Dynamos Power Up
Tagged in: NBL
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The return of former Tall Black Tony Rampton has Devon Dynamos Taranaki coach Trent Adam amped for tip-off.
Adam heralded the signing of Rampton, who retired from international basketball earlier this week and last played for Taranaki in 2005, for the 2008 Dominion Finance NBL as key for his squad, which missed the playoffs, finishing 8-10 in 2007.
“We felt last year we competed well but that in close games we just lacked the leadership of knowing how to do things,” the second-year coach said.
“He just adds some experience and knowledge. Not only is he great for us on the floor but also in building up the team around him.”
Rampton, who arrives in New Plymouth early next week, will be coming off his eighth season in the Australian NBL, with the West Sydney Razorbacks, and will link up with younger brother Damon Rampton, naturalised American Link Abrams, point guard Ben Jeffrey and Josh Paurini, among the key returning players.
The newly rebranded Dynamos – no longer the Mountain Airs – have added tall American guard Keith Salscheider as their sole import, welcomed back Taranaki product Aaron Nowell from the Manawatu Jets and acquired Alex Wastney from the Century City Wellington Saints – a roster that has them thinking playoffs.
“We’re happy keeping most of our core group from last year,” the second-year coach said.
“With Ben and Link and Damon and Josh, we were happy with how they played last year, getting Aaron Nowell back is big and having Tony Rampton’s services is a blessing for this team.”
Kaine Hokianga’s return to Manawatu and the non-return of imports Garry Hill-Thomas and Gabe Stephenson have been the only major defections but Rampton and Nowell’s returns will help cover the 43 points per game the trio contributed.
With T-Ramp returning, the Dynamos have a strong home-grown culture, with only import Salscheider and Wastney not educated and produced in the province.
“And that helps for the chemistry off the court because they’ve all had similar upbringings, they think the same and have a lot of time for each other . . . we’re very proud of the fact that we’re a local team,” said Adam, who has been holding workouts with the bulk of his roster since November.
“I’m fortunate as a coach to have a number of my players who actually reside in New Plymouth.
“It’s given us a great opportunity to work with those players and to work with the young players. I’ve got four of my top eight guys who live here and that’s not that common in the league now.”
The Dynamos sit out round one before their season-opening home double-header against the Saints on March 5 and CPS Nelson Giants on March 7. They play five straight on the road in a busy seven-game March schedule before just three games in April, including byes in rounds nine and 10.
Taranaki have opted to go with one import this season in Salscheider, who arrived on Wednesday, and Adam said barring injuries they would stick with one restricted player throughout the season.
“He’s an import who is as tall as he’s listed. He brings some skill sets that we couldn’t cover with our local players,” Adam said of Salscheider, out of San Diego Christian College, with experience in Denmark and the American minor leagues.
Adam contended his re-jigged line-up offered more balance offensively and was confident of being able to make up for the 26.2 points per game put up by 2007 scoring champion Hill-Thomas.
“We feel we’ve got a deeper team than we had last year and, overall, a more talented team.
“We can score in a variety of ways and can stretch the floor more and we won’t have to rely on one player and can spread the scoring around more.
“We think we can improve certain things and we certainly expect to see that in the record.”
Devon Taranaki Dynamos
2007: Missed playoffs, seventh (8-10) in regular season
Coach: Trent Adam
Assistant coach: Michael Kiss
Imports: Keith Salscheider (USA)
Returning: Link Abrams, Damon Rampton, Josh Paurini, Eli Paurini, Jon Collins, Ben Jeffrey
Additions: Tony Rampton, Salscheider, Aaron Nowell (Manawatu), Alex Wastney (Wellington), Kale Joines, Andrew Green, Daniel Brooks
Losses: Kaine Hokianga (Manawatu), Gabe Stephenson (USA), Garry Hill-Thomas (USA), Matt Cleaver, Matt Corbett, Eli Waikawa
