavi Kava was unstoppable with a game-high 32 points and Kellie Osborne was also strong with 21 added to the winning tally.

The Youth League women's loss to Bankstown was the second in a row for the Crusaders after their Youth League men's side were also knocked out of the championship hunt by the Bruins in the semi final played prior to the women on the main court yesterday.

NSW Youth League Semi Finals

Youth Women: Bankstown Bruins 86 [32] (L Kava 32, K Osborne 21, J McKay 13) def. Central Coast Crusaders 69 [30] (Georgina Gamble 17, Paige Melville 13, Caitlin Eirth 12)

Youth Men: Bankstown Bruins 81 [29] (W Lopez 17, N Kovacina 17, Z Johnson 12) def. Central Coast Crusaders 75 [32] (Jason Taylor 22, Dane Hillmann 14, Earvin Pepito 12)

Received - 9th August 2008
YOUTH MEN BEATEN BY BANKSTOWN
THE Central Coast Crusaders Youth League men have been defeated 81-75 by the Bankstown Bruins in their semi final at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal this morning.

The Crusaders put up a tough fight in front of their home fans and held a 32-29 lead at half time. However, a big third period from the Bruins set them up for the victory.

The Bruins will now play the winner of the other semi final between Norths Bears and Hornsby Spiders in the grand final tomorrow at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal.

NSW Youth League Men Semi Final

Bankstown Bruins 81 [32] (William Lopez 17, Nemanja Kovacina 17, Zach Johnson 12) def. Central Coast Crusaders 75 [29] (Jason Taylor 22, Dane Hillmann 14, Earvin Pepito 12)

Received - 5th August 2008
CRUSADERS TO CONTEST TITLES THIS WEEKEND
THREE Central Coast Crusaders teams will continue their charge towards championship glory in the second and final week of the Basketball NSW finals series this weekend at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal.

The Crusaders State League men and the Youth League men's and women's teams will all be playing semi final matches on Saturday and if successful, will progress to the grand finals of their respective leagues on Sunday.

The Youth League men will be the first of the Central Coast teams in action when they take on the Bankstown Bruins at 9:30am on the main court. The Youth League women will also be on court one against the Bruins straight after the men's game at 11:30am. 

Still on court one at 1:30pm and it'll be the Crusaders State League men up against Macarthur Heat.

The Crusaders led 24-16 at the first break and remained up by three points at half time before Sutherland shot their way back to a one point lead heading into the final quarter.

The home side was determined to keep their chances of a third straight championship in tact as they lifted in the fourth quarter and ended the Crusaders season despite the visitors holding the lead for the majority of the match.

Waratah ABL Men Quarter Final (2nd v 5th)

Sutherland Sharks 83 [37] (Blake Henricks 16, Brendon Gleeson 13, Dane Morris 13) def. Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders 71 [40] (Stefan Blaszczynski 35, Brett Wilcox 7, Terry Johnson 7, Kristian Blaszczynski 7) @ Sutherland Basketball Stadium on Saturday night

Received - 2nd August 2008
YOUTH LEAGUE MEN DEFEAT PENRITH
THE Central Coast Crusaders have overpowered a persistent Penrith Panthers side to finish 84-76 winners in their NSW Youth League men's quarter final at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal this morning.

The Crusaders shot out to an early lead and were up 41-33 at half-time, but with their season on the line, the Panthers had an outstanding third quarter to give them a four point (56-52) lead heading into the final period.

Central Coast found themselves in foul trouble down the stretch, but the support of the home crowd and some clutch three-point shots from Earvin Pepito got the Crusaders home in the end.

NSW Youth League Men Quarter Final (1st v 6th)

Central Coast Crusaders 84 [41] (Josh Black 21, Dane Hillmann 17, Jason Taylor 17) def. Penrith Panthers 76 [33] (T Dawson 20, S Albert 15, R Boyd 13) @ Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal

Received - 30th July 2008
CRUSADERS QUARTER FINALS THIS SATURDAY
CENTRAL Coast Crusaders fans will have the opportunity to support three of their teams this Saturday 2 August with the Youth League men and women hosting quarter final matches at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal during the day before the Crusaders Waratah Australian Basketball League men play defending premiers the Sutherland Sharks in their quarter final at Sutherland Basketball Stadium later in the evening.

