Bsketball New Zealand team hopeful

Press, 5 November 1984, Page 35

Bsketball New Zealand team hopeful

By ALAN GROVES The strongest New Zealand men’s basketball team available flew to the United States yesterday looking for an educational rather than winning experience. Any success, individual or otherwise, in the 10-game schedule, “the hardest New Zealand has ever undertaken,” will be a bonus, according to the coach, Peter Schmidt. “I’m looking for a 50-50 record, but then I’m not going to pressure the players. You have to be realistic,” he said.

“It’s realistic to say we will play to our potential and this tour will tell us that.”

The team is Tony Compain (Auckland), Glen Denham (Dunedin), David Edmonds (Canterbury), Gilbert Gordon (Wellington), John Hill (Canterbury), Stan Hill (Whangarei), Peter Logan (Hamilton), Paul Ogilvy (Auckland), John Rademakers (Canterbury), Tony Smith (Hamilton), Rewi Thompson (formerly Wellington, now New Jersey).

Mr Schmidt said there were a couple of players missing who could have been useful, but otherwise “it’s the best team available.” “The team’s front line is bigger than ever with Peter Logan, who’s never been avail-

able before, Stan and John Hill, and Gilbert Gordon.”

Mr Schmidt took some criticism over a young New Zealand team's performance in Asia on their last tour. Five — John Hill, Smith, Denham, Edmonds, Gordon — remain in the team from that tour, which had four wins and eight losses.

“For a lot of them it was their first international experience, the benefits of which will be felt in the national league in the next few seasons,” said Mr Schmidt. “I would have liked to have taken more of them on this tour. To me they played to their potential but wins count more than opinions.” “This is much harder. We're not going to have any easy games over there.”

Mr Schmidt said that although he would do little more than prompt the true talent from the team, there were some pressures that applied. “This is the hardest tour the New Zealand side has put together. If we do a good job it will make it easier in the future.

"That’s one of the messages I will be giving the team. This is a serious tour and there’s a lot at stake. We do good now we’ll have more support in the future.

“I know the boys are keener than ever before.” Mr Schmidt said he had a few setbacks for the team although they were likely to be altered in competition. Adjustments would be made on the road.

Off court the side would be exposed to basketball at its best

“There will be television and I’m hopeful we will get to see teams like the Los Angeles Lakers live. I want them to be exposed to as much good basketball as possible.” Of the young blood in the side Mr Schmidt is expecting development from Compain, Denham and Edmonds.

“Tony Compain has come a long way in the last 18 months. I’m hopeful he’ll put it together on tour, not only for our sake. I’d like to see him get offered a scholarship.

"Glen Denham stood out in Asia as a player of the future. He’s smart — a cool head and a determined team man.

“David Edmonds is very talented.”

Of the accomplished, Mr Schmidt is expecting performance from Thompson, fresh from a scholarship in New Jersey, Smith, Ogilvy and Rademakers, last season’s player of the national league.

“Thompson is one of the best guards New Zealand has produced. That’s an area we have lacked in before. If he comes on we can expect a smoother offence,” said Mr Schmidt.

“I see a lot of potential in Logan whose work has kept him out of the New Zealand team. He’s been one of New

Zealand’s outstanding internal players. “I’m excited about the prospects but at the same time there’s a lot of opposition. “We've got to get some wins. I want a 50 per cent record. That means knocking off some of the division one colleges.

“We’ll come back twice as good, even if we don’t win a game. I really think that.” The schedule is:

November 7, v. College of the Desert; November 10, v. Redlands University; November 12, v. Whittier College; November 13, V. Bakersfield; November 15, v. Pepperdine University, November 17, University of California-Long Beach; November 20, v. Fresno State University; November 21, v. Fullerton; November 23, v. Simon Fraser University (Vancouver); November 24, v. Victoria University (Victoria Island).