RAMBLINGS:
Off-Season Edition 11
13 FEBRUARY 2002
by Piet Van Hasselt1. TALL BLACKS HOST
HUNGARY
HOT OFF THE PRESS: The NZ Tall Blacks will host
Hungary in a four-match series as part of their
build-up to the World Championships. The matches
will be played July 1-7, and will provide the
team with an opportunity to be exposed to the
European style of play. Venues for the tests will
be announced later.
2. INDY 2002 1ST ROUND OPPONENT ANALYSIS
- 197 DAYS TO GO
Last Wednesday it was determined that the Tall
Blacks will be a part of Group D at the World
Basketball Championships in Indianapolis, USA
later this year. Their first round opponents are:
RUSSIA - Thursday 29 August, 5:30pm
First up for the Tall Blacks is the team that is
widely regarded as the world's Basketball
superpower behind the USA. Russia have been
silver medallists at the last four World
Championships and have been medallists at the
last ten (includes when they were the Soviet
Union). Struggled in qualifying, finishing in the
final spot (5th) of the competitive European
Zone. 20-year-old, athletic forward Andrei
Kirilenko is currently having an outstanding
rookie season with the NBA's Utah Jazz, averaging
10 points and 5.1 rebounds per game off the
bench. Other players to watch for are 2.11m,
rugged forward Nikita Morganov and veteran guard
Serguei Tchikalkine. The Tall Blacks lost to
Russia in their build-up for the Sydney Olympics
in a thrilling double overtime match-up that only
went the distance thanks to a half-court
buzzer-beater from Nenad Vucinic.
VENEZUELA - Friday 30 August, 5:30pm
New Zealand's second opponent is another
relatively inexperienced Basketball nation, South
America's Venezuela. The Tall Blacks will perhaps
be targeting this game to give them a chance of
qualifying for the next round. Venezuela
qualified in the final spot of the American Zone
for the first time since 1990 (11th), which was
their sole appearance at the World Championships.
Guard Oscar Torres is Venezuela's current
representative in the NBA, in his first season
with the Houston Rockets. Other key Venezuelan
players are 37-year old ex-NBA forward Carl
Herrera and Victor Diaz who led the team with
23.6 points per game in qualifying.
ARGENTINA - Saturday 31 August, 5:30pm
The Tall Blacks final and perhaps most crucial
clash is against Argentina who scored a superb
team victory over Brazil to win the American Zone
Championships and qualify for Indianapolis. USA
did not compete as they qualified as hosts.
Argentina are a regular competitor at the World
Championships and have finished in the top ten at
the last three tournaments. Last year they gained
the Silver Medal after losing to the USA at the
Goodwill Games Final at Brisbane. Forward Emanuel
Ginobili led the team in scoring with 16.8 per
game in qualifying and forms a good combination
with former NBA centre Ruben Wolkowisky. The
future of Argentine Basketball showed promise
with a third placing at the 2001 World Junior
Championships.
3. RAMS DUO BECOME CARDED
 The Rams promising pair of
22-year olds Tim Edmonds and Boyd Smart have been included in a
select group of up-and-coming basketballers in
Canterbury. This group has access to the latest
sports science and medical facilities through the
"carded" athlete programmes at national
sports academies.
In 2002, Tim was a spark-plug off the bench for
the Rams, and had a 15 point, 5 assist and 4
rebound outing against the Hawks. He also led the
U23 Canterbury Team at the National Championship
taking out the MVP of the Tournament.
Last season, Boyd averaged 8.7 points and 5.5
rebounds for the Canterbury Knights (2nd
Division) and took the court for the Rams on
three occasions. Against the Saints he brought up
his first two points for the Rams with an
athletic swooping one-handed slam.
Other "Carded" Canterbury
Basketballers: Isaac Hiremia, Kim Davis, Ben
Eves, Shannon Profitt, Sarah Coglan, Liz Lemon
and Clare Barry.
4. TAB CONDUCTS CLINIC IN CHRISTCHURCH
Last night NZ High Performance and Tall Blacks
Head Coach Tab Baldwin conducted a clinic for
coaches at the Bryndwyr YMCA. Tab outlined the
high performance programme and went through some
advanced basketball skills and techniques with
some of Canterbury's "carded"
basketballers. He also explained his coaching
philosophies and goals for the sport of
basketball in NZ.