The action tips-off at 11am at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal with the minor premiership winning Central Coast Crusaders Youth League men taking on the sixth placed Penrith Panthers. The Panthers will come out firing as it's all or nothing for them. A win would see Penrith progress through to the finals weekend, but a loss would mean the end of the season.

As for the Crusaders Youth League boys, they will be out to continue their good form and get a another win under their belt before heading into the finals weekend on their home courts of Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on 9-10 August. A loss to the Panthers would still see the Crusaders progress as the highest ranked loser from the quarter finals, but that's not an option according to head coach Chris Ohlback.

"Although we're guaranteed a spot in the finals weekend, we're concentrating on one game at a time and we have a job to do on Saturday to ensure we continue to build momentum in our charge for the title," said Ohlback.

"Penrith are a good team and we need to be on our game to win Saturday's quarter final," he added.

Following Saturday's Youth League men's clash, the Central Coast Crusaders (2nd) will be taking on the Illawarra Hawks (5th) in the NSW Youth League women's quarter final at 1pm at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal.

The Crusaders are coming off a loss to minor premiers Bathurst Goldminers in Bathurst last weekend, which knocked them off top spot on the ladder, whilst Illawarra will be extremely confident after defeating a tough Sydney Comets outfit in last weekend's final regular season match.

A win for either side will book them a spot in the finals weekend, whilst a loss will eliminate the Hawks. If the Crusaders lose this one, they could still progress as the highest ranked losing team depending on other quarter final results in the Youth League women's division.

The Central Coast Crusaders are encouraging fans to make the trip to Sutherland to support the club's top men's team following the Youth League games at Terrigal. The Waratah Australian Basketball League men's quarter final between the fifth ranked Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders and the second ranked Sutherland Sharks tips-off at 5pm at Sutherland Basketball Stadium and is sure to be a cracker.

The Crusaders are one of the only teams to defeat Sutherland this season and will be looking to make it two from two when they take on the Sharks on their home court.

Central Coast need to win this one to keep their title hopes alive, whilst Sutherland may get a second chance as the highest ranked loser if the Crusaders are successful on Saturday night.

With the Central Coast Crusaders State League men already preparing for the finals weekend at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on 9-10 August and the Youth League men also guaranteed a spot despite Saturday's result, the club has the potential to have all four teams charging towards a championship in front of their home crowd next weekend.

Crusaders fans - don't miss this opportunity to support your local teams as they charge towards victory in just the club's second season.

Crusaders Quarter Final Matches
This Saturday 2 August

11am @ Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal
Youth League Men Vs Penrith Panthers 

1pm @ Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal
Youth League Women Vs Illawarra Hawks

5pm @ Sutherland Basketball Stadium
Waratah ABL Men Vs Sutherland Sharks

Received - 27th July 2008
FINAL ROUND WIN SEES CRUSADERS THROUGH TO FINALS
FOR the second year in a row, the Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders are through to the finals series of the men's Waratah Australian Basketball League following an 89-81 victory over the Illawarra Hawks at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal tonight.

Both the Crusaders and the Hawks went into tonight's final regular season match in need of a win to keep their finals hopes alive and this ensured an entertaining clash for the enthusiastic crowd that braved the cold weather.

Illawarra looked the goods in the opening minutes and shot to a 13-4 lead after six minutes before the home side regrouped and took a three point lead (22-19) to the first break.

The second quarter remained tight, but the experience of Crusaders veterans Terry 'TJ' Johnson and Tim Hudson coupled with the strike power of Stefan Blaszczynski guided Central Coast to a favourable 46-38 half-time scoreline.

The Crusaders remained up by 9 points (69-60) at the final break and rounded out 8 points winners (89-81) despite a nail biting last few minutes where the Hawks remained determined to keep their season alive.

In his return from injury, Brett Wilcox was a valuable asset for the Crusaders down the stretch as he and Kristian Blaszczynski offered an extra option inside the paint contributing 9 points each.

Stefan Blaszczynski finished with a game-high double-double of 24 points and 16 rebounds, whilst also handing out 4 assists. Hudson scored 16 and Johnson added 15, but their experience in controlling the game and guiding the team to victory was their major contribution for the Crusaders.

