College Sport Media
  • Home
  • About
  • Love what we do?
  • Articles
    • Athletics/XC
    • Bike
    • Bowls
    • Boxing
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Hockey
    • Netball
    • Rowing
    • Rugby League
    • Rugby Union
    • Sailing
    • Softball
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Volleyball
    • Water Polo
    • Weight Lifting
    • Other
  • Videos!
  • Advertise with CSM
  • History of National Events
  • NZ Schools Rugby
    • NZS 2017
    • NZS 2015
    • NZS 2014
    • NZS 2013
    • NZS 2012
    • NZS 2011
    • NZS 2010
    • NZS 2009
    • NZS 2008
    • NZS 2007
    • NZS 2006
    • NZS 2005
    • NZS 2004
    • NZS 2003
    • NZS 2002
    • NZS 2001
    • NZS 2000
    • NZS 1999
    • NZS 1998
    • NZS 1997
    • NZS 1996
    • NZS 1995
    • NZS 1994/95 Tour
    • NZS 1994
    • NZS 1993
    • NZS 1992
    • NZS 1991
    • NZS 1990
    • NZS 1989
    • NZS 1988
    • NZS 1987
    • NZS 1986
    • NZS 1985
    • NZS 1984/85 Tour
    • NZS 1984
    • NZS 1983
    • NZS 1982
    • NZS 1981
    • NZS 1980
    • NZS 1979
    • NZS 1978
    • NZ Schools Stats
  • Index of Articles
  • Partners
  • Youth Olympics 2018,2020
  • Emerging Talent
  • College Rugby Draws
  • Home
  • About
  • Love what we do?
  • Articles
    • Athletics/XC
    • Bike
    • Bowls
    • Boxing
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Hockey
    • Netball
    • Rowing
    • Rugby League
    • Rugby Union
    • Sailing
    • Softball
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Volleyball
    • Water Polo
    • Weight Lifting
    • Other
  • Videos!
  • Advertise with CSM
  • History of National Events
  • NZ Schools Rugby
    • NZS 2017
    • NZS 2015
    • NZS 2014
    • NZS 2013
    • NZS 2012
    • NZS 2011
    • NZS 2010
    • NZS 2009
    • NZS 2008
    • NZS 2007
    • NZS 2006
    • NZS 2005
    • NZS 2004
    • NZS 2003
    • NZS 2002
    • NZS 2001
    • NZS 2000
    • NZS 1999
    • NZS 1998
    • NZS 1997
    • NZS 1996
    • NZS 1995
    • NZS 1994/95 Tour
    • NZS 1994
    • NZS 1993
    • NZS 1992
    • NZS 1991
    • NZS 1990
    • NZS 1989
    • NZS 1988
    • NZS 1987
    • NZS 1986
    • NZS 1985
    • NZS 1984/85 Tour
    • NZS 1984
    • NZS 1983
    • NZS 1982
    • NZS 1981
    • NZS 1980
    • NZS 1979
    • NZS 1978
    • NZ Schools Stats
  • Index of Articles
  • Partners
  • Youth Olympics 2018,2020
  • Emerging Talent
  • College Rugby Draws
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

11/5/2016

Isaac Letoa – Moving Capital

Picture
Isaac Letoa was well settled in Year 11 at Wellington College until his Mum changed jobs and he was forced to move to Auckland.


A promising basketball player Letoa headed to Westlake Boys’ High School, a perennial powerhouse in National competition.  Letoa was immediately pushed to greater heights.

“I made the starting five in my first year, but I didn’t get a lot of court time. Playing and training alongside guys like Matt Freeman forces you to become better. They are really inspiring and demanding,” Letoa acclaims.

In the last two years Westlake have finished runners up at the National Championships. In 2015, Letoa was named in the tournament team. This year he is captain of Westlake. In the opening fixture of the Auckland competition on Friday night he scored a game-high 35 points as Westlake accounted for Kelston BHS 99-78. What does Westlake have to do to take one more step and become New Zealand’s best?

“I’m not really sure, apart from continuing to work hard. We have had really good teams in the last couple of years, there isn’t a lot in it at Nationals,” Letoa says.

There was plenty of competition to get places in the New Zealand 3×3 team. New Zealand are the under-18 World Champions and Letoa surprised himself by making the final cut.

“I haven’t played a lot of 3×3, but I decided to give it a go because I wanted a fresh challenge. I played in the trials and found out last Tuesday I was in the team which was a bit of a surprise.”

Let joins Tai Wynyard, Sam Waardenburg and Hamish McDonald in the Kiwi squad who will head to Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan, to defend their title between June 1-5.

“I am the shortest player in the team so I play like a point guard. My job is to shoot and find the big guys inside. ”

Games are played over a single period of ten minutes on half a court with a 12 second shot clock. The team that reaches 21 points first wins.

“3×3 is a lot quicker and games are played outside which means the weather becomes a factor,” Letoa says.

New Zealand are grouped with Spain, who were fourth at the last edition of the event in Debrecen, Hungary, as well as emerging nations the Philippines, Hungary and Brazil.

The Netherlands are ranked World number one while 2015 runners-up Argentina have been pitted alongside current European champions Turkey.

The top two in each pool progress to the finals.

“I don’t know a lot about our opposition, but they will be tough. Making a good start and winning the pool games is really important.”

New Zealand has been training for two weeks and Letoa says things are coming along nicely.
​

“Tai has done a lot of training with Kentucky and is enjoying his time back here. He is looking forward to actually playing. I think we have a good chemistry,” Letoa concludes.


New Zealand Results 2015
  • France, 14-19
  • Turkey, 19-11
  • Vietnam, 21-1
  • Estonia, 15-10
  • Brazil, 18-16
  • Germany, 18-17
  • Russia, 21-13
  • Spain, 21-18 (Semi-Final)
  • Argentina, 20-18 (Final)
Note: New Zealand also won in 2011

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All

    Archives

    October 2021
    August 2021
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015

Organisation

College Sport Media is dedicated to telling the story of successful young sportspeople in New Zealand

Use of articles

All rights are reserved for commercial use.
Any Educational Institution or official sports governing body may use material with acknowledgement to College Sport Media 
© COPYRIGHT 2015.-2021 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.