Simon Dwight was cleared after a bizare turn of events involving his ACTBA registration.

Dwight cleared, Rucker out

Posted: Fri Oct 9, 1998 at 2:12 PM ET

The West Sydney Razorbacks recieved both good and bad news on the eve of their NBL debut against the Sydney Kings. First came the news that Simon Dwight will be cleared to play after a bizare turn of events involving his ACT BA clearance. It turns out that Dwight, and every other Canberra Cannons player, were not registered with the A.C.T Basketball Association. Originally the Canberra Cannons had withheld Dwight's clearance after it was alleged that he was contracted until October 31 and that he still owed the struggling franchise an undisclosed ammount of money. But West Sydney general manager Robbie Cadee was insitant that dwight would play in the Razorbacks opening match. "We haven't got a clearance because there's no need for a clearance," Cadee said. "As far as I'm concerned, Simon is playing. It's all over." NBL operations manager Bill Palmer cleared Dwight and was glad to finish what has turned out to be a farcical situation. "Dwight should have been cleared from Victoria to the ACT," Palmer said. "It's getting to the stage of farce. "Let's just clear him. We're not worried about what happened in 1994."

Meanwhile it was announced that the Razorbacks star import guard Derek Rucker will miss the clubs NBL debut after team doctor Hugh Hazard deemed Rucker unfit for the clash with the Kings. Rucker injured his calf while playing in the University of Southern Queensland NBL birthday classic played in Toowoomba last month. Rucker has spent much of the last two weeks in a hyperbaric chamber and in the physio room in the hope that it would speed up his recovery time. But today, after a Razorbacks on court training session it was confirmed that the razorbacks would head into enemy territory without their star. West Sydney coach Gordie Mcleod was disappointed but he understood the importance of a full recovery. "We can't get carried away with this being the first game. We've got two games next weekend, and they're just as important as this one," McLeod said. "The last thing we need is for him to aggravate the injury and be out for the 1st 6 weeks." The hole left by Rucker will see back up guards Leigh Carlson and Ben Arkell get a crack at some court time, with John Rillie starting at the point.