For the Hawks, Daniel Jackson was solid with 21 points, whilst guard Dom Cooks recorded 19. Big guys Troy Pilon (14 points and 14 rebounds) and Kieran Gleeson (9 points and 16 rebounds) were strong on the boards.

The Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders will be on the road for week one of the finals series where a win will ensure they progress to the finals weekend to be held at their home courts of Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on 9-10 August.

All four Crusaders teams will feature in the finals of their respective leagues, which is an amazing effort for the club in just its second season.

The Crusaders Waratah ABL men will know exactly who and where they play next weekend once results from this weekend's final round matches are decided. However, it looks as though they are likely to play Sydney Comets in Sydney or Sutherland Sharks at Sutherland. Either way, it'll be a tough match, but one the Crusaders can win.

Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders 89 [69] (Stefan Blaszczynski 24, Tim Hudson 16, Terry Johnson 15) def. Illawarra Hawks 81 [60] (Daniel Jackson 21, Dom Cooks 19, Troy Pilon 14) in round 19 of the men's Waratah Australian Basketball League played at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal

Received - 21st July 2008
YOUTH TEAMS ON TRACK TO CLAIM MINOR PREMIERSHIPS
THE Central Coast Crusaders have already sealed a minor premiership with the club's NSW State Basketball League men's team finishing the regular season as the top team in Pool D, whilst the Youth League men and women's teams are also currently placed first in their respective competitions with just one game to play before finals.

The Crusaders Youth League men headed into Saturday's match against the Hills Hornets at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal with both teams sharing top spot on the ladder. However, coming off a hard fought win against the highly ranked Norths Bears the week before, the Crusaders were confident of knocking off the Hornets and claiming first position to themselves.

This is exactly what they did with a convincing 79-56 victory over Hills. Jason Taylor led all scorers with 30 points, whilst he also brought down 18 rebounds for Central Coast. Earvin Pepito was in great form, especially from outside the arc, and finished with 19 points.

Hills played hard, but were outclassed at both ends of the court by a determined Crusaders line-up, who now need to beat Macarthur in Macarthur this Saturday to finish minor premiers and enter the finals series as the top ranked team in the men's NSW Youth League competition.

To add to the success of the Crusaders State and Youth League men, the Youth League women are also in unstoppable form holding down first place after another big win over the weekend. The Crusaders girls defeated Hills Hornets 94-41 at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on Saturday.

Paige Melville returned to the Crusaders line-up, after missing last week's win over Norths Bears due to NSW state team commitments at the 2008 U18 National Championships, and she did so in style with a game-high 29 points. Melville was backed up by Georgina Gamble, who continued her great form with 16 points.

The Youth League women travel to Bathurst this Saturday for a tough last round match against the Bathurst Goldminers. The Crusaders will need to beat the Goldminers to hold on the first position and claim the minor premiership.

NSW Youth League Men: Central Coast Crusaders 79 [33] (Jason Taylor 30, Earvin Pepito 19, Matthew Johnston 8) def. Hills Hornets 56 [19] (J Chapman 20, R Gomes 13, R Brown 7) @ Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on Saturday

NSW Youth League Women: Central Coast Crusaders 94 [46] (Paige Melville 29, Georgina Gamble 16, Tiffany Smedes 13) def. Hills Hornets 41 [21] (J Johnson 18, C Liu 10, R Crawford 5) @ Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on Saturday

COMETS PREVAIL IN THRILLER
IF Saturday night's round 18 men's Waratah Australian Basketball League clash between the Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders and the Sydney Comets is anything to go by - then the upcoming finals series is guaranteed to be a cracker!

In a match described by many who witnessed it as "the game of the year," the home side threw everything at the Comets, but despite a massive 52 point haul from Crusaders star Stefan Blaszczynski, Sydney prevailed 108-102 victors to remain at the top of the league ladder heading into next weekend's final round of the regular season.

After last Sunday's shock loss to the Manly Sea Eagles at Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre, the Crusaders were desperate to get a win over the more fancied Comets side and the Central Coast guys came out firing to hold a 3 point (23-20) lead at the first break.

The visitors got back on top in the second period and had the 3 point lead in their advantage with a 47-44 scoreline in favour of Sydney at half time.

