February 23, 2012
Hawkes Bay Today – Paul Taylor
The hard work is about to begin for 37 talented basketball players that have been named in the IMS Payroll Paul Henare and Paora Winitana Basketball Academy.
The mix of girl and boy players aged between 12-18 years have been split into squads to train at Flaxmere, Hastings and Napier.
Paora Winitana says the players in Hawke’s Bay have plenty of raw ability, which now needs to refined, so they can fully understand the tactics and plays of basketball.
“We’re not short of talent but you don’t reach the top on talent alone. It’s about developing a strong work ethic, improving their skills, helping them to understand the game and becoming mentally strong,” he said.
“They will all have to train hard, train smart and train together over the 26 weeks, it is a big commitment not just from them but also from their families, this was a crucial part to their final selection into our academy.”
Winitana was also thrilled to announce more sponsors to join IMS Payroll. The Jarrod Cunningham Youth Sport Trust has come on board as has Unison, Service Trust, Konica Minolta. HBS Bank, Prolife Food Ltd, Raiseys Original, Hastings District Council, Y-Life Insurance, and Basketball Hawke’s Bay.
Jarrod Cunningham Youth Sport trustee Tony Maidens said the academy’s principles aligned perfectly with the trust.
“The players have to make a real commitment in the academy, both on and off the court.
“They will learn so much from Paora and Paul and we hope that they all take this opportunity with both hands.”
The players will begin training from next week, starting at 6am.
The Hastings and Flaxmere squads will train two times a week and the Napier squad once a week.
“They have some early starts to get used to, it’s not going to be easy but this special group is determined and focussed and it will be great to see their progress over the year,” Henare said.
Hastings: Amariah Luki, Andrew Wilson, Dartanyan Naera, Hami Kennedy, Jaxson Macfarlane, Jonathan Riley, Kaleb Edwards, Marcos Edwards, Maia Wati-Cooper, Matiu Spooner, Shayden King- Edwards, Tamia Edwards, Tiemi Amner.
Flaxmere: Aaliyah Ah-Kiong, Anecia Wilkie, Ashley Welsh, Dominic McGovan, Isaia Jones, Kaleel Spooner, Kalhain Collier, Matt Bird, Sean Leech, Tietie Aiolupotea, Tuehu Spooner, Yvonne Henare.
Napier: Demi Forshaw, Jacob Nahora, Josie Stockill, Kathleen Nahora, Kimiora Poi, Kresna Crouch, Maddie King, Mahia Isherwood, Nick Agnew, Ricky Hayes, Wilfred Dickson, Zane Hohepa.
February 19, 2012
Boston Classic has come to an end with Fico Finance Nelson Giants going 1-1 which included a win over the HBS Bank Hawks, while the Wellington Saints and Taranaki Mountain Airs both posted W’s.
The Hawks were on a roll after easily dispatching the Saints and Heat the night before, but without their leader Paora Winitana (Religious Beliefs), the Giants took full advantage winning 92-76.
Sharpshooter Pete Campbell led all scorers with twenty three, while Aidan Daly was the best for the Hawks with sixteen.
The Airs put together a strong first three quarters, to edge out the LZ Harbour Heat 90-82. Heat did produce a 30-15 final period, thanks to their young players Marco Alexander and Issac Fotu who combined for forty points.
Alexander led the Heat scorers with 24, but the experienced back court of Jack Leasure and Darryl Hudson proved was too much for the Heat as they would have thirty five and twenty eight points apiece.
After a good win over the Hawks the Giants would have to play their fourth game of the tournament against the Saints, who put up 109 points to their 76.
wellington import Anthony Gurley led all scorers with twenty three, Breakers point guard Josh Bloxham had twenty one.
The NBL is close to beginning with only two weeks remaining before the first game, and there will be plenty of young players to watch out for, in particular big men such as the Giants Michael Karena, Heat’s Fotu, Hawks Morgan Natanahira who all played focal roles in their respective sides.
A big thank you goes out to all of the teams that played in the tournament, the officials who assisted, Porirua Basketball Association and Boston Bar on Blair Street Wellington for sponsoring it.
