LACEY LOWDOWN

With Tall Blacks trials being held in Auckland on Tuesday and Wednesday I thought it appropriate to give some background to the new boys on the block.

With a number of first choice players unavailable for selection I expect two or three of the players below to be chosen for their first taste of full international duty when the squad for the tour of China is named later in the week. Jack Salt and Reuben Te Rangi seem almost certain to be chosen and I expect one of the young guards to also get the nod.

Seventeen years old Jack Salt is yet another product of the Westlake Boys High School system following the likes of Tai and Corey Webster and Tom Abercrombie into the Tall Blacks programme. Salt played for the New Zealand Under 20 team earlier in the year and has just completed a season with the James Blond Super City Rangers in the NBL. The 6’10” centre averaged 8.6 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Rangers in his rookie season.

Shooting guard Marco Alexander has risen through the North Harbour age group basketball programme. The 22 year old made his debut in the NBL for the Dean Vickerman coached Waikato Pistons in 2011 followed by the Harbour Heat in 2012. With the Heat unable to field a team this season Alexander returned to the Pistons and has averaged 22 minutes court time contributing 11.3 points per game.

In 2011 Reuben Te Rangi was a member of the 3on3 team that won a gold medal at the Youth World Championships in Rimini, Italy. In 2012 he was voted Rookie of the Year in the New Zealand NBL after averaging 8 ppg for the Harbour Heat and shooting 44% from behind the 3 point arc. Later in 2012 he captained the Junior Tall Blacks in their three game series against Australia before making his debut for the Breakers against Townsville Crocodiles in November. Attracted by the proposition of being coached by Tall Blacks assistant coach Paul Henare, Te Rangi has spent the recent season with the NBL Championship winning Southland Sharks scoring 13.1 points per game. Still only 18 years old Reuben looks set to provide the back up for swing man Tom Abercrombie.

Another player originating from North Harbour, guard Brad Anderson had a four year stint in the Breakers Academy before graduating in 2011. Anderson has enjoyed a productive season with the Taranaki Mountain Airs after previously playing for the Auckland Pirates and Harbour Heat. This season he has averaged 12.7ppg, shooting the three ball at 37%.

Swing man Dion Prewster was a prodigious talent as a junior player captaining the 2009  Junior Tall Blacks at the World Championships held in Auckland that year. Prewster was a development player at the Breakers in 2012 having spent three years in the US prior to that. This season he has played for the Bay Hawks in the NBL averaging 13.6points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

A shooting guard, Brook Ruscoe was also a member of the 2009 Junior Tall Blacks, a starter, he enjoyed a good tournament averaging 16.2ppg. In 2012 he was a member of the NBL Champion Auckland Pirates before moving south to play for the Nelson Giants this season. Playing a significant amount of time as a point guard he has averaged 11.8ppg and 2.5 assists. Ruscoe has international pedigree, uncle Matt Ruscoe was a Tall Black in 1977 and cousin Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe has been a long time member of the Tall Ferns.

Forwards Jordan Ngatai and Tom Vodanovich are surprise picks as neither has played in the NBL this season. Both forwards hail from Wellington and are due to embark on US College careers shortly. Tom, a JTB last year will be heading to James Madison University, Virginia and Jordan who played for the Wellington Saints in 2012 is off to BYU-Hawaii.

As predicted a number of new young faces have been selected for next week’s Tall Blacks trial in Auckland. The youngest is 17 years old Westlake Boys High School student Jack Salt. The 6’10” centre could well become the latest player from the Westlake basketball conveyor belt to be selected for the Tall Blacks.

Others to have progressed through the North Harbour junior system are Brad Anderson and Marco Alexander. Both players have had success in the NBL this season, Anderson (12.5ppg) with the Taranaki Mountain Airs and Alexander (11.3ppg) with the Waikato Pistons.

Former Sky City Breakers Development player Dion Prewster gets a call up. Prewster was captain of the Junior Tall Blacks team that contested the World Junior Championships in NZ in 2009 and has recently played in the NBL for Southland and Hawkes Bay. Brook Ruscoe was also a member of the 2009 JTB’s, a prolific scorer in age group basketball he has enjoyed a good season with the Nelson Giants.