The lead changed 23 times throughout the match and it was anyone's game down the stretch, but a controversial foul call on Crusaders captain Tim Hudson coupled with an even more controversial technical foul late in the final period put the game out of reach for Central Coast and allowed Sydney to extend the difference on the scoreboard.

Stefan Blaszczynski had what is sure to be one of the best performances in a losing team with an amazing 52 points, 13 rebounds and 3 steals. Again leaving everyone asking why an NBL team is yet to sign him for the upcoming season considering his dominant lead of the Waratah Australian Basketball League in scoring with 588 points so far this year. Blaszczynski is 124 points clear of the league's second highest scorer - Bankstown's Clint Reed with 464.

Promoted to the starting line-up by coach Rex Nottage due to the importance of the game, Crusaders NBL veteran Terry 'TJ' Johnson was instrumental in his side's performance, but another NBL veteran was also on his game for the visitors - Stephen Whitehead top scored for the Comets with 28 points in a great display of experience and composure.

Chris Stauber (19 points and 14 rebounds) and Michael Seckold (16 points) were also crucial for Sydney, whilst Paul Frohmuller (17 points) and Hudson (9 points) wore their hearts on their sleeve for the Crusaders and never gave up.

With the Sutherland Sharks suffering an unexpected loss to Newcastle over the weekend, the Sydney Comets are now favourites to take out the minor premiership, whilst the Crusaders need to win their home game against Illawarra this Saturday night to ensure a spot within the top six teams progressing to the finals series.

Waratah Australian Basketball League Men - Round 18

Sydney Comets 108 (Stephen Whitehead 28, Chris Stauber 19, Michael Seckold 16) def. Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders 102 (Stefan Blaszczynski 52, Paul Frohmuller 17, Tim Hudson 9) @ Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on Saturday night

STATE LEAGUE MEN PROGRESS TO FINALS WEEKEND
AFTER traveling six and a half hours to the venue, the Central Coast Crusaders made the most of their visit to Grafton on Saturday night by defeating the Grafton Vikings 57-46 in their NSW State Basketball League men's crossover final.

The Crusaders now progress through to the finals weekend on 9 - 10 August at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal. They will play a grand final qualifier on the Saturday and if victorious, will progress through to the decider on the Sunday.

Saturday night's match against Grafton was always going to be tough considering the Vikings had also finished top of their pool with a 17 win - 1 loss record and they had the home court advantage, but despite being unaware of the opposition's strengths and style of play, the Crusaders were always positive they would get the win and book their spot in the finals weekend.

It was a hard fought first half with the scores locked at 22 a piece at the main break, but the experience of veterans Ian 'Moose' Robilliard, Eddie Whitmore and David Cracknell helped steady the visitors and got them over the line in the end.

Along with Cracknell, tough defensive efforts from Gary Bruderlin and Tim Anderson stopped Grafton's big men from damaging the Crusaders inside the paint.

Early foul trouble for Crusaders usual scoring machine Ryan Liubinskas kept him sidelined for a lot longer than planned, but allowed guard Carlos Ferguson to step up with an amazing 10 point final quarter that gave him 13 for the game. 

Whitmore finished with 10 points including two crucial three-point shots, whilst Robilliard contributed 9 points to the winning tally.

The low scoring affair showed the importance of a great team effort in defense including high intensity from Dan Pratt, Michael Tyrrell and James Thomas. The effort from these guys helped make up for a number of shots that just wouldn't drop and a 12 - 6 foul count against the Crusaders in the first half.

The all round enthusiasm from the entire Central Coast team coupled with the supporters who made the trip up north, nearly lifted the roof off Grafton Basketball Stadium. Special mention goes to Crusaders Chairman Murray Ryan along with Chas and Debra Black, who made a surprise visit to support the Central Coast team.

With the Grafton road trip now out of the way, the Crusaders won't have to travel far for the finals weekend. The team has two weekends off before they look to take out the 2008 NSW State League men's title on their home courts.

NSW State League Men's Crossover Final

Central Coast Crusaders 57 (Carlos Ferguson 13, Eddie Whitmore 10, Ian Robilliard 9) def. Grafton Vikings 46 @ Grafton Basketball Stadium on Saturday night

Received - 14th July 2008
CRUSADERS SPLIT DOUBLE HEADER
THE Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders remain in fifth spot on the men's Waratah Australian Basketball League ladder after recording both a win and a loss in their round 17 double header clashes over the weekend.