Boston Classic: Day Two Results
10am
Taranaki Mountain Airs 90 (Jack Leasure 35, Darryl Hudson 28) LZ Harbour Heat 82 (Marco Alexander 24, Isaac Fotu 16, Justin Bailey 14)
10am
Fico Finance Nelson Giants 92 (Pete Campbell 23, Phill Jones 16, Josh Bloxham 11, Darryl Jones 10) HBS Bank Hawks 76 (Aidan Daly 16, Kareem Johnson 14, Galen Young 12)
2.30pm
Wellington Saints 109 (Anthony Gurley 23, Casey Frank 17, Troy McLean 15, Jordan Mills 14) Fico Finance Nelson Giants 76 (Josh Bloxham 21, Michael Karena 13, Sam Dempster 12)
February 18, 2012
At the end of day one of the NBL Preseason Boston Classic the HBS Bank Hawks have made a statement with a two wins today, which included a 97-76 romp of two time defending champs the Wellington Saints, while the Fico Finance Nelson Giants also made it two from two.
Hawks man handled Wellington, especially the second period which they won 39-19. The scoring was spread for the Hawks, with five players reaching double figures. Paora Winitana led the Hawks with 19 which included the seven first points scored. Veteran Saints Guard Troy McLean had the game high of twenty two.
Earlier in the day the Saints took down an understrength Manawatu Jets side 97-56 led by new signing Anthony Gurley who had 27 on debut.
Jets were missing key players Nick Horvath, Jeremiah Trueman, Zane Meehl and Josh Pace who was at attendance, but the young squad managed to put up a competitive first quarter down only four points at the end of the period.
Jets new import Dustin Mitchell showed a nice touch for a 6’9 bigman leading the Jets with 15, while veteran guards Matt Te Huna and Kaine Hokianga added 12 and 10 apiece.
The scoring was evenly spread for the Saints with guards Jordan Mills and Ross Taurima both adding fourteen off the bench.
The Giants meanwhile comfortably defeated the Taranaki Mountain Airs 81-70, import Pete Campbell proving to be a dead eye marksman making seven threes for a game high twenty nine.
Nelson took an early twelve point lead at the half, while the Airs could not seem to get into an offensive rhythm, the all import back court of Jack Leasure and Darryl Hudson doing the bulk of the scoring with twenty four and twenty one points respectively.
Giants seemed to have the upper hand in execution with Breakers player Josh Bloxham and NBl Stalwart Phill Jones running the show.
Last year’s runners up the HBS Bank Hawks disposed a young Harbour Heat team 93-69 for their first win in the morning.
The Heat did hang around in the first half only down by seven, but the Hawks depth was too much for them, as they would have four players in double digits.
Jarrod Kenny led the Hawks with 15, with a much improved three point shot, while veterans Paora Winitana, Galen Young and Kareem Johnson proved they will be tough to handle with their size and strength for opposing teams this season.
Heats new import big Zac Atkinson was the pick of the Heat players with a game high twenty one, which included a nice two handed slam
After a loss earlier in the day to the Giants, the Taranaki Mountain Airs bounced back to secure a 97-70 win over the Jets.
Darryl Hudson had a game high twenty five against his former team, while Jack Leasure added twenty one. After a long hiatus from the NBL, former Tall Black Damon Rampton had thirteen points.
Giants import Pete Campbell continued his hot shooting with twenty two as the Giants defeated the Heat 86-68. Former Auckland Pirate Brad Anderson the top scorer for the Heat with thirteen.
Tomorrow it all begins again in the morning when the two undefeated team the Hawks and Giants play each other, while the Airs play the Heat.
Giants will back it up with an afternoon game against Wellington to round out the tournament.
Boston Classic Results: Day One
10.30am
Wellington Saints 95 (Anthony Gurley 27, Jordan Mills 14, Ross Taurima 14, Arthur Trousdell 13) Manawatu Jets 57 (Dustin Mitchell 15, Kaine Hokianga 12, Matt Te Huna 10)
12.30pm
Fico Finance Nelson Giants 81 (Pete Campbell 29, Darryl Jones 11, Michael Karena 10) Taranaki Mountain Airs 70 (Jack Leasure 24, Darryl Hudson 21, Chris Daniel 12)
12.30pm
HBS Bank Hawks 93 (Jarrod Kenny 15, Paora Winitana 14, Galen Young 12, Kareem Johnson 10) LZ Harbour Heat 69 (Zach Atkinson 21, Brad Anderson 14, Justin Bailey 10)
5.30pm
Taranaki Mountain Airs 97 (Darryl Hudson 25, Jack Leasure 21, Chris Daniel 16, Damon Rampton 13) Manawatu Jets 70 (Ian O’Boyle 15, Zeke Meehl 13, Dustin Mitchell 11)
5.30pm
Fico Finance Nelson Giants 86 (Pete Campbell 22, Phill Jones 15, Michael Karena 10) LZ Harbour Heat 68 (Brad Anderson 13, Justin Bailey 11, Reuben Te Rangi 10, Zac Atkinson 10)
7.30pm
HBS Bank Hawks 97 (Paora Winitana 19, Morgan Natanahira 13, Kareem Johnson 12, Galen Young 12, Jarrod Kenny 11) Wellington Saints 76 (Troy McLean 22, Jason Crowe 19, Arthur Trousdell 16)
February 17, 2012
This weekend the NBL Pre-season begins with six teams competing at the Boston Classic at Te Rauparaha Arena.
