SLAM DUNKED

LSCISSM Narelle Ponder, wearing the ADF number 14 bodysuit, defends strongly against her New Zealand attacker.

Photo: AC Brad Hanson, NZDF

By FLGOFF Fiona Harris

It has taken 25 years but the ADF basketball teams have finally taken out the three-game test series defeating archrivals New Zealand on their home turf.

The June tour of NZ was conducted over 16 days including a three-day training camp prior to competition.

Both the men’s and women’s teams then competed against local NBL and regional representative teams in the lead up to the threegame test series against the NZDF.

For the women, SGT Hayley Hall (Army) captained a team that brought together eight new players to national representation.

SGT Hall commented that “considering the limited training time together as a team and that the majority of players had not played together prior to the tour, the standard of basketball and team cohesion achieved was to the credit of all involved.”

Head coach of the men’s and women’s teams, WOFF Michael Kearney was extremely impressed at the women’s capacity to excel both on and off the court as a team.

“They played and won all six games on tour and in all six games the Kiwis played a physical and hard style of basketball, though the ADF women’s skills, fitness, morale, team work, game plan and team defence excelled in all games.”

Navy’s LSCISSM Narelle Ponder said the spirit and comraderie of the ADF women’s team was outstanding.

“Even though we had 30 to 40 point wins, the team continued to put in 100 per cent no matter how much we were leading by,” LS Ponder said.

“To the credit of the New Zealanders, they gave each game their best and even under pressure didn’t put their heads down.”

This is the second international tour where the women’s team has been undefeated, the other being the tour of the United Kingdom in 1998.

SQNLDR Tharren Kingston-Lee, assistant coach to the women added, “They showed maturity on the court and a strong sense of team to completely dominate the opposition.”

The men’s team lead by CPL Ken Robertson (Air Force) was said to be the best ADFBA men’s team put together for many years.

Their star-studded line up included the likes of the National Basketball League’s 1992 Rookie of the Year PTE Lachlan Armfield.

Coach Kearney hailed his players for their maturity to recognize others’ strengths. “The teamwork and morale was noticeable from day one at training as the guys took on lesser roles within the team to meet the goal.” The men played in seven games on tour, winning six and losing one game to a NZ National League team by a small margin.

Highlights were many and the Test Series against the NZDF was a no holds barred competition.

ADFBA thanks their sponsors, BAE Systems and Tenix Defence Systems for their continued support in the program.

 

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