Basketball: How the NBL teams line up

HARBOUR HEAT

2004: Won 3-15 lost, 10th.

Coach: American Steve Done, first season.

Key losses: Imports Axel Dench and Purnell Perry, Rob Tuilave and Jeff Niwa (Titans), Leon Henry.

Key gains: Canadian national team member Mike King, 2.05m Kevin Ross from Cleveland State University via Turkey and Argentina, Prem Krishna (Titans), Hayden Allen and Mark Bracewell (Nuggets), Daryl Cartwright (Hawks).

Harbour took out the regular season title in 2000, but fell at the final hurdle after Perry fell ill on the eve of the semifinals and have not been there since. They have scoring presence from their imports, while Allen, Cartwright and Krishna should find their feet after playing as second-string to others elsewhere last season. Former Tall Black Judd Flavell and promising junior Valance McCarthy are back.

AUCKLAND STARS

2004: 11-7, 4th. Beat Nelson 80-68 in the final.

Coach: Kenny Stone, fifth season.

Key losses: Aussie Blake Truslove, Dan Barritt (Titans).

Key gains: 2.03m centre American Kareem Johnson, point guard Glen Joe (Titans).

The Stars have retained the core of their championship team, with Casey Frank as import, Tall Blacks and Breakers Dillon Boucher, Lindsay Tait and Aaron Olson, Mike Homik and bench man Reece Cassidy. They are familiar with coach Stone's game-plan and will command great respect. When they make the playoffs they will not take anyone by surprise, as was the case in 2004. Olson is holidaying in Canada and will not be available until round four, with livewire Joe the likely replacement. The rest are fit. They beat the Titans and Airs in pre-season trials.

WAIKATO TITANS

2004: 10-8, 6th

Coach: Tim McTamney, first season as head coach, assistant to Ken Strother last year.

Key losses: Imports Mike Chappell and Geordie Cullen, Glen Joe (Stars).

Key gains: Imports Rick Randall and Greg Lewis, Rob Tuilave and Jeff Niwa (Heat), Dan Barritt (Stars), Luke Martin (Jets), Lance Baker (Giants).

Pero Cameron returns but Aussie Geordie Cullen, who missed crucial games at the end of last season with injury, pulled out of a contract late in the piece because of insurance difficulties regarding his ANBL commitments. Late signing was forward Greg Lewis from the US. Randall and Martin do not arrive until Easter and may be pressed straight into service. The Titans will spread their home games, with six in Hamilton, two in Te Awamutu and one versus the Hawks at Taupo. They may be vulnerable early, but can be expected to press for a top-four spot.

BAY HAWKS

2004: 13-5, 2nd. Lost 51-69 to Nelson in semifinals.

Coach: Shawn Dennis, second season.

Key losses: Imports Scott McGregor and Gary Boodnikoff, Daryl Cartwright (Heat).

Key gains: Imports Dusty Rychart (Adelaide 36ers) and Derek Moore (Townsville Crocs).

Guards Paul Henare, Aidan Daly and Paora Winitana and high-scoring forward Adrian Majstrovich return and with Dychart and Moore added to make four ANBL players, the Hawks will clearly be one of the top teams. The questionmark is over depth. .

TARANAKI MOUNTAIN AIRS

2004: 7-11, 8th.

Coach: Warren Osborne, third season.

Major losses: American Frank Barr, Mike Foster (retired), Ben Van Oosten (Giants).

Major gains: Hunter Pirates point guard Brad Davidson, Tony Rampton (Cairns Taipans).

Tall Black Mike Tompson, Damon Rampton and expat Americans Link Abrams and Willie Banks return. Coach Osborne accepts that other teams will try to press an advantage when they go to their bench. "We need to be more precise in that area, but I believe we have the players to step up. This is the strongest team I've put together and there is plenty of enthusiasm."

MANAWATU JETS

2004: 10-8, 5th.

Coach: Darron Larsen, first year as head coach, assistant to Wayne Brown last year.

Key losses: Guards Jonathan Southey and Luke Martin (Titans), James Parangatai

Key gains: American Mike Coleman.

