ANENDRA SINGH | 28th May 2010

HOMEGROWN: Paul Henare will provide impetus on and off the bench tonight.In a few hours, Paul Henare will be going through the motions at his favourite venue, the Pettigrew-Green Arena in Napier.

The 0800 Easy LPG Hawks guard has graced myriad venues in exotic locations around the world, but there's an inexplicable magnetism with the Taradale arena that other locations fail to match.

It's the same affinity a person has when returning from foreign destinations to familiar surroundings.

2010/11 NBL season to tip-off October 15
May 27, 2010, 01:01 PM AEST
By: NBL

Basketball Australia has released the schedule for the 2010/11 National Basketball League season, with the Sydney Kings scheduled to make their highly-anticipated return to the NBL on the same day the competition begins play on Friday 15 October.

The Kings, who will return to the NBL after a two-year absence, will face long-time rivals the Melbourne Tigers on the road in a classic Sydney-Melbourne confrontation on Opening Night at the State Netball Hockey Centre (AKA ‘The Cage’).

No peacock preening, Hawks coach warns
ANENDRA SINGH | 27th May 2010

PLAY-OFF FREQUENCY: Shawn Dennis.When the 12-and-zip Otago Nuggets grace any court for the remaining National Basketball League season the biggest test for opposition players must be to keep their emotions in check.

The roll in their swagger, no doubt, will be accentuated.

The itch to execute alley-oops, dunks or impress the home crowd with one's dribbling skills will prove to be irresistible.

Hawks exact sweet revenge
ANENDRA SINGH | 22nd May 2010

It's unforgivable to let a team come to your turf, kick your butt and hit the highway with valuable championship points.

The only way for the trodden side to ease that pain is to go to their slayers' digs and dish out the same treatment.

The 0800 Easy LPG Hawks did exactly that last night when they defeated Harbour Heat 102-97 at the North Shore Events Centre, after losing to them in the first round in Napier.

BASKETBALL: Heat goes on as season winds down
ANENDRA SINGH | 21st May 2010

IN CONTROL: Josh Pace calls the shots.Shirts, boots and toothbrushes aside, the Hawks took something extra on their trip to North Harbour as their bus meandered through the highway yesterday.

Above the rattle and hum of the engine, it sounded like American import Josh Pace was trying to impress on Hawks fans the significance of playing a brand of basketball that signals it's the business end of the National Basketball League (NBL).

By SAM WORTHINGTON - The Dominion Post Last updated 05:00 14/05/2010SharePrint

A dominant first quarter paved the way for the Wellington Saints to extend their winning streak to six games at the TSB Bank Arena last night.

The Saints flew out of the blocks to lead 27-11 after 10 minutes and though they let their foot off the throat somewhat, the 103-91 win against the Hawke's Bay Hawks was never seriously threatened.

Slow start proves to be a killer
CRAIG STEPHEN | 14th May 2010

Email Story Print larger | smaller It's not just Usain Bolt who knows how costly it can be to get off to a slow start; even in a basketball game of four quarters it's vital not to be too slow out of the blocks.

By the end of the first period against the Wellington Saints in the capital last night, the 0800 Easy LPG Hawks were facing a deficit of 27-11. Even the speedy Jamaican would be stumped at how to make up that kind of difference.

Thursday, May 13

Exodus Saints (8-3) v 0800 Easy LPG Bay Hawks (7-5), 7pm

At TSB Bank Arena, Wellington

Referees – Andy Thackray, Yalla Edwards, Gareth Tehan

BY BRENDON EGAN - The Southland Times

Outspoken Waikato Pistons chief executive John Davey is standing by the comments he made about the Southland Sharks in December.

When the Sharks were admitted into the league, Davey slammed the new franchise, saying the league should be downsizing instead of expanding and argued the Sharks would struggle to attract top-quality players to Invercargill because of its cold climate.

By SAM WORTHINGTON - The Dominion Post

Troy McLean thinks the Wellington Saints have a championship recipe this season and the veteran marksman should know.

The 30-year-old guard debuted for the Saints in 1997 and has played the majority of his NBL career in Wellington, save for a short stint with the Harbour Heat.

And the one constant in that time has been change; 23 imports have come and gone in the past seven years alone, while four different coaches have wielded the clipboard in the past four years.