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Journeyman Aussie big man Dane Pineau has been tabbed by the Breakers to fill the backup centre vacancy created by Rob Loe’s surprise retirement.
When Tall Blacks centre Loe decided, in the midst of a career-best season in the New Zealand NBL, not to accept a “lowball” contract offer from his hometown club, and pulled the pin on his career in the Aussie league, it left coach Mody Maor with a move to make on the “local” market.
The Kiwi club’s answer was to sign Pineau, a 28-year-old, 2.06-metre big who has played 131 games over six seasons in the NBL, to a two-year deal. Pineau has spent the last four years with the South East Melbourne Phoenix, after playing his first two in the league with the Sydney Kings.
Mark Evans/Getty Images
Centre Dane Pineau has signed a two-year deal with the NZ Breakers in the Australian NBL.
He averaged just 2.1 points (on 58% shooting) and 3.2 rebounds in 10.3 minutes over 27 games for the Phoenix in ‘22-23. His career numbers are equally unflattering, with 3.0 points, 4.0 rebounds in 13.0 minutes.
The Australian played college hoops at Saint Mary’s College in California, the same school his new Beakers team-mate Dan Fotu attended.
His best season in NBL was in 2019-20, his first with the Phoenix, when he topped the league in field goal percentage (66.4%), averaged 8.1 points and 8.7 rebounds and was runnerup for most improved player of the year.
Pineau will likely not play big minutes for the Breakers, but he’s a valuable big body, strong rebounder and solid screen-setter who should mop up time in the middle when new signing Mangok Mathiang is sitting.
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Dane Pineau fills the backup centre void created by Rob Loe’s retirement.
“Dane has great pick-and-roll attributes, making him an extremely natural fit into our style of play,” said Maor. “I believe he will be a seamless fit. He plays hard, and has done so consistently, regardless of his role.”.
The Breakers are undergoing a major roster remake in the wake of their runnerup efforts in ‘22-23, with Loe’s departure following confirmation they are not likely to lure back any of their three standout imports. Reports have also surfaced that Kiwi power forward Tom Vodanovich is set to opt out of the second year of his deal to head to the Philippines, which the club is expected to confirm soon.
The Breakers have so far missed out totally on the fresh wave of young New Zealand talent coming into the league, with teenager Dontae Russo-Nance heading to Perth (to join the Webster brothers), Sam Mennenga to Cairns and Flynn Cameron to Melbourne United.
If Vodanovich goes that will leave just three Kiwis on the full roster, in Fotu, Tom Abercrombie and Izayah Le’afa, and four Aussies (Pineau, Will McDowell-White, Cam Glddoni and Mathiang), as well as Lithuanian Next Star Mantas Rubštavičius.
There are still three import slots to fill and one more local spot.
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