Basketball: Waikato trio have strong motivation

By Peter Jessup

There will be three Waikato Warriors with special reason to turn on full-bore performances against Auckland in the National Basketball League this weekend.

Riki Strother, Rangi Kowhai and Adrian Boyd are all former Rebel Sport players who the Auckland side let go.

"They'll be motivated against us for sure, said Auckland coach Tab Baldwin of the home clash at their new Unitec home tonight.

The Warriors will also be out finally and emphatically to lay to rest the suggestion that the side go to pot when they come north for a doubleheader that also includes the Kings at North Shore Events Centre tomorrow.

An unsourced local newspaper story had it that three Waikato players were seen smoking marijuana last week, sparking an NBL investigation which subsequently found no substance to the allegation. The paper has since run a retraction.

"We're over that now. Sure, it affected us last weekend, their coach, Jeff Green said of the 89-114 loss to defending champions Nelson. "It had a mental effect on the guys but we're back to work now, we've forgotten about it.

The positive aspect was the way the squad stuck together and supported each other, he said. Everyone sure there was nothing in the claim.

Waikato have a tall and experienced line-up, with seven players over 2m, but Green picks their one hole as lack of an agile, defensive rebounder who can quickly get the ball back up court to their attack.

Daryl Johnson took plenty last weekend but that hampered their front-court game.

"I've challenged them to improve there - if they don't, I could be looking for someone on Monday, Green said.

All three sides are injury-free. Auckland will be looking to their new import, Western Samoan Iona Enosa, to make his mark as he settles into their game plan.

Enosa, who came via Brigham Young University in Hawaii, has his work cut out for him against a strong Waikato front-line including Strother, Johnson and former King and Tall Black Konrad Ross.

Like most United States imports, he has had trouble adjusting to the more stringent interpretation of foul calls here.