Penney strikes it rich in US
Evening Post;
Wellington
Mar 31, 2000
A young freshman from the North Shore has gone further than any other New
Zealander in the highly competitive world of American college basketball. LYNN
McCONNELL
KIRK Penney is in hoop heaven.
For the next 48 hours, the Aucklander will be in the middle of one of the
world's hottest basketball cauldrons, the final four playoffs of the University
NCAA tournament in Indianapolis.
His University of Wisconsin team - the Badgers - is up against Michigan
State, North Carolina (Michael Jordan's alma mater) and Florida.
Little did Penney think when he went to take up a four-year basketball
scholarship, at what he thought was one of the less elite schools, that he
would reach heady heights in his first year.
But the freshman has found himself swept up in the fury of so- called
"March madness", a time when sports interest in the United States
turns to the annual bunfight in what is generally regarded as the hotbed of
American basketball - Indiana, the home of the Hoosiers, the state that gave
the world Larry Bird.
Fellow New Zealander Mark Dickel twice made it to the final 64 with the
University of Nevada Las Vegas, and got tipped out in the first round each
time.
Penney has gone nearly all the way - further than any Kiwi is believed to
have gone at this level.
For a player who used to call 2000 people a big crowd, Penney and his
team-mates will be exposed to crowds of 40,000.
In Indianapolis, 20,000 turn up just to watch teams practice.
The path to Wisconsin was made easier for the 1.95m guard as a result of
North Harbour Poenamo Kings coach and former NBA player Tony Bennett, son of
University of Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett.
Following Tony's reports on Penney's potential, the university sent an
assistant coach to have a look at him.
The result was a scholarship offer.
And an early interview in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel with Dick Bennett
highlighted the impression Penney made.
"He's very sound. He's got that presence about him, that poise. You can
see it when you watch players. It's always been there," Bennett said.
This week, just before the team headed to Indianapolis, Penney described his
season as "unbelievable".
"The city of Madison has been swept up in the team making the final
four. A crowd of 20,000 turned up at the stadium to welcome us home after we
qualified."
It has occurred only after a big turnaround from 13 wins and 12 losses at
one stage.
"It was very mediocre. Then we got on a big streak. We played some
great basketball for a couple of months."
Penney found himself getting more time on court, and while his role in the
team is still relatively minor, that hot spell in mid- season gave him a big
boost.
"In a game against our long-time rival Purdue I scored 17 points and
had five boards (rebounds) and I had a four or five-game stretch where I
averaged 10 points a game.
"As a freshman you are always going to struggle for playing time, and
the more experienced players deserve a longer leash on their performances. I am
on a tighter leash, and have to make the best of the short time I get. That is
the way to improve.
"But seeing our guys now beating the best teams in the country, I know
that at different stages of the season I have been playing as well as
them."
Not surprisingly, the biggest impression made on Penney has been the
intensity of the American game.
Every second on court is analysed by hardened critics.
There's no time to relax - focus and concentration are vital, and fans are
quick to make their feelings known.
Dickel went through hell in his first year at UNLV, but Penney has been more
kindly treated.
"Being a part of this programme has been tremendous. I've been able to
work out for hours each day.
"They break down every aspect of your game here and you work on it for
hours. In this kind of environment you can only improve."
In the meantime, he also has to work on his major of landscape architecture.
Just how well he does in that will determine how much New Zealand sees of
him this winter. He may have to return for summer school.
But he does hope to play some games for North Harbour and is keen to make
the Olympic Games team.
