Dean Vickerman arrives back from the USA this week having attended the NBA Summer League.
Vickerman was also a guest coach at the Worldwide Invitational Camp that operates alongside the Summer League in Las Vegas. Other NBL coaches Aaron Fearne (Cairns Taipans), Gordie McLeod (Wollongong Hawks) and Joey Wright (Adelaide 36ers) were also coaching at the camp.
Talking of coaches, former SKY CITY Breakers head coach and now Australian Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis was back in Auckland last week. Lemanis was in town scouting the Tall Blacks opposition South Korea as they are in the same group as Australia in the upcoming FIBA World Cup.
Congratulations to Breakers Academy member Tai Wynyard who became the youngest ever Tall Black when he appeared in the first test against South Korea in Wellington. Wynyard joined a host of other current or former Breakers players appearing for the Tall Blacks in the three game series and then gaining selection for the upcoming tour to South Korea and China.
Commiserations to Alex Pledger who faces 4-6 weeks on the sidelines having picked up a foot injury in the second international against the Koreans.
Breakers Academy member Sam Waardenburg, a member of the NZ Under 16 Boys team, was voted MVP at the Australian U16 State Championships. Sam averaged 13 points and 11 rebounds per game, the New Zealand team finishing third at the championships.
The team was coached by the Breakers High Performance Manager Mike Fitchett and also included three other Academy members, Dan Fotu, Thabo Manyere and Cameron Stone.
Dan Fotu is the brother of Tall Black Isaaac Fotu and Cam Stone is the son of former NBL player and coach Kenny Stone.
LACEY LOWDOWN 