Basketball: Henare sidelined after surgery

Paul Henare. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

Tall Blacks guard Paul Henare faces a delayed start to the Australian National Basketball (ANBL) season after undergoing knee surgery.

A foundation member of the New Zealand Breakers, Henare faces at least a month-long recuperation after work was done on both knees last Friday.

Henare missed the season-opening 90-95 loss to the Cairns Taipans last Thursday and it is unknown when he will be able to return to the playing roster.

Head coach Andrej Lemanis was unsure when Henare would be able to return to full training but suspected it would be at least four weeks.

Henare is the second New Zealand international to miss the start of the campaign with major off-season signing Kirk Penney out of action after straining a calf muscle during his first training session with the team.

Lemanis was confident the squad had enough depth to cover the loss of the experienced duo, citing the encouraging input of new arrivals Wayne Turner and Ryan Kersten against the Taipans.

The Breakers are not involved in round two this week and resume their season with a home game against the West Sydney Razorbacks on October 4.

- NZPA