KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Breakers have completed their roster for the 2008-09 Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) season with the re-signing of American import Rick Rickert and the addition of former Denver University forward Adam Tanner.
Rickert suffered a back injury last season but the Minnesota forward now feels he is ready to complete unfinished business at the Breakers.
"I absolutely loved my time in Auckland last season - I was just so gutted that the injury happened when it did and kept me from being part of what was a great season," Rickert said.
"I feel I owe this club something ... I'm coming back to make good on that."
Rickert will arrive in New Zealand shortly before the Breakers' pre-season training on July 24 and will undergo fitness assessments.
Rickert said he was confident of passing the fitness tests.
Tanner, 23, originally from Melbourne, is returning from four years in the United States, most recently at Denver University.
At 2.06m, Tanner had been on the Breakers' radar earlier in the recruitment process, but signed with the Brisbane Bullets.
However, with the Bullets' ongoing ownership issues, Tanner became a free agent allowing the Breakers to grab him.
Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis said he had got good feedback on Tanner from coaches who had worked with him.
"He sounds like a good fit for our group, a guy that will really work hard and push the other guys every day."
Lemanis says the Breakers now "had a strong roster with lots of experience and guys who have had success at this level".
"I think the team chemistry will be superb and I'm looking forward to the season."
Breakers 2008-09 ANBL roster:
CJ Bruton, Paul Henare, Kirk Penney, Phill Jones, Oscar Forman, Dillon Boucher, Tony Ronaldson, Adam Tanner, Rick Rickert, Tim Behrendorff.
Development players: Thomas Abercrombie, Corey Webster.
- NZPA
