Coach keeping eye on Adams

SEMIFINALS: Rotorua player Liam Rehu (No7) in action earlier this season. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

Rotorua men's basketball coach Mark Elers joked he'd try to get NBA star Steven Adams to take to the court this weekend, but the team's mentor suspects he'd be out of his depth.

Elers is taking the Rotorua men's team to the CBL semifinal today in Tauranga where they will take on defending champs Tauranga Mariners, at Tauranga Boys' College, at 4pm.

It's the local team's first foray into the CBL having played in the Auckland league previously.

Elers said while the draw could be seen as daunting - they finished fourth on the table and take on the top seeds - they would be giving it their best.

"This level is tougher but the hardest part has been all the travelling with home and away games. Last year we went up to Auckland and played everyone up there."

The team is based around the Rotorua Boys' High School team, which Elers also coaches. He said players were either fresh out of school or were still students.

"I've been using them to make the numbers up. We've been low on numbers this season - we could take 12 but we've been fielding teams of six and seven so we've not had the fresh legs.

"Steven Adams is in Tauranga this weekend for a camp so maybe [I'll put in] a friendly call to play for us. I think I'd be out of my depth."

The Rotorua men's team have yet to beat the Mariners. They lost by 19 and 14 points respectively.

"They're quite a dangerous team. They've got size, three point shooting, almost the complete team."

Elers said basketball was increasing in popularity at age group level but there wasn't many opportunities for adults.

The CBL competition includes teams from Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay.

Meanwhile, Rotorua NBA star Adams, from the Oklahoma City Thunder, is holding a basketball camp at Tauranga's ASB Arena today.

The Tauranga camp is sold out and was open to 300 children aged 7-17.

The 22-year-old was to be accompanied by Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coaches Mark Bryant and David Bliss, who were keen to check out the level of basketball in New Zealand and see the sights around the country.

Kenny McFadden, an American former professional basketball player who coaches in New Zealand, will also be at the Tauranga clinic with a team from Wellington.