Basketball New Zealand

Darryl Hudson (Photosport)

Daniel Richardson, Manawatu Standard
Avoiding a place in the record books will be on the mind of Manawatu Jets coach Ryan Weisenberg tomorrow night.

The Jets have had only one win this season, which came against the Otago Nuggets two weeks ago.

But they could double that tally when the Nuggets swagger into town in search of their first victory.

The worst record for a Palmerston North or Manawatu team in the National Basketball League is 1-17, back in 1987.

Tomorrow’s game also marks the beginning of a tough five-day stretch during which the Jets host the Nuggets, travel to Nelson on Saturday and then play the Taranaki Mountain Airs on Monday.

“I don’t want to tie it,” Weisenberg said in reference to the 1-17 record.

“I’d rather be in the record books for other stuff.”

The Jets have five more games to register a win after tomorrow’s clash, but hosting the Nuggets presents a golden opportunity to chalk up their first home win of the season.

Otago, who re-entered the NBL this year, come to Palmerston North with no wins and 14 losses to show for their efforts.

Weisenberg stressed that he didn’t want to be the first coach to lose to them this year.

“Otago scares me because if we come out and shoot like we did the last couple of nights, like against Taranaki and Southland, Otago will beat us,” the American said. “They’re the worst team to play because they’re the ones that come and bite you in the butt.”

Despite having seemingly nothing to play for other than avoiding a poor record, Weisenberg said his players had plenty to prove.

“The motivation for these guys is that they’re fighting for a spot for next year, or at least to be considered.”

Home fans can expect more points from combo guard Darryl Hudson, and if Richard Jeter fires, there will be plenty of scoring from the Jets.

Otago rely heavily on their import Tyler Amaya, and when the Jets beat the Nuggets 89-68 in Dunedin two weeks ago, Manawatu limited him to only 11 points.

Weisenberg’s former employers, the Los Angeles Lakers, begin their NBA championship defence against the Boston Celtics this week in the United States, and he tipped Kobe Bryant and company to win another title. “Lakers in six [games]. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see Boston get one of the first two games.”

Cougars need two wins to make playoffs

By GEOFF LONGLEY – The Press
The equation for the Christchurch Cougars is straightforward – win both their remaining two national basketball league matches, starting with Harbour tonight, and they are likely to qualify for the top-six playoffs; lose one and their fate is probably sealed.

The Cougars will face Harbour in Auckland and need to continue their recent winning form away from home to enhance their playoff prospects.

The Christchurch team has history on its side, with Harbour yet to have beaten the Cougars in four matches over two seasons, but Harbour will be happy to be back at North Shore, where they made such a strong start to the season.

“We are treating this as a playoff game,” said Cougars coach Andrew Gardiner.

“I think we understand pretty well how Harbour play and have scouted them thoroughly.”

Harbour are one of the more prolific scoring teams in the league, based on the firepower of Tall Black guard Corey Webster, and have been averaging about 90 points a game.

The Cougars put the brakes on at Cowles Stadium in the first round while also scoring freely themselves in notching a 91-82 win.

That was the start of Harbour falling into a hole and the former leaders losing five successive matches until they climbed up with a win over winless Otago in Dunedin last weekend.

“It will be interesting to see what their confidence is like after the struggles they have had, but they are a quality side,” Gardiner said.

The Cougars could even head Harbour on a countback if they win the match and collect an expected win in their final regular-season match at home against Otago.

Several playoff permutations and combinations abound and will be resolved over the remaining three weekends.

Essentially, it boils down to the Cougars, Southland and Taranaki vying for one playoff position, with Waikato, Nelson, Saints, Bay Hawks and probably Harbour likely to claim the other five spots.

The Cougars have an inferior countback record to Southland and Taranaki.

The big boost for the Cougars is the return of athletic utility Paora Winitana, who has been sidelined for more than a month as he recovered from a bad ankle sprain.

Gardiner said Winitana had been coming along well at training but would not be in the starting five.

To Check out quarter by quarter score updates click here

Thursday, June 3

North Shore Events Centre, North Shore

Harbour Heat v Christchurch Cougars, 7pm

Referees – Dallas Pickering, Kelly McLeod, Cheryll Crabbe

At Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North

McDonalds Manawatu Jets v OceanaGold Nuggets, 6pm

Referees – Andy Thackray, Shane Nikora, Wayne Start