The Crusaders tipped-off the tough double header weekend with a 99-72 win over the Newcastle Hunters at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on Saturday night, but failed to back this up on Sunday at Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre where they went down 76-83 to the Manly Sea Eagles after leading for the majority of the game.

Stefan Blaszczynski led the Crusaders in Saturday night's win over Newcastle with 35 points and 11 rebounds, whilst the return of veteran Terry 'TJ' Johnson proved valuable in overcoming the Hunters physical style of play. With 34 minutes on court, Johnson added 10 points and dished up 5 assists.

Paul Frohmuller and Kristian Blaszczynski added 16 and 11 points respectively and young point guard Josh Black, who is gaining more confidence in the senior team every week, also impressed the home crowd.

A leg injury restricted starting point guard Levi McFadden to just four minutes court time on Saturday night and also ruled him out of Sunday's away game against Manly. Returning from injury, Johnson was rested for Sunday's match and with Brett Wilcox, Dane Hillmann and Jordan Simmons already unavailable, the Crusaders were restricted to just eight players.

Despite the short playing roster, the Crusaders held the lead for 38 minutes before the Sea Eagles flew down the stretch to record an 83-76 victory and prevent the Crusaders from moving into the top four on the league ladder.

The Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders are at home for their last two regular season matches against the second placed Sydney Comets and the eighth placed Illawarra Hawks. Both are now must win games for the Crusaders if they are to stay within the top six on the ladder and book their spot in the finals series.

This Saturday night's clash with the Comets tips-off at 7pm at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal.

Men's Waratah Australian Basketball League - Round 17

Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders 99 (Stefan Blaszczynski 35, Paul Frohmuller 16, Kristian Blaszczynski 11) def. Newcastle Hunters 72 (Jonathan Howe 12, Steven Hall 11, Matthew Cook 10) @ Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on Saturday night Box Score

Manly Sea Eagles 83 (Jacob Braddy 24, PJ Isaacson 15, Duane Jordan 14) def. Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders 76 (Stefan Blaszczynski 22, Tim Hudson 19, Noman Shoaib 11, Kristian Blaszczynski 11) @ Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre on Sunday afternoon Box Score

Received - 11th July 2008
HUDSONS HILARIOUS HYPNOTIC ENTERTAINMENT
THE Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders in conjunction with the Gosford City Rebels will be hosting a hilarious night of hypnotic entertainment with well-known hypnotist Greg Hudson at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on Friday 22 August.

Entertainment starts at 7:30pm with plenty of music and fun activities to compliment the laughs you are sure to have during Hudson's hypnosis show.

Alcohol will be available for purchase at the bar, whilst you will be required to BYO nibblies.

Tickets are $25 per head with seating for tables of 10. Make it a night to remember and book your tickets now by calling Kim Eirth on (02) 4385 3577.

Click here to access streaming video and photos from some of Hudson's shows.

Received - 8th July 2008
CRUSADERS CHARGE INTO STATE LEAGUE FINALS
THE Central Coast Crusaders will charge into week one of the men's NSW State Basketball League finals series in prime position after recording two victories in their cross-over pool matches played at Sutherland Basketball Stadium over the weekend.

As the top ranked team from Pool D, the Crusaders took on the Shoalhaven Tigers and the Bathurst Goldminers, who were ranked 6th and 5th respectively in Pool B heading into the central venue weekend.

Saturday's game against Shoalhaven was dominated by the Crusaders, who finished comfortable 103-54 winners after being up by 26 points at half time. Ryan Liubinskas led all scorers with 28 points and was supported well in the paint by Gary Bruderlin with 17. Guard Carlos Ferguson also contributed 14 points to the winning tally.

The Crusaders backed up on Sunday morning to again shoot out to a convincing half time lead over the Bathurst Goldminers. Central Coast extended the 46-22 half time scoreline to a 95-44 victory in the end.

Liubinskas again kept the scorers busy with 16 points, whilst fellow young gun Cameron Clayton top scored with 25. As with Saturday's game, the Crusaders were again strong inside the key thanks to Tim Anderson's 15 point performance.

