Youngsters included in NZ squad
US college players Gerard Bowden and Jeremiah Trueman have been plucked from near obscurity to join the Tall Black squad in camp next week at the start of their FIBA World Championship campaign
From tvnz.co.nz
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US college players Gerard Bowden and Jeremiah Trueman have been plucked from near obscurity to join the Tall Black squad in camp next week at the start of their FIBA World Championship campaign.
Bowden, who hails from Christchurch, has spent the past four years at the Savannah College of Art and Design, hardly a basketball powerhouse, and is identified by coach Tab Baldwin as a candidate for a shooting guard/small forward position.
Trueman, a 2005 Junior Tall Black, has just finished his freshman year at San Diego Christian College, but wasn't even among the 30 players in extended squad announced last month. He gets a chance through the unavailability of veterans Sean Marks and Ed Book.
"Bowden has had a good college career and we want to see him in the Tall Black environment," observes Baldwin.
"Trueman is one of our tested juniors with size and the same old story applies, size gets you through the door in New Zealand. From there, you have to prove yourself."
Another dark horse in the 23-man squad is Otago giant Jason Grieg (2.10m), who saw limited minutes with the Nuggets this season, but has previously trained with the national team.
Along with the usual suspects, NBL performers Jeremy Kench, Michael Fitchett, Aaron Nowell, Calum Baynes, Ben Hill and Miles Pearce have been rewarded for their efforts during the national competition.
Probably the most notable omission, apart from Marks and Book, is Auckland point guard Lindsay Tait, whose broken wrist will not allow him to play any part in the campaign.
The squad will enter camp in Auckland next Monday, immediately after the NBL semifinals. Those involved in the league final will be released on Thursday to return to their franchises.
The full squad is: Calum Baynes (Easy LPG Bay Hawks), Dillon Boucher (GI Juice Auckland Stars), Gerard Bowden (Savannah College of Art and Design, USA), Craig Bradshaw (Winthrop University, USA), Pero Cameron (Banvitspor, Turkey), Mark Dickel (Lokomotiv Rostov, Russia), Michael Fitchett (NBS Nelson Giants), Casey Frank (GI Juice Auckland Stars), Jason Greig (Otago Nuggets), Paul Henare (Easy LPG Bay Hawks), Ben Hill (Waikato Pistons), Phill Jones (NBS Nelson Giants), Jeremy Kench (Scenic Circle Canterbury Rams), Calum Macleod (Valparaiso University, USA), Troy McLean (Appliance Shed Harbour Heat), Aaron Nowell (Inspire Net Manawatu Jets), Aaron Olson (Harvey Norman NZ Breakers), Miles Pearce (Otago Nuggets), Kirk Penney (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel), Tony Rampton (NZCT Taranaki Mountain Airs), Jeremiah Trueman (San Diego Christina College, USA), Mika Vukona (NBS Nelson Giants), Paroa Winitana (Easy LPG Bay Hawks)