Two IMS Payroll Hawks Selected for Tall Blacks
Jarrod Kenny and Everard Bartlett in Tall Blacks squad named for next week's Burger King International Series against South Korea.
VUCINIC TRIMS TALL BLACKS FOR BURGER KING SERIES AGAINST KOREA
Tall Blacks head coach Nenad Vucinic has made the first of a number of cuts to the playing roster that he and assistant coaches Pero Cameron and Paul Henare will make in the weeks ahead as the men’s nationa...l basketball side builds towards the FIBA World Cup in Spain in late August.
Following two days of intensive trials and scrimmaging in Auckland, Vucinic has named a squad of 17 for the upcoming Burger King International Series against Korea in Wellington, Tauranga and Auckland, with the first game in the capital next Tuesday night.
The players to miss out following the Auckland camp are Finn Delaney (Nelson Giants), Jordan Ngatai (BYU Hawaii – USA) and Dyson King (Waikato Pistons), while Izayah Mauriohooho Le'afa (Wellington Saints) and Duane Bailey (Super City Rangers) were not considered due to injury and Richie Edwards (Canterbury Rams) withdrew from contention prior to the group assembling in Auckland.
Vucinic stressed that all those to miss out at this point are young with Delaney just 18 and Ngatai and Dyson 21 years old, with the head coach saying their time is yet to come.
“It is very difficult to release young players from the squad but this is probably going to be the easiest of a few decisions that we will make in the weeks ahead as we build towards Spain and a final roster of just 12 players.
“The three boys to miss out trialed very well but they are inexperienced in regards playing at this level. Jordan was with the Tall Blacks last year but after not getting a great deal of court time in the Bartercard NBL he wasn’t able to push his way in this time. All three however are players with great potential and will be involved in the future if they continue to progress.
“The two players released for medical reasons are unlucky with the timing of their injuries but we are hopeful that Duane may yet come back into the picture, but that will depend on his progress with his ankle.”
The squad is notable for the number of ‘bigs’ in the group, including youngsters Tohi Smith-Milner, Tai Wynyard and Jack Salt, an area that has in the past proven to be difficult to cover. Vucinic is looking to continue to develop depth in those positions.
“We have got a lot of big guys at the moment where in the past we have suffered from a lack of size. That is why at this point we have included Jack, Tai and Tohi into this training squad for the Burger King Series, we hope they will benefit a lot from their involvement over the next ten days, being around some experienced players.
“What we have identified is we are maybe a little thin in the guard line. Tai (Webster) boosts our stocks in that regard when he arrives on Monday. He was with us a couple of years ago and has enjoyed a good season with Nebraska and we are hoping that he comes back in good shape and good form and is able to slot in quickly.”
There is also an intriguing battle developing between Casey Frank and Nick Horvarth for the one spot allowable on the roster for a naturalized player.
“Nick and Casey are battling for the one naturalized spot, but that doesn’t mean we will eventually have a naturalized player on the team for Spain, they still have to fight for a spot on the team. We have Rob Loe coming back into the group to add to the competition amongst the bigs but Nick and Casey know we can only take one of the two of them, there is the chance that neither might be selected, there is no guarantee at the moment.”
Vucinic was keen to point out that competition for places in the Tall Blacks is at perhaps an all-time high, with few players guaranteed their places on the roster for Spain and that with injuries a possibility, no player is totally out of the running until the final 12 are named on the eve of the FIBA World Cup which gets underway on August 30 with the Tall Blacks Group C opener against Turkey.
17 players named for the Burger King International Series against Korea*
Thomas, Abercrombie, 26, SkyCity Breakers, Forward, 198cm, , Benny, Anthony, 25, Wellington Saints, Forward, 198cm, , Everard, Bartlett, 28, Hawkes Bay Hawks, Guard, 191cm, , Joshua, Bloxham, 24, Nelson Giants, Guard, 186cm, , Isaac, Fotu, 20, University of Hawaii, Forward, 203cm, , Casey, Frank, 36, Waikato Pistons, Forward, 203cm, , Nick, Horvath, 33, Manawatu Jets, Centre, 208cm, , Jarrod, Kenny, 28, Hawkes Bay Hawks, Guard, 186cm, , Kirk, Penney, 33, Trabzonspor (Turkey), Guard, 196cm, , Alex, Pledger, 27, SkyCity Breakers, Centre, 215cm, , Jack, Salt, 18, Waikato Pistons, Centre, 205cm, , Lindsay, Tait, 32, Wellington Saints, Guard, 190cm, , Tohi, Smith-Milner, 18, Super City Rangers, Forward, 206cm, , Mika, Vukona, 32, Nelson Giants, Forward, 198cm, , Corey, Webster, 25, Wellington Saints, Guard, 185cm, , Tai, Webster, 19, University of Nebraska, Guard, 193cm, , Tai, Wynyard 16 Super City Rangers Forward, 201cm
*Tai Webster joins the team from the USA on Monday while Rob Loe will play in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas
Tall Blacks Coaching and support staff:
Nenad Vucinic Head Coach
Paul Henare Assistant Coach
Pero Cameron Assistant Coach
Claire Dallison Trainer/Team Manager
Anousith Bouaaphone Physiotherapist
Shelley Moana Hiha Massage Therapist
Peter Kadar Operations Manager National Teams
Tickets to the Burger King International Series are selling quickly. Get yours now at Ticketek.
