Ken Tuffin is set to make his debut for new team Wellington Saints in the New Zealand National Basketball League Saturday, April 24, against the defending champion Otaga Nuggets in Dunedin.
The former Far Eastern University mainstay and the Saints will take on the Nuggets at 3:30 p.m. Manila time as he looks to build on his solid rookie campaign last season with the Taranaki Mountainairs.
Wellington acquired Tuffin as part of its return after failing to defend the 2019 crown by skipping last year’s shortened season.
Tuffin averaged 9.2 points and 4.3 rebounds for Taranaki which made it to the semifinals before signing with his hometown team in the offseason.
“It's always been a dream to play for my hometown Wellington,” said Tuffin, whose decision to play for the Saints was influenced by the presence of assistant coach Kenny McFadden.
“Our assistant Coach Kenny was the one who introduced me to the game. Furthermore, Coach Kenny was there in the camp when FEU first came over to scout and recruit me in 2015,” he added.
The Saints will also have former La Salle foreign student-athlete Taane Samuel and Dion Prewster, a member of New Zealand’s national team, plus imports Romaro Gill and Kerwin Roach.
They’ll face the Nuggets, who captured the NBL crown in Auckland after defeating the Manawatu Jets in the final.
This year’s NBL will be played for 12 weeks followed by a two-day finals pitting the top four teams after the regular season.