NBL Round One Preview Christchurch Cougars v Easy LPG Bay Hawks When: Thursday March 4, 7pm Where: Cowles Stadium Christchurch Projected Starting Fives Cougars Bay Hawks PG: Jeremy Kench Jarrod Kenny SG: Aidan Daly Everard Bartlett SF: Paora Winitana Chris Daniel PF: Trent Wurtz Ben Hill C: Lionel Hopgood Jamil Terrell The Cougars had a very successful debut season last year, winning their home quarter final against the Harbour Heat and nearly upsetting the champions Waikato Pistons in the semi finals. The Hawks struggled last season but scraped into the playoffs being the only team to make the playoffs with a losing record (7 wins 9 losses). This year the Hawks have bolstered their squad with the additions of former Canterbury players Nat Connell and Dave Langrell, and have recruited some notable imports in the league, former league MVP Josh Pace and NBL Championship winner Jamil Terrell. The Cougars meanwhile have ironically recruited former Hawks player Aidan Daly, while Jeremy Kench and Mark Morrison return to Canterbury after a season with the Hawks. The Cougars franchise signing last year Paul Henare returns to his hometown to play for the Hawks, but is questionable on how much he is going to play this season. Import Tim Behrendorff will not be with the Cougars for the first game because he currently is with the Wollongong Hawks who will be playing in the Australian NBL Finals. For the Hawks they will not have Josh Pace for the game. Last season the two teams split their meetings, Cougars winning 83-74 away and the Hawks winning 86-81 away. Waikato Pistons v Fico Finance Nelson Giants When: Thursday March 4, 7.30pm Where: Te Awamutu Events Centre Projected Starting Five Waikato Pistons Fico Finance Nelson Giants PG: Eric Devendorf Michael Fitchett SG: Hayden Allen Phil Jones SF: Thomas Abercrombie Darryl Jones PF: Tony Ronaldson Michael Harrison C: Alex Pledger Tony Rampton A rematch of last year’s finals - Champions Waikato Pistons will host runners up The Fico Finance Nelson Giant. Both sides are having a very different landscape to the teams we saw battling last year. Michael Fitchett will be returning to his home town after spending a year with Waikato and import Michael Harrison returns to Nelson after playing for them in the 2008 season. Arguably one of the best signings of the year Mika Vukona will be playing for the Giants this season but will not be playing this round with commitments for the Gold Coast Blaze. Waikato meanwhile have rebuilt their team losing captain Pero Cameron and replacing him with his Australian equivalent Boomers legend Tony “The Bear” Ronaldson who has recently retired from the Australian NBL playing over 600 games. The Pistons have also taken advantage of the Auckland Stars situation and recruited high scoring guard Hayden Allen and have signed Cougars shooting guard Gerard Bowden who started every game for them last season. Former US college star Eric Devendorf will replace Justin Bailey as the Pistons import guard and bring some scoring to the team. Bench will favour the Pistons who have the experience of players Puke Lendon, Mike Homik and Ray Cameron returning. Last season Pistons won 3 of the 4 games against Giants. Taranaki MountainAirs v Fico Finance Nelson Giants When: Friday 5 March, 7pm Where: TSB Stadium, New Plymouth Projected Starting Five Taranaki MountainAirs Fico Finance Nelson Giants PG: Tyrone Davey Michael Fitchett SG: Jack Leasure Phil Jones SF: Aaron Bailey-Nowell Darryl Jones PF: Jeremiah Trueman Michael Harrison C: Demarshay Johnson Tony Rampton Last year’s wooden spooner’s Taranaki who went winless last season will host the Giants who will be coming off a game in Waikato. Taranaki have improved from last season with the addition of former rookie of the year point guard Tyrone Davey and Burger King Breakers Jeremiah Trueman who will bring some much needed size and work ethic to the franchise. Mountainairs new coach Angelo Hill will be remembered winning championships as a player with the Wellington Saints and Canterbury Rams will begin his first season as a Head Coach