New Zealand reveals the players set to challenge for Oceania’s top spot

WELLINGTON (FIBA U17 Oceania Championship 2017) - Many of the players named in New Zealand's U17 squad will be bringing some extra international experience to the FIBA U17 Oceania Championship in Guam. Eight of the 12 athletes have recently returned from the NBA's Asia Pacific team camp held in Hangzhou, China.

These players trained under current NBA players Malik Beasley (Denver Nuggets), Andrew Nicholson (Brooklyn Nets) and Garrett Temple (Sacramento Kings), former WNBA player Zheng Haixia (the first-ever Chinese WNBA player); NBA assistant coaches Ryan Bowen (Denver Nuggets), Charles Klask (Detroit Pistons), Bob Thornton (Sacramento Kings); and FIBA coach Ronald Cass.  

New Zealand U17 Men's Head Coach, Miles Pearce, who was also in China for the camp assured us that these eight players are not the only ones to look out for.

"The quality of talent is amazing. All the athletes that have been involved with the group have been ready to play and fight for spots in the final squad to compete at the FIBA 17's and have earned their spots," he said.

New Zealand is in Group A along with Tahiti, the Marshall Islands and Guam. On the other side of the draw in Group B, Australia is pooled with New Caledonia, Samoa and Palau. With so much growing talent in the region, Pearce says the Group A round robin will not be taken lightly.

"It will be a tough situation with some very good competition including the home nation. The travel and recovery will be vital as we push for a spot in the top two," he explained.

The team has been preparing through five camps since March. Given the team is made up of players throughout New Zealand, Pearce indicated time with the team is a luxury that they've made the most of.

"Preferably you would like to have more time with the group during the build-up, but the team has worked hard and all the coaches have worked closely with the athletes to prepare them for international competition. The guys retention from camp to camp has been really good and the carryover has seen us, as a staff, be able to build sets that use the skills of the guys and put them in the best place to use those skills," he pointed out.

The New Zealand U18 Men's team have created some big shoes to fill after their history-making qualification to the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017 but the play caller is confident in his group.

"The current Junior Tall Blacks group is a tough act to follow, but this group is up for the challenge," Pearce enthused. "We are really happy with the group we have assembled. They are a credit to the associations that work with these boy’s week in and week out. The boys are coming in with a full skill set that we feel can produce at international level."

FIBA