Basketball New Zealand

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Brendon Egan, Southland Times
Stadium Southland will be full of scenes of hysteria and hype tonight for the Sharks’ first game in NBL history, but coach Richard Dickel is adamant his side won’t be overawed by the occasion.

The Sharks are expected to have a large crowd in attendance and, with many of the younger players in the Southland squad not having played in the NBL before, tonight’s match could be a shock to the system for some.

After weeks of slogging it out on the training court, Dickel said the team was ready to kick-start its debut NBL season in front of their home fans.

He believed the crowd and excitement of the night would spur the Sharks on.

“I’m fairly confident they won’t be overawed. We’ve got enough guys who have been around (in the NBL) for two or three years. I think the boys will really lift …

“It’s a great opportunity for us. No-one really thinks we’re going to win too many games. We’re the underdogs in this whole situation.”

Southland’s opponents tonight – Hawke’s Bay – will be gunning for victory after they let an 18-point halftime lead slip in their season opener against the Christchurch Cougars on Thursday night to lose 75-72.

The Hawks are missing their best player in American import and former New Zealand NBL MVP Josh Pace, who is still finishing up his commitments in the American Basketball Association, but Dickel said they were still a very talented side.

They have several potent outside shooting threats in Dave Langrell, Ben Hill, Nat Connell, Chris Daniel and Everard Bartlett, and the Sharks will have to be careful they shut them down and pressurise them on defence.

Southland will also be missing one of their key contributors, with the side’s captain and former Australian Boomer Luke Martin unavailable while his Wollongong Hawks Australian NBL team is competing in the grand final series against Perth.

The Sharks have one of the taller teams in the NBL, with Martin Iti, Gareth Dawson and James Paringatai offering plenty of size, and Dickel will be hoping his side can outmuscle the Hawks inside.

If Southland can win the rebounding battle, they should go a long way towards winning the game.

With Southland’s next four matches on the road after their season opener tonight, Dickel said Southland really needed to get their campaign off to a positive start against the Hawks.

“You always want to start the season with a good performance … We want to get better all the time.”

Dickel is making his coaching debut in the NBL tonight after previously acting as an assistant coach with the Otago Nuggets and coaching Otago in the New Zealand’s women’s league.

He said he was feeling pretty calm, just a few hours out from tipoff.

“I’m not too bad. I thought I’d be a lot more nervous … I’ve still got a lot to learn, but I’m confident in my ability to coach at this level.”

The match tips off at Stadium Southland at 7pm today, with the doors opening at 6pm.

THE TEAMS

Southland Sharks (from): Daniel Munday, Mike Rose, Rene Rougeau, James Paringatai, Martin Iti, Ian Cathcart, Gareth Dawson, Paratene McLeod, Andrew Wheeler, Pete Burgess, Bubba Lau’ese, Izaac Williams, Tavita Bower.

Bay Hawks: Nat Connell, Everard Bartlett, Chris Daniel, David Langrell, Jamil Terrell, Ben Hill, Miles Pearce, George Golden, Czebalos Smiler, Haylan Tahua.

In other games around the league Manawatu Jets will host the Wellington Saints and the Harbour Heat will take on the reinstated Otago Nuggets

Saturday, March 6

At Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North

Manawatu Jets v Century City Wellington Saints, 6pm

Referees – Andy Thackray, Apai Apai, Shane Nikora

At NSEC, North Shore

Harbour Heat v Oceanagold Otago Nuggets, 7pm

Referees – Dallas Pickering, Miguel Gallardo, Cheryl Crabbe

At Southland Stadium, Invercargill

Zerofees Southland Sharks v 0800 Easy LPG Bay Hawks, 7pm

Referees – Gavin Zimmerman, Raewyn Willocks, Shane Nikora

Live score updates on NBL section of this website