Dynamos Get Second Life
Tagged in: Competitions, NBL
Devon Dynamos Taranaki are a late call-up to the Dominion Finance NBL playoffs, replacing Youthtown Auckland Stars after they failed to meet Monday’s deadline to complete payment of their entry fee.
The National Basketball League board removed the sixth-placed Stars from the post-season after repeated requests to pay the balance of their participants’ fee, due in February.
“It is regrettable,” said Basketball New Zealand chief executive Dale Stephens. “It’s not a decision that the board enjoyed making, but this has been going on for 15 weeks now, while other teams have made sacrifices to make their payments on time.
“I feel very sorry for the coach and players.”
The Stars were among several franchises given extensions to make the second half of their fees. After an initial final deadline for payment passed on Friday, the Stars were given another extension until Monday afternoon.
Both the Stars and Dynamos finished the regular season with 9-9 records, with the Stars taking sixth spot courtesy of a 2-0 head-to-head tie-breaker advantage over Taranaki, who will now be in the playoffs for the first time since 1998.
The Dynamos will face the third-placed Appliance Shed Harbour Heat at the North Shore Events Centre on Wednesday night in the second quarterfinal, the winner advancing to meet the second-placed Waikato Pistons in the second semifinal in Te Awamutu on Friday night.
