Basketball: Fit Pledger boost to title hopes

Alex Pledger of the Breakers.

New signings have strengthened the Breakers' stocks of big men, but a fully fit Alex Pledger could be their best addition in that position.

The starting centre missed the second half of last season as his side struggled to defend the rim and pull down rebounds, stumbling to a second-last finish in a league they had previously owned.

And although it came as no surprise when the Breakers recruited Ekene Ibekwe and Tai Wesley to cover power forward and centre, the return of a healthy Pledger stands to provide the most gains.

"Body-wise, I haven't felt this good in a while," he said. "But I'm going to be realistic with my expectations and focus on one or two things rather than trying to come back with a bang."

The ankle injury that curtailed his last campaign has healed, leaving Pledger with only a slight toe tendon complaint that kept him from the Tall Blacks' World Cup squad.

His absence from the group that travelled to Spain may have been a blessing for the Breakers, enabling Pledger and the club to lay a plan that will have him near 100 per cent when the season begins on October 10.

"I pushed myself a little bit to try to get [to the World Cup]. But after we got to the point when we knew it wasn't going to happen, I was able to sit down with the coaches and the support staff and figure out what we could do from there."

Pledger also found another bright spot amid the injury gloom.

"I've done a lot of work over the last few months with nutrition people and physio people and various other people," he said. "When you can learn about yourself, what works for you and what doesn't, and how to recover properly, you get a new knowledge in that area."

But it's under the rim where Pledger will make the greatest impact and, in combination with the new recruits, he is confident the new-look squad has what it takes to lift the Breakers back up the standings.

"With Tai and E coming, we have plenty of extra to cover foul trouble or whatever. We're definitely a lot deeper and ... if we can play to our potential we'll definitely be in the championship hunt again."