Saints record to be tested

How long will the Wellington Saints be able to extend their unbeaten run in the New Zealand National Basketball League?

That is the big question after Basketball New Zealand released its 2018 draw, featuring the return of the Manawatu¯ Jets, yesterday.

The back-to-back champion Saints made history as they cruised to an unbeaten season in 2017. Their 24-match winning streak dates back to May 22, 2016 when they fell to rivals the Southland Sharks.

That is the very team they find themselves up against first in 2018 on April 27.

Despite the return of the Jets, the 2018 will continue with an 18-match regular season, which will be played over 14 weeks starting on April 26.

The competition includes a one week break, from June 25 to July 1, for an international break and starts later than normal due to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, which run from April 4-15.

Basketball New Zealand also announced Palmerston North as the host of a three-day preseason Blitz tournament on April 20-22.

The Hawke’s Bay Hawks host the Sharks in the competition opener on April 26, before the Sharks head to Wellington to face the Saints the next night.

The Saints roster remains up in the air, but the Sharks have already secured the likes of Tall Blacks Reuben Te Rangi, Derone Ruakawa and Alex Pledger along with new player Tom Vodanovich, who has spent the last four years playing NCAA Division 1 in the United States.

The Super City Rangers finished third in 2017 and will back their chances of causing an upset over the Saints, while the Canterbury Rams were the other side capable of tipping up the perennial title contenders.

The Nelson Giants are shaping as a dark horse on the back of some solid signings.

After winning just four games in 2017, they signed on Australian Jamie Pearlman as coach and have inked deals with Tall Blacks Tohi Smith-Milner and Finn Delany along with Melbourne United guard Kyle Adnam.

New Hawks coach Zico Coronel, who was an assistant at the Saints in 2017, will be hoping to install a winning culture at his new team.

The Jets remain a largely unknown entity with the side yet to announce their coach or any of their signings.

The team last played in 2015 when they finished sixth. They have opted to host two of their home matches in Whanganui in 2018.

A week-one fixture between the Jets and the Taranaki Mountainairs could prove important in the battle to avoid the wooden spoon.

The season wraps up with its final four weekend on August 3-5.