LACEY LOWDOWN

Named in the NZ U16 team Charlisse Leger-Walker has already represented NZ at Under 19 level

Basketball New Zealand has announced the players that will represent New Zealand in four under-16 age-group basketball teams that will travel to Australia in June and July to take on some of Australia’s top junior teams.

Four squads have been selected:

·         New Zealand U16 Girls

·         New Zealand U16 Boys

·         New Zealand ‘A’ U16 Girls

·         New Zealand ‘A’ U16 Boys.

 The New Zealand U16 teams will play in the Australian State Championships from 29 June to 10 July, in Melbourne. This tournament is the most prestigious age-group national basketball event in Australia, where the best of the best juniors in Australia and New Zealand compete.

 The New Zealand ‘A’ U16 boys and girls teams will compete in the Medibank Classic from 9 June to 14 June, which is an invitational competition primarily for clubs. 2016 will be the first year that New Zealand team has been invited to this tournament.

Coach of the New Zealand Under 16 Boys team, Dave MacKay, says these events will be a big test.

“Both of these competitions bring together the most talented junior players in Australia. While the ultimate goal for any junior basketballer is to get to the World Championships, we will treat these Australian tournaments with equal respect because it’s the task that’s right in front of us and the competition is tough.

“I know our players relish the chance to test themselves at these respected Australian events, especially when they all know it’s the same tournaments where the likes of NBA stars Matthew Dellavedova and Patty Mills competed and developed as juniors.”

MacKay says the Australian State Championships and the Medibank Classic are all part of the long-term preparation for these junior players. While the 2018 World Championships are a target, the teams must first qualify through the 2017 FIBA Asia Pacific Championships.

“One of the reasons we have selected a group of 20 girls and 20 boys, as opposed to one girls team and one boys team, is to ensure there’s a broad group of players being developed, especially with the 2017 FIBA Asia Pacific Championships next year. It gives everybody an equal chance to strengthen their game as they develop, so they all have the opportunity to prove their abilities as we build towards the big international events.

“I believe we’ve selected a really gifted group of players. It’s a sign that basketball in New Zealand is continuing to grow in strength,” says McKay.

The 2016 Under 16’s Programme

Players and Teams

 New Zealand U16 Girls

Ella Bradley – Waikato Basketball Council

Isabelle Cook – Taranaki Country Basketball Association

Gracie Hasler-Ewin – North Harbour Basketball

Charlisse Leger-Walker – Waikato Basketball Council

Jordyn Maddix – North Harbour Basketball

Caitlin O’Connell – Taranaki Country Basketball Association

Sharne Pupuke-Robati – Counties Manukau Basketball

Briarley Rogers – Tauranga City Basketball Association

Rosalia Samia – Basketball Hawkes Bay

Rashaan Smith – North Harbour Basketball

New Zealand U16 ‘A’ Girls

Olivia Avery – Nelson Basketball Association

Tayla Dalton – North Harbour Basketball

Mareta Davidson – North Harbour Basketball

Parehuia Delamere – North Harbour Basketball

Isabella Elgar – North Harbour Basketball

Emily Knight – Canterbury Basketball Association

Koha Lewis – Waikato Basketball Council

Eniselina Pale – Marlborough Basketball Association

Ashlee Strawbridge – Basketball Mid Canterbury

Moanekah Va’ai – Basketball Auckland

New Zealand U16 Men

Shalom Broughton – Tauranga City Basketball Association

Tom Cowie – Southland Basketball Association

Mitchell Dance – North Harbour Basketball

Joseph Hylton – North Harbour Basketball

Kainoa Lepou – Waikato Basketball Council

Logan McIntosh – North Harbour Basketball

Jared Thornton – Taranaki Country Basketball Association

Morgan Trott – Taranaki Country Basketball Association

Ezrah Vaigafa – Wellington Basketball Association

Marvin Williams – Basketball Auckland

New Zealand U16 ‘A’ Men

Tyler Auelua – Wellington Basketball Association

Emmerson Kavakura – Wellington Basketball Association

Cullen Marsters – Waikato Basketball Council

Corban Mason – Waikato Basketball Council

Louis Oskam – Canterbury Basketball Association

Anzac Rissetto – Nelson Basketball Association

Colin Robins – Canterbury Basketball Association

Jacob Tawhiao – Hibiscus Coast Basketball Association

Reihana Topia-Maxwell – North Harbour Basketball

Nathan Walker – Southland Basketball Association