Sharks sign rising star KelmanPoto

BASKETBALL A RISING star of New Zealand basketball believes Southland provides one of best opportunities in the country to get better, prompting him to sign with the Sharks for the 2019 National Basketball League.

After playing high school and college basketball in the United States over a sevenyear stretch, Dominique KelmanPoto has returned to New Zealand, where he was a standout with the Super City Rangers in this year’s New Zealand league.

As a result, he was named in the New Zealand Select team to tour China and also was included as a development player with the Breakers for the Australian NBL.

KelmanPoto has now opted to head south, joining the Southland Sharks for next year’s New Zealand league in an attempt to further develop his game.

‘‘It was actually a really easy decision for me. Just seeing what Southland produces, how they play, how they train,’’ he said.

‘‘I want to get better as a basketball player and I think Southland has one of the best programmes to do that.’’

Sharks officials have confirmed that on top of KelmanPoto’s signature, they have also locked in another talented young player for 2019 in the form of Hyrum Harris.

Harris has previously played for both the Super City Rangers and Bay Hawks in the New Zealand league, but will wear the orange singlet of the Sharks in 2019.

Like KelmanPoto, Harris was also part of the New Zealand Select team which toured China this year.

Southland Sharks coach Judd Flavell was delighted promising players like KelmanPoto and Harris were keen to link with Southland.

He felt Southland had created a proven track record where players have taken their games to a new level after spending time with the Sharks in Invercargill.

He said the plan was for KelmanPoto and Harris to follow that same path.

‘‘I’m just really excited to snag these two guys,’’ Flavell said.

‘‘They are on the way up. I’m expecting big things from these guys, as far as coming in and not taking a backward step [and] to push their basketball as far as it can go.

‘‘That is where we can really help because we have great support down south with the things we are able to do and put in place for these guys.’’

Flavell said the championships should be celebrated, but the progression of young players who chose to line up for Southland also was something the Sharks organisation was proud of.

‘‘Championships are good, and we’ll celebrate that every time. We have had a lot of success with the club, with those championships.

‘‘But I guess one of the import ant things is the personal growth we see in our players, both on and off the court.

‘‘We talk about how many Tall Blacks we’ve had come through our programme, or how many guys are now development players with the Breakers or have earned contracts at the next level.’’

The latest inclusions have taken it to four confirmed signings for the Sharks 2019 roster.

KelmanPoto and Harris join Jarrad Weeks and Tom Vodanovich, who are confirmed to be returning to Southland.

Vodanovich, a Breakers development player, was last week called into the Tall Blacks squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers after an injury to Finn Delany.