The Bench Units Podcast

Nothing says the season is kicked into gear like a decent spread of close games and abject hammerings.The picture becomes clearer with each passing round of the domestic competitions, and this one saw two Spanish superpowers separate themselves from some new challengers, a German squad continue to only be able to play nailbiters, and Europe’s premier individual and team scoring shows continue to push their own bar higher.Hit up ko-fi.com/benchunits to support the podcast in exchange for subscriber-only content! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

They don't get much bigger than this.With 3 Paralympic golds, 1 World Championship and 5 Champions Cup titles to his name, Joey Johnson retired from wheelchair basketball in 2012 but is now part of Canadian wheelchair basketball as perhaps the world's most accomplished assistant coach.Joey gives us a whistle stop tour of both his international and club careers, including a span that saw team Canada lose a single game across 4 Paralympics but also left him and a teammate splitting a single professional contract.ko-fi.com/benchunits to support the podcast! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Early season games means it's time for sweeping judgements that can be neither proved nor disproved. In other words, it is peak Bench Units content season.With 7 games in Spain and 5 in Germany, we get our first look at a handful of teams and now some specific early results may have a butterfly effect on the season's final standings.ko-fi.com/benchunits to support to podcast! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Fire up the basketball season treadmill and set it to marathon mode, or whatever other setting treadmills have to indicate that something will be long and some people will talk about it like it's a bigger deal than it is.Spain debuted it's new Supercopa (where the winner gets a plaque) to start the new season, while Germany's spread of games saw businesslike wins, nail-biters and convincing upsets.As we've been dying to do all summer, we microanalyse the goings-on!ko-fi.com/benchunits to support the podcast, in exchange for exclusive subscribers-only content! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Well, nobody called this one.With just over 2 months to go until the 2022 edition of the IWBF World Championships, last Friday (9th Sept) saw an announcement that the event would be postponed until next summer, 9 months from now.A still-incredulous James and Mark hit the record button in an attempt to resolve some of the vague reasoning provided, and anticipate what the fallout of delaying yet another major international competition might be.Thank you to all our listeners who submitted questions and input to help guide us for this episode. Please do get in touch if there is anything additional that you would like to discuss directly or hear addressed on a future episode.Visit ko-fi.com/benchunits to donate, subscribe and support the podcast in exchange for exclusive content! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

With the U23 World Championships 2021 set to tip off in Phuket, Thailand on the 7th September, James and Mark decided it was about time they were joined by someone who could make them feel old.With Spain projecting to be the favourites to bring the gold back from Thailand, we are pleased to be joined by Pincho Ortega. Pincho talks about his years growing and developing in two outstanding basketball situations of CD Ilunion and University of Alabama, as well as how a 7th-place finish in the 2017 Junior European Championships lit the fire under his country’s current crop of young talent.Pincho previews a world tournament that is full of unknowns and potentially dangerous teams that may be underestimated following some junior tournaments that were tarnished by COVID-19.Pincho also takes questions from our listeners, hands out the Bench Units Belt, and continues to remind us of the importance of being able to adapt.With it getting close to the basketball season starting again, make sure you hit up ko-fi.com/benchunits to subscribe and support the podcast, in exchange for exclusive content! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

What a summer it has been for Kady Dandeneau.The Canadian Women’s forward stops by Bench Units following a summer that has seen her bag gold medals at both the Americas Cup and the inaugural wheelchair basketball appearance at the Commonwealth Games.Kady takes us through everything from the moment she discovered wheelchair basketball, after an injury halted her career in the able-bodied game, and the long climb up the chair-skills ladder to get to the point of being a crucial member of a squad that has their eyes on a third gold medal by the end of the year.On top of that, Kady drops the scoop on what’s next for her club career!With it getting close to the basketball season starting again, make sure you hit up ko-fi.com/benchunits to subscribe and support the podcast, in exchange for exclusive content! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