5. NZ MAORI TEAMS
This week the National Maori Basketball teams are
participating in the 2002 Polynesian Basketball
Tournament at Manukau City, Auckland. Canterbury
Wildcat Captain Rhonda Milner has been included
in the NZ Maori Tall Ferns.
NZ Maori Tall Blacks: Troy McLean, Paora
Winitana, Stacey Lambert, Brett Wadsworth, Rewi
Manahi, Earl Smith, Brendon Cathie-Pongia, Paul
Henare, Riki Strother, Puke Lenden, Jonathon
Southey. Coach: Jeff Green. Assistant Coaches:
Ken Strother, Merv Tait, Howard Metekingi.
NZ Maori Tall Ferns: Maria Noon, Crystal Cooper,
Zeta Cameron, Natasha Goldsmith, Rhonda Milner,
Felicity Saunders, Aroha Jennings, Chanelle
Pompallier, Deborah Harding, Killarney Gallagher,
Cheleme Smiler Ah Kong. Coach: Mata Cameron.
Assistant Coach/Manager: Tyler Wilkinson.
Day 1 Results: NZ Maori Tall Blacks 132
Samoa 51, NZ Maori Tall Blacks 101 Tonga 62, NZ
Maori Tall Ferns 88 Akarana 42. Day 2
Results: NZ Maori Tall Blacks 132 Tama Toa
101, NZ Maori Tall Ferns 94 NZ Wahine Toa 50, NZ
Maori Tall Ferns 77 Samoa 62
6. REMARKABLE TRIPLE-DOUBLE
Kalara McFadyen, a kiwi playing for the Memphis
Lady Tigers (US College), has made history with
perhaps the first ever statistical feat of a
triple-double without scoring a point. A
triple-double is achieved when a player reaches
double-figures in three categories (normally
points, rebounds and assists). However,
Auckland's McFadyen had a game-high 10 rebounds,
dished out 12 assists and tallied 10 steals and
did not attempt a single shot at goal! McFadyen
is in her third season in the US college system.
To follow Kalara McFadyen's progress visit:
http://gotigersgo.fansonly.com/sports/w-baskbl/mem-w-baskbl-body.html
7. WEST REIGNS SUPREME
Led by a stunning 31 point performance from MVP
Kobe Bryant, the Western All Stars dominated
their Eastern rivals, 135-120 at the NBA All Star
Game. Youngster Tracy McGrady had 24 points to
top the East and performed an amazing pass off
the backboard alley-oop play to himself. The
international contingent of Dirk Nowitzki
(Germany), Peja Stoyakovic (Yugoslavia) and Steve
Nash (Canada), all appearing in their first All
Star Game, also impressed, combining for 31
points.
OTHER ALL STAR WEEKEND EVENTS:
3 on 3 Challenge: International Team - Hedo
Turkoglu, Ticha Penicheiro (Sacramento), Sarunas
Marciulionis (Legend), Tom Cavanaugh (TV's Ed)
Rookie-Sophomore Challenge: Rookies win 103-97,
MVP: Jason Richardson (Golden State)
Three Point Shootout: Peja Stoyakovic
(Sacramento)
Slam Dunk Championship: Jason Richardson (Golden
State)
For more visit: http://ww.nba.com/allstars
8. NBL PLAYER MOVEMENTS
The following player movements/announcements have
been made since the last off-season edition of
Rams News:
Brendon Cathie-Pongia (from North Harbour
Kings to Waikato Titans)
Cathie-Pongia is one of the NBL's most dependable
outside shooters and is one of the emotional
leaders of the Tall Blacks. Coach Jeff Green will
have a tough task ahead of him juggling time
amongst the talented guard-line of Hayden Allen,
Nat Connell, George Le'afa, Dillon Boucher, Prem
Krishna and Cathie-Pongia. The Titans have
announced that they will go with an all-kiwi
line-up and not include a restricted (imported)
player.
Aaron Olson (from Auckland to North Harbour
Kings)
Paora Winitana (from Mighty Hawks to North
Harbour Kings)
The Season and 4-game Ticket Application Form can
be downloaded here: http://www.mang.canterbury.ac.nz/rams/2002RamsTicket.pdf
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