VUCINIC TRIMS TALL BLACKS FOR BURGER KING SERIES AGAINST KOREA
Tall Blacks head coach Nenad Vucinic has made the first of a number of cuts to the playing roster that he and assistant coaches Pero Cameron and Paul Henare will make in the weeks ahead as the men’s nationa...l basketball side builds towards the FIBA World Cup in Spain in late August.
Following two days of intensive trials and scrimmaging in Auckland, Vucinic has named a squad of 17 for the upcoming Burger King International Series against Korea in Wellington, Tauranga and Auckland, with the first game in the capital next Tuesday night.
The players to miss out following the Auckland camp are Finn Delaney (Nelson Giants), Jordan Ngatai (BYU Hawaii – USA) and Dyson King (Waikato Pistons), while Izayah Mauriohooho Le'afa (Wellington Saints) and Duane Bailey (Super City Rangers) were not considered due to injury and Richie Edwards (Canterbury Rams) withdrew from contention prior to the group assembling in Auckland.
Vucinic stressed that all those to miss out at this point are young with Delaney just 18 and Ngatai and Dyson 21 years old, with the head coach saying their time is yet to come.
“It is very difficult to release young players from the squad but this is probably going to be the easiest of a few decisions that we will make in the weeks ahead as we build towards Spain and a final roster of just 12 players.
“The three boys to miss out trialed very well but they are inexperienced in regards playing at this level. Jordan was with the Tall Blacks last year but after not getting a great deal of court time in the Bartercard NBL he wasn’t able to push his way in this time. All three however are players with great potential and will be involved in the future if they continue to progress.
“The two players released for medical reasons are unlucky with the timing of their injuries but we are hopeful that Duane may yet come back into the picture, but that will depend on his progress with his ankle.”
The squad is notable for the number of ‘bigs’ in the group, including youngsters Tohi Smith-Milner, Tai Wynyard and Jack Salt, an area that has in the past proven to be difficult to cover. Vucinic is looking to continue to develop depth in those positions.
“We have got a lot of big guys at the moment where in the past we have suffered from a lack of size. That is why at this point we have included Jack, Tai and Tohi into this training squad for the Burger King Series, we hope they will benefit a lot from their involvement over the next ten days, being around some experienced players.
“What we have identified is we are maybe a little thin in the guard line. Tai (Webster) boosts our stocks in that regard when he arrives on Monday. He was with us a couple of years ago and has enjoyed a good season with Nebraska and we are hoping that he comes back in good shape and good form and is able to slot in quickly.”
There is also an intriguing battle developing between Casey Frank and Nick Horvarth for the one spot allowable on the roster for a naturalized player.
“Nick and Casey are battling for the one naturalized spot, but that doesn’t mean we will eventually have a naturalized player on the team for Spain, they still have to fight for a spot on the team. We have Rob Loe coming back into the group to add to the competition amongst the bigs but Nick and Casey know we can only take one of the two of them, there is the chance that neither might be selected, there is no guarantee at the moment.”
Vucinic was keen to point out that competition for places in the Tall Blacks is at perhaps an all-time high, with few players guaranteed their places on the roster for Spain and that with injuries a possibility, no player is totally out of the running until the final 12 are named on the eve of the FIBA World Cup which gets underway on August 30 with the Tall Blacks Group C opener against Turkey.
17 players named for the Burger King International Series against Korea*
Thomas, Abercrombie, 26, SkyCity Breakers, Forward, 198cm, , Benny, Anthony, 25, Wellington Saints, Forward, 198cm, , Everard, Bartlett, 28, Hawkes Bay Hawks, Guard, 191cm, , Joshua, Bloxham, 24, Nelson Giants, Guard, 186cm, , Isaac, Fotu, 20, University of Hawaii, Forward, 203cm, , Casey, Frank, 36, Waikato Pistons, Forward, 203cm, , Nick, Horvath, 33, Manawatu Jets, Centre, 208cm, , Jarrod, Kenny, 28, Hawkes Bay Hawks, Guard, 186cm, , Kirk, Penney, 33, Trabzonspor (Turkey), Guard, 196cm, , Alex, Pledger, 27, SkyCity Breakers, Centre, 215cm, , Jack, Salt, 18, Waikato Pistons, Centre, 205cm, , Lindsay, Tait, 32, Wellington Saints, Guard, 190cm, , Tohi, Smith-Milner, 18, Super City Rangers, Forward, 206cm, , Mika, Vukona, 32, Nelson Giants, Forward, 198cm, , Corey, Webster, 25, Wellington Saints, Guard, 185cm, , Tai, Webster, 19, University of Nebraska, Guard, 193cm, , Tai, Wynyard 16 Super City Rangers Forward, 201cm
*Tai Webster joins the team from the USA on Monday while Rob Loe will play in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas
Tall Blacks Coaching and support staff:
Nenad Vucinic Head Coach
Paul Henare Assistant Coach
Pero Cameron Assistant Coach
Claire Dallison Trainer/Team Manager
Anousith Bouaaphone Physiotherapist
Shelley Moana Hiha Massage Therapist
Peter Kadar Operations Manager National Teams
Tickets to the Burger King International Series are selling quickly. Get yours now at Ticketek.
Last Modified on 11/07/2014 06:42
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