With numerous former and current Harbour representatives suiting up in the Sal’s NBL we reflect on there performances in the opening round of the 2023 season that began last week.

There was also a major Australian NBL announcement in the week concerning a recent ex-Harbour player. More on that below plus an update on European based players.

We begin with the Sal’s New Zealand NBL where Auckland Tuatara, who play their first home fixture against the Taranaki Airs at Eventfinda Stadium this Friday April 14^th, are coming off an opening round win at the Nelson Giants.

Tuatara won 91-86 with Rob Loe stuffing the stats sheet with 19 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals and a block.

Also for the Tuatara current Harbour U19 rep Charlie Dalton impressed with an NBL best 12 points while Chris McIntosh and Tom Beattie scored 2 points apiece. 

2022 Harbour U23 National Championship Grand Finalist Liam Judd enjoyed a stunning start to his NBL career. On debut Liam, making 6 from 9 three-pointers, scored 22 points for the Manawatu Jets who went down 96-78 against the Southland Sharks. 

Jackson Stent had 9 points and 5 rebounds for the Jets while unfortunately for the Sharks Brayden Inger missed the game due to injury.

In the opening game of the Sal’s NBL season on Thursday night in Pukekohe Franklin Bulls went down 84-79 in overtime to the visiting Hawkes Bay Hawks. Dan Fotu, on debut, scored 15 points for the Bulls. 

Denhym Brooke departed the Bulls after a couple of seasons in South Auckland and moved to the Hawks for this season. He would have taken great delight in getting one over on his former teammates – he grabbed 7 rebounds and scored 5 points in the win.

Jarrod Kenny has taken on the General Manager role of the Hawks but still found the time and energy to play 28 minutes as he orchestrated the win from the point guard spot dishing 4 assists and scoring 4 points.

Forward Scott Telfer scored a couple of points as the Taranaki Airs went down 94-82 in Christchurch against the Canterbury Rams.

There was a major signing  announcement from the Australian NBL last week. There will be two Kiwi Sam’s playing for the Cairns Taipans in the 2023-24 season with Sam Mennenga linking up with Sam Waardenburg at the North Queensland club.

Sam M will begin his professional career with the Taipans after a hugely successful three years at Davidson College. In the recently completed 2022-23 season Sam averaged 15.2 points and 6.7 rebounds across 32 games.

Despite only playing three seasons Sam’s 87 games (with 85 starts) places him 22^nd on the all-time appearance list by a New Zealander in Men’s NCAA Division I basketball.

His scoring record is even more impressive – 896 Division I points has only been bettered by nine Kiwis and four of them are ex-Harbour. Name the four? (answers at the bottom of this article).

Meanwhile Sam Waardenburg had 7 points and 5 rebounds as his German club Ludwigsburg went down 89-72 to Bayern Munich.

Also in the German Bundesliga Yanni Wetzell had 8 points an 4 rebounds as top of the table ALBA Berlin eased past Goettingen 91-78.

Still in Germany and Matt Freeman added 7 rebounds to 12 points as Bremerhaven edged Artland 86-83 in the German Second Division. Matt will suit up for the Franklin Bulls once his commitments to Bremerhaven conclude.

Harbour players with most NCAA Division I career points:

1,454 Kirk Penney (University of Wisconsin, 1999-2003)

1,116 Tai Webster (University of Nebraska, 2013-17)

1,104 Kruz Perrott-Hunt (University of South Dakota, 2019-23)

973 Rob Loe (University of St Louis University, 2010-14)

896 Sam Mennenga (Davidson College, 2020-23)

785 Isaac Fotu (University of Hawaii, 2012-14)

726 Dan Fotu (St Mary's California 2018-22)

711 Sam Waardenburg (University of Miami 2016-22)