Thanks to Porirua Basketball Association and Boston Bar on Blair Street Wellington, the 2012 Boston Classic will consist of nine games over Saturday and Sunday, with full games being played.
The teams for the upcoming event are the two time defending champs the Wellington Saints, last year’s runners up the HBS Bank Hawks, Manawatu Jets, Fico Finance Nelson Giants, The Good Home Taranaki Mountain Airs and the LZ Harbour Heat.
Boston Classic Invitational Tournament
Saturday 18th February
10.30am Wellington Saints vs Manawatu Jets
12.30noon Fico Finance Nelson Giants vs Taranaki Mountain Airs
12.30noon HBS Bank Hawks vs LZ Harbour Heat
5.30pm Taranaki Mountain Airs vs Manawatu Jets
5.30pm LZ Harbour Heat vs Fico Finance Nelson Giants
7.30pm Wellington Saints vs HBS Bank Hawks
Sunday 19th February
10am LZ Harbour Heat vs Taranaki Mountain Airs
10am Fico Finance Nelson Giants vs HBS Bank Hawks
2.30pm Wellington Saints vs Fico Finance Nelson Giants
More Latest News »
December 14, 2011
MADRID (FIBA Central Board) – FIBA’s Central Board meeting in the Spanish capital came to an end on Sunday with a number of key decisions having been made.
On Saturday, the Central Board attributed the hosting duties for the 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs) for Men and Women to Venezuela and Turkey respectively.
Another major topic on the agenda over the weekend concerned the schedule of competition for the period 2017-2030. The Board gave the green light to go ahead with the study and the development of the sporting elements such as the different formats of qualification and detailed calendar proposals.
Talks between FIBA and its member national federations on this topic will continue over the coming months, as well as with other stakeholders such as leagues, clubs and Zones.
Meanwhile, a change in the competition format for FIBA’s U17 World Championships for Men and Women was passed, with the number of participating teams increasing from 12 to 16 starting in 2014.
The weekend also saw FIBA’s 3×3 Basketball programme take another giant step forward with the official launch of its competition network, with the first ever World Tour and the World Championship for Men and Women being held in 2012. The new discipline was introduced with great success at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore and FIBA held its first-ever 3×3 Youth World Championship in Rimini, Italy, in September.
During this meeting, the Central Board admitted the Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) among the organizations officially recognised by FIBA.
Last but not least, the Central Board were given a presentation of the FIBA Strategy for the period 2011-2018. Click here to find out more about the strategy.
The next FIBA Central Board will take place on 28-29 April 2012.
December 13, 2011
MADRID, Spain (FIBA Central Board) – Venezuela and Turkey will host the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs) for Men and Women respectively. The decision was made by FIBA’s Central Board at its meeting in the Spanish capital on Saturday. Venezuela will welcome the 12 national men’s teams vying for the last three Olympic berths on offer at the OQT, which will take place in the country’s capital and largest city of Caracas from 2-8 July 2012.
The previous week (25 June-1 July 2012), in its capital of Ankara, Turkey is to play host to the 12 national women’s teams battling for the five remaining places to compete in the Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament.
For Venezuela, this is the first time hosting a major international basketball tournament.
The country’s men’s national team booked its place in the OQT by virtue of coming in fifth at this past summer’s FIBA Americas Championship in Mar del Plata, Argentina.
The Venezuelans are looking to return to the Olympics for the first time since 1992.
Joining them in the OQT are Angola, Dominican Republic, F.Y.R. of Macedonia, Greece, Jordan, Korea, Lithuania, New Zealand, Nigeria, Puerto Rico and Russia.
Meanwhile, Turkey is to host its first major women’s international basketball tournament since EuroBasket Women 2005.
