Penney up for small challenge
Evening Post; Wellington, New Zealand; Jun 18, 2002; MIRAMS, Chris;

American-based Kirk Penney is ready for the challenge of moving to small forward when the Tall Blacks take on Hungary in a five- test basketball series early next month.

Penney was named in the 15-man Tall Blacks squad yesterday and it will be the first time he has played for the team in nearly a year after being its top scorer at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane. The Hungary series is the final trial before coach Tab Baldwin names a squad for the world championships in August.

With Nelson's Phill Jones also a proven shooting guard, Baldwin would like to have both players on court together for reasonable periods. To do that, Penney is the better equipped to move to small forward.

"Kirk is a great shooter and a proven scorer at a very high level," said Baldwin. "The big question will be whether he can defend bigger people . . . for offensive purposes, we would love to play Phill and Kirk together as much as possible, but we need to be able to do that defensively as well."

Penney has just been named captain of his University of Wisconsin team for next season. This year the side won the Big 10 title and Penney was voted to the conference all-star selection, a first for a Kiwi. In the America-wide NCAA tournament the team won through to the final 16.

During the American college season Penney did spend some time at small forward. "It's a challenge. Sometimes (in America) I was matching up against 6'10' (2.08m) guys and they're big boys," Penney said from the US today. "It was just a matter of trying to keep the ball out of their hands on the defensive end and offensively trying to take advantage of your quickness.

"It's a challenge to play a position you're not accustomed to but I'm eager to take it up."

Another US-based Kiwi named, Sean Marks, is a doubtful starter with an injured finger.

Baldwin has named four naturalised Kiwis against Hungary - Ed Book, Willie Burton, Terrence Lewis and Kenny Stone - who are vying for the one spot available in the world championship squad.

The tests will be in North Shore on July 5, Palmerston North on July 6, New Plymouth on July 8, Nelson on July 10 and Christchurch on July 12.

Squad: Mark Dickel (Wellington Saints), Judd Flavell (Nelson), Kirk Penney (University of Wisconsin), Paul Henare (Hawke's Bay), Phill Jones (Nelson), Paora Winitana (North Harbour), Dillon Boucher (Waikato), Pero Cameron (Waikato), Sean Marks (Miami Heat), Damon Rampton (Nelson), Robert Hickey (Hawke's Bay), Ed Book (Nelson), Willie Burton (Hawke's Bay), Terrence Lewis (Canterbury), Kenny Stone (Auckland).