When I found out that my brother was going to be playing for a team called the Jets, I thought "of course, it couldn't be more perfect" In my mind and in my dreams I see him doing fabulous things on the court...his sweet 3 point shot for example followed by the bball DJ playing "B B B Benny and the Jets" loud as the crowd cheers him on. Poor Ben, when Brad, Gabe and I go to see him play in July he will be so embarassed. I'll be a yelling, crying, sobbing, screaming, hot mess! But this is what our family lives for. We love and support each other and it's my job and my right as the oldest and the only girl to gush and embarras my younger siblings. BRING IT ON!
p.s what a handsome pic ey?!
Anderson rebounds home
Jets to get some Utah experience on their side. Ben Anderson is the latest recruit to hit town for the Manawatu Jets.Relevant offers Ben Anderson will enjoy having a few people to pass the ball to at training during the next couple of weeks.
The latest recruit to hit town for the Manawatu Jets has been working out on his own in a gym in Sandy, 20 minutes from Salt Lake City in Utah.
That was where he first met Tony Smith, a former National Basketball League veteran from the 1980s, who put him on to the idea of playing in the competition.
Hamilton-born Anderson moved to Melbourne with his family at age seven before they uprooted and pushed on to Utah when he was 18.
He played point guard for Snow College but for family reasons gave up the game for a couple of years.
The solidly built personal trainer has been back on court for a while now and wanted the chance to play in the country of his birth, so got in touch with Jets coach Ryan Weisenberg about the chances of being recruited.
"It wasn't the traditional scouting," Anderson said.
"It was me contacting Ryan and going from there ... If it wasn't for Tony I definitely wouldn't be here."
Anderson arrived in Manawatu on Wednesday, at the same time as his flatmate Jeremy Kench, who was a late pickup from the Christchurch Cougars.
"I've been homesick ever since I left. It's good to be back, even though I'm not familiar with the place. It's good to be home," Anderson said of his return to New Zealand.
Anderson said he was looking forward to the road trips to meet the Nelson Giants and the Waikato Pistons because he has extended family there. The 26-year-old hadn't come out here with huge expectations of playing a big part in the Jets' theatre this year, but just wanted to contribute, he said.
"I'm definitely a role player. Mostly coming off the bench, wherever the system allows me.
"Right now I just want to fit in. I don't want to be a standout."
Anderson admitted he didn't know a lot about the NBL, but was learning quickly.
"I've been following as much I can on the internet. I think it's awesome we've got some Tall Blacks on the team."
Tall Black Kench, who was left without a team following Christchurch's withdrawal from this year's competition, was just happy to be back in the gym.
"It's been good. It's been a bit of a shock to the system because I haven't been able to train for the past three or four weeks back home. The workouts we've had so far have been good."
He said the early signs of joining the team had convinced him he made the right move to turn down offers from Waikato and the Otago Nuggets for this year.
Ad Feedback "A big reason why I came up here is I definitely thought we'd have a chance of winning a championship. That's been a goal of mine for a long time."
- Manawatu Standard
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