The Turks organised the 2010 edition of the FIBA World Championship and were awarded the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women.
The country’s national women’s team had a memorable run at EuroBasket Women 2011in Poland, ending France’s title defence to reach the Gold Medal game.
While they lost to Russia in the Final, the Turkish women did enough to reach the OQT for Women for the first time ever and will look to go a step further by making their maiden trip to the Olympics.
They will be joined in the OQT for Women by Argentina, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Japan, Korea, Mali, Mozambique, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico and Mozambique are taking the places of Cuba and Senegal respectively after these teams withdrew.
FIBA and the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments
The Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) was first introduced in 1960. It was played according to a variety of formats until it was discontinued in 1992. It was reintroduced in 2008, and took place in Athens, Greece. Croatia, Germany and Greece booked the final three places on offer for the Beijing Olympics.
The 2012 edition will take place 2-8 July. The 12 teams will be divided into four groups of three teams. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Quarter-Finals. The two winning Semi-Finalists will qualify for London alongside the winner of the third-place playoff.
The 2012 OQT for Women will be played 25 June-1 July. The 12 teams will be divided into four groups of three teams. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Quarter-Finals. The four Semi-Finalists and winner of the fifth-place playoff will qualify for London.
In 2008, Belarus, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Spain and Latvia took the five spots on offer.
For more information about Olympic Basketball visit london2012.fiba.com
December 5, 2011
The Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns will attend the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in 2012.
The High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) Board has agreed to support Basketball New Zealand’s (BBNZ) funding request. The HPSNZ Board was scheduled to meet next month to make its high performance decisions but because of the FIBA deadline to confirm entry into the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments HPSNZ considered BBNZ’s request.
The exact level of support will be announced on 16th December, as part of the annual high performance round.
Both the Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns missed out on direct qualification for London when they were beaten in their respective Oceania Qualifying Series by Australia.
Each subsequently secured invites to FIBA’s Olympic Qualification Tournaments. The Men’s tournament runs from July 2 to 8 and the women’s from June 26 to July 1, with the venues yet to be announced.
The Tall Blacks will play Angola, Dominican Republic, Macedonia, Greece, Jordan, Korea, Lithuania, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Russia and Venezuela for the three places available for London.
The Tal Ferns will play Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Japan, Korea, Senegal, Mali, Croatia, Turkey, the Czech Republic, France and Croatia for five Olympic Spots.
The men are ranked 18th in the world and the women 16th.
Basketball New Zealand acknowledges the outstanding support of HPSNZ, SPARC and the New Zealand Olympic Committee in working with us to achieve the FIBA deadline and thereby providing the Tall Blacks and the Tall Ferns with the opportunity to achieve success at the London Olympics.
September 14, 2011
The Al Ramsay Shield is in Australia’s hands after the Boomers men’s basketball team swept the New Zealand Tall Blacks in the 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship, winning Game Three 92-68 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in Sydney on Sunday afternoon.
The Boomers had five double-digit scorers, led by centre Aleks Maric, who finished with 27 points, shooting 11-13 from the field, while David Barlow was next best with 17 points.
For the Tall Blacks, star shooting guard Kirk Penney was again dominant with 27 points, while Mika Vukona finished with 10 points.
Game Three played out much like the first two games in the series, with the Tall Blacks pushing the Aussies at every change early, at times taking the lead and looking dangerous.
As was the case in Game Two, the Boomers’ persistent defensive pressure finally got the better of the Tall Blacks, this time a little earlier, as the Boomers went on a solid scoring run in the third period, dropping 31 points for the term, led by Aleks Maric, Joe Ingles and Aron Baynes.
Taking a 15 point lead into the final period, the Boomers held New Zealand to just seven points in the final term, to run away with the big 24 point win.
“I thought defensively we were average in the first half. I give them credit they are well coached, they run the heck out of their structure, their structure is very unusual and it’s hard to guard and I give them credit,” said head coach Brett Brown.
“I thought we brought more energy, communication and a few adjustments in the second half, and to hold them to 27 points and seven points in the final quarter, in what’s been a long process getting here, to end with that kind of defensive quarter was fantastic,” he said.
Australian Boomers 92 (Maric 27, Barlow 17) def New Zealand Tall Blacks 68 (Penney 27, Vukona 10)
Box Score
More Tall Blacks News »
January 17, 2012
BBNZ is now seeking expressions of interest for the 2012 Tall Ferns’ Manager position. 2012 is a significant year for the Tall Ferns. The team will travel to the Olympic Qualification Tournament in Turkey, and if successful in gaining a top five finish, carry on to the 2012 London Olympics.
