Opals Bounce Back

Missing all five starting players from the 2006 World Championship team, the Australian Defence Force Opals have fallen agonisingly short of upsetting the world’s top-ranked women’s basketball team in their final hitout before next week’s FIBA Oceania Championships in Dunedin.

Beaten by 32-points on Monday night in New Jersey, the Opals responded with a gallant, heart-warming effort but were defeated 70-66 by the United States.

University of Tennessee superstar and 2006 world championship bronze medallist Candace Parker led all scorers with 23 points.

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T-Mac Is Back

Former coach Tim McTamney will be behind the controls of the Manawatu Jets again for the 2008 Dominion Finance NBL.

McTamney has previously lived in Palmerston North for 12 years where he attended Massey University and then worked as a teacher in the city.

During that time, he was head coach of the Jets in 2000 and 2001 before moving to Hamilton, where he assisted head coach Kenny Stone during the Auckland Stars’ 2004 title and coached the Waikato Pistons in 2005-06.

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Bramley Steps In

Canterbury Basketball Association has appointed Peter Bramley as interim chief executive on a three-month contract while it seaches for a new fulltime CEO.

Peter has degrees in law, medicine and science, he has lectured at both Canterbury and Otago Universities and spent the past eight years in senior management positions within MYOB New Zealand. These included roles as general manager, business division and accountant division general manager.

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Boucher Boosts Bullets

Forward Dillon Boucher was a flawless 4/4 FG to help the champion Brisbane Bullets overcome Gold Coast Blaze 115-105 away on opening night of the Australian Hummer Championship NBL.

Boucher finished with 11 points (including 3/4 FT), four assists and a rebound in 15 minutes off the bench, while Tall Black team-mate Craig Bradshaw also impressed in his Australian debut, compiling 13 points (5/8 FG, 3/4 3pt), four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 21 minutes off the bench.

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Tall Timber

Geoff Longley, Christchurch Press
The Christchurch Sirens women’s basketball franchise is courting the country’s tallest netball goal shoot Daneka Wipiiti to play in the Australian league this season.

Former Silver Fern Wipiiti was in Christchurch last week for a two-day trial and her agent is now holding talks with Basketball New Zealand and Canterbury Basketball which run the team.

“She is keen to play and we are keen to have her. However, we have signed all our contracted players so are having to work with BBNZ and the CBA to see if we can find a way to get Daneka down here,” said Sirens coach Leigh Gooding.

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Fact-Finding Mission

Christchurch Sirens coach Leigh Gooding and captain Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe will undertake a reconnaissance sortie this week when they fly north for the Harvey Norman NZ Breakers’ Australian NBL opener on Thursday.

The fledgling franchise will debut in the Australian women’s league next month and are hungry for any advice that might help them adapt quickly at that level of competition. Gooding will consult with Breakers counterpart Andrej Lemanis and the Sirens delegation will sit near the home bench to observe game time logistics around the team.

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Nugs Appoint Sims

American Don Sims has been appointed head coach of the Otago Nuggets in the 2008 Dominion Finance NBL after an intensive recruitment and selection process that saw 24 applicants from all parts of the globe.

Basketball Otago chief executive Mark Rogers was confident with the process and the selection.

“I am very pleased with how we have gone about the appointment and selection process,” he said. “The number of applicants itself made for a lot of work.

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NZ Secondary Schools Coaching Clinic

Tuesday, September 25, 6.30–8.30pm

Rangitoto College, Graham Collins Drive (off Rosedale Road), Windsor Park

Andrej Lemanis - Harvey Norman NZ Breakers Head Coach
Attacking Zone Defence

Ollie Dudfield - BBNZ Player & Coach Development Manager
How do athletes learn to play in the post?
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Mission Now Known

The Dominion Finance NZ Tall Blacks will enter next year’s Olympic repechage tournament knowing they have already beaten two of their toughest opponents for a spot at Beijing.

With the completion of FIBA Eurobasket, the last of the zonal qualifying events, the field for the repechage is complete and includes Croatia and Slovenia, the Kiwis’ biggest scalps during their 2007 campaign.

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Wanted - Saints Coach

Century City Wellington Saints are looking for a focused, competitive individual to lead the team forward to success in the 2008 Dominion Finance NBL.

The coach will be responsible for all aspects of on-court activities, including pre-season conditioning. In addition, they will work closely with the assistant coach and manager to ensure the smooth running of the team.

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