The short-term future of New Zealand Breakers recruit Glen Rice Jr in doubt after being stood down by the NBL and missing their 11-point loss to the Wildcats in Perth.
Glen Rice Jr Photo: Photosport
New Zealand Breakers coach Dan Shamir expects to learn early in the week if the troubled import will be cleared by Basketball Australia's integrity unit to play on Saturday against Adelaide.
Rice had been in Perth, preparing to play last night's game, when the NBL ordered the Breakers to stand the 28-year-old down, just hours before the side lost 88-77 in Perth.
"The incident has been referred to the Basketball Australia integrity unit to conduct an investigation," the NBL said in a statement.
"Rice Jnr is not prevented from training or other club commitments."
It follows an incident in an Auckland bar last week, resulting in the former NBA player's arrest and referral to Basketball Australia's integrity unit.
Rice Jr faces charges in New Zealand after the incident on Thursday morning where he was arrested for alleged assault with intent to injure, just 10 days after his arrival as an injury replacement.
Breakers CEO Matt Walsh had declared him "innocent until proven guilty" and the former NBA player travelled with the team to Perth for yesterday's match against the Wildcats.
New Zealand Breakers coach Dan Shamir is confident there will be a quick decision on the NBL future of controversial import Glen Rice Jnr after this week's arrest.
Shamir said they only heard there was a potential issue two hours before tip-off.
After the 88-77 loss, he said he believed that in other leagues, Rice Jr would have been allowed to play. But he admitted he wasn't aware of Basketball Australia's rules and didn't know whether his import would be available to face the 36ers or even continue in the league.
"I am pretty sure right now a quick, swift decision will be made; [that is] what is his future with our team," he said.
"I don't know how it works. News [of the incident] broke yesterday so whoever makes the decision only just became aware.
"I don't want to blame anybody. I respect everybody who is behind the league and how it is done. I just don't know some of it.
"In other places, where I would have been, he would have played, so I didn't have (see) it coming; I didn't know something like that could happen."
It's been a tough couple of weeks for the Breakers, with CEO Matt Walsh also fined and suspended after being caught up in a verbal altercation with NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger during their previous away game against South East Melbourne.
Just before the NBL sent out a statement about Rice Jr, it announced Walsh's suspension had been reduced to one game [against Perth] and part of his fine had been suspended.
Shamir said the unusual set of circumstances facing the club over the past few weeks couldn't be ignored.
The Breakers could have used the firepower of Rice, who had averaged 22.5 points in two games since joining the Breakers as an injury replacement for fellow import Scotty Hopson.
"We prepare a game plan and some of it surrounded him," he said.
"Still in our business, there are so many distractions all of the time.
"One of the core aspects of being a coach and a player is that when a game starts, forget about all of the distractions and take care of what you can.
"It's easier said than done."
Rice has a chequered past involving off-court incidents, and the Breakers had already been criticised for signing him.
Walsh was unwilling to admit the club had erred in signing Rice in the first place.
"One of the things we'll do at the Breakers and will do as long as I'm in control is we're going to give guys the benefit of the doubt and try and give guys second chances," Walsh said.
"And I hope that's a positive thing for the club and doesn't turn into a negative.
"The hope from our end is that it's innocent until proven guilty and we can all move on from this but, if that's not the case, then we'll act accordingly."
- AAP