Closing date for Expressions of Interest is Sunday 22 January, 2012.
For details and more information CLICK HERE
December 14, 2011
MADRID (FIBA Central Board) – FIBA’s Central Board meeting in the Spanish capital came to an end on Sunday with a number of key decisions having been made.
On Saturday, the Central Board attributed the hosting duties for the 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs) for Men and Women to Venezuela and Turkey respectively.
Another major topic on the agenda over the weekend concerned the schedule of competition for the period 2017-2030. The Board gave the green light to go ahead with the study and the development of the sporting elements such as the different formats of qualification and detailed calendar proposals.
Talks between FIBA and its member national federations on this topic will continue over the coming months, as well as with other stakeholders such as leagues, clubs and Zones.
Meanwhile, a change in the competition format for FIBA’s U17 World Championships for Men and Women was passed, with the number of participating teams increasing from 12 to 16 starting in 2014.
The weekend also saw FIBA’s 3×3 Basketball programme take another giant step forward with the official launch of its competition network, with the first ever World Tour and the World Championship for Men and Women being held in 2012. The new discipline was introduced with great success at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore and FIBA held its first-ever 3×3 Youth World Championship in Rimini, Italy, in September.
During this meeting, the Central Board admitted the Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) among the organizations officially recognised by FIBA.
Last but not least, the Central Board were given a presentation of the FIBA Strategy for the period 2011-2018. Click here to find out more about the strategy.
The next FIBA Central Board will take place on 28-29 April 2012.
December 13, 2011
MADRID, Spain (FIBA Central Board) – Venezuela and Turkey will host the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs) for Men and Women respectively. The decision was made by FIBA’s Central Board at its meeting in the Spanish capital on Saturday. Venezuela will welcome the 12 national men’s teams vying for the last three Olympic berths on offer at the OQT, which will take place in the country’s capital and largest city of Caracas from 2-8 July 2012.
The previous week (25 June-1 July 2012), in its capital of Ankara, Turkey is to play host to the 12 national women’s teams battling for the five remaining places to compete in the Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament.
For Venezuela, this is the first time hosting a major international basketball tournament.
The country’s men’s national team booked its place in the OQT by virtue of coming in fifth at this past summer’s FIBA Americas Championship in Mar del Plata, Argentina.
The Venezuelans are looking to return to the Olympics for the first time since 1992.
Joining them in the OQT are Angola, Dominican Republic, F.Y.R. of Macedonia, Greece, Jordan, Korea, Lithuania, New Zealand, Nigeria, Puerto Rico and Russia.
Meanwhile, Turkey is to host its first major women’s international basketball tournament since EuroBasket Women 2005.
The Turks organised the 2010 edition of the FIBA World Championship and were awarded the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women.
The country’s national women’s team had a memorable run at EuroBasket Women 2011in Poland, ending France’s title defence to reach the Gold Medal game.
While they lost to Russia in the Final, the Turkish women did enough to reach the OQT for Women for the first time ever and will look to go a step further by making their maiden trip to the Olympics.
They will be joined in the OQT for Women by Argentina, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Japan, Korea, Mali, Mozambique, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico and Mozambique are taking the places of Cuba and Senegal respectively after these teams withdrew.
FIBA and the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments
The Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) was first introduced in 1960. It was played according to a variety of formats until it was discontinued in 1992. It was reintroduced in 2008, and took place in Athens, Greece. Croatia, Germany and Greece booked the final three places on offer for the Beijing Olympics.
The 2012 edition will take place 2-8 July. The 12 teams will be divided into four groups of three teams. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Quarter-Finals. The two winning Semi-Finalists will qualify for London alongside the winner of the third-place playoff.
The 2012 OQT for Women will be played 25 June-1 July. The 12 teams will be divided into four groups of three teams. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Quarter-Finals. The four Semi-Finalists and winner of the fifth-place playoff will qualify for London.
In 2008, Belarus, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Spain and Latvia took the five spots on offer.
For more information about Olympic Basketball visit london2012.fiba.com
December 5, 2011
The Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns will attend the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in 2012.