We've seen a huge rise in the popularity of 3X3 basketball lately, including the able-bodied version being featured at Tokyo 2020 for the first time.Wheelchair basketball is also about to make history, as 3X3 will be featured at this summer's Commonwealth Games.Jack Gibbs was onto 3X3 well before it was cool and, as part of the High Rollers, has just completed his second open-invitation 3X3 wheelchair basketball tournament in Essex last month. It doesn't stop there, as his plans are only getting more ambitious!Jack joins Bench Units to explain why 3X3 has become so popular so quickly, and how it's here to stay as a legitimate alternative to traditional basketball. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Having recently announced that he will be leaving the reigning champions of Europe, Kyle Marsh joins James & Mark to give us the scoop on what the future holds for him.Kyle talks us through why now was the right time to move on from Amiab, a club that he has been crucial in legitimising over the last 8 seasons, as well as what went into a family-orientated decision-making process that lead him to joining Amivel Malaga.We examine the other stops in Kyle’s club career and what he’s learnt along the way, and he also takes your questions!www.ko-fi.com/benchunits to support the podcast and access exclusive content! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

His Rollers teammates will tell you that it was either a return to Europe or a retirement from wheelchair basketball.Fortunately for us, it was the former. Earlier this off-season, Hannover United announced maybe the most surprising signing of the summer so far when they revealed that they would be incorporating Shaun Norris for the coming season.We caught up with Shaun to talk about his international career with the Aussie Rollers, his club career as a member of Perth Wheelcats, and his decision to sign with Hannover for his third stint in Europe and first in Germany.Shaun then takes some questions from our listeners and awards the prestigious Bench Units Belt!Head to www.ko-fi.com/benchunits and donate or subscribe to the podcast, in exchange for exclusive content! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

He's back!After a Bench Units appearance back in February where he was made to pick the bones of a tough defeat, newly-crowned Deutsche Meister Tommy Böhme couldn't say no to stopping in for a victory lap at our expense.Tommy talks about how, for RSV Lahn-Dill, a loss to their Thuringia Bulls at Champions Cup 2022 set them on a path to defeating their rivals in two straight games on the way to becoming champions of Germany.We hear it all from Tommy's perspective, from his agreeing to come off the bench, to hitting the title-clinching free-throw, to the immense respect that the two titans of the German league have for each other.Don't forget to follow us on www.ko-fi.com/benchunits, where you can donate, subscribe and support the podcast to gain access to exclusive content! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

If you're reading this, the news is officially out. At the end of last season, Phil Pratt announced that he would be leaving Mideba Extremadura after four seasons. Phil represents a huge free agent signing for an Amiab squad that is going through some structural changes after being crowned Champions of Europe to close the 2022 season. Phil talks about his decision to leave Mideba, join Amiab, and the various other stops along the way in his career up to this point. He also discusses what his hopes for the coming season are with his new club. With all that covered, Phil takes questions from our listeners and awards the Bench Units Belt to his chosen recipient. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

When news of one of the first signings of the offseason breaks that quickly, it certainly does make you question how on earth you're going to keep up to all the transfers that you hope to cover this summer. We wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth, and Fabian Romo was kind enough to oblige. Fabian sits down with James and Mark to talk about the various stops in his career so far, from the Houston Hot Wheels, to the UTA Movin' Mavs, to Amfiv Vigo and his experiences with Team USA. We then get into Fabian's decision to sign with Valladolid; how it came about, who he's excited to play with, and what his goals are in his first season with his new team.Fabian then hand-picks his recipient for The Bench Units Belt.Don't forget to follow us on www.ko-fi.com/benchunits, where you can donate, subscribe and support the podcast! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Following the announcement that the European chapter of his career is coming to an end, James & Mark are joined by soon-to-be-ex RSV Lahn-Dill superstar, Brian Bell.A two-time Paralympic gold medallist and 2021 Champions Cup winner, Brian sits down with the guys to reflect on his nine years playing overseas, split between Lahn-Dill and Briantea Cantu.Brian discusses the highlights and staggering collection of teammates that come with the territory of suiting up for powerhouse clubs, as well as how evolving his game across situations has benefited him as a player and how it might serve him as a veteran in the new era of the USA national team.With the last decade analysed, Brian answers questions from our listeners.To support the podcast, head to www.ko-fi.com/benchunits, where you will find exclusive content and can choose to donate or subscribe! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

