Basketball: Robust defence key to NBL finals, say coaches

By PETER JESSUP

The National Basketball League finals will come down to defence, say the four coaches involved.

The Auckland Stars, with their five Breakers plus American Casey Frank, face the Wellington Saints, with two naturalised Americans and two Aussie imports, in the capital tomorrow.

The Saints have dropped Wollongong Hawks guard Adam Caporn for their remaining game, or games, with coach Mike McHugh plumping for Cairns centre Marcus Timmons and Sydney Kings forward Ben Knight, who combined well in their last roundplay contest over Harbour Heat.

Knight has been cut from the Boomers Olympic squad so has no further availability problems.

McHugh's main area of concern has been rebounding. He believes the squad has more attacking ability now than it did when winning the title last season and the problem of grabbing boards has been alleviated with Timmons' help.

"We'll need to play well; you don't get given titles," said a confident McHugh said. "We've beaten Auckland twice this year by being disruptive and taking away the things they like to do and that's what we'll be aiming for again."

That means closing down Frank on the inside and Aaron Olson from outside, with pressure sure to be applied to playmaker Lindsay Tait because when he slips, so do the Stars.

"Our offence is generated by the quality of our defence," McHugh said. So a fast break response can be expected from Auckland turnovers.

The Saints have had a disrupted preparation with McHugh tied up all week with the Tall Ferns. He ran one training and was to meet the team again before the game.

"It's not a problem," McHugh said. "The way we run our operation is to empower the team to take responsibility for their performance and we have good coaching around them."

Assistants Tony Brown and Gareth Rapson have been in charge.

The Stars need to play aggressive defence, said coach Kenny Stone, who expects a low-scoring tussle. "I'd be surprised if it got past 80 points."

But he respects the Saints' offensive power. "They have several players we have have to put pressure on."

Timmons, Brendon Polyblank, Knight, Terrence Lewis and Troy McLean can all score heavily.

"One-off, you can have a bad offensive night but you can't afford to be loose on defence in the finals," Stone said.

From his offence he wants bread-and-butter points rather than desperation three-shots. The rebounding battle between Frank and Dillon Boucher for the Stars and Knight and David Hopoi for the Saints could have a bearing on the outcome.

Neither team have injury concerns.

The Hawkes Bay Hawks meet the Nelson Giants in the other semifinal tonight in Taradale.

Hawks coach Shawn Dennis takes some comfort from the fact the Giants had trouble defending against his formidable scoring line the last time the teams met, a one-point win for the Nelson team at home.

"This will come down to defence. I think the so-called stars will cancel each other out. It will come down to which team gets the X-factor from the rest of the players."

Dennis is in negotiations to sign for a further two years. He came from Australia on a five-month deal without wife Alison and children Ashley, 9, and Mitchell, 7, who flew in this week.

The lack of family distraction had given him time to focus on the Hawks and that had helped their campaign, he said.

"I'd like to build something here. I've enjoyed it, regardless of what happens now."

Those match-ups Dennis talks about are certainly intriguing: Ed Book versus Adrian Majstrovich, Phill Jones against Gary Boodnikoff, Darnell McCulloch versus Scott McGregor.

In the end the Hawks' chances may rest on Paul Henare's contribution. The Tall Blacks point guard missed their final round game against Otago and some training this week with a medial ligament strain

Dennis described their effort against Otago without Henare as "dysfunctional".

Nelson coach Nenad Vucinic does not see the Hawks' extra allotment of Australian league players, thanks to Adrian Majstrovich's being born in Turangi, as any advantage. "I believe we have New Zealand players who can compete."

But he needs a big game from everyone, not least captain Book who spent two weeks away after his mother's death in New York before returning to play a blinder in their win over Auckland last weekend.

Vucinic hopes Henare plays, because he wants to beat the best.

TEAMS

* AUCKLAND STARS

Daniel Barritt, Steven Bill, Dillon Boucher, Reece Cassidy, Casey Frank, Mike Homik, Aaron Olson, Lindsay Tait, Blake Truslove, Ben Valentine.

* WELLINGTON SAINTS

Andrew Cassells, Damien Ekenasio, David Hopoi, Ben Knight, George Le'afa, Terrence Lewis, Troy McLean, Brendon Polyblank, Marcus Timmons, Allen Wesche.

* HAWKES BAY HAWKS

Murray Barker, Gary Boodnikoff, Daryl Cartwright, Damon Davies, Dwayne Davies, Paul Henare, Adrian Majstrovich, Scott McGregor, Roger MacPherson, Chris Pollard, Joe Winitana, Paora Winitana.

* NELSON GIANTS

Lance Baker, Ed Book, Chris Daniel, Ollie Hill, Mark Jones, Phill Jones, Greg Lindstrom, Darnell McCulloch, Lance Toma, Jeremiah Trueman, Tu Umaga-Marshall, Mika Vukona.