NZL - Giant challenge

AUCKLAND (NBL) - Given the extent of the losses suffered by the Blue Chip Nelson Giants since lifting the Dominion Finance NBL Trophy last June, you could forgive the defending champions for a downturn.

But that thought is not even entering the mind of rookie head coach Chris Tupu.

Since their 96-83 win at home secured a 2-0 NBL Finals sweep of the Easy LPG Bay Hawks, the Giants have lived through a string of retirements and defections that would cripple most franchises.

Five-time NBL Coach of the Year Nenad Vucinic was the first to go, replacing Tab Baldwin as Tall Blacks coach, and taking with him his 69.2% winning record and record 164 coaching victories.

Then, former Tall Black centre Ed Book and his 253 NBL games retired, reigning MVP Josh Pace opted not to return, along with Mark Jones. In December, Tall Black and Harvey Norman NZ Breakers forward Mika Vukona signed with the Appliance Shed Harbour Heat.

Among those five, the Giants have lost 1006 games of combined playing and/or coaching experience.

“This makes it a lot more difficult and at the same time, there’s a bit of pressure to do as well this year, but we don’t mind that,” says Tupu, who was Vucinic’s assistant on the ‘07 championship squad.

“We know we’re going to be a marked team this year as defending champions. It’s always like that, but we’ve got a new group and there’s only one chance to go back-to-back.”

On the up-side for the G-Men, they welcome back a favourite son in Tall Black and Breakers shooting guard Phill Jones, who sat out last season, and his 242 games of NBL experience.

Jones will not join the Giants until the Breakers season finishes, and the same applies for Aussie NBL development players Chris Daniel (Breakers) and new big-man signing Rowan Gray (Gold Coast Blaze), which could be just days before their season-opening South Island road double-header.

Big American import Michael Harrison (2.05m), who played at Colorado State University, has already arrived in Nelson and returning import Jamil Terrell is expected soon, the pair likely to form a dynamic duo, especially at the defensive end.

Without the bulk of what will likely make up his starting five, Tupu has been training with a group of mainly young local and Nelson College products, led by 136-game veteran Michael Fitchett, and including returnees Bronson Beri, Josh Bloxham, Nico Ritschny and Ben Wright.

Tupu believes that group will be key for the Giants to be competitive in rounds one and two, where they face two road double-headers in a seven-day span, before returning to the Trafalgar Centre for seven straight home games.

“The squad is working hard, and we’re starting to put in a few bits and pieces with the guys I have here. But I’m probably not going to get the top four or five guys until the night before the first game.

“I’m reasonably happy with the squad that’s come together . . . it’s great to have someone like Phill Jones back after not playing in last year’s championship team.

“The first week is huge for us. Four games in seven days is big . . . I would’ve loved to have had a slower start, but I guess that’s just part of it.

“I’m not going to make any excuses about the draw or players leaving or players coming in late, and I’ll make sure none of my players make any excuses.”

Vucinic, who joined the Giants in 1990 as a player, will still have an involvement as franchise owner, a likely sounding board for first-year coach Tupu and as a parent, with son Jovan included on the Giants roster.

But Tupu, who has previous coaching experience with the Waikato Lady Titans and Nelson College teams and played 251 games in the league from 1989-2001, winning championships with Canterbury (1992) and Waikato (2001), is keen to step out of the shadow cast by Vucinic.

“I’ve got to build my own rapport with the team. It’s me now, I’m the coach, I’m responsible as the coach . . .

“I’m pretty excited, it’s a huge challenge. I’m really looking forward to it.”

 
Blue Chip Nelson Giants

2007: Beat Hawks 2-0 in final series, third (13-5) in regular season
Coach: Chris Tupu
Assistant coach: Joszef Molnar
Imports: Jamil Terrell, Michael Harrison
Returning: Terrell, Michael Fitchett, Chris Daniel, Bronson Beri, Josh Bloxham, Ricky Brooks, Nico Ritschny, Ben Wright, Steven Bill
Additions: Harrison, Phill Jones, Rowan Gray, Sam To’omata
Losses: Josh Pace, Ed Book, Mika Vukona, Mark Jones, Nenad Vucinic (coach)

Scott Preston