Jeremy Kench
Encyclopedia
Jeremy "Jay" Kench is a New Zealand professional basketball
player who plays the point guard
position.
basketball school, Middleton Grange where he represented New Zealand Under 18, New Zealand Under 19 and the Junior Tall Blacks. He made his NBL debut in the 2003 NBL season averaging 3.4 points a game from 14 appearances. In the 2004 NBL season, Kench gained more maturity with experience, eventually displacing Ben Jeffrey as the Rams starting point guard, starting in 15 out of the rams 18 games. His average was slightly up from his debut season, averaging 4.2 points a game, and just under 3 assists a game.
In 2005, the Rams brought in American point guard, Michael Gardener who became the teams starting point guard, which severely cut into Kench's playing time. Kench did not start any matches in 2005, and his numbers were down considerably, only averaging 2.2 points from ten minutes, a game.
For the start of the 2006 NBL season, the Rams brought in new American coach Chris Sparks and a shooting guard
Dennis Trammell
from the United States. This meant that Kench was able to assume his starting position at point guard. Kench is currently having a breakout year in the 2006 New Zealand NBL. On 28 April 2006, Kench scored a career high of 30 points, while dishing out 5 assists, in a loss to the Auckland Stars
at Cowles Stadium, in Christchurch. Two games later Kench followed this performance up with an equally inspiring 26 point game in a win against the Taranaki Mountain Airs. Kench's strong play has continued on in the second half of the season, on June 9, 2006, he had another outstanding game posting 27 points in a victory over the Otago Nuggets
in Dunedin
. In the final game of the regular season on 24 June 2006, Kench broke his career high,netting 36 points against the Wellington Saints
. He finished the 2006 NBL season with an average of 18 points a game.
His strong play in 2006, was rewarded on 11 May 2006 when he was selected in New Zealand coach, Tab Baldwin
's 29 man New Zealand Tall Blacks squad to prepare for the 2006 Basketball World Championship in Japan
. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3664913a1823,00.html
On 15 July 2006 Kench signed a contract to play for the Singapore Slingers
in their debut season in the Australian NBL. After the Australian NBL season, he confirmed he would play for the Canterbury Rams in their upcoming 2007 NBL season.
Kench appears to be much more of a marked man in the 2007 NZNBL season. His overall numbers are down on his breakout 2006 year.Half-way through the 2007 NZNBL season, Kench signed to play for the Wollongong Hawks
in the Australian NBL.
Kench was selected in the 2008 New Zealand Tall Blacks Squad. He made the final 12-players to play Australia, but has yet to see court-time.
In 2010 he joined the Christchurch based NZNBL team the Christchurch Cougars
. At the end of the season he was selected for the Tall Blacks trials for the 2010 FIBA World Championships and subsequently made the twelve-man squad.
http://www.kiwihoops.co.nz>
Season
Team
Games played
Points per game
2003
Canterbury Rams
14
3.4
2004
Canterbury Rams
18
4.2
2005
Canterbury Rams
18
2.2
2006
Canterbury Rams
18
18.7
2006-07
Singapore Slingers
34
3.4
2007
Canterbury Rams
17
13.8
2007-08
Wollongong Hawks
29
6.1
2008
Canterbury Rams
18
17.8
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who plays the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
position.
Playing career
Kench attended former powerhouse ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
basketball school, Middleton Grange where he represented New Zealand Under 18, New Zealand Under 19 and the Junior Tall Blacks. He made his NBL debut in the 2003 NBL season averaging 3.4 points a game from 14 appearances. In the 2004 NBL season, Kench gained more maturity with experience, eventually displacing Ben Jeffrey as the Rams starting point guard, starting in 15 out of the rams 18 games. His average was slightly up from his debut season, averaging 4.2 points a game, and just under 3 assists a game.
In 2005, the Rams brought in American point guard, Michael Gardener who became the teams starting point guard, which severely cut into Kench's playing time. Kench did not start any matches in 2005, and his numbers were down considerably, only averaging 2.2 points from ten minutes, a game.
For the start of the 2006 NBL season, the Rams brought in new American coach Chris Sparks and a shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
Dennis Trammell
Dennis Trammell
Dennis Trammell , is a professional basketball player who played for the Canterbury Rams in the New Zealand National Basketball League ....
from the United States. This meant that Kench was able to assume his starting position at point guard. Kench is currently having a breakout year in the 2006 New Zealand NBL. On 28 April 2006, Kench scored a career high of 30 points, while dishing out 5 assists, in a loss to the Auckland Stars
Auckland Stars
The Auckland Pirates are a New Zealand professional basketball team that represents the Auckland region in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the ASB Stadium in Kohimarama, Auckland, New Zealand....
at Cowles Stadium, in Christchurch. Two games later Kench followed this performance up with an equally inspiring 26 point game in a win against the Taranaki Mountain Airs. Kench's strong play has continued on in the second half of the season, on June 9, 2006, he had another outstanding game posting 27 points in a victory over the Otago Nuggets
Otago Nuggets
The OCEANAGOLD Nuggets, formerly the Otago Nuggets, are a New Zealand professional basketball team that play in the National Basketball League. They play their home games at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.-2006 season:...
in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
. In the final game of the regular season on 24 June 2006, Kench broke his career high,netting 36 points against the Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....
. He finished the 2006 NBL season with an average of 18 points a game.
His strong play in 2006, was rewarded on 11 May 2006 when he was selected in New Zealand coach, Tab Baldwin
Tab Baldwin
Thomas Anthony "Tab" Baldwin ONZM is an American-New Zealand basketball coach,-History:Baldwin was born in Florida and came from Jacksonville Beach to New Zealand in 1988 to coach the Otago Nuggets....
's 29 man New Zealand Tall Blacks squad to prepare for the 2006 Basketball World Championship in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3664913a1823,00.html
On 15 July 2006 Kench signed a contract to play for the Singapore Slingers
Singapore Slingers
The Singapore Slingers are an Asian basketball team that formerly competed in the Australian National Basketball League. They were the first - and so far the only - Asia-based club to compete in the NBL when they joined at the start of the 2006/07 season....
in their debut season in the Australian NBL. After the Australian NBL season, he confirmed he would play for the Canterbury Rams in their upcoming 2007 NBL season.
Kench appears to be much more of a marked man in the 2007 NZNBL season. His overall numbers are down on his breakout 2006 year.Half-way through the 2007 NZNBL season, Kench signed to play for the Wollongong Hawks
Wollongong Hawks
The Wollongong Hawks are a team competing in Australia's National Basketball League , based in the New South Wales city of Wollongong. They won the NBL championship in 2001 and finished as runners-up in 2005 and 2010...
in the Australian NBL.
Kench was selected in the 2008 New Zealand Tall Blacks Squad. He made the final 12-players to play Australia, but has yet to see court-time.
In 2010 he joined the Christchurch based NZNBL team the Christchurch Cougars
Christchurch Cougars
The Christchurch Cougars are a professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. They play in the New Zealand National Basketball League....
. At the end of the season he was selected for the Tall Blacks trials for the 2010 FIBA World Championships and subsequently made the twelve-man squad.
Career to Date
Singapore Slingers
The Singapore Slingers are an Asian basketball team that formerly competed in the Australian National Basketball League. They were the first - and so far the only - Asia-based club to compete in the NBL when they joined at the start of the 2006/07 season....
Wollongong Hawks
The Wollongong Hawks are a team competing in Australia's National Basketball League , based in the New South Wales city of Wollongong. They won the NBL championship in 2001 and finished as runners-up in 2005 and 2010...