Third Time A Charm

Basketball will get Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe to the Beijing Olympics, but it was a basketball that almost put her out of contention.

During a practice session two days before the New Zealand Tall Ferns were due to assemble for the first time in Canberra in early April, McMeeken-Ruscoe accidentally stepped on a basketball, hyper-extending her left knee.

“I gave all the tendons and ligaments in my knee a good tug, they said everything but tear my ACL. I took that for a good sign,” the 28-year-old two guard said, the day before the Tall Ferns depart for Beijing, her first Olympics.

Coming off a calf muscle tear that saw her miss the final three weeks of the Christchurch Sirens inaugural season in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL), she immediately feared the worst.

“Once I knew the extent of my knee I wasn’t too worried. It was just when I injured my knee, I thought ‘oh, no, it’s my ACL’.

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Tall Ferns Olympic Schedule

The New Zealand Tall Ferns depart for the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday night from Auckland International Airport, competing in their third straight Olympics.

Will the Tall Ferns be able to repeat their enthralling march to the quarterfinals, with wins over China and Korea, at Athens four years ago? How will a team with an average age of 23 handle international basketball on the biggest stage? It all starts in group B on the first day of competition, August 9, against African qualifiers Mali.

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Junior T-Ferns Rock Sin City

What happens in Vegas, usually stays in Vegas . . . unless you’re the New Zealand Junior Tall Ferns.

With six straight wins, the JTFs - coached by Darrell Pene – ensured they will bring championship trophies back from Sin City after winning the varsity girls section at The Main Event tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday.

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Champs Streak Hits 10

Coach Jeff Green has his team humming at the right end of the season.

The defending Conference Basketball League (CBL) champion Waikato Titans extended their winning streak to 10 games and moved up to third in round 13 of Northern Conference play last week.

The Titans, who will be looking for an unprecedented four-peat at next month’s CBL National Tournament, got easy points courtesy of a default win over the competition-leading JTB/Breakers on Wednesday, then avenged one of their four losses this season with a 95-65 bonus-point win over the second-placed Western Bay Suns on Saturday.

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Bradshaw Returns

Tall Blacks centre Craig Bradshaw returned to action in New Zealand last week but could not prevent his Wellington Saints from a loss in round six of the Conference Basketball League’s (CBL) Central Conference.

Just a week removed from the Tall Blacks 2008 campaign at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Bradshaw had 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting, with 13 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals as the Saints fourth quarter comeback fell short, 91-86, against Wellington at Southwest Stadium on Sunday.

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CBL Week 13 Results

Results from week 13 of the Conference Basketball League (CBL).

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Gilbert Throws Down Trip-Dub

Former Tall Fern Adrianne Gilbert became the second Kiwi to record a triple-double in the Australia Basketball Association (ABA) leagues this winter.

Following on the heels of Shannon Proffit’s triple-double two weeks ago, Gilbert had 10 points (4/8 FG, 0/1 3pt, 2/3 FT), 12 rebounds and 11 assists in 35 minutes in the final regular season round of the Waratah League.

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Anzac Call To Arms

The Anzac basketball test series between the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will run from Thursday , July 31  until Friday, August 8.

This exciting event will showcase matches between the ADF and Royal New Zealand Navy at Fleet Gym at Devonport Naval Base on July 31, versus New Zealand Army on August 2 and against the Royal New Zealand Air Force on August 3 at Eru Brown Gym, Waiouru Army Camp.

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Side Screen Readings

The Avellino club was a surprise in the Italian division one championship last season. With the team in the hands of 5ft 5in point guard Marques Green, screening became a priority in the offence. Head coach Matteo Boniciolli, senior assistant Tonino Zorzi and Green highlight how to read offensive side screens.

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