Leroy And His Kindergarten Kids

Posted: Thu Oct 8, 1998 at 2:03 PM ET

Leroy Loggins will be in charge of a bunch of youngsters dubbed the "kindergarten kids" when a new-look Brisbane tips off its inaugural NBL summer season against Canberra here on Friday night. But Bullets head coach Brian Kerle has already seen enough of his young recruits to declare they will not only meet the challenge this season but also establish themselves as quality NBL players in years to come. While Brisbane's coaching staff of Kerle (four championships), Bruce Palmer (one title) and ex-guard Wayne Larkins (347 games) is the most experienced in the league, its 1998-99 playing roster is one of the youngest ever assembled. New faces Ben Knight, Phil Doherty, Matt Shanahan, Paul Scott, Brendan Mann, Peter Issit and Brendan Beak were barely old enough to vote in last weekend's Federal election. All were youngsters when Loggins, who turns 41 in December, dunked his way through his first NBL season with the Bullets back in 1981. Loggins will back up for his 19th straight NBL season on target to take push his magnificent playing career past the 500-game mark mid-season. It will be his vast knowledge, combined with the guile of triple club MVP Steve Woodberry and the athleticism of 29-year-old swingman Rodger Smith which will be invaluable to the club's young players. Kerle, though, is not the slightest bit concerned about coaching the youngest team in the League. "Most of them, except for Paul Scott, have already had a couple of years experience playing in the NBL," said Kerle, more worried about an ankle injury which is preventing young starting point guard Brendan Mann from playing.

Mann is still several weeks away from making his debut for Brisbane, forcing Kerle to share the playmaking duties around with Woodberry starting Friday night's game. "Woodberry will start at point but Rodger (Smith) and Matt (Shanahan) will handle the ball a fair bit," said Kerle. Canberra, battling financial problems, will be on a mission after appointing an administrator last week to keep the foundation club afloat. "They look tough," said Kerle after studying a video of their recent pre-season win over Newcastle. Kerle said he was preparing for Friday night's game as if Canberra's injured US import Kenny Harris would be playing despite the Cannons today ruling him out of the opening round. "I reckon he'll play and that's the way we are preparing," said Kerle. In previous years the Bullets' home court has not had a nickname like the Glasshouse, Snakepit or Kingdome given to other venues. But with the seven new players aged 22 years or younger, its 5,000-seat Brisbane Convention Centre could become known this season as The Romper Room..

*This article taken directly from the AAP