Basketball New Zealand

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NZ Breakers guard Kirk Penney (Photosport)

Harvey Norman NZ Breakers marksman Kirk Penney will do double duty at the 2007 Australian NBL All-Star Weekend after being named in both the All-Star Game and Three-point Shootout.

The six competitors who will take part in the three-point shootout also including renowned marksmen John Rillie of the Townsville Crocodiles and CJ Bruton of the Brisbane Bullets.

Melbourne Tigers fans at the event, which will be held at Melbourne’s State Netball and Hockey Centre on December 12, will have added reason to cheer with hometown favourite Chris Anstey also selected along with Gold Coast Blaze star James Harvey and West Sydney Razorbacks sharpshooter Troy DeVries.

DeVries was the top vote getter in the field, which was determined by a fan vote on the official NBL website (www.nbl.com.au). The Razorbacks import captured 2,765 votes to lead all of the 13 players nominated for the competition. Second in voting was Brisbane star Bruton (2,203) while Kiwi three-point specialist Penney came third (2,169).

Adelaide 36ers youngster Darren Ng was desperately unlucky to miss selection for the marquee event, polling 2,114 votes to finish just behind Rillie in sixth (2,141).

Each of the NBL’s 13 teams was asked by the league office to nominate a shooter for the competition, which returns to the All-Star Game programme after a number of years in hiatus. From the nominees, the top six shooters as determined by the fan poll conducted from over two weeks on nbl.com.au were selected to participate in the Three-point Shootout at the NBL All-Star Game.

The super six will compete against each other prior to tip-off of the All-Star Game, with the top two shooters advancing to the final, which is to be staged at the halftime break.

NBL interim chief executive officer Chuck Harmison said the fans had certainly selected a strong field for the event.

“Whilst I’m sure that those who voted for the seven guys who didn’t make it might disagree, I think the fans did a great job of selecting a strong field for the Shootout,” said Harmison.

“DeVries has certainly established himself as one of the best shooters in the League already, and the level of support he has received from the fans in the balloting process has shown that his talent has been recognised.

“John Rillie of the Crocs has also been a strong proponent for the re-introduction of the Three-Point Shootout so we are delighted that the fans have chosen to select him.

“All six chosen competitors are legitimate three-point bombers, so it should be a high-quality event. We couldn’t ask for a better field to have been chosen by the fans.”

Meanwhile, Penney is also poised to become the first Kiwi to play in the All-Star Game.

The NBL has named ten players and five reserves to both the Aussie All-Star Team and the World All-Stars who will battle it out at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne (‚Äò”The Cage”) in the Hummer Championship‚Äôs showcase annual event.

The World All-Star Team includes the Round Eight Player of the Week Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams, Melbourne Tigers European big man Martin Muursepp and South Dragons import Cortez Groves.

Penney and American Rick Rickert will represent the Breakers in the lineup. Penney’s selection follows in the footsteps of Tall Black captain Pero Cameron, who was named in 2004, but withdrew.

Townsville centre Nathan Jawai, the indigenous Australian giant who has emerged as a dominant big man in the league in just his first season as a pro, has been named to the Aussie All-Stars along with second-year sensation Joe Ingles of the South Dragons and Sydney Kings young gun Mark Worthington.

The Aussie All-Stars will still have plenty of experience however with the likes of Bruton, Paul Rogers (Perth) and Sam Mackinnon (Brisbane) also chosen. The hometown Melbourne crowd will also have plenty to cheer for as Tigers stars Anstey and David Barlow have both been selected for the Aussie All-Stars.

The teams were selected by a panel of experts in Melbourne Tigers legend Andrew Gaze, Hall of Famer Steve Carfino and three-time championship winner Mark Bradtke. Between them the selection panel played a whopping 1,298 NBL games.

Leading the sides will be two of the NBL’s best coaches, with Sydney Kings supremo and Australian Boomers head coach Brian Goorjian taking the helm for the Aussie All-Stars and championship-winning Melbourne Tigers mentor Al Westover guiding the World team. The pair earned this honour after Goorjian and Westover finished first and second on the ladder respectively at the end of Round Eight of the HUMMER Championship.

Harmison said the talent on each side should ensure an exciting contest for the fans.

“All-Star Games always feature great action as the players try things they would never attempt in a regular season game,” said Harmison. “The level of talent we have in the League this season is as good as I have ever seen and that is reflected in the amazing athletes that have been selected to compete in Melbourne.”

“Whilst selections and non-selections of All-Star Teams are always controversial, the selection panel really did an amazing job narrowing things down to just twenty players and ten reserves. I can’t wait to see these guys get out on the floor and show what they can do.”

Fans will be able to vote for the starters for each team on the official NBL website at www.nbl.com.au starting on Monday, November 19.

World All-Stars Team

Kavossy Franklin (Wollongong Hawks), Corey Williams (Townsville Crocodiles), Rick Rickert (NZ Breakers), Martin Muursepp (Melbourne Tigers), Shawn Redhage (Perth Wildcats), Cortez Groves (South Dragons), Adam Ballinger (Adelaide 36ers), Ebi Ere (Brisbane Bullets), Darnell Hinson (West Sydney Razorbacks), Kirk Penney (NZ Breakers),

Reserves
Mike Helms (Singapore Slingers), Jason Crowe (Gold Coast Blaze), Larry Abney (Cairns Taipans), Juaquin Hawkins (Gold Coast Blaze), Rod Grizzard (Singapore Slingers),

Head Coach: Alan Westover (Melbourne Tigers)

Aussie All-Stars Team

Sam Mackinnon (Brisbane Bullets), Stephen Black (Cairns Taipans), CJ Bruton (Brisbane Bullets), Chris Anstey (Melbourne Tigers), James Harvey (Gold Coast Blaze), Nathan Jawai (Cairns Taipans), Mark Worthington (Sydney Kings), David Barlow (Melbourne Tigers), Paul Rogers (Perth Wildcats), Joe Ingles (South Dragons)

Reserves
Glen Saville (Sydney Kings), Alex Loughton (Perth Wildcats), Stephen Hoare (Melbourne Tigers), Cameron Tragardh (Wollongong Hawks), Luke Kendall (Sydney Kings)

Head Coach: Brian Goorjian (Sydney Kings)