The High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) Board has agreed to support Basketball New Zealand’s (BBNZ) funding request. The HPSNZ Board was scheduled to meet next month to make its high performance decisions but because of the FIBA deadline to confirm entry into the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments HPSNZ considered BBNZ’s request.
The exact level of support will be announced on 16th December, as part of the annual high performance round.
Both the Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns missed out on direct qualification for London when they were beaten in their respective Oceania Qualifying Series by Australia.
Each subsequently secured invites to FIBA’s Olympic Qualification Tournaments. The Men’s tournament runs from July 2 to 8 and the women’s from June 26 to July 1, with the venues yet to be announced.
The Tall Blacks will play Angola, Dominican Republic, Macedonia, Greece, Jordan, Korea, Lithuania, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Russia and Venezuela for the three places available for London.
The Tal Ferns will play Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Japan, Korea, Senegal, Mali, Croatia, Turkey, the Czech Republic, France and Croatia for five Olympic Spots.
The men are ranked 18th in the world and the women 16th.
Basketball New Zealand acknowledges the outstanding support of HPSNZ, SPARC and the New Zealand Olympic Committee in working with us to achieve the FIBA deadline and thereby providing the Tall Blacks and the Tall Ferns with the opportunity to achieve success at the London Olympics.
More Tall Ferns News »
February 19, 2012
Boston Classic has come to an end with Fico Finance Nelson Giants going 1-1 which included a win over the HBS Bank Hawks, while the Wellington Saints and Taranaki Mountain Airs both posted W’s.
The Hawks were on a roll after easily dispatching the Saints and Heat the night before, but without their leader Paora Winitana (Religious Beliefs), the Giants took full advantage winning 92-76.
Sharpshooter Pete Campbell led all scorers with twenty three, while Aidan Daly was the best for the Hawks with sixteen.
The Airs put together a strong first three quarters, to edge out the LZ Harbour Heat 90-82. Heat did produce a 30-15 final period, thanks to their young players Marco Alexander and Issac Fotu who combined for forty points.
Alexander led the Heat scorers with 24, but the experienced back court of Jack Leasure and Darryl Hudson proved was too much for the Heat as they would have thirty five and twenty eight points apiece.
After a good win over the Hawks the Giants would have to play their fourth game of the tournament against the Saints, who put up 109 points to their 76.
wellington import Anthony Gurley led all scorers with twenty three, Breakers point guard Josh Bloxham had twenty one.
The NBL is close to beginning with only two weeks remaining before the first game, and there will be plenty of young players to watch out for, in particular big men such as the Giants Michael Karena, Heat’s Fotu, Hawks Morgan Natanahira who all played focal roles in their respective sides.
A big thank you goes out to all of the teams that played in the tournament, the officials who assisted, Porirua Basketball Association and Boston Bar on Blair Street Wellington for sponsoring it.
Boston Classic: Day Two Results
10am
Taranaki Mountain Airs 90 (Jack Leasure 35, Darryl Hudson 28) LZ Harbour Heat 82 (Marco Alexander 24, Isaac Fotu 16, Justin Bailey 14)
10am
Fico Finance Nelson Giants 92 (Pete Campbell 23, Phill Jones 16, Josh Bloxham 11, Darryl Jones 10) HBS Bank Hawks 76 (Aidan Daly 16, Kareem Johnson 14, Galen Young 12)
2.30pm
Wellington Saints 109 (Anthony Gurley 23, Casey Frank 17, Troy McLean 15, Jordan Mills 14) Fico Finance Nelson Giants 76 (Josh Bloxham 21, Michael Karena 13, Sam Dempster 12)
February 18, 2012
At the end of day one of the NBL Preseason Boston Classic the HBS Bank Hawks have made a statement with a two wins today, which included a 97-76 romp of two time defending champs the Wellington Saints, while the Fico Finance Nelson Giants also made it two from two.
Hawks man handled Wellington, especially the second period which they won 39-19. The scoring was spread for the Hawks, with five players reaching double figures. Paora Winitana led the Hawks with 19 which included the seven first points scored. Veteran Saints Guard Troy McLean had the game high of twenty two.
Earlier in the day the Saints took down an understrength Manawatu Jets side 97-56 led by new signing Anthony Gurley who had 27 on debut.
Jets were missing key players Nick Horvath, Jeremiah Trueman, Zane Meehl and Josh Pace who was at attendance, but the young squad managed to put up a competitive first quarter down only four points at the end of the period.