in the NBL. Last season the closest the Mountainair’s came to a victory was when they hosted the Giants narrowly losing in overtime 97-95. The match up of the game will be between shooting guards Phil Jones and Jack Leasure. Jones had a terrific year last season being named Most Valuable Player and led the league and three point percentage at an incredible 50%. Leasure is also a very strong shooter and does not need much room to get his shot off. Harbour Heat v OceanaGold Otago Nuggets When: Saturday 6 March, 7pm Where: North Shore Event Centre Projected Starting Five Harbour Heat OceanGold Otago Nuggets PG: Corey Webster Sam To’omata SG: Kavossy Franklin James Ross SF: Reece Cassidy Matt Gillan PF: Dillon Boucher Tyler Amyla C: Rick Rickert Antoine Tisby North Harbour have been the movers and shakers from last year with the signing of Burger King Breakers players Dillon Boucher and import Rick Rickert. Veteran import in the Australian League Kavossy Frankin will partner up with high scoring guard Corey Webster who should form the highest scoring backcourt in the competition. After a one year hiatus the Otago Nuggets return to league to face arguably a championship contender in the Heat. OceanaGold Otago Nuggets do retain big man import Antoine Tisby who won the rebounding title in 2008. Both teams have a youthful but talented bench with former Junior Tall Blacks in both sides. Both sides have first time coaches in the league, NZ Breakers assistant coach Judd Flavell for the Heat and Anthony Arlidge for the Nuggets. Zerofees Southland Sharks v Easy LPG Bay Hawks When: Saturday March 6, 7pm Where: Southland Stadium Projected Starting Fives Zerofees Southland Sharks 0800 Easy LPG Bay Hawks PG: Daniel Munday Jarrod Kenny SG: Ian Carthcart Everard Bartlett SF: Rene Rougeau Chris Daniel PF: James Paringatai Ben Hill C: Martin Iti Jamil Terrell The Southland province finally has a team in the National Basketball League and they will prove they are no easy beats when they host the 0800 Easy LPG Bay Hawks. The Sharks will not have one of their star signings point guard Luke Martin who will be with the Wollongong Hawks. A player to watch out for in the Sharks is rookie big man Martin Iti who has played for Australian Universities team and also played for one of Americas best high school basketball programs Mount Zion Academy. Rookie coach Richard Dickel has recruited Rene Rougeau, a six foot six swingman who went to the University of Las Vegas where Dickel’s brother Tall Black Legend Mark Dickel attended. Rougeau has been compared to Dillon Boucher with his stifling defence. After a solid season with Taranaki big man James Paringatai joins the Sharks bringing some more size to compliment Martin Iti and promising forward Gareth Dawson returns from Wollongong where he was used as a development player. McDonalds Manawatu Jets v Century City Wellington Saints When: Saturday March 6, 7pm Where: Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North Projected Starting Five McDonald’s Manawatu Jets Century City Wellington Saints PG Paul Bristol Lindsay Tait SG Kaine Hokianga Troy McLean SF Richard Jeter Darryl Hudson PF Ronald Allen Leon Henry C Callum McLeod Nick Horvarth The Jets will have a new look side from last season with former Los Angeles Sparks coach Ryan Weiseneberg taking the reins and bringing with him two imports looking to make an instant impact in the league. One of them is Richard Jeter who is a six foot six guard who played pre season for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2003.The Jets have also signed former Saints players Calum McLeod and Matt Te Huna who should get some good court time. The Century City Saints will be welcoming back former All Star Five selection Nick Horvarth, who returns to the Saints after a year break. The Saints will be without Coach Pero Cameron who still has commitments with the Gold Coast Blaze and they will be playing with only one import combo guard Darryl Hudson who has played in the top leagues in Finland, Germany and Hungary. The Saints have not lost to the Jets since 2007. .