New Zealand U15 Boys and Girls Basketball teams named

Basketball New Zealand has named the New Zealand Boys’ and Girls’ basketball teams to compete in the FIBA Oceania U15 Championships in December this year, to be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
 
This comes after a selection camp held over Labour Weekend.
 
The Australian team will again step into the FIBA Oceania event as favourites for the Boys competion. Yet the Junior Tall Blacks did win the U18 Oceania event in 2016. That example proved the young Kiwi teams can match that level, and this Under 15 New Zealand team has the chance to make history by being the first U15 Kiwi team to do so.
 
“The FIBA Oceania Under 15 Championships will be a new and exciting experience for our group,” said Head coach Morgan Maskell Australia will be a very tough opponent as per usual, but the programmes in Guam and Samoa are on the rise and will also present a challenge to us at the tournament as well.”
 
Girls Head Coach Natalie Visger, says it was tough to narrow the team to 12 players.
“This was a very prepared group coming into camp, super switched-on and competitive.  Girls in New Zealand are starting to choose basketball earlier and it showed at camp with their ability to shoot the ball.
 
“This is a different group than last year’s. We lack some length in certain spots, but will make up for it with resilience and tenacity for 94 feet.  We have some shooters, some versatile forwards, and kids that can attack the rim.  I like the speed and versatility that we have. Pace won’t be an issue for us.  This group has high character and that means a lot.
 
“Heading to PNG to compete with this group will be an adventure and we will continue to improve as we go on this journey together.  Our goal is to develop these young ladies and to do our best to qualify for the Asia Champs in 2019,” says Coach Visger.
 
The two teams listed below.
 
 New Zealand Under 15 Boys:

·         Jett Thompson - North Harbour Basketball
·         Reegan Trego - NZ
·         Sataan Poutasi Tiare Tawera - Basketball Auckland
·         Joshua Book - Nelson Basketball
·         Zach Riley - North Harbour Basketball
·         Ethan Skelton - Waitakere West Auckland Basketball Inc.
·         Junior James De Young - Te Aroha Basketball
·         Hunter Adam - Canterbury Basketball
·         Akiva McBirney-Griffin - Waikato Basketball Council
·         Benjamin Gold - Wellington Basketball
·         Tafara Gapare - Wellington Basketball
·         Levic Kerr - Basketball Auckland
 
RESERVES:
·         Max Abbot - Wellington Basketball
·         Piripi Tapsell - Wellington Basketball
·         Wairehu Waata - Basketball Hawke's Bay
·         Oscar Hickey - NZ
 
STAFF:
·         Morgan Maskell - Head Coach
·         Darron Larsen - Assistant Coach
·         Brent Matehaere - Assistant Coach
·         Leanne Barrett – Manager
 
New Zealand Under 15 Girls:

·         Alana Paewai - Waikato Basketball
·         Hineaupounamu Nuku - Tauranga City Basketball
·         Simone Barnard - North Harbour Basketball
·         Melika Samia - Basketball Hawke's Bay
·         Reece Anderson - Waikato Basketball
·         Riana Matiseni - Waitakere West Auckland Basketball Inc.
·         Breeje Schuler - Te Aroha Basketball
·         Florence Dallow - North Harbour Basketball
·         Emma Pugh - Hibiscus Coast Basketball Association
·         Zaaliyah Kailahi-Fulu - North Harbour Basketball
·         Vitolia Tuilave - Tauranga City Basketball
·         Sera Taei - Basketball Auckland
 
RESERVES:
·         Makenzee Boucher - North Harbour Basketball
·         Te Arani Te Puni - Manawatu Basketball
·         Taiana Day - Tauranga City Basketball
·         Dekoda Roberts - Rotorua Basketball
 
STAFF:
·         Visger Natalie - Head Coach
·         Samson Kaea - Assistant Coach
·         Reed Justine - Assistant Coach
·         Kaan Glenda - Manager

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