Jets new import Dustin Mitchell showed a nice touch for a 6’9 bigman leading the Jets with 15, while veteran guards Matt Te Huna and Kaine Hokianga added 12 and 10 apiece.
The scoring was evenly spread for the Saints with guards Jordan Mills and Ross Taurima both adding fourteen off the bench.
The Giants meanwhile comfortably defeated the Taranaki Mountain Airs 81-70, import Pete Campbell proving to be a dead eye marksman making seven threes for a game high twenty nine.
Nelson took an early twelve point lead at the half, while the Airs could not seem to get into an offensive rhythm, the all import back court of Jack Leasure and Darryl Hudson doing the bulk of the scoring with twenty four and twenty one points respectively.
Giants seemed to have the upper hand in execution with Breakers player Josh Bloxham and NBl Stalwart Phill Jones running the show.
Last year’s runners up the HBS Bank Hawks disposed a young Harbour Heat team 93-69 for their first win in the morning.
The Heat did hang around in the first half only down by seven, but the Hawks depth was too much for them, as they would have four players in double digits.
Jarrod Kenny led the Hawks with 15, with a much improved three point shot, while veterans Paora Winitana, Galen Young and Kareem Johnson proved they will be tough to handle with their size and strength for opposing teams this season.
Heats new import big Zac Atkinson was the pick of the Heat players with a game high twenty one, which included a nice two handed slam
After a loss earlier in the day to the Giants, the Taranaki Mountain Airs bounced back to secure a 97-70 win over the Jets.
Darryl Hudson had a game high twenty five against his former team, while Jack Leasure added twenty one. After a long hiatus from the NBL, former Tall Black Damon Rampton had thirteen points.
Giants import Pete Campbell continued his hot shooting with twenty two as the Giants defeated the Heat 86-68. Former Auckland Pirate Brad Anderson the top scorer for the Heat with thirteen.
Tomorrow it all begins again in the morning when the two undefeated team the Hawks and Giants play each other, while the Airs play the Heat.
Giants will back it up with an afternoon game against Wellington to round out the tournament.
Boston Classic Results: Day One
10.30am
Wellington Saints 95 (Anthony Gurley 27, Jordan Mills 14, Ross Taurima 14, Arthur Trousdell 13) Manawatu Jets 57 (Dustin Mitchell 15, Kaine Hokianga 12, Matt Te Huna 10)
12.30pm
Fico Finance Nelson Giants 81 (Pete Campbell 29, Darryl Jones 11, Michael Karena 10) Taranaki Mountain Airs 70 (Jack Leasure 24, Darryl Hudson 21, Chris Daniel 12)
12.30pm
HBS Bank Hawks 93 (Jarrod Kenny 15, Paora Winitana 14, Galen Young 12, Kareem Johnson 10) LZ Harbour Heat 69 (Zach Atkinson 21, Brad Anderson 14, Justin Bailey 10)
5.30pm
Taranaki Mountain Airs 97 (Darryl Hudson 25, Jack Leasure 21, Chris Daniel 16, Damon Rampton 13) Manawatu Jets 70 (Ian O’Boyle 15, Zeke Meehl 13, Dustin Mitchell 11)
5.30pm
Fico Finance Nelson Giants 86 (Pete Campbell 22, Phill Jones 15, Michael Karena 10) LZ Harbour Heat 68 (Brad Anderson 13, Justin Bailey 11, Reuben Te Rangi 10, Zac Atkinson 10)
7.30pm
HBS Bank Hawks 97 (Paora Winitana 19, Morgan Natanahira 13, Kareem Johnson 12, Galen Young 12, Jarrod Kenny 11) Wellington Saints 76 (Troy McLean 22, Jason Crowe 19, Arthur Trousdell 16)
January 24, 2012
2012 Bartercard NBL Draw has been released and after a year off the Harbour Heat return to play host to the OceanaGold Nuggets who will have arguably their best ever home grown player Mark Dickel playing his first game in a Nuggets uniform since 2003.
The Nuggets will face a tough double having to play the Auckland Pirates, who will boast the last two years Finals Most Valuable Player Lindsay Tait returns to his home town Auckland after a very successful stint with the two time defending champs the Wellington Saints.
2011 runners up the HBS Bank Hawks who have retained most of their roster will be at home to the Zero Fees Southland Sharks in a rematch of last year’s Quarter Final.
Sharks will have a relatively new look side with former Tall Black Craig Bradshaw and NZ Breakers development player Dion Prewster.
