Hudson proud despite defeat Breakers enter new campaign under the radar
All Whites coach Anthony Hudson is disappointed after his side gave up a late winner in a friendly loss to Japan.
The 2-1 loss on a wet Friday night at Toyota Stadium in Nagoya featured a respectable performance against the 40th-ranked side in the world, but not the result Hudson or his charges were after.
‘‘If I’m totally honest, my initial feeling is one of huge disappointment because we did so well, showed so much character, showed a lot of fight to get back into the game at a difficult place. We were so close to getting a huge result away from home,’’ Hudson said.
‘‘With the disappointment I’m incredibly proud of the players because we said at the beginning this is a two-legged affair, home and away, and we’re still in it.’’
Shu Kurata grabbed the winner two minutes from time with a header from close range. That was after Chris Wood’s 58th-minute header cancelled out Yuya Osako’s opener from the penalty spot eight minutes earlier. The Breakers may not be getting much love in Australia, from the bookmakers or the media. But that is just fine with big man Alex Pledger, who is quietly confident of proving more than a few people wrong.
Despite missing the playoffs for just the second time in seven years last season, few pundits across the Tasman expect the four-time Australian National Basketball League champions to get back there in 2017-18.
It is even worse among the bookies. Ahead of today’s season opener against Cairns Taipans at Auckland’s Spark Arena, most of the major betting agencies had the Breakers last to win the title in a competition where the standard only appears to be getting stronger.
Pledger, in his ninth season at the club, has heard it all before.
When the topic was raised at training this week, the 30-year-old centre’s immediate response was: ‘‘What a surprise.’’
While Pledger was quick not to blame all of last season’s woes on the club’s horror injury toll, there is no doubt that played a significant part in them missing out on the playoffs. Even then, they only fell one game short.
And Pledger saw enough throughout the pre-season, where they had a 4-2 record, and from new imports Edgar Sosa and DJ Newbill, to suggest the Breakers will be there when it matters.
‘‘We don’t really talk about it too much,’’ Pledger said on how the team is rated in Australia.
‘‘Considering all we went through last year I think we did OK to finish with a 14-14 record and just miss out. But this year I’m pretty confident that with all the returning guys, how that felt last year in the back of our minds, and some new young guys and new imports eager to prove themselves I’m pretty sure this year we’ll be able to go a step or two further.’’
One of several players who enjoyed an extended off-season, Pledger has put the concussion issues that interrupted his domestic NBL season behind him and is itching to get out on court.
With the departure of Akil Mitchell, this is the first time the Breakers have not had an import at the four or five spot for several years and Pledger will be expected to play a key role on the inside, particularly on defence.
At 2.15m tall, he certainly has the size to dominate around the rim, as he did during the 2012-2013 campaign when he led both rebounding
But Pledger prefers to look at it as a collective effort. He believes the versatility provided by fellow centre Robert Loe, veteran forward Mika Vukona and young gun Finn Delany will have the Breakers prepared for whatever comes their way.
‘‘There’s a lot of responsibility on us to defend that paint and get it done on the boards and
I think all of us are up for that challenge. Alex Pledger
the league in and shotblocking. defensively. But I think all of us are up for that challenge,’’ he told Stuff.
‘‘We all have different sizes, speeds and abilities out there on floor and with the combination of skills that the four of us have we can match-up with most big or small lineups.
‘‘Anything the teams throw out there I think we have a good match up for them.’’
The Breakers face a tough early test of their credentials today up against a Taipans side who swept them 4-0 last season, knocking the Kiwi franchise out of playoff contention in the process.
The Taipans are backing up from Friday’s last-second win over the Illawarra Hawks and Pledger says the key for his side lies in their ability to push the pace.