David Cooper and Miles Pearce returned from the Aussie NBL yesterday. Local league veterans Kent Mori, Daryl June, Stacey Lambert and Callum Brock are back, so the nucleus remains the same. But both of 2004's point guards, Jonathon Southey and Luke Martin, are gone. Kent Mori and Stacey Lambert are not specialists there. But new coach Larsen, in his 13th straight season involved at the Jets as player then assistant coach, believes Lambert is the most under-rated player in the NBL and expects a big improvement as he gets more game-time.

WELLINGTON SAINTS

2004: 13-5, 1st. Lost 63-85 to Auckland in semifinals

Coach: Mike McHugh, third year.

Key losses: Imports Adam Caporn and Marcus Timmons.

Key gains: American Festus Hawkins (2002 Harlem Globetrotter), James Parangatai (Giants).

2003 title winners, 2004 regular-season winners, the Saints suffered from a revolving-door policy on their four imports last year, coach McHugh's absence on Tall Fern duty in the week leading up to the playoffs, and late uncertainty over the finals venue. Guards Terrence Lewis, George Leafa and Troy McLean, Tall Blacks forward Brendon Polyblank and Aussie Ben Knight return and the addition of 2.03m forward Hawkins adds firepower. But Knight is committed to the Sydney Kings' playoff games and Polyblank to his Swiss team until mid-April, so the team as a whole are underdone.

NELSON GIANTS

2004: 12-6, 3rd. Lost 68-80 to Auckland in the final.

Coach: Nenad Vucinic, sixth year.

Key losses: American Darnell McCulloch, Lance Baker and Ollie Hill (Titans), Tu Umaga-Marshall (Saints), Phill Jones (Italy), James Parangatai (Saints).

Key gains: Imports Adam Spanich and Jacob Holmes, Michael Fitchett (Otago), Ben Jeffrey (Rams).

Back are centre and captain Ed Book, who commands respect throughout the league, and defensive banger Mika Vukona. But the loss of long-serving Jones and McCulloch is significant for the Giants' attack and they must adjust to the two new imports. There is temptation to write the Giants off as they are in rebuilding mode, but coach Vucinic is a crafty campaigner who is sure to get the best from the players he has. Their starting five will be tough - it's a matter of how well the juniors fill in from the bench.

CANTERBURY RAMS

2004: 7-11, 7th.

Coach: Peter McAllister, second season.

Key losses: Aussie Damian Matacz and American Kenny Walker, Ben Jeffrey (Giants).

Key gains: American point guard Michael Gardener and power forward Ryan Prillman, former captain David Langrell, Ben van Oosten (Airs).

Long-servers Glen Bremner, Tim Edmonds and Rewi Manahi return, along with Nat Connell and league veteran Clifton Bush, and this week they re-signed ex-player Andrew Gardiner from retirement. The Rams improved after McAllister replaced team owner John Watson as head coach mid-2004 and in pre-season this year they are seven-zip. They are the only team who have had a full complement of players available to prepare and that should count for something in terms of cohesion on opening weekend. But there is an air of rebuilding rather than one of class and they may struggle as the season progresses.

OTAGO NUGGETS

2004: 4-14, 9th.

Coach: Bernd Kupka, first season replacing Todd Marshall.

Key losses: Aussies Andrew Lattimer and Michael Kingma, Leonard King (retired), Hayden Allen and Mark Bracewell (Heat), Michael Fitchett (Giants).

Key gains: Razorbacks forward Scott McGregor and Hunter Pirates forward/centre Russell Hinder, Junior Tall Blacks Sam Walker, Cowan Finch and Darryl Jones, Jason Greig (Heat).

The Nuggets have lost their whole starting five from 2004 and, after struggling in the bottom half of the NBL table since 1998, their future still remains in doubt. Some exciting young players get a chance to make a name for themselves. Greig has seen time with Harbour before serving a year of a US college scholarship. Walker spent a season on the end of the Waikato Titans' bench, while Jones, Finch and Walker get the opportunity to step up from junior leagues. Kupka coached for 10 years in East Germany then at Bloomsberg College, Pennsylvania, and Hilo Campus in Hawaii.