A Word With ... Jeremy Kench

Friday, March 9, 2007 5:00

JEREMY KENCH, back with the Canterbury Rams for Sunday's NBL opener at the Westpac after a season with Singapore in the Aussie NBL, talks to Nick Tolerton.

# Doesn't sound as though the Blitz tournament was a good rehearsal for the NBL?

We got judged where we were with other teams. Obviously not everyone had their full team there but you got a feel for where we're at. We learned some good lessons.

# What's the Rams' prospects for 2007?

Obviously we're a young team, pretty inexperienced, but I think we're going to make up for that with our effort and fitness in the hustle areas of the game. So I think we've got a good shot at upsetting a lot of teams this year.

# If anything, the Rams are an even less experienced squad than last year?

I got back from Singapore on Wednesday last week and when I flew out to Wellington the next day I was the third oldest in the team, and I'm only 22! So it is a young team.

# Last year was big for you personally, with Tall Black selection and winning the NBL most improved player award? I got more of an opportunity to play last year ? the season before that I was playing only 5min a game. So last year I got more court time and confidence grew throughout the season and I ended up having a pretty good year.

# And this year you're also co-captain. Have you captained teams before?

I have in various age groups but nothing at this level. I enjoy the role ? being a point guard, you're always the one that's doing a lot of talking out on court, so it goes with that role a bit I guess, and I suppose I have more experience than some of the other guys in the team, especially with being overseas for seven months.

# How did it go at the Singapore Slingers, the new team in the Australian league?

I think I played about 15min a game. It was great ? first year in the league, getting 15min a game was huge for me, and the experience basketballwise was huge. The whole professional side of things, the training ? you're training a lot more and the fitness goes up. And one thing for me was shooting the ball ? it's not always been the strongest part of my game but that's somewhere I've definitely made great improvement. And the other thing is off the court knowing how to look after your body. Gordon McLeod, who coached Wellington last year, was coach. We actually just squeezed into eighth spot but we lost our first play-off game in Townsville. The intensity and the level went up another notch for that game and it was great to play in.

# You must be sick of flying ? there can't be many sports teams that travel like Singapore had to?

Yeah, I heard we did 170,000 Ks in the season, which is halfway to the moon. Probably longer than any other team in the world, but you get used to it after a while. The seven-and-a-half hour flights didn't seem so bad after a while!

# Did you get any games for the Tall Blacks last year?

I made the squad but I didn't make the team for the world champs. I had a trial. One of my main goals is to make the Tall Blacks one day.

# Who's your worst Rams room mate?

Mike Townsend because he's always sick, always got a cold, and he gets me sick.

# Who spends most time in front of the mirror?

Joel Hart, definitely. He's always trying to make himself look good for the ladies.

# Worst music tastes?

Paul McFarlin's got the worst taste without a doubt. I don't know what he listens to but it's awful, it's not good stuff.

# And what do you like?

I'm into hip-hop, that sort of stuff.

# Do the Americans have much influence on the team culture?

Yeah, they bring in the little things they have. Like Mike Gardiner, a couple of years ago, he had this game he used to play called snatchies where you snatched food off other people. They've always got little things they like to do that carry on and become part of the team.

# Best and worst dressers at the Rams?

I'll put Joel down for the best and worst. When we went to the airport last week he rocked up in a pair of pink slippers, but other times he does all right.

# What do you do away from basketball?

I like movies ? definitely a fan of comedies. Anything with Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, those guys. And spending time with friends. And just sleeping!