Wanted - Canterbury CEO

Canterbury Basketball Association (CBA) has an opportunity for someone with proven management and leadership skills to join the organisation as Chief Executive Officer, to drive the next stage of growth within one of New Zealand’s most dynamic regional sports administrations.

In addition to managing development, club and representative programmes, CBA has a management contract for the Canterbury Rams in the National Basketball League and will shortly launch the Christchurch Sirens as the first New Zealand team in the Australian Women’s Basketball League.

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Green Suspended

Waikato Titans coach Jeff Green has been suspended a game and fined $500 by the Conference Basketball League for abusing a referee after his team were beaten by Western Bay Suns last Saturday.

The complaint, supported by two witnesses, referred to a breach of the CBL Code of Conduct and alleged Green had brought the sport into disrepute with his comments as the game ended.

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Scholarships Up For Grabs

The New Zealand Basketball Foundation is calling for applications for the 2007 Keith Mair and Caroline Grey coaching scholarships.

The scholarships, honouring two outstanding contributors to basketball in this country, are designed to expose up-and-coming coaches to international and professional-level basketball in New Zealand.

The coach awarded the 2007 Keith Mair Scholarship for men will be invited to attend Harvey Norman NZ Breakers training in the lead-up to an Australian NBL game in October.

The successful recipient of the 2007 Caroline Grey Scholarship for women will have the opportunity to attend the NZ Tall Ferns training camp in Dunedin from September 23-25 and the first game of the 2007 FIBA Oceania Championships between Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday, September 26.

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Hard Lessons

Wellington forward Leon Henry led the NZ Emerging Tall Blacks in their World University Games debut, scoring 13 points as they fell 62-74 to Canada in Bangkok.

The Kiwis led early and enjoyed their best period of the game through the second quarter, trailing just 25-31 at halftime. They lost further ground in the third quarter, though, and could not claw their way back into contention down the stretch.

Henry shot 4/10 FG, 2/5 3pt, 3/4 FT, adding four blocks, three rebounds, two steals and an assist, while centre Calum Macleod had 11 points (5/9 FG, 1/1 FT) and eight rebounds.

As a team, New Zealand were actually more efficient around the basket offensively and blocked 10 shots at the defensive end, but committed 20 turnovers and conceded 14 offensive boards.

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Agent Testing

Player agents wishing to operate in the FIBA Oceania region, including Australian and New Zealand national leagues, now require official accreditation from basketball’s international body.

FIBA amended their regulations last year, introducing a certification process that includes compulsory licensing of agents.

“The aim of these regulations is to make sure that a high standard of quality and transparency is guaranteed for the activities of players’ agents and transfers within the FIBA family,” says FIBA World Legal Commission vice president Ken Madsen.

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Bradshaw Rains

Centre Craig Bradshaw is beginning to feel more at home in the Dominion Finance NZ Tall Black rotation, shooting four three-pointers in their 74-82 loss to Latvia in Riga.

The contest was close throughout and the Kiwis enjoyed a 61-60 edge heading into the final quarter. Crucial turnovers again hurt them down the stretch and Latvia’s advantage swelled in the final seconds as their guests sent them to the free throw line in a bid to regain possession.

“It was a very good game,” observed Tall Black coach Nenad Vucinic. “Both teams played with passion and for us, it was back-to-back good performances.

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Wellington In, Champs Toppled

Wellington have nailed down the capital division’s second finals spot and Western Bay Suns have handed defending national champions Waikato Titans their first loss of the season inthe latest round of Conference Basketball League play.

With Porirua already assured of victory, Wellington entered the final weekend of capital tournament play in a dogfight with Palmerston North and Hutt Valley for the other berth and their 2-1 record was enough to prevail. They wrapped up the position with a 106-78 win over Palmerston on Saturday, led by Matt Doggett’s 20 points and six other players scoring in double figures.

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Kiwis Take Title Shots

Former Junior Tall Black Lance Baker will contest the Queensland Australian Basketball League final after his Gold Coast Goannas defeated Southwest Metro Pirates 106-89 in the semifinals.

Baker, who last turned out for Waikato Titans in the 2005 NBL, had 12 points (5/11 FG, 2/7 3pt), five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal in 32 minutes as a starter. Gold Coast, who finished fifth in the regular season (11-7), got out to a 29-16 after the opening quarter and extended their lead over the final quarter to earn a spot in the final against Cairns Marlins.

Former Junior Tall Fern Shannon Proffit is also in the women’s final after Maroochydore’s 67-57 win over Toowoomba Mountaineers in the semis.

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Showdown On Maori TV

The crucial three-game Olympic qualifying series between basketball rivals New Zealand and Australia will screen live and free-to-air on Maori Television this month.

The Dominion Finance NZ Tall Blacks and the Australia Boomers will contest the 2007 FIBA Oceania Men’s Championship in Melbourne (Monday, August 20), Sydney (Wednesday, August 22) and Brisbane (Friday, August 24).

Maori Television’s coverage – TALL BLACKS ’07 – will include a build-up programme with studio presenters Te Arahi Maipi and Tania Tupu followed by live court action with guest commentators Jenny-May Coffin and Jeff Green.

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Breakers Sign Imports

American imports Wayne Turner and Rick Rickert will round out the Harvey Norman NZ Breakers‘ 11-strong roster for the forthcoming Philips Championship.

Turner, a point guard, and power forward Rickert were both college stand-outs, have NBA experience and join the Breakers on one-year deals.

The 31-year-old Turner has played more games anyone else in NCAA history, leading the University of Kentucky to two NCAA titles and twice gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.

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Briefs

Constable On The Beat
Canterbury U19 forward Ben Constable has been invited to the 2007 World U18 Basketball Camp in New Orleans.
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Beesley Joins Owls
Harbour guard Ryan Beesley will continue his American college basketball experience with the Hustlin Owls of Oregon Tech next season.
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Coaching Courses

2007 BBNZ Labour Weekend Coaches Workshop
October 20-22
AUT Akoranga Drive
North Shore
Cost - Complete Package $250, Early Bird Special $225, Workshop Only $175
Contact Seth Weakley
More details soon ...

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New Concept Development Basketball

When: 9am-4pm, September 1
Where: Fraser High School, Hamilton
Cost: $80 per team
Grades: Year 3 & 4 Open (boys, girls or mixed), Year 5 & 6 Open (boys, girls or mixed)
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X's & O's - Spain's Winning Offence

By Jose "Pepu" Hernandez, coach of the world champion Spanish men's team

The first priority on offence was to use our vvery quick guards to dribble the ball up the floor at high speed.

The guards would look to pass to the forwards sprinting ahead of the ball from all broken plays or interceptions or deflections from our 2-2-1 zone press or 3-2 zone.

The point guard (or the other guard) would alternate in handling the ball with the other guard and the small forward sprinting on the sideline lanes.

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