New Zealand - Breakers to channel intensity in NBL quarterfinal

From www.stuff.co.nz
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It's all about the attitude, says Breakers big man Rick Rickert ahead of Thursday night's historic home NBL playoff match against the Adelaide 36ers.

Basketball may be a game played by giants, but when it comes playoff time it's the small things that make all the difference, says the chest-thumping, rebound-snaring American centre. And he's confident the New Zealanders can take care of business in the one-off quarterfinal against the dangerous Adelaide outfit providing they come to the NSEC with the mindset they need.

Rickert, who plays with a simmering intensity at the best of times, has a theory about what it takes to win in the playoffs, and even has a formula worked out for what the Breakers need to do to extend their season by another week.

"It's all mentality," said the 2.11m double-double merchant who's averaging 13.8 points and 8.2 rebounds a game. "It's all in how we approach the game. The success formula goes like this: 7 per cent is knowledge, skills and IQ, and 93 per cent is attitude. We've just got to go in there with the right attitude - and an aggressive attitude - and we'll get on top."

It may sound simplistic, but Rickert's theory has plenty of support. When teams hit this stage of the season, they've all got the ability to win on the night. You don't get this far without it. But under the playoff spotlight, and with your season on the line, it invariably comes down to who wants it more. Certainly who is better able to channel that intensity into the right areas.

Rickert will have to direct his expertly, because he's got arguably the toughest matchup looming of any of the Breakers.

The Minnesota native will go head to head, initially at least, against 36ers giant Luke Schenscher, the 2.16m Australian who has been arguably the most impressive big man in the league this season. The former NBA player heads a 36ers forward line that looks likely to bring most of the headaches the Breakers' way at the NSEC.

Rickert is more than familiar with Schenscher, a former Georgia Tech standout who has logged NBA time with the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trailblazers. They've crossed swords in college and in the NBA's Development League, and he's relishing a chance to test himself against one of the few opponents in this league who tower over him.

"Luke's a good player man, a big body down low, tough to guard, really long, runs the floor well, and has all the qualities in a big man you'd want. He's got a good back-to-the-basket game, and is a good rebounder."

Throw Adam Ballinger, the polished American forward, the hard-working Jacob Holmes and solid backup David Cooper into the mix, and the 36ers bring a frontline capable of testing the Breakers in an area where they're vulnerable.

"You've just got to be aggressive with them," adds Rickert. "Not let them get the ball in the position they want to have it in, push them out of their comfort zones, and trust in your team-mates to have your helpside."

At least the Breakers have a little bit of momentum on their side, too, with a solid win in Sydney on Saturday night (107-97, paced by 30 CJ Bruton points) following on from last Thursday's slump-busting demolition of the Cairns Taipans.

"That was important for us to get a roll going before the playoffs," said Rickert who had a quiet night at the Spirit with eight points and five boards in 32 minutes. "We plan to go very far, and we plan to win, so it was very important we got those back-to-back wins."

For the 26-year-old quality big who has already played professionally in Slovenia, Greece and Spain as well as in his native USA, there's nothing quite like playoff time to get the pulse racing.

"That's what we play for," he said. "It comes once a year, you lose you're done, so the pressure's on, the atmosphere is just unreal and it's a very enjoyable atmosphere to be in."

Rickert is also confident he's put a flat patch of form behind him and can contribute fully to a Breakers lineup that's finally fully fit and looking like they might have one more peak left in them.

"I went through a little rough patch there where I didn't get a whole lot of playing time, didn't get my rebound statistics like I wanted to, and didn't help the team out how I wanted to. That's just a mental thing to overcome. I've turned the corner with that."

As the Breakers began preparations for the 36ers yesterday, Rickert also bade farewell to his pregnant wife Cici who has headed back to the US. On the upside, he's got no distractions as he focuses on the task at hand before he joins her.

"I'm definitely going to miss her, but she's eight months pregnant right now, and has to get back and get with the doctor, and get everything set up," he shrugged. "It's sad but it does really give me an opportunity to focus on this game here."

All going well it might be another week or two yet before Cici sees her man again.