Basketball: From rags to riches for Giant

After slipping off New Zealand basketball's radar screen for three years, Damon Rampton figured second division hoops would be his lot in his comeback to the sport this winter.

So the 22-year-old Nelson Giants forward is not kidding when he describes his elevation into the national men's team for next month's Goodwill Games tournament in Brisbane as a "complete shock."

Rampton's fairytale comeback from a serious back injury sees him join older brother and established Tall Black, Tony, in coach Tab Baldwin's first New Zealand team, announced yesterday.

They are the first brothers since Stan and John Hill in the 1970s to represent the Tall Blacks

Rampton is one of three new caps for the September 3 to 9 tournament, joining Palmerston North's Glen Newbold, 23, and American-born Willie Burton, of Hawkes Bay

At 39, the inclusion of the 2.01m Burton has grabbed most of the attention. But Rampton's story is no less sensational.

After representing New Zealand at under-18 level, Rampton headed for the United States where he played at Waseca High School in Minnesota for two years before being picked up by Morningside College in Iowa.

But a back injury saw him leave Morningside after just one year. He returned home to New Plymouth where he "hung out" for two years before shifting to Christchurch to work at a petrol station.

He was coaxed back into the game this winter by brother Tony.

Nelson coach Nenad Vucinic, now Baldwin's assistant, had planned to ease the younger Rampton back with second division duty.

But when Tony landed a contract in Australia and former Tall Black Michael Thompson decided against returning from the United States, Vucinic needed tall timber and the 2.02m Damon fitted the bill.

The rest is history, with Rampton averaging 10 points and seven rebounds a game to help Nelson to qualify for this month's NBL playoffs.

Squad: Willie Burton (Hawke's Bay), Brendan Cathie-Pongia (North Harbour), Pero Cameron (Waikato, captain), Mark Dickel (Victoria Titans), Judd Flavell (Nelson), Paul Henare (Auckland), Phill Jones (Nelson), Sean Marks (unattached), Glen Newbold (Palmerston North), Kirk Penney (Wisconsin U), Damon Rampton (Nelson), Tony Rampton (Cairns Taipans).

- NZPA