U18 and U21 National teams named

Basketball New Zealand confirmed four representative squads for upcoming tournaments on Friday.

Five members of last year’s Junior Tall Ferns - Chevannah Paalvast, Milika Nathan, Jelena Vucinic, Zoe Kensington and Jordan Hunter - make up half the Emerging Tall Ferns (U21) squad, coached by Counties Manukau’s Tania Hunter, for the Oceania Tournament in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, in June 17-30.

Also named on Friday, were three U18 squads for tournaments in Spain and Australia in April.

A trio of players from the bronze medal-winning New Zealand team at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in January - captain Ethan Rusbatch, vice captain Tia Temata-Frost and Australian-based Ben McIlwaine will head the boys U18 team to Spain, including the Vilagarcia Basket Cup tournament, from April 4-15.

A second U18 boys team, also coached by Porirua’s Deslea Wrathall, will contest the Australia U18 State Championships in Gawler, South Australia, from April 14-26.

Last year’s Junior Tall Ferns coach Darryl Pene will guide the U18 girls team, led by Otago’s Samara Gallaher and Harbour’s Kate Alemann, at the same tournament.

The Emerging Tall Blacks (U21) squad and coaching staff for the Oceania Tournament in Saipan will be confirmed at a later stage.

Emerging Tall Ferns (U21)

Oceania Tournament, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, June 17-30

Emma Gillespie (Waitakere), Natasha Hall (North Harbour), Jordan
Hunter (Counties Manukau) Zoe Kensington (New Plymouth), Natalie Moore
(Canterbury), Milika Nathan (North Harbour), Chevannah Paalvast (West
Auckland), Miriam Slatter (Waikato), Rebecca van Kuyk (Wellington),
Jelena Vucinic (Nelson)
Coach: Tania Hunter
Assistant coach: Bert Tobia
Manager: Philomena Terei

U18 Boys

Vilagarcia Basket Cup, Spain, April 9-12

Chris Duthie (Nelson), Hyrum Hippolite (Porirua), Ben King
(Porirua), Dyson King-Hawea (Porirua), Stefan Mandic (North Harbour),
Ben McIlwaine (Victoria), Mark Overdevest (Waikato), Ethan Rusbatch
(captain, Canterbury), Tia Temata-Frost (vice captain, Palmerston
North), Gabriel Wills (Rotorua)
Coach: Deslea Wrathall
Assistant coach: Kevin Smith
Manager: TBC

U18 Boys

Australia U18 State Championships, Gawler, South Australia, April 14-26

Tane Bennett (Western BoP), Michael Clarke (Palmerston North), Damon
Cleverley (Otago), Nick Davies (Wellington), Ryan Funnell (Palmerston
North), Shaquille Hohipa-Wilson (North Harbour), Ben Mackay (Otago),
Ihaka Steel (Thames Valley), Ruihana Te Nahu (Rotorua), Joseph Webb
(Wellington)
Coach: Deslea Wrathall
Apprentice coach: Richard Dickel
Manager: Maryellen Bezzant

U18 Girls

Australia U18 State Championships, Gawler, South Australia, April 14-26

Kate Alemann (Waitakere), Jess Bygate (Nelson), Samara Gallaher
(Otago), Awhina Karawana (Hutt Valley), Rebecca Lough (Canterbury),
Alicia McEwen (Palmerston North), Freya Newton (Palmerston North),
Caitlin Preston (New Plymouth), Hana Tapiata (Rotorua), Claudia van
Velthooven (Marlborough)
Coach: Darryl Pene
Assistant coach: Aik Ho
Manager: Philomena Terei