Basketball: Early start to help the Tall Blacks

By PETER JESSUP

The National Basketball League will start a month early next season to accommodate Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin's plans for serious international exposure before the world championships in August.

The season will open on April 6, with Waikato versus Auckland being the best game in round one of 15 in the draw released yesterday.

But much heat has been taken from the rematch of this year's semifinal because Baldwin will not be coaching Auckland against old enemy Jeff Green.

The Auckland team management transfer from long-term owners Ian Shaw and Ari Halenburg to a four-man consortium including Baldwin is yet to be completed, and so is the coaching job.

Former star centre Kenny Stone is reported to be returning after a year-long layoff.

The American will qualify as a resident and be eligible to play for the Tall Blacks team at the world championships in Indianapolis.

The final of the national league is on August 3, just before the Tall Blacks' departure.

The New Zealand Basketball League yesterday confirmed changes made this year, sticking with one import a team, four 10-minute quarters and the 24-second shot-clock.

The top four teams after round-play meet in semifinals, the top two hosting the games. The final will be hosted by the highest-ranked semi winners.

* New Zealander Sean Marks is averaging 5.7 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Miami Heat, who are desperate to break a 12-game losing streak as they go to Seattle then Sacramento this week.

Marks has appeared in 12 of the 14 games played so far.