2020-2021 NBL Depth Charts
May 19, 2021
Mike Karena
- Nationality: NZL
- Date of Birth: 24/10/93
- Place of Birth: Nelson (New Zealand)
- Position: F/C
- Height (CM): 208
- Weight (KG): 122
- Junior Assoc:
- College: South Plains (2012-2014) / Wright State (2014-2016)
- NBL DEBUT: 11/02/21
- AGE AT DEBUT: 27
- LAST NBL GAME: 8/06/21
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 27
- NBL History: South East Melbourne 2021
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Mike Karena was born in Nelson (New Zealand).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Mike Karena made his NBL debut with the South East Melbourne Phoenix at 27 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
After finishing second last with a 9-19 record during their inaugural season, South East Melbourne looked to add more talent around Mitch Creek. John Roberson (to Spain), Keith Benson (to Lithuania), Daniel Trist (to New Zealand) and Deng Acuoth (to Ballarat) departed, while Tai Wesley and Ben Madgen retired. Cam Gliddon and Reuben Te Rangi (both via Brisbane), imports Ben Moore and Keifer Sykes and development players Izayah Le’Afa and Tristan Forsyth were added, while Yanni Wetzell initially exercised his European out clause (to Riesen Ludwigsburg) before passport complications resulted in him returning to South East Melbourne. With Dane Pineau battling a back injury before the season, the Phoenix signed Karena (via Nelson) as his injury replacement to provide depth behind Moore and Wetzell.
“I just want to come in here and do what I can for the team…just be the role player they need me to be,” said Karena.
Karena (1.2 points across 15 games) made his NBL debut against Perth on February 11 and was used sparingly throughout the season. His opportunities reduced further after former NBA forward Ryan Broekhoff joined South East Melbourne in February as a nominated replacement player and was expected to take Karena’s position on the active roster. Karena did not suffer a documented injury during NBL21, with his games missed instead a result of his injury-replacement status and position in the rotation behind South East Melbourne’s other big men.
Karena’s best game came against Melbourne on March 10 when a severely undermanned Phoenix side needed additional minutes from its bench. Karena (6 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal) played 11 minutes and made 3-of-5 shots as South East Melbourne defeated United 97-92 in overtime. Creek (31 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 steal), Adnam (18 points and 8 assists) and Te Rangi (12 points and 8 rebounds) led the Phoenix, while Landale (22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 5 blocks) and Goulding (22 points and 2 steals) led Melbourne.
Creek (18.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists) led South East Melbourne in scoring and earned All-NBL Second Team honours, while Sykes (14.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists), Adnam (12 points and 3.6 assists), Wetzell (11.2 points and 6 rebounds), Gliddon (10.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals), Moore (10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds), Broekhoff (7 points and 3.8 rebounds), Te Rangi (6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds) and Le’Afa (6.1 points) filled the main rotation. Karena’s final NBL appearance came against Brisbane on June 8, where Karena (2 points) played almost six minutes as the Bullets won 94-84 and South East Melbourne finished fourth with a 19-17 record.
South East Melbourne faced minor premiers Melbourne (28-8) in the semifinals, with all three games played without crowds at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena. Karena did not take the court in game one as Melbourne won 96-78 behind Landale (26 points) and Hopson (22 points), while Moore (17 points), Creek (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Sykes (12 points) led the Phoenix.
Karena again did not play in game two as Sykes (26 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals), Creek (26 points and 4 rebounds) and Wetzell (20 points and 8 rebounds) led South East Melbourne to a 90-79 victory, while Hopson (19 points and 4 rebounds) and Goulding (14 points) led Melbourne.
Karena remained out of the rotation in game three as South East Melbourne raced to a 32-15 lead during the second quarter before Melbourne recovered. Te Rangi (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals), Creek (19 points and 9 rebounds) and Sykes (15 points and 4 assists) led the Phoenix, while Landale (27 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists), Goulding (14 points) and McCarron (11 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Melbourne to an 84-74 win.