In another rematch of last year’s Quarter Finals the Fico Finance Nelson Giants will play the McDonalds Manawatu Jets, who have signed Josh Pace who played for the Giants back in 2007 where he won a title.
Pace was with the Hawks last season leading them to the Finals, and should hopefully bring success to the Jets who have yet to win a title since entering the league in 1982.
Taranaki Mountain Airs have retained arguably one of the most consistent import in the league in Jack Leasure who led the league in scoring last season at 22.9 points per game.
Leasure is teamed up with the high scoring guard Darryl Hudson who finished sixth in scoring at a touch under 19 points a game.
Airs have also added swingman Chris Daniel to roster, which makes a good match up against the Saints who will have a new look side with the losses of starters Tait, Leon Henry and Corey Webster.
It will be a battle of the bridge in the last game of Round One when the Heat host the Pirates.
To see the full draw click here
2012 Bartercard NBL(PDF)
January 18, 2012
ANENDRA SINGH – Hawke’s Bay Today
Try telling a young bloke to “man up” on the basketball court.
It’s easier said than done when you have perennial bully boys such as Mika Vukona, Casey Frank and Dillon Boucher in your face.
HBS Bank Hawks basketballer Morgan Natanahira knows all about that.
“I was getting pushed around a wee bit,” the 21-year-old forward says after renewing his contract for another National Basketball League season. The NBL tips off in March with the Paul Henare-coached Hawks hosting the Southland Sharks in a repeat of last season’s quarterfinal.
Natanahira is not one to easily back off a challenge. Just ask talented American import small forward Josh Pace, who last winter ended up wearing a mask for a fractured cheek after Natanahira upped the tempo during a scrimmage.
Incidentally, Pace is fastening his seatbelt with the Manawatu Jets this season.
Consequently, Auckland-based Natanahira felt he needed to do something about it off-season.
While it can be a source of consternation to Henare to wonder what shape his players are in when they return for the pre-season build up, Natanahira decided to beef up.
“I’ve put on some weight this summer. I’ve gone from 96 kilos to 105,” says the player, who is returning for his second term.
“I hope it’s muscle but I’ll find that out at training,” he says, adding that Henare started not long after Christmas but he got into the fray from January 9.
It came as a shock to Natanahira at the end of last season when he received an invite to attend the trials with the Tall Blacks squad.
While disappointed he was one of four to miss the cut from 16 at the Millennium Institute of Sport in Auckland, he soaked up the experience, culture and rapport.
“It was amazing to just be in contention for three to four days.”
Returning to the Rod Earnshaw-owned Bay franchise was easy for him despite another heart-breaking end to a season in which the title proved elusive.
“I knew Paulie will give me a good chance to play so it was always a good option,” he says of the ANBL championship-winning Henare, who lured him here after helping him in the New Zealand Breakers’ academy over the years.
While he wasn’t sure of the entire makeup of the Hawks, Natanahira was looking forward to working with stalwarts such as Paora Winitana and veteran US import Galen Young.
Not too hung up on personal goals, Natanahira prefers to sing the team mantra.
“I’d like to see the Hawks going one better than last year. All I care for is the final result of the team,” he says.
Last year the Jarrod Kenny-captained Hawks lost to the Wellington Saints in the final, albeit without Winitana, a Mormon bishop who couldn’t play because of his religious beliefs after the game was switched at short notice from a Saturday to Sunday to cater for Sky TV coverage.
A laughing Henare admits the first impression his young charge made on him was of someone carrying extra weight.
“He’s been training with the Breakers and so I’ve been in close contact with him and they are very impressed with his work rate,” the former Tall Black says before his second season as Hawks coach.
Watching the men return with extra weight after the festive season can be a worry for coaches but not in Natanahira’s case. He’ll be “banging bodies”.
“The good thing with Morgan is that he is reasonably refined guy not shy to play the power forward role,” Henare says. “He’s been trialling as a swingman and No3 position, so we’re giving an opportunity in both positions.”
Henare feels Natanahira could be pivotal in stifling the likes of Frank and Lindsay Tait with his versatility and athleticism.
Bay-born forward Arthur Trousdell has crossed the floor to the Saints but former Hawk shooting guard Everard Bartlett may return to roost at home after a season in the wilderness with the Auckland Pirates.
Bartlett has been training in the ANBL season with the Perth Wildcats, whose assistant coach is ex-Hawk coach Shawn Dennis.
More NBL News »