BREAKING NEWS!Welcome to the first in our Inside Scoop series, where we will be releasing our pre-recorded interviews with wheelchair basketball players who have just broken the news of their signing with a new club.We are joined by a Bench Units favourite in Rose Hollermann, who has officially made the jump from Spain to Germany and will play for RSV Lahn-Dill after 3 season in Gran Canaria.Rose talks about her Gran Canaria tenure, adapting to playing in a male-dominated league in Europe, how it helped her develop as a player and check off some life goals along the way.Following that, Rose discusses what drew her to Lahn-Dill, and what her hopes and expectations are for joining the world's most professional wheelchair basketball club.Don't forget to follow us on www.ko-fi.com/benchunits, where you can donate, subscribe and support the podcast! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

What an ending to the season. Newly-crowned Copa del Rey champion, James MacSorley, and Mark break down a show-stopping weekend of actions as three domestic competitions come to a close in our final round-up of the 2021/22 season. With two playoff finals being decided by a margin of just a point, the guys get into how Cantu and Lahn-Dill won their respective playoff series to earn the title of Italian and German champions.We then get into the fallout of Spain's end-of-season Copa del Rey tournament, culminating in James's undefeated Bilbao starting lineup earning him last laugh in a grudge match final against Gran Canaria. With game action coming to a halt over summer, we're going to be reaching deep into our bag of tricks and little black books of potential guests in order to keep the content flowing. Make sure to catch it all at https://www.ko-fi.com/benchunits, and feel free to donate or subscribe to show your support to the podcast! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

With the season reaching the business end, every remaining weekend brings real consequences. James & Mark break down how the final Spanish league standings shake out ahead of next weekend's Copa del Rey, as well as what can be learned from some of the match-ups we've seen along the way and how much the season-long rankings actually matter when it comes down to a cup competition. The guys then cover not one but TWO upset wins. In a good week to be the underdog in the first game of a best-of-3 playoff finals series, Giulianova put the pressure on Cantu and Lahn-Dill take the first step towards vengeance over Thuringia. To support Bench Units and gain access to exclusive content, head over to www.ko-fi.com/benchunits! Your support is always appreciated! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

What. A. Weekend. James gets back from Champions Cup and can't wait to break down everything that we saw across 12 action-packed games. The guys analyse all 8 teams that took to the floor, what can be taken from the final standings, the key matchups and a semi-final round that stole the show! With Europe's premier club competition officially in the books for this year, the guys take some time to congratulate the new champions, Amiab Albacete, and get into what made their tournament so successful. Regrettably, this couldn't be done without discussing Kyle Marsh's glaring omission from the All-Star 5. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

We bring you the busiest Weekend Round-Up in Bench Units history! After getting his baby-name hot-takes off for the first 5 minutes of the show (feel free to skip), James & Mark dive into a week headlined by the Coppa Italia and the Coupe de France, as well as the regular slate of Spanish League action. The guys react to some of the teams and players that are less familiar viewing to them, and discuss the significance of cup competitions versus regular league games, as well as how the trophy should always look the part.Make sure to go support us at www.ko-fi.com/benchunits, where you will find all of our exclusive Eurocup coverage ahead of Champions Cup! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

With a makeshift Eurocup 2 tournament in the books, James and Mark break down the strange, 5-team round-robin that saw Red Dragon's Metz be crowned Eurocup 2 champions. The guys break the tournament down one team at a time, covering the results of various clashes of styles and levels of familiarity between the opponents. We highlight the crucial match-ups in the biggest games, some huge individual performances and some uncovered gems on the lesser-known squads that were in action. With all that talked through, our hosts give their All-Star 5 picks for the tournament. Head to www.ko-fi.com/benchunits to become an official Bench Units supporter! All exclusive bonus content is free throughout April & May, but any donations & subscriptions are hugely appreciated! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Eurocup 1 is in the books! An 8-team field from Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Israel, Austria and Switzerland took no prisoners as it jumped straight to the knock-out rounds. James and Mark talk through Gran Canaria's weekend-long offensive clinic, the difficulties in maintaining execution when playing three high-stakes games in 48 hours, and how teams from less established leagues are able to step up and perform against stronger opposition than they are used to. We talk through the key performances, match-ups and results that defined the tournament, as well as how quickly scouting can change with so many games played in such a short span, and how Gran Canaria may have finally made their lasting stamp on Eurocup basketball going forward. With the tournament all dissected, our hosts pick their All-Star teams. Head to www.ko-fi.com/benchunits to become an official Bench Units supporter! All exclusive bonus content is free throughout April & May, but any donations & subscriptions are hugely appreciated! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Fresh of Commonwealth Games 2022 qualification, James returns to show off his knowledge of 3 on 3 basketball. With that taken care of, the guys get into breaking down a last-man-standing playoff series between Lahn-Dill and Hannover, as well as a full slate of games from the Spanish League over Easter weekend. Eurocup 1 & 2 take place this coming weekend, so head over to www.ko-fi.com/benchunits to check out our exclusive coverage. All content is free but any donations and subscriptions are appreciated! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

