Re: Boston Herald November 13, 1997

[Warwick Janetzki <giants@icplus.net.au>]

This is from Scott Gullan a basketball writer down here in Australia 


 C's get taste of Pepper
 
 Aussie checks out game
 
 By. Scott Gullan
 
     Ever since his name was called in Charlotte on draft day last June,
Celtics fans have been asking: "Who the hell is Ben Pepper?"  About all
that has been discovered about the second-round pick is that he's a
7-foot Australian with a handy golf swing.

 Pepper and the fans were finally introduced last nightat the
FleetCenter, although you would have had to be the most ardent of
followers to spot the Celtics' latest project.  He was the big kid
taking up a couple of loge seats next to general manager Chris Wallace.
      While Pepper had his first look at the NBA, it was also the first
 time most of the organization, including coach Rick Pitino, had set
eyes on
 the tall Aussie.
      "It's pretty exciting, and good to see how much quicker and bigger
they
 are compared to the guys back in Australia," said Pepper, who plays
 professionally back home.
      "I'd watched a lot of the NBA on television but it was great to
soak up
 the atmosphere which they generate in this place."
      Pepper admitted to being nervous about his initial meeting with
the
 well-known Pitino, but instead of the player asking the questions it
was the
 coach.
      "He didn't say a lot, he asked me what the goal was," the 22 year
old
 said.  "We decided that I'd probably come out and train next summer
with the
 team."
      Pepper, who recently finished a U.S. college tour with the
national
 team, has been the hottest property on the free-agent market in
Australia
 after playing out his contract with Newcastle a month ago.  His first
task
 when he returns home this weekend is to decide where he will play next
 season, which begins in January.
      He said he is probably two or three years away from returning to
Boston
 on a full time basis.
      "I just need to play more games as I've only been playing
 basketball for about five years," said Pepper, who added that he spent
more
 time with a golf club or cricket bat in his hand than a basketball as a
 youth.
      "I've got a couple of seasons back to back at home so that will
help,
 and the Celtics (conditioning) guy has had a look at me and told me
what I
 have to do to beef up.
      "At the moment the body is the big thing and I'm going to have to
stack
 on a bit of weight to bump around with these guys."

Warwick

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MZ