2012 BBNZ Annual Report - Basketball New Zealand

BASKETBALL NEW ZEALAND ANNUAL REPORT 2012COMPETITIONS28/29SKYCITYNZ BREAKERSAfter their triumph in the 2011 AustralianNational Basketball League – becoming thefirst NZ-based team in any code to win achampionship across the ditch – the SkycityBreakers faced the challenge of somehowdefending their title.They had to do it without talismanic point guard PaulHenare, the club’s longest-serving stalwart, whoretired at the end of the season.They would also have to replace their leading scorer,Kirk Penney, who opted to take up a contract inSpain.The Breakers also elected not to re-sign Sixth Manof the Year Kevin Braswell, who was still recoveringfrom an Achilles tendon injury suffered during theNew Zealand national league.But Andrej Lemanis’ outfit seemed to take thesechallenges in their stride, picking up American pointguard Cedric Jackson and veteran Aussie DarylCorletto to fill the back court vacancies.Jackson, who had played briefly in the NBA, was arevelation and desperately unlucky not to win MostValuable Player honours for the season. He led theleague in assists and steals, and was a nightly tripledoublethreat.Veterans CJ Bruton and Dillon Boucher added totheir list of titles on both sides of the Tasman, MikaVukona continued to inspire with his intensity andenergy, and youngsters Tom Abercrombie and AlexPledger made further strides in their basketballeducation.After emerging with the best regular-season record,the Breakers successfully negotiated TownsvilleCrocs in the semifinals, but Abercrombie suffered anankle injury that would sideline him for much of thefinals and keep him out of international play for therest of the year.But with a tense final series against Perth Wildcatslocked up at 1-1, the spring-heeled forward, whowas MVP of the previous finals, took the court andmade a crucial block in the final moments to helppreserve a lead and see the Breakers home foranother title.The Breakers continue to do great work in thebasketball community, promoting the game to fans,sponsors and media, and offering a career pathwayfor aspiring professional and international players.While not a Basketball New Zealand programme,our relationship with the Breakers is a key one forthe development of our game in New Zealand.Congratulations on another great season and goodluck for your three-peat!SKYCITY BREAKERSofficial team 2012Tom AbercrombieBJ AnthonyDillon BoucherCJ BrutonDaryl CorlettoDEVELOPMENTPLAYERSCOACHASSISTANT COACHESFITNESS COACHMANAGERPHYSIOTHERAPISTPaul HenareLeon HenryAlex PledgerMika VukonaGary WilkinsonJosh BloxhamDion PrewsterAndrej LemanisDean VickermanJudd FlavellSteve BuckleyChris MillbankAnousith Bouaaphone