Basketball New Zealand

Trial

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)