"Light but effective" will be the workload each member of the Breakers Manawatu Jets lineup is expected to carry on court in Springvale Stadium this afternoon, as Wanganui hosts the first of the Jets' important NBL preseason double header weekend with the Good Home Taranaki Mountain Airs.
The NBL near-neighbour franchises will both begin their season on April 6, making today's game in Wanganui and tomorrow's in Hawera's TSB Hub an important hit out to establish squad cohesion, while giving everyone plenty of opportunity to make some running.
For Jets coach Darron Larsen, returning this season for his second coaching stint with the Palmerston North team, quick rotations will be used to allow his "lower end guys" to play more minutes so they have some key game time, should they be required when the "serious stuff" starts next month.
The Jets had the bulk of their team chosen in October, but since then have been adding "pieces to the puzzle" every week notably 1.95m-tall American small forward Paul Jones, who joined the squad recently after having success with his Western Washington University team in the NCAA division two national championship.
The Jets' other American import in point guard Brandon Jenkins is due to arrive in the coming week, but veteran guard Matt Te Huna is already raring to go after signing up for his sixth Jets season and 11th overall in the NBL.