Tall Ferns head coach Kennedy Kereama has named a vastly inexperienced group of players to contest a Four Nation Tournament in China at the end of this month with an incredible eight players set for debuts.

Shea Crotty has capped off a fine season with the Wildcats in the WBC and impressed in the trials to earn one of those eight spots.  Shea will join Perth based Cantabrian,Toni Edmondson in the team. Crotty Impressed across the three WBC tournaments for the Wildcats averaging 9points, 2.5 assists and 4 rebounds per game. Her speed and perimeter shooting will surely be a valuable assest to the Ferns. Crotty also plays locally for the Lincoln Uni Premier Womens team.

Of the 12 players named, only Toni Edmondson, Samara Gallaher, Kate Fielding and Jessica Bygate have worn the silver fern at senior level before. Kereama however is far from down, in fact he is energized by the challenge and opportunity in front of his young team.

“We always talk about the talent pool being a little shallow in New Zealand women’s basketball so here is an opportunity to strengthen it. Some of these young women will have an opportunity to measure themselves against some of the best in the world with China, a WNBA All Star team and a Slovenian team also in China.

“The 2018 Commonwealth games on the Gold Coast is our only confirmed next major event (Rio is subject to qualification), this gives us a great chance to give some of the younger players that will potentiality push for spots in this team a chance to gain a better understanding of what international basketball is all about.”

“We know the tour is going to be tough and I have been constantly reminding the players of what we are up against. However I think talking about it and preparing that way is one thing, experiencing it for yourself will be something entirely different.”

The team features the inclusion of former Silver Fern netballer Jess Tuki and Krystal Leger-Walker, both from the Waikato. Leger-Walker is the daughter of Leanne Walker, who was a Tall Fern and captained the side at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The St Peters student has already played for NZ at age group level in touch and recently played alongside mum Leanne in the Waikato team at the Women’s Basketball Championships.

19 year old Deena Franklin is another to emerge from the Junior Tall Ferns, the former Westlake Girls High standout will provide some height for the Tall Ferns, standing at 1.86m and was a member of the recently crowned WBC Champions Harbour Breeze.

Kereama has named two reserves, including another Canterbury Wildcat Hayley Gray, who will be on standby through the next week as the team prepares at a Christchurch camp before departing for China on August 19.

TALL FERNS – team for China, August 19-30 2014

Jessica Bygate (Dickinson State University)
Shea Crotty (Canterbury Wildcats)
Antonia Edmondson (West Coast Waves)
Kate Fielding (West Coast Waves)
Deena Franklin (North Harbour Breeze)
Samara Gallaher (Oceana Gold Rush)
Krystal Leger-Walker (Waikato Wizards/Junior Tall Ferns)
Natasha Lenden (Waikato Wizards)
Josephine Stockill (Colgate University)
Dru Toleafoa (Junior Tall Ferns)
Jessica Tuki (Waikato Wizards)
Maia Wilson (Waitakere West Lady Rangers/Junior Tall Ferns)

Reserves in case of injury:
Brooke Blair (North Harbour Breeze)
Hayley Gray (Canterbury Wildcats)

Tall Ferns Staff
•       Kennedy Kereama (Head Coach)
•       Aik Ho (Assistant Coach)
•       Gail McLauchlan (Manager)
•       Ariane Carroll (Physio)
•       Dr Chan Dassanayake (Doctor)