Ex-FEU captain Ken Tuffin excited to play for hometown Wellington

Former FEU Tamaraws captain Ken Tuffin is set for his New Zealand NBL return on Saturday, April 24, this time with his hometown team Wellington Saints.

After saying farewell to FEU in the midst of the pandemic to play for the Taranaki Mountainairs, the Fil-Kiwi forward now takes on a new challenge with a powerhouse team that opted out of the 2020 season.

“It’s always been a dream to play for my hometown Wellington,” he said. “Our assistant coach Kenny [McFadden] was the one who introduced me to the game.”

“Furthermore, coach Kenny was there in the camp when FEU first came over to scout and recruit me in 2015.”

Bringing back to New Zealand the skills and toughness he learned in the UAAP, the 6-foot-4 combo forward averaged 9.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists as Taranaki finished fourth in the standings last year.

Now with Wellington, Tuffin will team up with a familiar face from his time in the Philippines: 6-foot-8 bruiser Taane Samuel, La Salle’s former foreign student-athlete.

With the Saints having so many standout weapons at their disposal like 7-foot-2 import Romaro Gill, the 23-year-old Tuffin will just continue to do what he did best with both FEU and Taranaki in the past.

“I know my role playing alongside elite one-on-one players like our imports and our captain Dion Prewster. I will always be there to shoot and play [defense], just picking my spots to shine,” he said.

Tuffin’s goal for 2021 is simple: to help win another title for his hometown, like they did in 2019.

“The Saints are a dominant team, and anything less than a title is considered a disappointment,” he said. “My goal is to be a star in my role for the champions.”

Wellington matches will be streamed live on the SMART Sports’ official Facebook page starting Saturday, April 24, 3:30 pm. – Rappler.com