With a full weekend of action in Spain and a German playoff game now in the books, James and Mark take you through everything you might have missed or not yet concluded that you didn't care to notice. The guys talk through some not-so-clinical scuffling for position at the bottom of the Spanish League, a couple of clinics in putting the game away when it was called for, and a clinical masterclass as Thuringia Bulls continue to take on all comers. Make sure you catch all of our exclusive content over on our new Ko-fi page! Content is free throughout March & April, but any donations or subscriptions go a long way in helping us continue to grow Bench Units. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

After a couple of weeks of James's handpicked co-hosts, we're bringing back the old original formula. Mark returns to the show to chop up the latest weekend of wheelchair basketball action from around Europe. The guys talk about some games in the Spanish League that will have a very real impact on the final standings, before digging into the playoff games from both Germany and Italy. For access to exclusive content, or to support the podcast, check out ko-fi.com/benchunits Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Gaz joins James to talk about a wide range of topics including but not limited to: The Oscars, The Matrix, Wheelchair Basketball games that took place this weekend, and the NBA's dress code. Listen in to hear James and Gaz's thoughts on everything that went on this weekend around the league and around the world. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

It's not every day we're joined by one of the most era-defining players of their generation, especially when they're now immersed full-time in helping to steer the next generation of talent. In our latest guest spot, James & Mark are joined by Paralympic and World Champion, and Aussie Rollers legend, Brad Ness. Brad talks us through his entire playing career, from his early days in Perth and first-ever Paralympics in front of a home crowd in Sydney, to his adventures in Italy, overseeing a 10-year Rollers dynasty, and his transition into coaching.Brad also tells plenty of stories about the other legendary characters he's met along the way, and takes the time to answer your questions. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

This week, James is once again joined by Rose Hollerman, as all the other people he wanted to do this with were busy. Join James and his 4th choice podcast co-host, 36th favourite Minnesotan to break down all this weekend's games in varying levels of detail, and get their insight on what went right and wrong for teams in yet another big weekend for the leagues in Spain, Germany, and France. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

This week, James is joined by Rose Hollermann to talk about this week's games. Not bad timing, considering it was just off the back of a big win this weekend. It feels like subbing a 1.5 for a 3.5 should put this week's podcast over points, but tune in anyway to hear James and Rose talk about all the action from last weekend, and to find out who gets the belt this week! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

As is a well-acknowledged fact in Bench Units circles, we have to face the truth that all the basketball nuts & bolts that us and our listeners live for are almost entirely irrelevant without some level of competent shooting. With neither of our hosts being qualified to lecture you on the subject, we've brought in not only one of the best to ever do it, but one of the best to tell others how to do it. James and Mark are joined by Dave Hopla, who has experience as an NBA Shooting Coach, one-to-one offensive skills coach, and conductor of training camps focusing on the purest way to put the ball in the hole. Coach talks us through how he got into coaching a particular set of skills, the players he's worked with, whether any shot is truly "broken", and just what might be Ben Simmons' problem. Coach then shares his infinite bucket-getting wisdom as he answers questions from our listeners. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

With another weekend of action in the books, James and Mark break down a series of upset wins that took place. Bilbao continue to play spoiler to the powers in the Spanish league, while Valladolid notch their second consecutive close win and force Mark into a more sincere apology than last week. Elsewhere, Trier scored a surprise blowout over Koln and Vigo came away with a nail-biter win over Malaga. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