The two wins sealed the Pool D minor premiership for the Crusaders State League men and sets them up for a week one finals clash with the Grafton Vikings, who also went through the central venue weekend undefeated and are placed at the top of Pool A with just one loss for the season so far.

The Central Coast team will travel to Grafton for the match on Saturday 19 July with the winner automatically progressing to the finals weekend on 9-10 August. The loser will get a second chance to progress to the finals weekend with a home semi-final on Saturday 26 July.

"Having not seen Grafton play, we don't know a great deal about them, but in saying that, our guys are focused on the job ahead of us and we are confident that we can overcome any team we come up against," said Crusaders State League men's player / coach Ian 'Moose' Robilliard, who with 274 NBL games experience, knows what it takes to win tough matches.

"At the end of the day it's often your defensive effort that wins you games in finals and you only have to look at our stats throughout the year to see that we can restrict the scoring abilities of any team in the league," added Robilliard.

Received - 6th July 2008
BLASZCZYNSKI BROTHERS STAR IN WIN
BROTHERS Stefan and Kristian Blaszczynski stared for the Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders in a convincing 112-86 victory over the Hornsby Spiders in round 16 of the men's Waratah Australian Basketball League last night at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal.

The Crusaders returned to their home court after more than a month on the road and came out firing as they shot to a 10 point lead just six minutes into the game and held a 28-19 lead at the first break.

The Spiders came crawling back late in the second quarter to reduce the home side's lead to just 6 points at the main break, but dropped off again in the second half with a number of technical fouls against the visitors helping the Crusaders shoot their way to a 26 point victory.

Stefan Blaszczynski continued his unstoppable form as the league's leading scorer with another game-high 43 points, whilst he was also busy on the boards pulling down a total of 15 rebounds including 11 at the defensive end.

Older brother Kristian also impressed the home crowd with a 16 point-14 rebounds double-double inside the paint and young point guard Josh Black was on fire with 19 points including some big shots from outside the arc.

The Crusaders were without the ever reliable Brett Wilcox due to injury, but everyone stepped up and covered the extra workload without hassle. Coach Rex Nottage even had the luxury of prolonging the return of star Terry 'TJ' Johnson for another week to ensure he is well and truly recovered from the wrist injury that has kept him sidelined for past two months. Johnson's experience of over 200 NBL games is sure be a major force behind the Crusaders finals campaign.

The Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders have a double header next weekend against the Newcastle Hunters at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on Saturday night before heading to Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre to take on the Manly Sea Eagles on Sunday. Both games will be tough encounters and are vital in the Crusaders climb up the league ladder.

Waratah Australian Basketball League - Round 16

Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders 112 (Stefan Blaszczynski 43, Josh Black 19, Kristian Blaszczynski 16) def. Hornsby Spiders 86 (Adrian Seiffert 31, Drew Williamson 15, David Bastian 14) at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal on Saturday night Full Stats

Received - 5th July 2008
WILCOX INJURY BLOW FOR CRUSADERS
WITH the experienced Terry 'TJ' Johnson returning from injury this weekend, the Central Coast 'Oxigen' Crusaders were looking forward to getting their best team back on the court as they charge towards the finals of the 2008 Waratah Australian Basketball League.

However, these plans suffered a huge blow today with the news that Brett Wilcox, who has been the side's most consistent performer this season, will miss four to six weeks with a hand injury suffered at training through the week.

Wilcox has been in outstanding form throughout season 2008 and with a total of 124 points and 140 rebounds to date, he has been recording double-doubles in just about every game this year.

This outstanding form in the Waratah Australian Basketball League earned Wilcox a recent invitation to attend an NBL Prospects Camp that is being held for current NBL coaches to identify potential signings for Australia's top basketball league. An opportunity that Wilcox is now likely to miss due to his injury.

Wilcox's unavailability over the coming weeks will leave a huge hole in the Crusaders line-up, but will provide an opportunity for fellow big man Kristian Blaszczynski to play a major role in his side's charge towards the finals.

The Crusaders have five games left in the regular season before the commencement of the finals series on Saturday 2 August. The first of these five games will be played this Saturday night at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal against the Hornsby Spiders. Action tips-off at 7pm.

For more information please contact, Luke Tucker/Program Manager