Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Bezzant makes impact in US

Oliver Dunn Wintec student journalist
Hamilton News·
30 May, 2014 01:30 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Jayden Bezzant

Jayden Bezzant

Hamilton basketball player Jayden Bezzant has made his mark overseas after a strong debut season in the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

Playing in the US and averaging 16 points per game as well as five rebounds and four assists, the 18-year-old is showing he can play with the best.

Jayden moved to the States in January after playing basketball for St John's College last year, the high school his father Brett Bezzant played for back in 1992.

A full resume of basketball honours, including representing Waikato and New Zealand, has seen him make the jump to overseas where he hopes to play for a Division 1 college.

Bezzant plays guard for Westwind Prep Academy in Phoenix Arizona, which was ranked the sixth best prep programme in the country by ESPN in 2009.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Westwind has had three alumni reach the NBA, including Tony Snell who was drafted by the Chicago Bulls last year.

Standing at 6ft1, Bezzant does not rely on freak athleticism to fill the stat sheet, but rather an arsenal of offensive weapons which he will need in a much more physical style of play.

"It's much more physical and intense. No such thing as a 'tick tack' foul. You got to hold your own."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

When asked how he represents his home country Bezzant makes no secret of his origins, literally putting New Zealand on his back.

"I take my basketball New Zealand backpack everywhere I go."

Bevan Sutton, Jayden's coach at St John's for his last three years of high school, believes Jayden's biggest strength is his passion.

"Passion is the key. He hates losing and sees the connection between minimising losses and hard work. It's not a common core value in our experience."

Jayden's nan, Mary Ellen Bezzant, said basketball has always been a part of his life.

"At 18 months he was entertaining the crowds at the national league games in Hamilton. He would be the halftime entertainment, he went out dribbling the ball in the middle of the court."

Mary Ellen, sports administrator at St John's College, said Jayden's success in basketball has come from his drive to win.

"I think he has a natural desire to succeed in the game."

Jayden said his favourite moment in the States so far was his game winning three in the Impact Academy competition, but stresses "the best is still to come".

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Sport

Unlikely heroes guide Black Caps to ODI series whitewash over England

01 Nov 08:17 AM
Waikato Herald

'Neighbours thought I was a bit abnormal': Farmer's planting idea pays off

31 Oct 04:05 PM
Waikato Herald

'Just wants to hit people': Woman attacked motorist, ripped out hair and racially abused neighbour

31 Oct 07:00 AM

Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

Unlikely heroes guide Black Caps to ODI series whitewash over England
Sport

Unlikely heroes guide Black Caps to ODI series whitewash over England

Blair Tickner and Zak Foulkes kept their composure to earn a famous win in Wellington.

01 Nov 08:17 AM
'Neighbours thought I was a bit abnormal': Farmer's planting idea pays off
Waikato Herald

'Neighbours thought I was a bit abnormal': Farmer's planting idea pays off

31 Oct 04:05 PM
'Just wants to hit people': Woman attacked motorist, ripped out hair and racially abused neighbour
Waikato Herald

'Just wants to hit people': Woman attacked motorist, ripped out hair and racially abused neighbour

31 Oct 07:00 AM


Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable
Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP