Izayah Le'afa: Wellington Saints point guard previews their NBL clash against Nelson

The Wellington Saints headed into the Easter weekend round of the National Basketball League at the top of the table following road wins over Southland and Otago.

They next meet Nelson at Wellington's TSB Arena on Easter Monday.

Saints point guard Izayah Le'afa joined Adam Cooper to preview the game, and discuss his return to the Breakers in the Australian Basketball League.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
News talks.

Speaker 2 (00:00):
They'd be on the Allsport Breakfast twenty two away from
nineties talk, NBL basketball now and great from a Wellington perspective,
the Wellington Saints top of the competition heading into the
Easter Weekends round. After a very successful road trip down
south against both the Southland Sharks and Otago Nuggets. They're
back home on Easter Monday afternoon at Wellington's TSB Arena

(00:21):
to host the Nelson Giants. Let's head into the Wellington
Saints camp now. Isaiah Leafa is with us of course,
has recently rejoined the Breakers in the Australian National Basketball
League as well a return to the Auckland club for him.
As aias with us now, morning to you, Isaiah, and
you'd be pretty happy with with were things stand for
the Saints at the moment.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
Yeah, definitely. Obviously again the two wins on the road
and then you're kind of having our full group with
Shay coming in kind of leading us away and you know,
obviously helping nice to get the two domes. But no,
it was a good roacher for the boys, not on
the court but off the court too, just team bonding
and chemistry. So it was a roacher for us.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Yeah, I mean you'd be pretty lucky with options, haven't you,
Because out came Sean bruceon and came Shay early Sean
obviously filling that gap.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
A pretty good couple of options for that, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah definitely. I mean, you know, two of the pits
and you know what best point guard in the lead,
So it was a good substitution.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
And just tell us about the impact of having Shay
on this team. I mean someone that's, you know, one
of New Zealand's top basketballers where we see his his
impact in his stats from the A n b L.
How big is this for the Saints having him back
in Saints colors this year?

Speaker 3 (01:33):
I mean he opens the floor for ever and then
he's obviously n't selfish. We can score two and obviously
it's always capable of twice and the the A m
b OL. So, I mean he brings a lot of
experience and I think he leads from the front too,
and then we kind of just followed his way.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Nice to have him as a teammate rather than an opponent.

Speaker 3 (01:54):
Yeah, definitely, you know, good having him on your side.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Tell us about I guess transitioning back into the NBL
from another as he seasoned across the Ditch. Obviously things
will be changing a few slightly with a return to
the Breakers. But on the back of your most recent
campaign across the towns, and what kind of goals are
you're setting yourself at the Saints this year?

Speaker 3 (02:12):
Obviously, I mean obviously the goal is obviously win the
championship first or foremost, and you know, I think that's
the goal for all of us. And we've kind of
been kind of making a statement in a way with
obviously our leading you know, captain him Harris leading us.
So yeah, I think there's a bit of captain in that. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
Nice, And just the roster you've got and I guess
the role that you fit into that has much changed
to you from last last season at the Saints, and
I guess how you fit in into the widest.

Speaker 3 (02:41):
Squad, No, I mean, it's always easier to kind of
sit in here, and you know, obviously Wellington's hope, I mean,
the group dead you know, Jordan puts together as an
unselfish and you know, team first player, So it's always
easy to kind of come back, and you know, when
you shave back into the group and that kind of
makes it pretty easy in smooth transition.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
What are the strengths of the team this year do
you think?

Speaker 3 (03:04):
I think, you know, strength starts with our captain, Iron
Horse kind of lean away and then we all kind
of trigger from him and you know, fall under him.
And then defensively, obviously we want to be a defensive team,
you know, mindset first, and then obviously that'll lead to
our offense.

Speaker 1 (03:21):
I hope Harms usten to this mate.

Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yeah, you know, hopefully he should be.

Speaker 1 (03:28):
Very good.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
And back at home is a nice to sort of
have a bit of time to recharge and get sit
for another home game. Nelson obviously struggling a bit. But
what is the focus leading up to this one?

Speaker 3 (03:39):
Yeah, obviously we'll just be focusing on ourselves this weekend.
We've had a big month and abouly playing you know,
all the games, and we haven't really had much practice
time together, so kind of just burn their chemistry and
make sure bodies are right and you know, getting ready
for Monday against Nelson. I mean they're going to be tough,
it's going to be a you know, a good game,
and obviously there's easter, so hopefully we get a good
crowd and the fans come out of love.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yeah, exactly, and with things like Asia Cup on the horizon,
Tall Blacks wise, you know that there's not much break
for a lot of your top guys who come from
a n b L to NBL and then then a
few international commitment commitments as well. How you're making sure
everything's conditioning and your sort of bodies ready to last
the distance through.

Speaker 1 (04:17):
A big year.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
Yeah, definitely. Obviously it's a full year, and with Asia
Cup coming straight after the New Zealan League, it's a
full load. But I think you know, we have a
good way to staff and things that get our bodies
right and our physios you know, to take care of
us and obviously you know, loads managements throughout the year.
But no, I think at the moment we've been doing

(04:41):
doing pretty good and you know, knock on worth no more.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
No injuries, Yeah, very good.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
And just lastly, as AA, obviously a lot of key
we basketball fans and be pretty stuck at the news
to see you be back at the breakers.

Speaker 1 (04:52):
From the next a NBL season. Can you just explain
I guess.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
The reasons behind the move back and I guess how
excited you are to be heading back to the Auckland club.

Speaker 3 (05:00):
Oh yeah, and that was super excited to you know,
come back to you know, Breakers and be a part
of the obviously new ownership and kind of a three
art in the way looking forward to you know, being
back in Auckland and being close to no home even
though you know Auckland's not home, but it is kind
of home away from home. And then it's been out
for my family to come up and fly up to
games in Auckland. So there's a lot to look forward

(05:23):
to and excited about, you know, being a part of
the Breakers year.

Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah, and you get the sense from your discussions with
the new ownership group that that that sort of you
know Kiwi model, that the homegrown model that the Breakers
historically has sort of you know prioritized, is back to
be a leading focus.

Speaker 1 (05:38):
Of the club.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yeah, definitely. I think, you know, that's kind of got
more Kiwis this year. I think majority are keyw so
having more of a Kiwi corps and then just kind
of building from there, I think is what they're going
back from, like a family type culture.

Speaker 1 (05:53):
We look forward to seeing that play out.

Speaker 2 (05:54):
But all the best for Monday's game as great to
have you back and Wellington for another season, Mate and
more no doubt catch you again on the show soon.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
Appreciate your time, I Appreciate the Man.

Speaker 2 (06:06):
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