Champion of Champions - The top basketball players for 2016

Callum McRae (Palmerston North BHS) - Stuff.co.nz

Basketball
Callum McRae (Palmerston North BHS) - Callum McRae stands seven-feet tall and towered above many opponents in 2016. He scored a game-high 36 points in the National Final, including 11 in a row in the third quarter ,to nearly lead Palmerston North BHS to an improbable victory. The Year 12 has been selected for various New Zealand age group squads and is on the raider of several leading US colleges.
 
Sam Waardenburg (Rangitoto College) - The 2.08m Waardenburg has stood above the pack in 2016. In addition to helping Rangitoto successfully defend their National title, he scored 21 points in the Final. Waardenburg has been an exhaustive traveller showcasing his basketball prowess. He represented New Zealand at the 3x3 world championships, was named the "outstanding player" at the Nike All Asia camp, MVP at the NBA's Basketball Without Borders Camp in Australia and also rated a top-10 performer at the prestigious Adidas Nations tournament in Los Angeles – the same event where a young Steven Adams first made his name. In 2017 he will play of the University of Miami on scholarship

Quinn Clinton (Christchurch BHS) - Clinton was named All-Star Game MVP at the NBA Without Borders Asia camp in Australia in May. He will be heading to US on scholarship at a Division One college after a stellar 2016. He represented the Canterbury Rams in the NBL and guided Christchurch BHS to the Canterbury title and an eighth place finish in New Zealand. In the Christchurch final he was named MVP after scored 15 points, collecting 10 rebounds and contributing 7 assists. Former Tall Black point guard Mark Dickel has said, "He's the first player from New Zealand [in a long time] that combines being a great shooter with a great passer. He's kind of unique."



Charlisse Leger-Walker (St. Peter's Cambridge) - Charlisse impressively made the tournament team as a Year 9. In 2016 she went one step further by being name girls tournament MVP.   She scored 35 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the final won 68-53 by St Peter's over MAGS. A night earlier in the semi-final she collected 30 points in the semi-final despite conceding three fouls in the first quarter. Leger-Walker is in the New Zealand high performance program and appears to have a very bright future in the game.
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Sharne Pupuki-Robati (Mount Albert Grammar School) - Mount Albert Grammar School punched above their weight at Nationals. After losing the semi-finals of the Auckland competition and finishing a disappointing fifth at the Zone Championships, MAGS made it all the way to their final, eliminating two regional champions along the way. Pupuki-Robati, a New Zealand Under-16's representative, was selected in the tournament team and her inspired captaincy drove MAGS to a higher than expected finish.

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