Waikato standout in Tall Ferns Camp for Commonwealth Games selection

Charlisse Leger-Walker in action for Waikato last year. Photo by Dave Lintott Photography.

Year 12 St Peter’s School standout Charlisse Leger-Walker joins 21 other female basketballers, including her older sister Kyrstal,  this weekend in Melbourne in camp with the Tall Ferns.
 
From this camp, new Tall Ferns coach Guy Molloy will select his team of 12 players for the April Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and Cairns.
 
This will be 16-year-old guard Leger-Walker’s second Tall Ferns training camp after trialling for the team last year.   

In October she captained the New Zealand Women’s U17 team to the semi-finals of the FIBA Asian Championship and to qualification for this July's 2018 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Belarus.  
 
Leger-Walker is one of three uncapped players named, including England based forward Tea Charlton and former New Plymouth Girls’ High player Kayla Manuirirangi, now a sophmore at Tulane University, USA.
 
Leger-Walker was named MVP of the National Secondary Schools tourney in October as well as the under-19 and 23 Nationals MVP last year. Charlisse is a regular starter in the Waikato Wizards in the National Women’s competition
 
The team selected for the Commonwealth Games taking place in Cairns and on the Gold Coast will be named in early March. The Tall Ferns open their Commonwealth Games campaign with a game against Malaysia on April 5th in Cairns.
 
Players named in the extended training squad:
 
Georgia Agnew (Harbour Heat, NZ)
Stella Beck (St Mary’s College, California, USA)
Jacinta Beckley (Seattle University, USA)
Brooke Blair (Idaho State University, USA)
Jess Bygate (Sandringham Sabres, Australia)
Tea Charlton (Nottingham Wildcats, England
Micaela Cocks (Townsville Fire, Australia)
Penina Davidson (University of California Berkeley, USA)
Toni Farnworth (Perth Lynx, Australia)
Deena Franklin (Harbour Heat, NZ)
Jordan Hunter (Sturt Sabres, Australia)
Zara Jillings (Fordham University, USA)
Charlisse Leger-Walker (Waikato Wizards/St Peter’s School, Cambridge)
Krystal Leger-Walker (University of Northern Colorado, USA)
Kayla Manuirirangi (Tulane University, USA)
Katelin Noyer (Fresno State University, USA)
Rebecca Ott (Melbourne Boomers, Australia)
Chevannah Paalvast (Canberra Capitals, Australia)
Kalani Purcell (Melbourne Boomers, Australia)
Erin Rooney (Troistorrents, Switzerland)
Josie Stockill (Sunbury Jets, Australia)
Natalie Taylor (Brisbane Spartans, Australia)