With an Australian NBL title in the bag, a firm footing in the Tall Blacks and his Waikato Pistons side firing on all cylinders, you could say Alex Pledger's career is growing in leaps and rebounds.
Tomorrow Bay sports fans get the chance see the towering centre and his NZ Breakers
compadres Tom Abercrombie and BJ Anthony in action at Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre, when the Pistons take on the Taranaki Mountain Airs.
Now at full strength thanks to the return of the Breakers trio plus 2008 standout Jason Crowe this month, the Pistons powered to third on the national table with a 102-69 gutting of the Southland Sharks last week.
New Zealand's tallest pro sportsman at 2.13m (7'0"), Pledger was pivotal to the Breakers' landmark ANBL title victory last month and remains in fine touch, nailing seven from seven field goals in the first half against the Sharks and finishing with a game-high 25 points.
Ask him about that performance and the "Chief", as he's known in the Pistons camp, keeps his feet firmly on the ground.
"It's beginning to feel really good between all the players, the team chemistry's coming together. Everyone's shooting pretty well and playing well.
"Tom, BJ and I are used to practising together. Pistons coach Dean [Vickerman] also being assistant coach for the Breakers makes it pretty easy to keep things rolling, not much has changed for us.
"It is different playing in the New Zealand league, the play's not quite as fast or accurate.
"Last year it was a very noticeable change but this year the game has definitely lifted here, the national league has been really good."
Taking up the sport as a 16-year-old Hamilton lad, Pledger won a scholarship and played three seasons in the US before signing with the Pistons in 2008. He also debuted for the Tall Blacks that year, then joined the Breakers in 2009.
At the suggestion he's come of age as a player in 2010, the 24-year-old credits Breakers head coach Andrej Lemanis.
"Andrej has given me lots of court time since the later part of last year. I've played every game, with double-figure minutes most games, it's helped me feel really good about myself and I've carried that confidence through this year."
The thrill of that ABNL conquest must go a long way, too.
"It was great, the best feeling of my career so far," Pledger said.
"The look on Paulie's face [Paul Henare], it was so good to win the title in his last season. It took us all about a week to come down to earth."
A centimetre taller than Pledger, Mountain Airs forward and US draft Marcus Campbell will keep him on his toes in tomorrow's match - apparently the first national league game to be hosted in Tauranga.
"We've got to try to keep their two imports quiet. [Jack] Leasure is the league's second-highest scorer, and their big guy Marcus has been playing really well," Pledger said. "We can't take them lightly."
As for the'Chief' moniker, there's a bit of ribbing at play, Pledger explains. "We were at a Maori cultural centre and each tourist 'tribe' had to choose their 'chief'. Me being a tall white guy - and a rookie - who do you think they were going to pick?"
Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre - Waikato Pistons v Taranaki Mountain Airs
Lineups:
Waikato Pistons: Jerry Smith, Jason Crowe, Hayden Allen, Thomas Abercrombie, Alex Pledger, Puke Lenden, Torr Woodhouse, Ray Cameron, Boyd Scirkovich, Marco Alexander, James Comer, Daniel Ryan.
Taranaki Mountain Airs: Marcus Campbell, Aaron Bailey-Nowell, Ryan Beesly, Zane Meehl, Jack Leasure, Link Abrams, Cameron Stuart, Mada Adbelamid, Eli Paurini, Josh Paurini, Dylan Wineera, Xavier Shaw.
Doors open 4pm. Curtainraiser: Tauranga City Women vs Taranaki Trojans. National league game starts 7pm.
With an Australian NBL title in the bag, a firm footing in the Tall Blacks and his Waikato Pistons side firing on all cylinders, you could say Alex Pledger's career is growing in leaps and rebounds.
Tomorrow Bay sports fans get the chance see the towering centre and his NZ Breakers
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