Basketball: Johnson, Scott out; new US imports in

Kareem Johnson (left) and Justin Scott are gone as US imports but the Hawks have signed Suleiman Braimoh.

Last season the Hawks won both their round-robin games against Taranaki but what they didn't do very well was shut down Suleiman Braimoh.

This season the American import forward will be roosting with the IMS Payroll-sponsored team as the Hawke's Bay franchise seek their second National Basketball League title.

Braimoh claimed a game-high 27 points and 12 rebounds during the Hawks' 81-64 victory at New Plymouth in June, after claiming a double-double 17 points and as many rebounds in April in Napier.

Hawks new coach Liam Flynn also announced they had signed Zach Atkinson for his scoring prowess.

The pair replace Dustin Scott, who has decided not to return due to personal reasons, and Bay-based Kareem Johnson, who has missed out on selection.

Braimoh is a Nigerian who moved to the US in 2001, where he played for Rice University before moving into the profession ranks of the NBA Development League, as well as stints in Qatar, Japan and recently Mexico.

He averaged 24.9 points and 12.2 rebounds a game last season, winning the most outstanding forward award and making the All-Star Five.

He had won four straight player of the week awards.

Braimoh can score and defend, averaging more than 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks last season.

Atkinson played with the Harbour Heat and Waikato Pistons in 2013. With the Pistons he averaged 18.7 points and 14.6 rebounds (including five offensive boards a game).

The 2.06m centre recently played in Canada and the Czech Republic, and has also had stints in Spain, Japan and Colombia, after playing college hoops at the University of California-Irvine.

Atkinson also set the NBL shot-blocking record, averaging three a game as the sole rim protector on the Pistons squad.

The others on the roster are Jarrod Kenny, Paora Winitana, Marco Alexander, Ana Haku, Darryl Jones, Alonzo Burton and Morgan Natanahira.

-The Hawks are at home to the Nelson Giants on Saturday, April 4, at 7pm.