PENNEY HOPES HE'S FINDING SECOND WIND
Madison Capital Times
Mar 3, 2000
Unlike Team New Zealand, which successfully defended the America's Cup with
a victory over Italy's Luna Rossa in the Hauraki Gulf, this Kiwi - Kirk Penney
- has lost some of the wind in his sails.
"When people were saying at the start of the season that it was going
to be a long season, I just kind of waved it off," said Penney, a
University of Wisconsin freshman guard, who hails from Auckland, New Zealand,
the site of the recent America's Cup regatta.
"But it is (long), it really is. Playing and practicing every day, it
gets long. You're physically tired when it comes to the end of the week. But
you have to hang tough because now the season is coming to its most exciting
part."
The 19-year-old Penney is hoping to catch a second wind after physically and
mentally hitting the proverbial wall in February.
"I'm always asking him, `How are you feeling? Are you all right?'
" related Tony Bennett, a UW manager, who coached Penney in New Zealand.
"And he'll say, `I'm fine.' Maybe he is. But a lot of freshman go through
this."
On Jan. 15, Penney got his first collegiate start at Purdue and responded by
scoring 17 points in 37 minutes, both season highs.
Penney started the next five games for the Badgers and averaged 27 minutes
of playing time.
During that period, he scored in double-figures just once.
On Feb. 5, UW coach Dick Bennett decided to bring Penney off the bench at
Minnesota. He played 13 minutes and took just one shot.
Over the next four games, he played a Penney combined 19 minutes and scored
2 points (1 of 10).
"It's not that it was all that frustrating," Penney said.
"It's just wanting to perform and maybe, at times, being a bit hard on
myself because the season gets so long and you really feel it. That's what I'm
going through right now.
"You just have to try and keep your enthusiasm up. That's the thing,
trying to stick with it. Keeping intense because you can get down, not so much
on your confidence, but the whole feel (for the game). Still, you have to keep
smiling and keep playing."
It was a lot easier for him to smile after Wednesday night's 62- 46 victory
at Northwestern. He played 12 minutes - his longest stretch of action in 2 1/2
weeks - and scored 5 points, including his first 3-pointer since Jan. 29.
"Just getting a few points helps - it gets rid of a bit of
frustration," Penney said. "Even though I missed a layup, I was
there. And I know it's right there for me. It really is the pinnacle of the
season and now is the time to lift it up. But it's still mentally taxing after playing
at home."
Home is 6,500 miles southwest of California; 1,000 miles southeast of
Australia.
Home is New Zealand, where Penney was discovered by the younger Bennett, who
was coaching a semi-pro club there in the Major Basketball League.
The MBL season extends from March (the start of practice) through late
September.
Over the last two years, Penney also has trained and played for New Zealand
in the Under 20 Australian Championships.
"Kirk has played continually without a break for nearly two
years," Tony Bennett said. "And he has played mostly competition -
games, games, games.
"In New Zealand, you're always playing in leagues or Under 20 national
tournaments. We'd practice three or four times a week, tops, and we'd play once
or twice a week. It's easier in that regard.
"But I think he is tired right now. I don't know if it's because he has
been playing so much. Or he just hasn't trained this much. Here, you're going
six of seven days each week; lifting, conditioning, practicing, playing, along
with all the school work that he has.
"And I have to admit my dad is a lot harder practice coach than I was
in New Zealand."
As busy as last summer was for Penney, who flew to the United States in July
to take part in the UW's advanced basketball camp, this summer will truly be
hectic.
Penney is a strong candidate for the New Zealand Olympic team, which will
assemble in June.
In August, he's scheduled to accompany his Badger teammates on a trip to
Italy.
In September, the Summer Olympics will open in Australia.
"We have to be wise and smart with his time management," Tony
Bennett said. "He needs to develop some things this summer (in his own
game). But you've got to watch out for wearing him out."
Because the Olympics will be staged in the South Pacific, you can understand
Penney's excitement over representing his country and taking part.
"I got the draw the other day," Penney said. "There's China,
Lithuania and, obviously, the biggest team in our pool is the U.S. of A., which
is unbelievable. If I make the team, I'd undoubtedly be playing against the
best in the world."
For now, he's focused on playing against the best in the Big Ten.
"It's all on Indiana Sunday, isn't it?" he posed, alluding to
Sunday's final regular season game against the Hoosiers at the Kohl Center.
"It's going to be a big game and I can't wait."
Penney's first introduction to "Hoosiers" was the movie. On Jan.
5, in the Big Ten opener, he saw the real thing at Assembly Hall in
Bloomington.
"That was quite an experience - just the Hoosiers, itself, after seeing
the movie and the tradition with it," he admitted. "And then, there's
Bob Knight of `Blue Chips' and the respect that he has world- wide. I think he
has visited New Zealand before. We've all heard of him back home, for sure."
Penney played 27 minutes against Indiana and collected 5 points and 4
rebounds. Taking a deep breath, he says that he's ready for the postseason.
"Absolutely, I'm hungry," he stressed. "I remember being here
last year and watching the Big Ten Tournament (in Chicago), then watching the
NCAA game (in Charlotte). And I remember dreaming about wanting to be in it
(the NCAA Tournament). It's coming down to Sunday, isn't it?"
Most likely, mate.
