Three Cantabrians involved in FIBA Oceania Youth Championships

 

Three Cantabrians involved In the FIBA Oceania Youth Championships

Kendal Hastie and Ihaka Pink will play for the Emerging Tall Ferns and Emerging Tall Blacks which are NZ U17 teams in the tournament. The island teams will send U19 teams and Australia will have their U16 team representing them.

Joining Kendal Hastie are Junior Tall Ferns guard and NZ U17 MVP Aaliyah Ah Kiong and Ella Fotu – sister of Tall Black Isaac Fotu. But the line-up also features four Australian-based players with Kiwi roots. Point guard Askani-Muriaroha Pirihi hails from Victoria, but played for Rotorua at the NZ U17 championships. Queensland shooting guard Pene Bishop Paenga represented Porirua at the national U19 tournament and Victorian Caroline Hardeman turned out for NZ at the Australian U18 state championships, while Queensland power forward Hanna Tusa is the fourth.

Former Canterbury rep player Tom Eishler, now based in North Harbour, will join Pink in the Emerging Tall Blacks team.

The OYC are not just a chance for player development – head coaches must be aged under 35 and they will receive expert on-the-job tuition from a range of experienced mentors. Junior Tall Black coach Wrathall will accompany the NZ contingent, while FIBA Oceania will have Spanish men’s assistant Juan Orenga and World Association of Basketball Coaches president Pat Hunt conducting clinics.

The tournament will also see two promising Kiwi referees – Sam Pan from Wellington and Toni-Lee Hunwick-Smith from Canterbury – furthering their whistle-blowing credentials.

The New Zealand teams leave for Melbourne on Saturday and the EJTFs open their account against Papua New Guinea on Monday.

FIBA Oceania Youth Championships
Churchill Leisure Centre, Latrobe City
Victoria
November 26-December 1

Emerging Junior Tall Blacks
Jordan Bass (Hibiscus Coast), Jayden Bezzant (Waikato), Matthew Bird (Hawke’s Bay), Denhym Brooke (North Harbour), Harrison Cutfield (North Harbour), Thomas Eichler (North Harbour), Raymond Penny (Waitakere West Auckland), Ihaka Pink (Canterbury), Jack Salt (North Harbour), Keanu Singsam (Counties-Manukau)
Head coach: Nele Nikovic
Assistant coach: Deslea Wrathall

Pool One – Australia, Guam, Tahiti, Samoa
Pool Two – New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea

Monday, November 26
New Zealand v Papua New Guinea 2.30pm (NZT)

Tuesday, November 27
New Zealand v New Caledonia 11.30am (NZT)

Wednesday, November 28
New Zealand v Fiji 3.30pm (NZT)

Thursday, November 29
Quarterfinals

Friday, November 30
Semifinals

Saturday, December 1
Final

Emerging Junior Tall Ferns
Caroline Hardeman (Australia), Hanna Tusa (Australia), Aaliyah Ah Kiong (Hawke’s Bay), Charlotte Elley (Buller), Gracie Roberts (Nelson), Bronwyn Kjestrup (North Harbour), Gabriella Fotu (North Harbour), Pene Bishop Paenga (Porirua), Askani-Muriaroha Pirihi (Rotorua), Kendal Hastie (Canterbury)
Head coach: James Ballinger
Assistant coach: Maria Wilson

Pool One – Australia, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Samoa
Pool Two – New Zealand, Fiji, Guam, Papua New Guinea

Monday, November 26
New Zealand v Papua New Guinea 10.30am (NZT)

Tuesday, November 27
New Zealand v Fiji 3.30pm (NZT)

Wednesday, November 28
New Zealand v Guam 11.30am (NZT)

Thursday, November 29
Quarterfinals

Friday, November 30
Semifinals

Saturday, December 1
Final




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