Slam dunk: Australian imports expected to raise NBL standards

By PETER JESSUP

The Breakers are having a positive influence on the domestic league, whatever their results on-court.

Many more Australians will be playing in New Zealand this winter, something that can only help to raise the standard of competition for places, and thus the standard of the competition.

Among those registered to play, according to the team lists provided by Basketball New Zealand before this weekend's pre-season tournament in Palmerston North, are several players currently involved in the Australian league.

Included are 2003 rookie of the year Gary Boodnikoff, who has signed with the Hawkes Bay Hawks, and Australian junior representative Adam Caporn, with Wellington along with Ben Knight, who returns as a Saints' import.

The Hawks also expect to re-sign Adrian Majstrovich and Wellington have Brendon Polyblank, who has been trialling with the Townsville Crocodiles.

With the additional impact of the Breakers players themselves after an inaugural season in the Australian league, the NBL promises to be considerably stronger.

This weekend's tournament in Palmerston North involves all 10 NBL teams plus the Junior Tall Blacks, whose coach, Tim McTamney, is keen for them to gain some experience ahead of the Oceania qualifying tournament for the junior world championship.

Besides Australia and New Zealand, eight other nations (Tahiti, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomons, Vanuatu, Guam, Fiji and the Cook Islands) will attend the Oceania under-23 contest in Coffs Harbour on the New South Wales central coast in June.

On the domestic front, several teams have still to settle import deals and registrations. More Australians are expected to be signed, showing that their perception of the local competition has improved and that New Zealand franchises have realised they are as good as Americans in the same price range.

The NBL season tips off on March 12, with Otago hosting Hawkes Bay and Nelson going to Taranaki. The next day, Auckland play North Harbour at the ASB Stadium in Kohimarama, the Waikato Titans host Nelson in Hamilton, Taranaki go to Palmerston North and the Hawks back up against Canterbury in Christchurch.

In a season compressed because of the Athens Olympics, the final is on June 27.

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A poll of fans who visit the website kiwihoops.co.nz puts the Waikato Titans as favourites for the 2004 NBL season, doubtless because of their signing of Breakers' stars Mike Chappell and Pero Cameron and import Geordie Cullen from the Pirates.

Of more than 400 people who replied, 17.7 per cent listed the Titans as most likely winners ahead of the Auckland Stars (15.5 per cent) and the Canterbury Rams (11.2 per cent) - home support from readers of the Christchurch site - the Palmerston Jets (11 per cent) and the Wellington Saints (10.5 per cent).

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If the Breakers, their last round opponents the Adelaide 36ers and the Townsville Crocodiles all end up on the same competition points after Saturday's games, the first method of determining who advance to the finals is based on how they fared against each other during the season. If that fails to produce an outcome, points differential will decide the eighth side to make the playoffs.

The only thing certain is that the team who scrape in will play the fifth-finishing Tigers in Melbourne on March 5. The Kings are first and the Hawks second regardless of further outcomes, and both earn a bye in the first week of playoffs and home-court advantage in the second round.

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FIBA head of broadcasting Paul Stimpson is in Auckland for talks with Sky and TVNZ.

The agenda is ostensibly a review of coverage of the domestic league.

But it's hard to believe Stimpson won't also be interested in the ability of local broadcasters to air the world championships, given the joint New Zealand-Australia bid for 2010.

Basketball New Zealand continues to work on the bid document, which must be forwarded to FIBA by July.

A visit from delegates is expected in September/October to check facilities.