Basketball: At last, 'quality size'

By DAVID LEGGAT

Rookie Tall Black Craig Bradshaw has crammed a lot into the past 10 months.

And now he's poised to make a big run at the Olympic squad to be named after this weekend's three-game Jeep International series against Australia.

Bradshaw could be forgiven for pinching himself when he wakes up these days.

It probably seems like yesterday he was turning out for the Wellington Saints, the home team for the Wellington College pupil. Now he's making his mark at Winthrop University in South Carolina and poised to step into the big time in Athens next month.

The 20-year-old admitted his situation had not quite sunk in yet.

Just as hauling his 2.05m frame out of bed before daylight for the first training session of the day was a new experience.

"It's been a bit harder than I expected. It's been very challenging, but I'm loving it," the quietly-spoken Bradshaw said of the Tall Blacks' pre-series camp and buildup to tackling the Boomers.

He singled out captain Pero Cameron and Dillon Boucher for their help.

Not that it's all been touchy feely. Bradshaw was sporting a black eye this week, courtesy of a stray elbow from squad member Mike Tompson in Whangarei.

Still, Bradshaw has impressed with his zeal and determination not to be shoved around.

"He's tough," said Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin.

"He's taken a beating this week and he hasn't complained. He's dished out his own. I'm confident he's physically tough enough to play at international level, although he's got a lot more to learn."

He's certainly learning fast in the United States. He pitched up at Winthrop University in early November and made the starting lineup for the first game. It was against Kentucky, with a 22,000 crowd. A far cry from a few hundred in windy Wellington.

Baldwin says it's easy to see the good work the university has done with Bradshaw's game and the player acknowledges that he has become stronger mentally, and his work ethic is significantly improved.

"Over there, they bring it out of you. It's very intense and I just tried to bring that intensity to the [Tall Blacks] camp and be as aggressive as I can be."

Winning Tall Blacks selection did not come as a complete surprise. He had heard the whispers that he was in the frame. Still he admits the words "over the" and "moon", are a fair description of his emotions when he got the news.

Bradshaw is one of two youngsters in the squad, with 19-year-old Chris Reay, who is at Southern Methodist University in Texas.

The pair are the same height, trailing only 2.13m Tony Rampton in the tall timber stakes and that is good news for Baldwin.

"We have more quality size than we've ever had, with the prospect of bringing Sean Marks in down the track.

"We are blessed with size, something that has previously been an Achilles heel in New Zealand basketball."

Bradshaw is smart enough not to get too far ahead of himself. Athens doesn't figure in his thinking just yet.

"At the moment I'm just trying to suit up this weekend, make that 12 and hopefully get on court against the Australians."

Craig Bradshaw

Age: 20

Height: 2.05m

Weight: 91kg

NCAA debut: v Kentucky, November 21, 2003

NZ NBL: Wellington Saints 2002-03