What a weekend of action. James and Mark start with the Spanish League, where a last-second basket gave league-leading Albacete their first defeat of the season, Ilunion settled a score from earlier in the season, and Valladolid finally ended their slide. Over in Germany: an upset win for BBC Muensterland, a close shave for Rhine River Rhinos, and the expected overwhelming of underequipped opponents by the league's two resident titans. All that covered, we reassign the Bench Units Belt! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

With a game that was circled on the Bundesliga calendar all season now in the books, we are joined by none other than Lahn-Dill lifer and German National Team superstar Tommy Böhme. Tommy talks us through his beginnings in wheelchair basketball that lead to him joining the world's most professional wheelchair basketball club, at age 18, and training against legends of the game on a daily basis. We also talk about Germany's performances in recent international tournaments and their future outlook following a slight changing of the guard. Finally, Tommy gets into detail about Lahn-Dill's recent defeat at the hands of their German League rivals, and how the team will look to bounce back for an inevitable high-stakes rematch. With all that out of the way, Tommy answers your questions. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

After another wild week, James and Mark are back to bring you all the juice! We talk about a range of games in the Spanish League, including a grudge match of teams that we have branded as disappointing at some point in the season, that will see one of them mathematically compelled to get a win. We're also treated to not one, but TWO of one of our favourite sub-topics: "why was this so close at half-time?!" After that, the guys move onto a pair of German League games that see the Bench Units Belt change has but remain in Germany, following a monstrous 55-point outburst from Dirk Paßiwan, who just so happens to be the star of our recurring segment "Guess how many Dirk Paßiwan had this time". All this, and more! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

After another busy week of wheelchair basketball action, James and Mark belatedly jump on the record to spill their every thought as if someone had actually asked them to. This week's episode comes down to some themes such as good shots vs bad shots, easy shots vs tough shots, made shots vs missed shots, shot quality vs shot quantity, and number of shots taken by desirable vs undesirable shooters. This, and other technical masterclasses, available now, only on Bench Units! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

You asked. We delivered. Following a barrage of requests from our listeners, we've been able to track down and rope in the man himself: the most in-demand guest in Bench Units history! Aussie Rollers superstar Tom O'Neill-Thorne joins Bench Units to talk about his basketball experiences, from growing up in rural Australia and winning a World Championships at age 17, to two solid weeks of parting after winning the EuroLeague with Bilbao, to his recent years back at home and what might come next. With Tom's entire life story covered, he answers questions from our listeners! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Another week of games in the books! With a relatively quiet week of games, due to weekends off in both the German and Italian leagues, James and Mark get in-depth on a range of both offense-optional and defense-optional games in Spain, and an intensity-not-in-any-way-optional bloodbath from the French League. Make sure you catch our guest spot this Thursday! Listen in to find out who will be joining us! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

After another weekend of action, we're back to bring you the low-down! We dive in to cover a couple of blowouts, a basketball sleepwalk by Ilunion, an almost statement by Burgos, a showcase in scouting and maintenance of basketball hierarchy, and a defense-optional double-OT thriller in Hamburg. Check it out, and let us know what you want to hear about for next Thursday's episode! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

It's not every day you get a reigning European, World and Paralympic Champion stop by to talk you through her entire career. Netherlands and Hanover United star Mariska Beijer joins James and Mark in the middle of her recovery from COVID-19, and tells us all about her ascent from first trying wheelchair basketball to becoming a triple-crown champion and winning five straight major international tournaments, as well as the adjustment to playing in a mixed league. After that, Mariska answers questions from our listeners! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

With another weekend of surprising results and scoreboards in the books, James and Mark break down all the action from around Europe. The guys discuss an eye-watering blowout in Gran Canaria, a first look at the reinforced Servigest Burgos, and a couple of German League performances that have us really questioning who holds the Bench Units Belt right now.With all that accounted for, we answer your questions! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Even in a weekend with so many games postponed due to COVID cases, we still manage to find a stat-sheet detail that we deem worthy of picking a bone with. We run through games from this past weekend, as well as a couple of the headliners from the weekend prior. Following the usual round-up, we give you a peek behind the curtain into how Bench Units is looking to continue expanding and how we need as much listener input as possible to help us produce the best possible content. All that out of the way, we answer your questions! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Over three years later, James has finally felt ready enough to confront his "fix it in post" demons, which can only mean it was time for the return of Amy Conroy! Amy has been on a basketball hiatus since finishing the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, and has used the time to move to London in pursuit of opportunities parallel to basketball. She talks us through how to make friends on the tube, and how a distinct lack of shame might just be the defining factor in securing personal sponsorship that might allow her to learn to run again. Really. With all that wisdom out in the open. Amy answers our listeners' questions. Or at least the ones that were appropriate. Have a word with yourselves. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

