Basketball: Cameron to join Baldwin in Turkey

Tall Black Pero Cameron has visited Turkey to see the set-up there. Picture / Fotopress

Tall Blacks' captain Pero Cameron has signed a one-year deal to play under Tall Blacks' coach Tab Baldwin at the Banvitspor club in Turkey.

Cameron took a trip to Turkey this year to meet the management and see the set-up, following a messy departure from the Breakers.

Two of Baldwin's Turkish coaching assistants are in Auckland this week watching the Tall Blacks' preparation because Banvitspor's pre-season work and the game plan they follow will mirror that of the national team.

Cameron has long been a main cog in Baldwin's triangle offence, with Auckland and then the national team, so should assist Baldwin's aim of taking that structure to the Turkish league.

The club was lingering in last place and facing relegation when Baldwin signed last year, and he lifted them to 10th in the 14-team league.

Baldwin said the full-time coaching role had given him more confidence than he had sitting on the sidelines in New Zealand waiting for the Tall Blacks' preparation to begin. The club and Basketball New Zealand had been understanding of the dual role and given leeway in his contracts. Both he and Cameron will be available for the Commonwealth Games in March.

But the pair will be on the plane out of Auckland almost as soon as the Oceania qualifying series for next year's world championships ends.

Baldwin is also signed to the club for one year. He said it was a "dream set-up", with huge money poured into the club.

Shooting guard Kirk Penney has also signed a one-year deal, to play for top European side Maccabi Tel Aviv. Scouts from the club saw him in action at the NBA summer camp in Minnesota.

Tournament team

The Boomers arrived back in Sydney on Tuesday after finishing third in the Boris Stankovic Cup against China and Lithuania, and beating the Japanese national team 3-0.

They assemble in Perth on Saturday ahead of the four-way tournament with China, Lithuania and New Zealand, except guard Luke Martin, who broke a foot in China, Russell Hinder, Andrew Rice and Oscar Foreman, who make way for returning overseas players.

There is no Andrew Bogut, the NBA number one draft pick, who is holidaying in Croatia. But Basketball Australia expects him to attend two of the games in Sydney, including the match against the Tall Blacks, to show support for his country.

He has agreed to be available for the Olympics and world champs and other tournaments as NBA commitments allow.

The Boomers' side for the Philips-sponsored four-way tournament: China squad - C.J. Bruton (Sydney), Glen Saville (Wollongong), Wade Helliwell (Lottomatica Roma), Jacob Holmes (Adelaide), Mark Worthington (Sydney), Alex Loughton (Old Dominion University), Peter Crawford (Perth), Pero Vasiljevic (JDA Dijon), plus Jason Smith (Cibona Zagreb), Matt Neilsen (Greece) and David Anderson (Montepaschi, Italy).

Injured: Luke Martin. Dropped: Russell Hinder (Hunter), Oscar Forman (Adelaide), Andrew Rice (Wollongong).

Cold no big deal

The Breakers' new American, Rich Melzer, has arrived and is in training, and a deal with a second import who came recommended by Melzer's agent is imminent.

Power forward Melzer is 2m tall and has a 2.13m "wing span".

First comment on Auckland's winter: "I come from Minnesota - if there's no ice on the road it ain't cold."

The Breakers were to scrimmage with the Tall Blacks at Trusts Stadium today with both coaches Andrej Lemanis and Tab Baldwin keen for their teams to get a vigorous workout.

Saints seek coach

The Wellington Saints are looking for a new coach after Mike McHugh did not seek to extend his three years with the franchise. He hauled them from difficulty and won the title in 2003, but last season the team under-achieved, struggling to settle.

Part of the reason was put down to the distractions McHugh faced as Tall Ferns' coach, a job he picked up unexpectedly after the departure of Carrie Graf, as well as his work as a national coaching adviser to Sparc.

The Saints management is looking in Australia as well as locally.