Mike Karena played one season in the NBL. He averaged 1.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0 assists in 15 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 27 | South East Melbourne | 19-17 (4) | 15 | 54.1 | 18 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 18 | 44% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 2 | 100% | 47% | 44% | 6 | Totals | 15 | 54 | 18 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 18 | 44.4% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 2 | 2 | 100.0% | 48% | 44% | 6 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 27 | South East Melbourne | 19-17 (4) | 15 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 44% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.1 | 0.1 | 100% | 47% | 44% | 6 | Total | 15 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 44.4% | 0.0 | 0.0% | 100.0% | 48% | 44% | 6 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- NW Tasmania (2021), Hobart (2023), Latrobe (2025)
Karena joined NW Tasmania for the 2021 NBL1 South season, with his arrival delayed until after his South East Melbourne commitments before he made his Thunder debut against Bendigo in June.
Karena scored 17 points off the bench in his first NW Tasmania appearance, then produced 25 points and 10 rebounds against Dandenong, including seven fourth-quarter points and three free throws in the final 30 seconds to help seal the win.
Karena joined Hobart for the 2023 NBL1 South season and averaged 10.33 points, 4.33 rebounds and 1.67 assists per game with the Chargers.
Karena recorded 12 points, five rebounds and four assists in Hobart’s 93–80 win over Ringwood, a result that lifted the Chargers to 7–7 after snapping a four-game losing run.
Karena joined Latrobe for the 2025 NWBU season after moving from Hobart, continuing his Tasmanian state-league career.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- New Zealand - Nelson Giants (2012, 2020), Canterbury Rams (2016, 2018–2019, 2022) | Spain - Sammic ISB (2016–2017), Força Lleida CE (2017–2018)
Karena joined Nelson Giants for the 2012 New Zealand NBL season, playing his first season in New Zealand, and he appeared in 12 games.
Karena joined Canterbury Rams for the 2016 New Zealand NBL season and averaged 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 12 games.
He moved to Spain with Sammic ISB for the 2016–17 LEB Plata season and averaged 14.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 30 games as the club won the league title and earned promotion to LEB Oro.
Karena remained in Spain with Força Lleida CE for the 2017–18 LEB Oro season and averaged 6.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 27 games after signing on June 14, 2017.
He returned to Canterbury Rams for the 2018 New Zealand NBL season and averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 12 games.
Mike Karena played in New Zealand NBL for the Canterbury Rams from 2016 to 2019. His best season coming in 2019 where he averaged 13.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists across 19 games.
In 2019, Canterbury finished as New Zealand NBL semi-finalists.
In 2020 Mike Karena played for rival club the Nelson Giants during the COVID shortened season and averaged 17.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists across 12 games.
In 2022, Mike Karena played for the Canterbury Rams and averaged 10.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists across 18 games.
During the 2022 season, Karena posted 31 points and 11 rebounds against the Auckland Tuatara on July 10.
COLLEGE
Mike Karena played collegiate basketball first at South Plains College from 2012–13 to 2013–14 before transferring to Wright State University, where he competed in NCAA Division I from 2014–15 through 2015–16 as a center for the Raiders.
At South Plains, Karena appeared in 26 games across his two seasons, averaging 4.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2012–13 and then 4.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2013–14 while shooting above 50 percent from the field in both seasons.
South Plains College finished the 2013–14 season with a 29–6 overall record and captured the WJCAC championship, with Karena contributing off the bench as part of a deep junior college rotation.
After his junior college career, Karena signed with Wright State in April 2014 and became a key rotation big man for the Raiders in the Horizon League beginning in the 2014–15 season.
In his junior season (2014–15) at Wright State, Karena started 30 of 31 games and averaged 9.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 22.5 minutes per game while shooting 54.0 percent from the field, producing a 278-point campaign that ranked among the team’s primary interior scoring options.
During that season, his career highs included 21 points in a game against UIC, and he contributed multiple double-digit scoring outings including 18 points versus Cleveland State and 17 points with eight rebounds against Green Bay.
As a senior in 2015–16, Karena appeared in 34 games with 28 starts and increased his scoring to 9.9 points per game while adding 3.7 rebounds and shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 67.3 percent from the free-throw line, finishing with a combined 338 points for the Raiders.
Across his two years at Wright State, he played in 65 Division I games with 58 starts, averaging 9.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game for his career while maintaining over 53 percent shooting from the field.
Karena became one of the few New Zealand-born players to compete in NCAA Division I basketball, standing 6-10 and listed at 255–270 pounds during his Raiders tenure, and left Wright State as a reliable frontcourt contributor over his final two college seasons.
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