Basketball: Hawks not taking anything for granted despite Southern Huskies' travel

Jarrod Kenny says the Tall Blacks campaign to the World Cup is always on the back of their minds but taking care of NBL business for the Hawks is the immediate task. Photo / Photosport

Crazy? It sure is but it'll take a lot more for Hawks captain Jarrod Kenny to drop his guard any time soon against the Southern Huskies from Australia.

The newcomers in the National Basketball League (NBL) block will have clocked a mind-boggling 135 hours of travel with their flight touching down at 9.15pm on Monday at Hobart again, after they end their opening stint against the Taylor Corporation-sponsored Hawks tomorrow. You won't catch Kenny getting caught up in wishful thinking along the lines of how, win or lose, the Manawatu Jets and the Wellington Saints will tenderise the Huskies in time for the Peittigrew-Green Arena roast in the 3pm tip off.

"Oh, you'd like to think so but they are professional athletes, you know, because they play Thursday, Friday, have Saturday off and then play us Sunday so they won't be using that as an excuse, anyway," says the Tall Blacks point guard who also plies his trade with the Cairns Taipan.

"We're fortunate that they play two games before Sunday so it gives us some idea of what they'll be like," says the 33-year-old who knows a few of the players in the Australian NBL (ANBL) but isn't familiar with how they operate as a unit.

Blissfully aware that the Huskies are looking at the bigger picture of making it into the ANBL, Kenny says the tourists see the NBL as a stepping stone but it'll test their mettle to roll the die three times on New Zealand soil.

"The double headers take the legs out from under you so that's what they've got to do to achieve that goal then the best of luck to them, but we'll definitely not be taking them lightly because they have some quality players and are well coached," says the two-time ANBL Perth Wildcats champion of the Anthony Stewart-mentored outfit.

The Huskies, touted as the first Aussie team to play in the NBL, will spend almost six days on the road after they took off at 6am from Hobart on Wednesday, arriving in Auckland, via Melbourne, to catch an 8.25pm flight to Palmerston North.

They beat the Jets 100-99 on Thursday night and travelled to the capital city the next morning by road to face powerhouses Saints, who crushed them 87-60 last night.

Today they were to hop back into their seven-seater shuttles to re-check into their Palmy North hotels to rest their weary bodies.

Tomorrow morning they will hit the highway to the PG Arena before snaking their way back to Wellington the same night to rest their heads on hotel pillows. On Monday, they will catch a 3.55pm flight from Wellington Airport to Sydney before switching to a 7.15pm one to Hobart, touching down at 9.15pm.

On Tuesday they will have four days to prepare for their next NBL encounter, mercifully hosting the Saints on Saturday, May 4.

Former ANBL guard Stewart's roster includes Craig Moller, a former AFL footballer (Fremantle Dockers) who returned to basketball and won an Australian NBL championship with Melbourne United.

Moller signed a two-year deal with the Sydney Kings this week in a much-anticipated combinationation alongside Boomer big man Andrew Bogut.

Throw in 2.16m centre Jordan Vandenberg and US import power forward Jalen Billups, of Cincinnati, and you start getting an idea of what's on the Huskies' mind.

Maybe this trip is Stewart's idea of a boot camp to separate the boys from men in the quest for an ANBL berth.

Kenny has played alongside point guard Mason Bragg and guard Lochlan Cummings with the Wildcats and against Moller.

"We know what they bring and, come Sunday, I'm sure we'll know a lot more about the rest of them."

Protecting home court this season is among other incentives for the Hawks, but he emphasises the players are still finding their way after a loss away to the Saints before a hard-fought victory over the Supercity Rangers at the PG Arena last Sunday in the round-one double header.

"We've had a long week of training and, I think, the boys have been working hard and are on the right track," he says despite Aussie import centre Daniel Kickert under an back injury cloud after the Saints game.

"We want him to play because he's a very good player and he's something we need in his size and ability with his experience and leadership as well," he says of the ex-Boomer.

Jarrod Kenny says the Tall Blacks campaign to the World Cup is always on the back of their minds but taking care of NBL business for the Hawks is the immediate task. Photo/Photosport

Alongside fellow Tall Blacks Ethan Rusbtach and Dion Prewster, Kenny says the Fiba World Cup to China is on the back of their minds but NBL duties come first.

"You know, you're always conscious of that and you put in the extra work to make sure your body's right and you're fit and healthy in doing the little extras, so when that time comes you're ready to go and that helps with what you're doing with the Hawks."

He says the change in coach Zico Coronel's style of play adds to the slow but sure progress to the NBL.

"I think he's gone away and one his due diligence to put the time in recognising there are other styles of play, so the one we've adopted suits the players and talent we have and is an exciting way to play.

"I'm excited to be part of the system, but we're still kind of learning to see how that works and how to make it work but, particularly with a bit more time on court, and, more importantly, games I think we'll find our feet a bit more."

Coronel is adopting a more up-tempo system that demands more three-point shots, eliminating twos and getting closer to the rims.

"Percentage plays say the long twos are the worst shot in basketball to take so we're trying to eliminate those and take more high percentage shots or those that are worth more," he says.

Veteran Bay-born guard Everard Bartlett was humming at training this week after having an off day last Saturday.

"We all know what he can do ... and I think he'll find his way so there's nothing to be too concerned about," he said.

Kenny says his Taipans started slowly in the 2018-19 ANBL season but on January 1 had found some traction as players understood their portfolios better.

"Had there been another 10 or 15 games we might have been all right and made the playoffs but we were slow to start and got there in the end so we were pretty happy with where we got to."