Basketball New Zealand

Dynamos Taranaki

Murray Hills, Taranaki Daily News
Opunake’s John Kensington is the man putting the bounce into basketball for the next year.

Kensington has been appointed chairman of the Taranaki Basketball Club, taking over from founder and chairman Warren Osborne, who stood down earlier this year.

“Warren and Ali (Warren’s wife) have done a fantastic job for basketball in Taranaki over the years. Good on them,” Kensington said yesterday.

“They put their heart and soul into making this club work and I don’t want to let them down. It’s important to have top-level basketball in Taranaki. If you lose it, it will be a struggle to get it back again.”

Kensington said the Taranaki Basketball Club would cater for both men and women in 2009.

“We have a new committee that is committed to keeping Taranaki as a number one province for top basketball,” he said.

“The club was originally founded to ensure a division one men’s team was supported in the National Basketball League competition.

“In 2009, the club has included a representative division one women’s team and division two men’s team under its umbrella.”

Kensington said he was keen to get people from throughout Taranaki involved with the sport.

“Hopefully it will spread the load. We, as a club, are looking to everyone in the province to support top basketball and we are hoping to name a naming rights sponsor very soon,” he said.

“Some of the big franchises have buckets of money. We don’t, but what we lack in money we double in passion.”

Kensington said the first part of Taranaki’s entry fee for the NBL of $5000 had been paid.

“We’ve met the first deadline. There’s still another $10,000 to pay,” he said. “We’re committed to having a team in the NBL. You need a flagship team, it gives young players something to aspire to.”

Kensington said Trent Adam had been reappointed as Taranaki coach.

“He’s already been scouting and recruiting players within Taranaki and outside the region. That’s his department.”