In The Huddle, February 1 2008

Marvellous Mika

The Harvey Norman NZ Breakers have fought back from an early 17-point deficit to record a stirring 93-83 victory over the Perth Wildcats at the North Shore Events Centre on Thursday night.

After a horror start, the Breakers showed great determination to claw back on the back of an inspired performance from forward Mika Vukona.

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Nowitzki Nemesis

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Dirk Nowitzki and familiar foes Germany stand between the Tall Blacks and a spot in the Beijing Olympics.

New Zealand has drawn the Germans and relatively unknown Cape Verde of Africa in pool play of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men in Athens, July 14-20.

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Southland Age-Group Camp

Former Tall Ferns and Otago Nuggets coach and Tall Blacks assistant coach Carl Dickel will headline the Southland Basketball Association’s age-group camp in February.

The camp, from Friday, February 29, to Sunday, March 2 at Stadium Southland in Invercargill, is aimed at players in the U13, U15, U17 and U19 age groups, with previous representative or development programme experience.

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Dickel On The Move

FIBA
New Zealand national team point guard Mark Dickel is returning to Turkey for the fourth time after leaving German league champions Brose Basket Bamberg.

Dickel and Bamberg went their separate ways on mutual terms on Monday and the 31-year-old boarded a plane later that day bound for Turkey to play for first division club Mutlu Aku Selcuk Universitesi Konya.

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Out Of Nowhere

By Steve Matthies, Herald & News (Klamath Falls, Oregon)
Ryan Beesley’s gamble is paying off handsomely.

“It was a shot in the dark,” said the Oregon Tech junior from Rotorua, New Zealand. “I’m a kid who is living his dream, playing basketball in the United States. I’m definitely not taking it for granted.”

Beesley was on no one’s basketball radar after high school in Auckland, which is where he was reared.

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Boucher Hobbled

Tall Black forward Dillon Boucher was among the body count as defending champions Brisbane Bullets fell 95-105 to Perth Wildcats at home in the Australian Hummer NBL Championship.

Boucher suffered a groin injury after he was elbowed in the face by opponent Alex Laughton and fell to the ground. He could be out as long as six weeks, jeopardising his future involvement in the Bullets’ title defence.

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Smith Flies South

0800 Easy LPG Bay Hawks have signed American forward Kevin Smith as one of their two overseas imports for the 2008 Dominion Finance NBL season.

Smith played for the Waikato Pistons in last year’s NBL, averaging 18.5 points and 6.8 rebounds, and was listed as the seventh most productive player in the league.

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Gutsy Sirens Lack Polish

Stuff.co.nz
Sydney University settled a score with the Christchurch Sirens winning Friday night’s Australian Defence Force WNBL match 71-56 at Cowles Stadium.

The victory tipped the season ledger in Sydney’s favour 2-1 after a below-strength visitors side had succumbed to the Sirens in their first visit to Christchurch, 79-55.

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Marino Prevails

Point guard Angela Marino earned bragging rights over Tall Fern team-mate Lisa Pardon as Adelaide Lightning defeated Bendigo Spirit 101-76 on the road in the Australian Defence Force WNBL.

Marino lit the Spirit up for 15 points (3/5 FG. 1/1 3pt, 8/10 FT), two rebounds, an assist and a steal in 23 minutes, while Pardon had three treys in her nine points, two rebounds and an assist.

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X's & O's - The Difficult Job Of A Referee's Observer

By Jaime Andreu, FIBA Technical Commissioner

I have had the privilege and responsibility to be an observer of and trainer for referees at all levels, from regional to international.

This is a facet of officiating that has always fascinated me. I consider it the duty of all experienced referees to transmit to the younger generation the accumulated expertise they received from their predecessors.

The chain of teaching never stops.

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