Long-time Hawks player and 2023 coach Everard Bartlett coached beaten semifinalists Chennai Heat in that competition.
The Hawks squad, with the more-seasoned stars on the roster from the past few seasons now departed and on the next stages of their careers, has gathered under the watch of assistant coach and former player Kaine Hokianga.
They played the Manawatū Jets in Waipukurau on February 22, and ripped into a more-formal pre-season this week at the Westside Blitz with a 98-86 win over Franklin Bulls on Tuesday and then the win over defending NBL champions the Rams, against whom the Hawks have suffered five consecutive NBL losses since the last win over their southern nemesis in August 2022.
The big feature this week has been the performance of home-grown kid Jackson Ball, fresh from his national senior team debut as one of the youngest-ever Tall Blacks.
The Napier Boys’ High School student, who made his Hawks debut last season and turns 17 on Monday, had more than 30 minutes in each of the two games.
He scored 25 points against the Bulls and 29 against the Rams, including five three-pointers from eight attempts.
Another feature was the appearance of 18-year-old fellow Junior Tall Black Ezra Eagle, who came off the bench but already shows a degree of seniority and leadership from his years flowing through the Hawke’s Bay age-group system.
He became a netball umpire at age 11, and, from Hastings Boys’ High School, obtained a scholarship at Dilworth in Auckland, where he was last year’s Deputy Dead Prefect and Sportsman of the Year.
Campbell Scott, secured from Manawatū Jets, shot five three-pointers in each game as the side looked to go unbeaten for the week with a last game on Friday night against Otago Nuggets.
Gruggen’s links this season, having previously been with Cairns Taipans, were highlighted with the latest signing announcements this week of Illawarra Hawks' Luca Yates, who aged 20 and at standing at 2.08 metres (6ft 8.24in) is set to be one of the tallest in the New Zealand league, 26-year-old Dan Grida (a Nelson Giant last season) and Sudanese Australian Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, who at the age of 23 has already annexed three ANBL championships, two with Perth Wildcats and one with Sydney Kings.
The Hawks have a potentially magical four months ahead, with the home-match run to start before hitting the road, and another home-match run, of five consecutive games, in June-July.
The Panthers have been chosen mainly from players in the Under 25 years India Pro League competition, which ended last Saturday. The new franchise was a late withdrawal from the Westside Blitz, as the club dealt with visa issues.
The Big Barrel Hawks roster for the 2025 Sal’s NBL is: Isaac Cox, Montel Godinet, Maz Taylor, Kobe Kara, Lennox Singh, Harry Keighley, Campbell Scott, Jacob Murphy, Jackson Ball, Daniel Grida, Isaac Allan, Clifton Bush III, Luca Yates, Ryder Moore, Ezrah Eagle, George Stent, Kade Cartwright, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Darnell Cowart, Tommy Fergusson, Balin Gasson.
Staff: head coach, Sam Gruggen; assistant coaches Kaine Hokianga and Aidan Daly; strength and conditioning coach, Chris Treacher; physiotherapist, Colin Tutchen; doctor, Andy Edwards; manager, Cheree Ball.
The Hawks’ schedule is: March 12 (Wed) v Indian Panthers (home), March 15 (Sat) v Manawatū Jets (home), March 21 (Fri) Otago Nuggets (home), March 23 (Sun) v Franklin Bulls (away), March 29 (Sat) v Taranaki Airs (away), April 5 (Sat) v (Tauranga) Whai (away), April 13 (Sun) v Auckland Tuatara (away), April 15 (Tues) v Indian Panthers (away), April 18 (Fri) v Manawatū Jets (away), April 25 (Fri) v Franklin Bulls (home), April 27 (Sun) v Wellington Saints (away), May 1 (Thurs) v Whai (home), May 16 (Fri) v Nelson Giants (home), May 22 (Thurs) v Southland Sharks (away), May 24 (Sat) v Nuggets (away), May 31 (Sat) v Canterbury Rams (away), June 2 (Mon) v Giants (away), June 7 (Sat) v Rams (home), June 15 (Sun) v Airs (home), June 20 (Fri) v Sharks (home), June 28 (Sat) v Saints (home), July 5 (Sat) v Tuatara (home).
Big Barrel sponsorship set to be long-term collaboration
The introduction of a new naming-rights partner for the Hawks is set to be long-term and it comes with some careful considerations.
The new name will be that of liquor chain Big Barrel, with the arrangement achieved by Napier marketing agency FizzyPop. To get the sponsorship has been described by Hawks chairperson Sally Crown as “no mean feat” in the current economic climate.
It succeeds that of apple grower, packer and exporter Taylor Corporation, dating back to 2016.
Basketball is New Zealand’s fastest-growing sport and commands a highly engaged, youthful and passionate audience. And the Hawks’ fan-base is no exception, the partners say, rolling out the statistics: over 1600 hours of televised content reaching over 21.6 million international viewers, a domestic following with 553,260 fans watching Sal’s NBL coverage last year, the most-watched TikTok Live team in NZ Basketball, with 106,738 unique viewers in 2024, and a core audience of males aged 18-44, a key demographic for the sponsor.
“This partnership allows us to connect with a high-value audience in an authentic, community-driven way,” said Big Barrel’s Trevor Smith.
“The Hawks aren’t just a basketball team, they’re a movement, and we’re excited to be part of their journey.”
The partners say they have implemented clear guidelines to ensure responsible alcohol-related sponsorship, particularly when engaging with younger audiences.
There will be no alcohol-related branding on youth-sized merchandise or junior team uniforms, school and youth “activations” will focus on basketball development, with no alcohol promotion, players will wear Hawks-branded training apparel for school visits where required, and there will be a “strong emphasis on community engagement”, including grassroots basketball initiatives and family-friendly events.
Hawks general manager Jarrod Kenny said: “We’ve taken proactive steps to ensure that this partnership is socially responsible while maximising the benefits for our fans, our players, and the wider Hawke’s Bay community”.
Crown said: “We see this as more than just a sponsorship, we see this as a partnership built on shared values and ambition. Big Barrel’s support ensures that we can continue to grow, compete, and inspire the next generation of basketball talent in Hawke’s Bay”.
FizzyPop director Tom Young described the partnership as “win-win”, and added: “Big Barrel gains access to a highly engaged and hard-to-reach male audience, while the Hawks secure a committed long-term partner. It’s the start of something special, and we can’t wait to see the team take flight in 2025.”
Naming rights for the Rapid League side, introducing players to the NBL environment in the curtainraisers and with some game time in the main events, have been claimed by Total Energies NZ, another Hawke’s Bay company stretching its reach nationwide.
Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 52 years of journalism experience, 42 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.
