The Northland Suns have risen above adversity this year and are more than ready to begin their Super City Basketball campaign tomorrow at North Harbour.
Five months ago the team held their first trial, expecting to get their second season playing in the national second division competition, in July. Butthe start date was pushed to September.
Training was drawn out and complacency threatened but now tip off is nearly upon them, the team are amped with the belief they can match and beat their opposition this season.
Coach Ross Cronshaw and the board and player/development officer for the Suns Travis McIlroy have tried to co-ordinate a complete team this season and McIlroy said he felt they had achieved that with the talent they had brought together.
"This year, because of the delayed start of the competition, the National Basketball League and our comp do not overlap meaning a lot of the teams have NBL players in them. Some even have ANBL [Australian National Basketball League] players, which means the level of competition is a lot higher," McIlroy said.
The team face Harbour Basketball tomorrow - tipping off at 4.30pm at the Breakers Main Stadium - and Harbour have three Breakers Development contracted players including Junior Tall Blacks Josh Bloxham and Dion Prewster, along with NBL's Morgan Nathan fresh from a campaign with the Hawke's Bay Hawks.
"These guys are good shooters. It's a young team who like to run, plus Harbour are generally strong. It should be interesting but I think the intensity will come from our side," McIlroy said.
The Suns pride themselves on their physical game - with power forward Niasi Malua and the guards McIlroy and Aaron Saddler (point guard) key instigators, who will be looking to out-hustle their rivals.
"Our biggest obstacle this season will be ourselves. We need to come together as one and keep the team chemistry going," McIlroy added.
The Suns were resurrected last season after a 12-year hiatus, and while the young and inexperienced team struggled in last year's competition, McIlroy said he had full belief his side had the make up and coaching staff in place to see them to a championship win.
Auckland Pirates skipper Kevin Smith, and fellow Pirates players Malua and Warrick Siddall bolster the starting five. And on the bench, players such as Keeghan Saddler, a pure shooter and top defender, along with Casey Namana, and Tolu Hetaraka, son of Northland basketball legend Carmen, will act as key impact players.
