Breakers axe flop import Stockton
The struggling club has turned to US point guard Kevin Dillard, reports Clay Wilson. United double
THE bottom-placed Breakers have dropped David Stockton from their playing roster, adding American point guard Kevin Dillard in a bid to turn their flailing Australian National Basketball League season around.
Dillard will waste no time in suiting up for the club; the 27-year-old is set to feature in the playing roster at the North Shore Events Centre for today’s clash against table-topping Adelaide.
The cutting of Stockton, who has a back injury, follows the Breakers’ ugly 65-63 Friday night away loss to Cairns, which saw the Auckland-based club take over bottom spot on the ladder from the Taipans with an eightwin, 11-loss record.
Also leaving the Breakers and returning home to the United States is Ben Woodside, Breakers general manager Dillon Boucher confirmed.
‘‘The first thing I want to do is acknowledge two players who have been a part of our organisation this season but for various reasons have not been able to give of their best,’’ Boucher said in a statement.
‘‘Ben Woodside and David Stockton will leave us this week.
‘‘Ben, after it has become obvious that he won’t return to full fitness this season, and David, as he struggles to overcome a back injury.
‘‘Replacing players is never easy and not something the Breakers do lightly or often.
‘‘Ben’s commitment to this team since his injury has been exemplary, it was his decision to stay and rehab here and give a possible return his best shot, he has been a tremendous support to the team during this time.
‘‘Equally the professionalism of David in receiving this news has been first class and reflects the person and player he is.
‘‘No one likes to be told they won’t play out the season, but for various reasons – none of which are through a lack of effort or skill, David has just not been able to give his best and we have made what was a difficult call to bring in a replacement to see out the season.’’
Originally from Chicago and out of Southern Illinois and the University of Dayton (two years at each), Dillard is a well-travelled player, who of late has been picked up by clubs chasing championships, so the move to the Breakers is not completely foreign to him.
The 27-year-old joins big man Akil Mitchell and recent acquisition Paul Carter as the club’s three import players.
Stockton was underwhelming for the Breakers, averaging just nine points and 4.3 assists per game on 38 per cent shooting in his nine appearances.
Dillard most recently played with Turkish club Pinar Karsiyaka, where he averaged 10 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, shooting 42 per cent from the floor and 46 per cent from three point range.
‘‘This kind of came out of the blue but the timing was good.
‘‘My agent called me up, we were in the middle of negotiations in Turkey and I wanted to go somewhere and fight for a championship, it just so happened I got the call, I did my research on the coaches and players and the tra- GETTY IMAGES dition of the team and wanted to be a part of it.
‘‘I want to be a part of some history and do something special.’’
Dillard highlighted his enthusiasm for the game and his ability to embrace a pressure situation.
That will be a handy attribute given the situation the Breakers find themselves in with nine games left in the regular season. Football: Southern United have claimed back-to-back wins in national league football for the first time in more than two years, beating Hamilton Wanderers 4-0 in Mosgiel yesterday. Winger Eric Molloy scored at the start of each half and was joined by Danny Furlong in the first spell and Sam Cosgrave late in the second, as Southern triumphed for the second time in a row, following on from their 3-1 win over Tasman United at the end of last year. It was the first time they had won two in a row since November 2014.