Akira Marsters
It could be a changing of the guard at the HoopNation tournament this Labour weekend as the defending men's premier champions go in without two of their injured star players while one squad from Auckland brings the marquee man in 2013.
Ten teams laden with NBL stars will be contesting the $3000 to claim the men's premier crown, with the perennial favourites being 2012 winners Hawke's Bay Rack City.
However, while bringing four current NBL players plus another in big 2m-tall Kareem Johnson, who would have played if not for some immigration issues, Rack City should have their hands full in the playoffs with Auckland Youthtown, who bring names such as Dion Prewster, Casey Frank and, most importantly, Lindsay Tait.
The Wellington Saint Tait swept five NBL end-of-season awards including Most Valuable Player.
"His awards this year was awesome," said co-organiser Paul Berridge.
"Youthtown have probably got one of the strongest teams now that Phill Jones and Everard Bartlett are out for Rack City."
The two teams are in opposite pools, but will have tough competition to wade through before the Labour Day Monday semis.
With Youthtown in Pool B will be Palmerston North That's Us, who have former local Matt Te Huna among five NBL players, including Sid Adams older brother of Steven Adams of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA.
Berridge is also tipping his hat to the possible "sleeper team" of the tournament.
In Pool A, the Waitakere Super City Rangers do not have the star-studded names of some of the other teams, but with six NBL-level players they have some of the best all-round talent.
Other teams to watch are New Plymouth Air Fresh, led by the NBL Taranaki Mountainairs captain Aaron Bailey-Nowell and big Willie Banks, the former American import who has been on the New Zealand scene for years.
Another flying the Wanganui flag is Akira Marsters in the Wellington Impact Eagles team.
The 19-year-old Marsters was a rookie Nelson Giant and is off to the United States in December with the New Zealand U23 team, where he will also attend a big scouting camp in Florida.
"Being on the home stage, you couldn't ask for anything more. He will stand out for them," said Berridge of Marsters' appearance with the Eagles.
There is also an international team flavour with the Samoan national side, the TNBA team from Tonga, and the NZ Maori Kauri, who will include veteran Brendon Pongia and be coached by the irrepressible Jeff Green.
"He's a colourful coach and he's got one of the best mindsets around," said Berridge.
"He knows the game and he likes to talk to refs."
The first games on Courts 1-2 tomorrow at 9am are Waitakere Super City Rangers vs Auckland Flash and Palmerston North That's Us vs NZ Maori Kauri.
An hour later the New Plymouth Air Fresh will square off against Samoa Basketball and Auckland Youthtown will meet the Wellington Impact Eagles.
"You're going to see some of the best of the talent straight out of the gate."
At the same time, out by the badminton area on Court 3 will be the beginning of the men's A grade and while Berridge acknowledges the court is "not ideal", they have done what they can to improve the facilities.
In Pool A, the Wellington Five Star will be looking to defend their 2012 crown, while in Pool B the Whanganui Mickeys will want to go one better than their runnerup placing.
With names such as Zeb Nicklin, Stacey Lambert and Rob Tuilave, the Whanganui OBC team are also contenders for the $2500 prize money.
In the women's division, organisers have combined the $1200 women's premier, due to having only two teams, with the $1500 women's A grade with another six. Among those will be Whanganui BAA and Whanganui AB4L.
The Whanganui AB4L side include the three Blackburn sisters, Bella, Roimata and Leila.
Games will be played from 9am-8pm tomorrow, 10am-8pm on Sunday, then the big finals day from 9am on Monday.