Fans were out of their seats cheering on one of New Zealand’s basketball legends, Alex Pledger, as he farewelled the game he has loved and served professionally for the past 14 years.
The former Tall Black played his last game with the Sharks on Thursday night against the Canterbury Rams at ILT Stadium Southland, where he played for about five minutes and was part of an emotional homage which included the team retiring his jersey — No 35.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times after the game, he said this would not be a farewell from the game — just from the action.
"It’s not a goodbye, it’s definitely [a] see you later.
"I’ll find my way back down here some way,"
Since 2009 — when he debuted in the New Zealand Basketball League — Pledger played about 500 games as a professional and for the Sharks he was an key piece in 83 games, scoring 1068 points.
The last couple of years were a rollercoaster of emotion as he was forced to the sidelines for a period after he was diagnosed with stage two colorectal cancer in 2021.
Last month, he announced his return but this week he decided to retire as a player.
"I would like to be involved in the game in some capacity.
He did not discard a comeback as a coach, but said he would definitely return to Southland to visit soon as he called himself an "honorary Southlander."
The support from the community was incredible, he said.
"I just can’t thank you guys enough for the support over the last couple of years.
"The messages, figuring out what hotel I was staying at and bringing meals around ... just the support and encouragement — it is something that means a lot and something and I’ll forever be grateful for."
Southland Sharks operational manager Jill Bolger said the Pledger story was a pretty special one.
"I mean, not only has he been a top player at international, national, Australian National League level, but he’s just one hell of a guy.
"He is just the type of person that you want around you all the time and what he’s taught the other players who have come to us — and what he’s taught us as a franchise, with his professionalism and his absolute loyalty — he has been invaluable to us."
The Southland Sharks lost to the Rams 96 to 87, and have their last game of the season on July 16 against the Nelson Giants. A spot in the playoffs still hangs in the balance.