After a little over a month of unexcused absences, we're back! We start off 2022 by recapping the mild calamity that was the 2021 European Championships and looking at how it will impact this year's World Championships. To make sure we haven't missed anything crucial, we answer questions from our adoring fans. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Just in time, we're here to bring you the low-down on the upcoming European Championships 2021! Mendel joins us from on-site in Madrid to talk about his preparation for the upcoming tournament, and give some insight into the reality of the Netherlands needing to secure a top-5 finish in order to qualify for next year's World Championships. Mendel and James break down their experience in prep camps and friendly games, as well as scouting the other teams and how they see the group stages shaking out. With all that covered, the guys take your questions. All live streams of games can be found here. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

After several hours of picking through audio spoiled by terrible internet connection, we're able to bring you the round-up on the action that didn't get aired along with our last episode. If you're still in the dark as to what happened back on the 13th of November, think of this belated bootleg special as us having your back! We haven't been able to do a round-up of the most recent week of wheelchair basketball action, as James is currently in training camp. We'll be back soon with some juice on the 2021 European Championships! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Due to the fact that the first half of this week's round-up was effectively rained off (James' WiFi was affected by some heavy rain in Bilbao), we have managed to salvage our takes on two of the most important games of the week. James and Mark deep-dive the outcomes of both Bilbao's win over Ilunion and showdown of Spain's two remaining undefeated teams, Mideba Extremadura and Amiab Albacete. Listen in for all the details on two heavyweight clashes! If we manage to salvage the rest of the audio from this week's round-up, we'll be sure to get it uploaded separately! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Wow, what a weekend of games. Coppa Italia Final. One-point wins. One-point losses. Double-figure comebacks. Double-figure almost-comebacks. Intentionally missed freethrows. Unintentionally missed freethrows. It was a lot. Listen in! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

As promised, we are joined by a battle-scarred participant of the latest RSV Lahn-Dill vs Thuringia Bulls showdown! We catch up with Lahn-Dill and Australia Men's National Team player Jannik Blair, who catches up on his first few months in Germany and his first taste of the rivalry between two of the powerhouses in Europe. Jannik talks us through getting settled with his new team, the level of detailed scouting for their first big game of the season, and the key moments of the biggest game in the German League Calendar so far. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

Another week of wheelchair basketball, another Sunday Round-Up. On Monday. What we lack in time-keeping and organisation, we make up for in shameless presentation of half-baked opinions. We check in on the wheelchair basketball results from Spain, France, Germany and Italy, and break down the result of James's grudge match against his former team. With all of that accounted for, we debut the "Correction Section" segment, where our hosts call each other out on anything they've incorrectly stated in a past episode. If you have a nomination, let us hear it! Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

It's a big week for James, as he prepares to take on his former team in ADM Econy Gran Canaria on Saturday. To help stoke the flames for James' revenge tour, we are joined by none other than his former teammate and friend, Rose Hollermann. Rose joins us to talk about her evolution as a player as she has gained a reputation in the Spanish League over the last 2 seasons, as well as discussing what she has seen in the league this year from the other contending teams.Before we wrap, James and Rose each give their takes and predictions on Saturday's Bilbao vs Gran Canaria showdown. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe

After another Saturday packed full of Wheelchair Basketball action from around Europe, Bench Units is here with our usual Sunday Round-Up.We cover a day of results from Spain that really had it all: blow-outs, nailbiters, convincing wins, surprise upsets, and maybe the best shooting performance of the season. We also get James' thoughts on what is arguably the most important game of the season so far, in terms of contending teams matching up with each other. Following that, we glance around the leagues in Germany, Italy and France, before giving our takes on the first week of action from the NBA season. Get full access to Bench Units at benchunits.substack.com/subscribe