Basketball: Bear fights to get off Breakers' bench

Breakers veteran Tony Ronaldson has been relegated to the bench for tonight's season opener against the Taipans. Photo / Brett Phibbs

For the first time in 18 seasons, Tony Ronaldson will watch the start of an ANBL campaign from the bench.

The league's most capped and successful player, Ronaldson has been a starter at the Breakers since arriving at the club two seasons ago.

Before that, he was a starter for Perth for five seasons, Victoria for four and South East Melbourne for six.

You have to go back to 1992, when a 20-year-old Ronaldson was in his third season in the league, to find a time when the man known as Bear was not out on court for the tip-off of an NBL season.

But time has caught up with the 37-year-old. One of the key off-season moves made by the club was to recruit an import in Ronaldson's four spot. Originally it was going to be Dave Thomas, but when Thomas pulled out with injury, former NBA forward Awvee Storey stepped into the breach.

Storey will get the start tonight.

Ronaldson understands that decision, but that does not mean he is overly thrilled with it.

"I'm definitely not taking my toys and playing with them by myself in the corner," he said. "I think the important thing is that I haven't [accepted it]. The moment that I just accept that, then it is probably time for me to hang up my boots.

"I'll do everything I need to do to help this team win the championship but, at the same time, I want to try and get that spot back.

"I understand that Andrej has to make adjustments. We didn't win the championship last year and he has to work out different ways to make this team better.

"As a player I accept his decisions, but the competitor in me says I'm going to fight as hard as I can to get that spot back. If I don't, then I still think you are going to get the best out of me."

That is precisely what Lemanis is hoping for. Having Ronaldson's large frame, hot shooting and cool head coming off the bench would be a major plus, he said.

"I see him really helping us from that position," Lemanis said.

"It just gives you a calming influence. When the game gets a little hectic or out of control, having someone like Bear coming in and providing that level head is a real bonus from a coaching perspective."

It is the only change to the starting five from last season. CJ Bruton is still recovering from ankle and elbow surgery but will start at the point despite not featuring pre-season.

Kirk Penney and Oscar Forman fill their regular guard spots, while Rick Rickert returns at centre hoping to rediscover the form he showed before his 2007/08 season-ending back injury.

Lemanis has not yet figured out how he will rotate his talent-packed squad for matches that have been shortened from 48 to 40 minutes.

"I guess I am excited and a little anxious," Lemanis said.

"You get sick of practising. You want to go in and see where you are at."

While the Breakers are a fairly settled unit, the same cannot be said of the Taipans. The Cairns club has recruited heavily, bringing in Dusty Rychart, Tony Rampton, Rich Melzer and former Breaker Phill Jones, who has been appointed captain.

ANBL 09/10
* Eight teams will contest the league: New Zealand Breakers, Cairns Taipans, Adelaide 36ers, Perth Wildcats, Melbourne Tigers, Wollongong Hawks, Townsville Crocodiles, Gold Coast Blaze.
* The regular season is 28 games, with each team playing each other home and away twice.
* The top four teams qualify for the best-of-three match semifinals.
* The grand final series is the best of five matches.

Breakers v Taipans
North Shore Events Centre, 7 tonight.