Basketball: Stalwart salutes Jones' 400-game milestone

Willie Burton and wife Suzanne watch son Alonzo play.

NBL nice guy Phill Jones yesterday became the first player in the league's history to reach the 400-game milestone although his Nelson Giants slumped to their fourth consecutive defeat.

Phill Jones.

"He's always been a gentleman and I've always had time for Phill," said another NBL stalwart, Willie Burton, last night in Napier while watching his son, Alonzo, play for the Indigo Hawks.

"Good on him. He's been in the league a long time and he's a stalwart of New Zealand basketball so it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, you know," said Burton of the 42-year-old who broke his NBL appearance record of 361 two seasons ago.

"Records are made to be broken so to lose to Phill, it couldn't have happened to a nicer person."

Burton retired at about the same age as Jones but he felt if the Giants manage him wisely he could keep going a little longer.

"Without a doubt. He's smart enough to do it," he said of Jones who he played alongside as a Tall Black. "He's a good team player.

"You couldn't find a nicer bloke in the league."

He wished Jones all the best and had some crisp advice for him.

"If it all goes well and you win the championship it might be a good time to bail out to finish on the top," he said with a laugh.

The Giants yesterday succumbed to their fourth straight defeat, going down 95-85 to the Canterbury Rams.

In the game of appearances, Waitakere Rangers captain Dillon Boucher is nipping on Jones' heels with 382 games to his credit.