Penney more popular in US
The Press;
Tall Black basketballer Kirk Penney is better
known in the
Because of the sporting perspectives of the respective countries Penney, 21,
is well known in
In the last season he achieved what no other New Zealand basketballer,
including the likes of Stan Hill and NBA pioneer Sean Marks have done before,
making the all-star five of his Big Ten conference -- one of the strongest in
the United States.
Another good season in his final year starting in September and Penney will
be pressing for inclusion in the professional ranks.
"I'm not sure what will happen after my senior year, but I'd love to
keep playing if the opportunity arose. It's the next step along the way, like
setting a new goal."
Being relatively unknown in
Before that match he and the Tall Blacks have their final outing in
Penney was instrumental in the Tall Blacks' third test win in New Plymouth
leading the scoring with 31 points while he has also contributed significantly
with double-figure tallies in the successful outings in
Although a shooting guard, Penney at 1.95m has spent time in the forward
role for the Tall Blacks and at college and shown his game has matured further
taking the ball to the hoop impressively when required and making a valuable
contribution around the boards.
Penney averaged 15 points and five rebounds at Wisconsin last season when
his team progressed to the top 32 colleges in the States before being beaten by
Maryland which went on to win the prestigious title. "It's not so bad if
you get knocked out by the champions I suppose. We did well for a young
team."
Penney's team had performed even better making the NCAA top four play-offs,
known as the Big Dance, in his first year as a freshman back in 1999.
"It was all pretty amazing then because it's just a
such big thing over there."
Penney said the standard of international basketball was similar to college
level except that there were some slightly older players going full tilt at
each other.
The Tall Blacks will enter the match at WestpacTrust
Centre, their first in six years in
"We have only to remember how we felt leaving
Canterbury Ram Terrence Lewis will play for the Tall Blacks in his just his
second match of the series after sitting out the last three matches.
The match is poised to break basketball attendance records at an
international in
* Tall Blacks competition winners: Ian Crafts of Tai Tapu,
Julie Paul of Middleton, Bede Cavanagh
of Halswell, Meg Jones of