Basketball New Zealand

Tall Ferns Lisa Wallbutton and Toni Edmondson (The Border Mail)

The Border Mail
Could the Albury-Wodonga Lady Bandits’s long black cloud of disappointment finally have a silver lining?

With the arrival of New Zealand international players Lisa Wallbutton and Toni Edmondson — as well as new coach Ken Kereama — the Border outfit has taken on a distinct Kiwi flavour.

And while the club has endured a fruitless start to its existence, winning a grand total of 12 games over three seasons, the additions of Wallbutton and Edmondson gives the Lady Bandits a much-needed boost in both talent and experience, something they sorely lacked last year.

Wallbutton, a 183cm forward, made her Tall Ferns debut in 2005 and averaged 10.4 points and five rebounds per game at the Beijing Olympics.

She has also played in the WNBL for the now-defunct Christchurch Sirens under former Bandits title-winning coach Leigh Gooding and was a member of the New Zealand WNBL’s All-Star Five in 2005 and 2006.

Edmondson was the last player cut from New Zealand’s Beijing squad, despite being called up for a pre-Olympics tournament in China earlier in the year.

The 181cm forward is something of a multi-sport star, having played with the New Zealand volleyball team as well as on the Kiwi beach volleyball tour.

Wallbutton, 23, said she was looking forward to the season opener on the road against Southern Districts, despite only having just finished a season in Europe playing for Belgian club Dexia Namur.

“I’m excited about playing here, I can’t wait for the season to start, it should be good,” Wallbutton said.

“We’re quite a short team, so I think we’ll be playing a lot of pressure defence and try to get some easy fast-break baskets and stuff like that.

“I think we just really want to win some games and see how we can take it from there.”

Edmondson, 21, said she was happy to be working with Kereama again, having played previously for him at high school and as part of the Tall Ferns squad.

“Ken was my high school coach so we go back a way and it’s good to be playing for him again,” Edmondson said.

“Hopefully we can make a difference to the team’s fortunes, win a few games and see how it goes. Albury-Wodonga is a nice place, everyone has been really friendly and we’re settling in nicely I think.

“I think we’ll definitely be playing an up-tempo style of game, we’re not the biggest team going around and that means I’ll probably be playing some power forward and that will create some mismatches.”

Kereama admitted he couldn’t wait to unleash his Tall Ferns duo on the league.

“It’s great to have them here, they’re definitely going to bring so much to the table,” he said.

“Firstly the experience they have at the elite level and secondly, the professionalism they will both bring to the club.

“I think a lot of people think that to be a professional is just to be paid but it’s much more than that.

“It’s the way you present yourself, the way you train, the way you approach things and I think these girls will definitely do all that and get us some wins as well.”