Reuben Te Rangi has risen to prominence in the last couple of years. The 18 year old has recently signed a full time contract with the Breakers, was Rookie of the Year in the NBL in 2012 with the Harbor Heat and this season has played for the Southland Sharks.

Jordan Ngatai and Tom Vodanovich both hale from Wellington and both have had Junior Tall Blacks experience but neither have had much in the way of NBL experience.

Having summoned so many fresh faces into the training squad, expect at least a couple of new caps when the team is announced in eight days time. My money will be on Te Rangi and Salt.

With Tall Blacks head coach Nenad Vucinic due to announce his trial squad any day now for the upcoming internationals against China and Australia, I thought it an opportune time to undertake a bit of crystal ball gazing.

Imagine if Vucinic could call on a starting five of Lindsay Tait, Kirk Penney, Tom Abercrombie, Mika Vukona and Alex Pledger backed up by the Webster brothers Corey and Tai, Leon Henry, Steven Adams and one out of BJ Anthony,  Casey Frank, Rob Loe or Jeremiah Trueman. Now that would be a team capable of giving the Australian Boomers a real run for their money.

Unfortunately, not all of the above will be available for the two games to be played in August. Adams, understandably has more pressing engagements with the NBA, Penney is resting from a strenuous season in Turkey and Loe (and Isaac Fotu) have US college commitments. Other fringe players like Everard Bartlett are carrying injuries therefore picking a team is not entirely straightforward.

Mika Vukona will again captain the team from the power forward position. Vucinic experimented by giving Vukona some game time in the three spot last year but that was largely forced on him because of Tom Abercrombie’s unavailabilty due to injury. Now, with Abercrombie restored to good health he, Vukona, Pledger, Tait and Corey Webster will make a small but balanced starting five. It was a bit of a concern watching the Saints v Giants game last night to see Tait sitting out the game due a thumb injury. Vucinic and his coaching team will be hoping this is not a long term injury as experience cover at point guard is not plentiful.

BJ Anthony was also unavailable for the 2012 international programme but he seems a certainty to be the back up to Vukona. BJ is having an outstanding season for the Otago Nuggets averaging 21.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Casey Frank has served the Tall Blacks well over many seasons, he is playing as well as ever for the Saints and his experience and nous are well recognised within the team. He will be needed to play some minutes at centre and forward.Leon Henry is also having a good NBL season with Southland Sharks. He is averaging 16 points a game including an impressive 43% from behind the three point arc, form good enough you would imagine to retain the reserve swingman position. Tai Webster made a favourable impression on his Tall Blacks debut last year. Like his brother he can cover both guard spots so expect him and the dependable Jarrod Kenney to fill the remaining back court spots.

Vucinic’s options are limited but still expect a couple of surprises when the squad is announced for the trials to be held in Auckland, July 16-17.

Last year Tai Webster was catapulted from school basketball into the international arena and Isaac Fotu made the same jump in 2011. This year I expect Jack Salt to be the bolter. At 6’10” the Westlake Boys High School sports captain has the attributes to be a prominent player in the Tall Blacks programme over the coming years. Another young up and comer is Reuben Te Rangi. Last year’s Junior Tall Blacks captain has recently secured a full contract with the Breakers and is also coming of a good season with Southland Sharks where he has been under the tutelage of Tall Blacks assistant coach Paul Henare.  Other dark horses are Brooke Ruscoe, Rory Fannon (both Nelson Giants) and Brad Anderson (Taranaki).

Expect Josh Bloxham and Jeremiah Trueman to be in the mix along with Everard Bartlett if fit but don’t expect Hayden Allen to be named as he is unavailable due to personal reasons. Understandably the basketball news is all about Steve Adams and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the moment but it will soon shift to the Tall Blacks and a couple of new faces – which faces is the question.

Following the trial a squad will be announced for a tour to China departing July 22. The two week tour will be followed by the series against Australia.