Young Breakers Tackle Cougars
Tagged in: NZ Breakers
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Key members of the Harvey Norman NZ Breakers will bolster the ranks of the clubís academy team for next weekís showdown against Washington State University at the Trusts Stadium in Waitakere.
The Cougars are ranked in the top 20 college basketball teams in the USA and are coming off a school record-tying 26 wins as well as a trip to the prestigious NCAA Tournament.
The strength of the visitors, who also play five matches in Australia, including clashes with the Boomers train-on squad and the Sydney Kings, has led to Breakers power forward Mika Vukona and new Breakers guard Ryan Kersten joining the Academy line-up. Foundation player Blake Truslove, now the clubís development manager, will also suit up for the match.
It will be Breakers fans first chance to see Kersten in action, being an off season recruit to the Breakers from the University of New Mexico.
Washington State coach Tony Bennett, who was chosen in the 1992 NBA Draft by Charlotte Hornets before embarking on a four-year playing and coaching career at North Harbour, previously recruited Tall Blacks star Kirk Penney to play college ball at Wisconsin and has NZ-born Australian Aron Baynes and North Shore prodigy Thomas Abercrombie in his Cougars squad.
Abercrombie will reacquaint himself with a host of former team mates as the Breakers Academy contains no less than five Westlake High School products, including 19-year-old shooting guard David Clarke and 2.08m 15-year-old Rob Loe.
Academy coach Judd Flavell says playing against such an impressive college team will be a ìgreat measuring stickî for his youngsters.
ìOur players harbour ambitions to play at the highest level and college is a serious option for them,î Flavell said. ìThey appreciate the need to embrace the challenge, step up and make the most of this opportunity.î
The match is presented in partnership with the Trusts Stadium and Basketball Waitakere City, with junior basketball in Waitakere benefiting from a gold coin donation at the game.
Breakers General Manager Richard Clarke said that the support of the Trusts Stadium and Basketball Waitakere City were key to making the game happen.
ìThis is a real partnership approach, we are grateful to the Trusts Stadium and BWC for assisting us. Hopefully this will help raise funds for junior basketball in the area, plus give those kids the opportunity to see some of the stars of the future in action – both on the academy team and guys like Thomas Abercrombie for Washington State.î
The Washington State clash will be the academyís fifth outing as a team, having tackled NBL teams the Harbour Heat and the Auckland Stars, as well as CBL (second division) sides Harbour and Western Bays.
The Cougars head to Australia following the Academy match, where they will play five games in Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns.
NZ Breakers Academy v Washington State University
Date: Tuesday 5 June 2007
Tip-Off: 7.30pm
Venue: The Trusts Stadium, Waitakere
Ticketing: Free Entry, plus gold coin donation with proceeds going to junior basketball in Waitakere City
