Local basketballer gets big chance

HEADING STATESIDE: Wanganui's Akira Marsters. PHOTO STUART MUNRO 101013WCSMAKIRA-MARSTERS1.

He working a job unloading fish on Nelson's docks, repeating his final year of high school, and just living on a dream.

And that dream is starting to come true for Wanganui basketballer Akira Marsters as the 19-year-old completed his first season in the NBL with the Nelson Giants and has been named in the New Zealand Under 23 team for a big tour of the United States in December.

Away from December 1 to 23, the New Zealand team will play games against American college teams and international squads such as the Australians. "It's a huge opportunity for me because I've never done it before," Marsters said.

A massive part of the tour will be the tryout camps where the people whose handshake can decide who becomes an NBA player and who does not will be.

"There's going to be scouts where I'm going in the States - Los Angeles and Miami, Florida."

Marsters ambition is to impress the people running the camps enough that he will be offered a scholarship to an American college to further his career. "The coaches, they coach NBA players as well. There's going to be the best first division players as well.

"They give you a chance to shine.

"It's all right to go to college [university] here but basketball is not that strong here."

A small forward or point guard, Marsters was the former captain of his Wanganui High School team and took the gamble to move to Nelson this year in the hope of making the Giants roster.

One of four siblings living with his mother in a single-income home, Marsters had to go his own way with little financial help and was "destroyed" when he was not initially picked by coach Liam Flynn and his staff. He was spending a term at Nayland College repeating his final year so he could qualify for United States college academic standards, while to make ends meet he took a job at Sealords Nelson, unloading boats at the port.

But four weeks after the initial disappointment, Flynn came calling and Marsters eagerly slotted in alongside veterans such as Josh Bloxham, American import Josh Pace and "Mr Giants" Phill Jones the former Tall Black and highest points scorer in NBL history, who is still going strong at 39.

"I didn't make it at the start, but because I was so passionate, when someone dropped out I made the team."

The rookie guard came off the bench to score his first NBL points in the Giants win over the Super City Rangers on June 22 this year.

His team went all the way to the NBL grand final, where they were upset by the Southland Sharks 92-81.

Still, from his humble start, being on the Giants bench in 2013 was a great learning experience and set up this opportunity to wear the New Zealand singlet going Stateside.

Marsters will now pound the pavement to attract sponsorship as he embarks on that journey.

"The main thing for me is trying to inspire the other kids.

"Not many basketball players get places, but that's why I made the move to Nelson it was a big risk," he said.

Wanganui basketball fans will be able to watch him play in the Impact team during the HoopNation tournament on Labour Weekend.