DAVE Elderkin wants the British Basketball League’s newest club to follow their cricketing neighbours by providing a production line for the international team, and thinks he has found a GB star already.
After one training session, new coach Elderkin was already banging the drum for Durham Wildcats’ big summer recruit, Ralph Bucci, to be wearing a Great Britain vest at next summer’s Olympics.
The 35-year-old guard will be the old head when a youthful team makes its BBL bow next month.
Bucci was born and bred in New York but having married a Teessider, is a member of the Brit pack now.
Elderkin thinks he should come into consideration for the hosts at the next Olympics.
“The GB Performance Company see the BBL as important so we can have some home-grown players challenging for the Olympic team, not just people who have chosen to go to the States or Spain,” he said.
“It’s early days, but I’ve watched GB and if GB has a weakness, it’s at the guard spot. We have a quality guard and he may be 35 but I hope they’re going to take a look at him.”
Bucci had six years with Teesside Mohawks, then seven in Greece before the lure of his wife’s home brought him back for a second spell last season.
“I thought it was my birthday the day I got the phone call saying Ralph might be interested,” said Elderkin. “Effectively it gives us four Americans but Ralph’s British now, he’s made his home here and we’re really, really pleased he’s decided to come and play for the Wildcats.”
The Wildcats are learning from Newcastle Eagles, one of the region’s best sports teams at reaching into the community.
They will also try to emulate Durham County Cricket, whose academy last month provided England with a seventh and eighth full international in 15 years.
“I’m a bit like Alex Ferguson, I like to make my own stars,” said Elderkin, who coached the Eagles’ predecessors the Comets.
“I’m really looking forward to the challenge.
“We had two friendly games at the weekend, against St Mirren and Middlesbrough Lions.
“We had a squad of 11, 10 were Brits, six local born and bred. Like the Eagles we’re going to put the community at the heart of everything we do.
“What’s massive to us now is the interest and support from County Durham Council.
“They’re looking for another sporting team to tread the same path as Durham County Cricket Club. They’d like to see more teams playing nationally and internationally, and to provide a pathway for people to play for the Wildcats.
“This year we’ll set up a minimum of four community clubs – one based in Durham, one in Willington, one at the Academy of East Durham, and one probably at Newton Aycliffe.
“We’ll probably get to our optimum of eight, which will provide lots of opportunities for kids to be coached and play competitions against each other, and we have a National League pathway for them right from the age of 13.” Forward Mike Capocci has joined from Northwestern Wildcats and two recent American graduates are close to completing moves. All will study at Durham University, while helping the Wildcats bridge the gap from EBL to BBL.
“It’s a big gap but we’ve recruited to try and fill that gap,” Elderkin commented.
“Seeing Mike Capocci for the first time, he’s a total player and pretty tough as well, with good knowledge – really smart. We need to give Mike a bit of time.
“The recruitment of Ralph Bucci is massive for us. I recruited him for two reasons.
“One is what I’ve learnt from people I’ve talked to who say he’s a really creative player and I think the English players respect him to such an extent that he’ll really improve their performance.”
The Wildcats begin BBL life when North East rivals Newcastle visit Newton Aycliffe on Saturday, October 1.
