Suns pleased with latest signing coup

The Northland Suns have scored a massive coup by snaring Auckland Pirates captain Kevin Smith for the upcoming Conference Basketball League.
Basketball's national second division, the CBL tips off in early September, nearly two months after the end of the Pirates' campaign in the first division National Basketball League, enabling Smith to play for the Suns this season.
The 29-year-old American is married to a Kiwi and spent NBL seasons with Waikato in 2007 and Hawke's Bay in 2008, averaging 19 points and eight rebounds a game.
He then played professionally in Australia before returning to captain the Pirates this year, where he was one of the league's top scorers.
Suns shooting guard Travis McIlroy, who has already been in recruitment mode this year, helped persuade Smith to join the Suns, despite the 1.93m swingman receiving several offers from other CBL teams chasing his services.
McIlroy said he believed Smith chose the Northland Suns because he liked the look of the programme and what they had set out to do, after their first season back in the national league last year following a 12-year hiatus.
McIlroy, along with Suns coach Ross Cronshaw, said they were aware of Smith's skills and ability to dominate a game and that he should be an ideal acquisition to the squad.
"We thought we needed another leader and key scorer in the team, as it is a young team, although not as young as last year's, and Kevin will bring a lot of experience into the team," McIlroy said.
Smith is no stranger to the Suns team, having played alongside fellow recent Suns signings centre Warrick Siddall and power forward Niasi Malua at the Pirates this year, and he has also gone head-to-head with McIlroy on occasion.
Smith should fit in perfectly with the team's game plan for an up-tempo style.
"He gets up and down the floor well; is strong defensively; can play high around the hoop; and will be creative. He offers us a lot of flexibility," McIlroy said.
Smith will be based in Auckland as he works delivering basketball programmes to schools but will travel to Whangarei for training with Auckland-based Suns guard Mitch Nock of Kerikeri.
The Suns have been training for three months, ahead of their first clash against North Harbour Heat, at North Harbour.
It has given them a head start on other teams in the league, which this year is shaping up to be very competitive, with associations submitting teams rather than clubs, and teams nabbing first division players where possible.
"The league is using a similar model to the NBL, making it a proper national second division team," McIlroy said.
Coach Cronshaw has firmed up his starting five, with Aaron Saddler at point guard and filling the captaincy role, McIlroy at shooting guard and Smith at small forward. Malua will start at power forward and Siddall will line up at centre.
There is one more spot to fill on the roster, preferably in the power forward position, and the Suns are hopeful of regaining the services of Corey Poa, who has moved back to Auckland.