KEY POINTS:
After 16 years in the league, Waikato journeyman Jeff Niwa is not going to light up the scoreboard for you - but he is smart and will give you the little things every team needs to succeed. He's glue.
Since 1992, over 265 games, the veteran has given dedicated service to some of the worst teams in league history - and some of the best - without ever tasting ultimate success. Now Hawks ironman Willie Burton has retired, Niwa, 33, is the competition's longest serving active player without a title. "I've thought about retiring for the past five years but the hope of a title has kept me going," he said. "If I win one, that's it - and this is my best chance in a long time."
Waikato take a five-game winning streak into their NBL semifinal against Nelson Giants tonight. During that run, Niwa has logged just 15m 41s, most of them in a 31-point blowout over Canterbury Rams.
Yet, when the season began, he was the starting two guard on a roster top-heavy in forwards. All that changed when American centre Jason Fraser was injured and replaced with guard Jason Crowe, relegating Niwa to the bench.
Niwa harbours no delusions of grandeur. "If the opposition has a man playing well, I can give us a bit of defence or spell someone if they get into foul trouble."
Niwa made his debut 1992 with a New Plymouth franchise under coaching legend Steve McKean. They won the regular season in his rookie year. "It all seemed pretty easy at the time and I guess I expected to be there every year," said Niwa.
Seven years later he was part of a North Harbour Kings that won the 2000 regular season.
Later, Niwa joined an under-resourced Waikato organisation struggling to stay alive in the national league. The 1995 and 1996 seasons were particularly fruitless, yielding just four wins from 46 games. "Jeff went through those really hard times with Waikato," said Pistons coach Murray McMahon. "He's seen both sides, so it would be great if we could get him a win now."
Tonight's playoff will see McMahon (63) pass former Harbour stalwart Doc Ward as the league's all-time longest serving coach without a title (189 games), a point not lost on Niwa.
