Payback Time

When Aussie Andrew Rice looks up court on Friday night, he’ll see a team that didn’t want him and he’ll have a chance to make them pay for their mistake. You don’t think every player dreams of that opportunity?

Century City Wellington Saints coach Kevin Brooks is trying not to let this mouth-watering subplot distract his outfit from their primary objective in Round Six of the Dominion Finance NBL, namely a trip up State Highway 2 to visit titleholders Easy LPG Bay Hawks in Napier.

But you know and Saints know they will be looking back down court at a man with a point to prove.

“If Ricey comes out and gives it to us, well, there’s a lot to said about that,” admits Brooks. “He was looking at Palmerston North and Otago, but at the last minute, the defending champions scooped him up … it was a great pick-up for them.

Includes Dominion Finance NBL Guide (Round Six)

Read More ...

Back to top

Home Sweet Home

The NZ Tall Ferns make their first trip “home” this weekend when they begin a long road that will hopefully lead to the Beijing Olympics.

Coach Mike McHugh will gather his players together in Christchurch, the national programme’s newly adopted headquarters, for the first time since their silver-medal performance at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 12 months ago.

Over the next 17 months, the Ferns face a very full international programme, as well as a Kiwi debut in the Australian WNBL, in a bid to convince the NZOC they are worthy of Olympic selection.

Read More ...

Back to top

No Marks

Kiwi NBA performer Sean Marks has made himself unavailable for the NZ Tall Blacks’ showdown against Australia in August for a spot at next year’s Beijing Olympics.

New Tall Black coach Nenad Vucinic visited the United States earlier this year in an effort to lure Marks, currently on the Phoenix Suns roster, out of international retirement. He returned hopeful of having his former NZ team-mate back in black for the FIBA Oceania qualifying series.

But Marks has informed Basketball New Zealand that he will play no part in the programme this year.

“I really do appreciate the opportunity to play again for the Tall Blacks, however I am going to remain retired from international basketball,” he says.

Read More ...

Back to top

BBNZ Development Cluster Camps

April 28, 2007
Timaru, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Auckland

Basketball New Zealand will conduct three Development Cluster Camps in 2007, forming a key part of BBNZ’s player, coach and manager pathway, and providing opportunities for identification on a national level.

Read More ...

Back to top

NBL Milestones (Round Six)

U Park It Waikato Pistons guard Prem Krishna will log his 200th NBL appearance next time he takes the court. Krishna debuted for Auckland in 1995 and has won seven championships.

TET Taranaki Mountain Airs forward Link Abrams set a new franchise record for rebounds in a game when he grabbed 18 against Century City Wellington Saints last Friday. He had equalled the previous record with 16 against Easy LPG Bay Hawks earlier this season.

Youthtown Auckland Stars guard Lindsay Tait brought up 2000 NBL points when he scored 26 against U Park It Waikato Pistons on Sunday. Tait has averaged 17.0 points over 118 games.

Read More ...

Back to top

Hawks Fly High

NBL Champions Easy LPG Bay Hawks were the big winners at the 2006 Gen-i Hawke’s Bay Sports Awards held at Pettigrew Green Arena.

The Hawks took out the senior teams title after their national league success, while Shawn Dennis was named Coach of the Year and franchise owner Jeremy Bayliss won administrator honours.

The ultimate prize eluded basketball, though. Surf lifesaver Nikki Cox was crowned Sportsperson of the Year.

Back to top

Women's Basketball League (North)

Tuesday, April 10
Manukau
Curves Harbour Breeze 80 (Noni Wharemate 23, Chanel Pompallier 16, Charmian Purcell, Kate Lacey, Karlene Kingi 10) Counties Manukau 45
Quarter 23-16
Halftime 49-19 (26-3)
Threequarters 65-29 (16-10)
Fulltime 80-45 (15-16)
Box Score - Harbour v Counties (html 19KB)

Back to top

Vote For Us

Like what you see on BBNZ's new website? Vote for us ...
The site is entered in the 2007 People's Choice NetGuide Website awards in two categories - Best New Site, Relaunch, Innovation and Best Sports and Recreation site.
Simply click through to the NetGuide website, log in and register your votes.

Back to top

X's & O's - Passing & Communication

Purpose of this drill is to get players comfortable to talk to each other in a game/fun like environment.

Players will also work on multitasking, as in talking/thinking while being on the move.

Players are placed around free-throw line circle.

There are two balls in the drill (can be more depending on player numbers).

Balls start opposite each other.

On call “go” players start passing ball around starting from right to left.

The key teaching point is that they have to call out the person’s name they are passing to.

Read More ...

Back to top