NORTH HARBOUR CLUB 2011 AIMES SPORTS AWARDS
The key driver of the North Harbour Club and Charitable Trust is to reward excellence achieved by the young people of the North Harbour region, including the North Shore. AIMES Awards are handed out annually in the areas of the Arts, Innovation Technology and Science, Music, Education, Sport and Service to the Community. The 2011 AUT Millennium sponsored AIMES Sports Award has been awarded to Devonport-raised Tall Black and Breakers Basketballer Tom Abercrombie. Channel Magazine’s Aidan Bennett talked to Abercrombie at the Breakers’ Mairangi Bay home base in early October.
Tom Abercrombie can best be described as the boy that every mother would want their daughter to marry and, ladies, he is single. 24 year old Tom is just a real nice, friendly and humble young man who is very easy to talk to. And the more you talk, the more you realise that he’s got his head firmly screwed on.
You could excuse Abercrombie if that head had become a little enlarged over the past year. He is now one of New Zealand’s leading sportsmen having played a big role in the Breakers ANBL premiership win during the 2010/2011 season (he was named the entire final series MVP - most valuable player) and is also now a key member of the over-achieving New Zealand Tall Blacks team. It has been a stellar year for the young ‘Swing Man’ (his position) who averaged 10.5 points per game and 5.4 rebounds last season in the ANBL.
Tom Abercrombie went to Hauraki Primary, Belmont Intermediate and then on to Westlake Boys High School. He was brought up in Devonport by mum Judy and father Colin. He has an older brother, Haydn (26), who is a rugby player of note, and a sister, Nicola (21), who is studying to be a journalist.
Tom Abercrombie credits his mum Judy for first getting him into Basketball. She was his first coach and he showed some early promise. Due to this promise, and also in his other sporting love – Volleyball, he went on to Westlake Boys High School.
During his third and fourth form years at Westlake Boys, Tom Abercrombie went through a growth spurt and this influenced his decision to put all his energy into Basketball. As well as representing Westlake Boys, he played in all the Harbour age-group sides and progressed through the New Zealand age-group teams as well. These teams included the under 16s, 18s and then the Junior Tall Blacks.
It was no coincidence that Westlake Boys won the national secondary schools basketball title in his senior year. The team was captained by Abercrombie, who averaged 20.5 points, 11 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. He won the WBHS Trophy for Academic and Sporting Excellence in 2002 and 2004 and was a member of Andrej Lemanis’ first Breakers team which toured China in May 2005.
Tom Abercrombie then spent a character-building two years at Washington State University in the US. During this time he learnt a great deal about the tough environment that is professional basketball in the States. At Washington State he spent most of his time training and very little actually playing. This was due to the competition he faced getting game-time. You get the feeling that while he learnt a great deal, he was very happy to get back to New Zealand in 2008.
Three years on, this experience hasn’t diminished his ambition to play in the NBA in the US. “It certainly is a dream to one day play in the NBA, which is the highest level you can play but there are thousands in front of you, some amazing athletes, so it is very tough to break into.”
Tom’s favourite NBA team is Oklahoma City Thunder and, growing up, he loved watching Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers.
Over the last three years, he has mixed his blossoming Basketball career with studying Science and Commerce at Auckland University. In 2012 he plans to transfer to studying extramurally at Massey University Albany.
“Winning the ANBL is certainly the highlight of my career to date,” said Tom Abercrombie when quizzed on his career so far. “Being part of a team built around guys who were my idols growing up – Pauly (Paul Henare), Dillon (Boucher) and Kirk (Penney) – has been huge. I owe a great deal for my development to those guys and coaches Andrej (Lemanis), Dean (Vickerman) and Judd Flavell. They have been huge influences, by encouraging me when I came back from the US in 2008 a little deflated and undecided on my future. They had confidence in me to be part of the team they were building, to ultimately win the competition. Andrej has played a massive role and I have
really enjoyed playing for Dean in his Waikato Pistons NZNBL team. He has helped considerably with lifting my intensity and aggression, very important
parts of the game at the top level.”
“We are very fortunate to have great backing from the Breakers owners Paul and Liz Blackwell. Having a facility like this where everything we need is under one roof helps considerably. It has been a big factor in our success.”
Tom is referring to the Breakers very own headquarters in Mairangi Bay. The impressive facility includes two training courts, a gym, medical and massage rooms and administration offices. The day we were there, it was school holidays and one of the Breakers very popular holiday programmes for young kids was in full swing. There would have been more than 50 kids training and mixing with their Breakers stars.
As this article was being put together, the Breakers had started the new 2011/2012 season well with three impressive away wins and Tom is excited about the prospects of back-to-back titles. “I do believe we have a squad that’s good enough to do it again this season but every team has improved so it won’t be easy. But we are thrilled with the start.”
Paul and Liz Blackwell have got a great thrill out of Tom’s development under their watch. “It has been a privilege and delight to see Tom grow in both ability and confidence through his determination and hardwork,” said Paul Blackwell proudly when asked to comment for the purpose of this article in mid October. “Liz and I take great delight in the way he continues to grow in leadership, both through his play, and his commitment to the values of the Breakers.”
Tom is signed for the next two years with the Breakers and plans to sit down and assess his options at the end of each season. His contract includes the option to take up opportunities overseas if they come along.
2011 was also the third year that Tom Abercrombie has been part of the national Tall Blacks senior squad. He came of age for New Zealand as one of the stars at the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey. He has now travelled the world as a Tall Black and says that he really enjoys measuring his progress against some of the world’s top players. He has played against many leading NBA players for the Tall Blacks over the past couple of years.
“Growing up watching the Tall Blacks with players like Pauly, Dillon, Kirk and Phil Jones, really inspired me to get to their level,” explains Tom. “There is a great culture in the team which has enabled me to learn from the senior guys and do all I can to reach and maintain the high levels of performance that they have set. I believe that’s why we have been able to play above our weight and beat some very good teams over the past couple of years.”
What made you apply for a North Harbour Club AIMES Award?
“My Mum and Dad have always attended the Awards so I know about them through them. Reading about the achievements of past winners, and the levels of excellence they have achieved, inspired me to enter this year. I had always hoped that one day I would be good enough to enter and be in a position to win, so it is a thrill to pick up an AIMES Award. The money will help me fulfill my ambition of making it as a basketballer in the US.”
So why does Tom Abercrombie think he has achieved the success he has?
“I am pretty lucky really, being blessed with some athletic gifts including the ability to jump high and run fast. I have a determination to make the most of these gifts and realise my potential. I am hardworking, focussed and very very competitive. All things you need to keep your spot and stay on top of your game at this level. For me, it is huge to be the best and to win.”
What will Tom Abercrombie be doing in 10 years time?
“Hopefully still playing, have my degree and still making the most of any opportunities that come along. At this stage I have no aspirations to coach. It is not something I am keen on.”
Doing what I love doing
