Basketball New Zealand

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Youthtown Auckland Stars

With star forward Casey Frank absent another week and the team in the pack as the playoffs race starts, the Youthtown Auckland Stars pulled the trigger on two roster moves before round nine.

The Stars (5-4, fourth) released American point guard Larry Bratcher earlier this week, signing compatriot forward George Baker and lured Australian guard Jonathon Shepherd away from the Appliance Shed Harbour Heat before their Dominion Finance NBL game against the Easy LPG Bay Hawks.

Auckland host the Hawks on Saturday night at ASB Stadium, tip-off 7.30pm, in their second straight game without leading scorer Frank, who is set to return next week for their return “Battle of the Bridge” game against the Heat.

Baker, a 27-year-old 1.95m forward, with international experience in Portugal, will give the Stars another points-scoring punch and also bolster their front-line.

Baker last played for Galitos FC in the Portugese Proliga, averaging 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.6 steals in his last full season in 2006-07, leading Galitos to the playoffs a year after being promoted to the top league. He was also the All-Star Game MVP, scoring 23 points in a win.

The Lexington, Kentucky, native played for the NCAA division one Depaul Blue Demons as a freshman, averaging 2.3 points as a team-mate of now NBAers Quentin Richardson (New York Knicks) and Bobby Simmons (Milwaukee Bucks).

Baker, a high school All-American, switched to Georgetown College in the NAIA, earning Mid South Conference Player of the Year honours in 2004 and was named to the All-110% Team in a pro stint in the Kentucky Basketball Development League last year.

Shepherd, who has been on the Heat’s roster since late February but has not appeared in a game for Harbour, will help fill the gap at guard left by Bratcher’s release. He will be classified as an import, despite residing permanently in Auckland.

The 27-year-old New South Welshman, who has years of experience in the ABA’s Waratah League, was one of the triallists in the NZ Breakers’ Point Guard Idol before the 2006-07, losing out to fellow Australian Adam Darragh.

Bratcher averaged 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 26.3 minutes per game in nine games for the Stars. He was shooting 46.2% from the field, 43.8% on threes and 65.7% from the foul line.