Increased depth will be key for the Mid City Magic as it begins its Dunedin club basketball title defence today.
The side enters the season as favourite, with a more formidable roster than the one which dropped just one game on the way to the championship last year.
It looks unlikely to have all 12 of its players together at one time, but its depth is crucial.
Jivarne Joseph and Isaac Smiler come over from the club’s second A grade side, the Lions, while former Junior Tall Black Samson Aruwa adds a presence inside.
While Josh Aitcheson and Richie Rodger will be away with NBL teams, they will probably make occasional appearances to be eligible come playoff time.
Aside from that, last year’s team — which was so dangerous in the open floor — remains intact.It plays the St Kilda Saints today in a rematch of last year’s final.
As has been the case in recent years, the Saints have a strong top end.
James Ross and Matt Gillan are both proven performers with a wealth of experience, while Liam Aston and Jamie MacDonald are both offensive threats.
Similar to the Saints, the City Rise Bombers look to have a very strong top end.
In Olly Smith and Steve Robinson, they have two of the league’s best, both being intelligent players who are shooting threats.
They have plenty of support, notably in Matt Bardsley and Anton Hughes, both of whom make use of good footwork to get to the hoop.
The Andy Bay Falcons have lost much of their interior fire power with Matt Bazsika moving to Melbourne. However, they have made some handy additions among their guards.
Notable among them are former NBL player Matt Stevenson, as well as Tyler Lapham, who returns after a year in Wellington.
Both played for Otago two weeks ago, as did Hamish Robertson and Tom Davison, who will be the side’s key returning players.
Varsity represents a wild card, with new players to town often being an unknown quantity.
Notable among their returners is Stanley Muru, who offers a strong inside presence.
The Magic Lions — Magic’s second team — could be a dark horse capable of stealing a handful of wins.
They have picked up underrated swingman Hamish Fitchett, while returning several solid operators in the likes of Lee Devereux and Nigel Goulstone.
Former Nugget Micah Lepaio is expected to turn out when available, giving the team a genuine star.
• The Otago Gold Rush has a women’s basketball championship pre-season match against the Canterbury Wildcats in Timaru tomorrow at 1pm.
The women’s club competition has a later start date of May 15.
