The New Zealand U18 Women’s National Team will be hoping secure a World Cup place when they begin their FIBA Asian Championship campaign in Bengaluru, India this week.
The Asia Championship tournament doubles as a World Cup qualifying event with the top four teams in India securing places at the U19 Women’s FIBA World Cup, to be played in Madrid in July 2023.
New Zealand, ranked No 21 in the world will play Korea (ranked #19) on the opening day of the championship, Monday 5th September, with tip-off set for 10.15pm NZT. Joining New Zealand and Korea in Group A are world #2 ranked Australia and hosts India. Group B comprises of Japan, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and defending champions China.
Four New Zealand team members have flown in from the United States where they have recently embarked on their American college freshman years; Florence Dallow from the University of Portland, Sydney Neale from Dyersberg State College while Lilly Parke and Jyordanna Davey come from at Auburn University at Montgomery. The quartet will meet the New Zealand contingent in Dubai before flying on to Bangaluru.
Head Coach Natalie Visger admitted that only having eight players at the pre-departure camp was not the perfect situation but a scenario the staff had prepared for.
“We needed to run through a lot of small breakdown situations and we are running systems that all the players are familiar with from camps before; it’s not ideal preparation but given the current climate we are happy with what we have,” says Visger.
“The goal is to make the top four at the Asia Champs and qualify for Worlds next year but there is no pressure being put on the players – only two of them have played international basketball before.
“We are really inexperienced but that’s what we are going to come back with – an experience. The players are nervous but excited for what lies ahead.”
Visger is happy with the condition of her New Zealand based players knowing the overseas quartet are working out daily with their college teams.
“They are pretty fit with players having recently been on D League teams and on the bench of Tauihi teams.”
At that recent Women’s D-League Tournament in Auckland, Aria Cowley (13.3ppg) was the leading scorer for Waikato Wizards, Allyah Leusogi-Ape (18.3ppg) topped the Northland Phoenix in scoring while Mackenzie Chatfield (13.3ppg) did the same for Harbour Breeze. And Kate Herman (8.5ppg) was outstanding for Canterbury in their bronze medal-winning game against the Breeze notching 17 points.
It’s not just the players that have been busy of late, with Visger herself coming off a hectic three months as head coach of the Southern Hoiho in the inaugural Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa.
She admits that being thrust into the head coach position, having originally committed to an assistant role, has sharpened her skills – and that the team is ready to compete.
“I have the benefit of coaching at a high level and doing so real hard to get what we could get. I feel good and I’m ready.
“And we have some players with high IQ’s – we are undersized but we have talent and we are positive.”
In the two-day lead up to Friday night’s departure, the group had three training sessions and a scrimmage against Auckland Dream.
Next stop Bengaluru!
New Zealand Schedule: (times given are local in New Zealand).
Vs Korea, Mon 5 Sep, 10.15pm NZT – watch here
Vs Australia, Tue 6 Sep, 8.00pm NZT
Vs India, Thu 8 Sep 12.30am NZT
Classification games commence on Fri 9 Sep.
The Asian Championship doubles as a qualifying tournament for the 2023 FIBA U19 World Championship. The top four teams in India qualify for the World Championships in Madrid, Spain.
All games will be shown live via https://nz.basketball/tv/
Links to the streaming, rosters, statistics and live stats can be found here:
NZ U18 Women’s National Team
Maia Chandler – Waikato Basketball
Mackenzie Chatfield – Harbour Basketball
Aria Cowley – Waikato Basketball
Florence Dallow – Harbour Basketball
Jyordanna Davey – Hutt Valley Basketball
Kate Herman – Canterbury Basketball
Allyah Leusogi-Ape – Basketball Auckland
Maddie Morrow – Canterbury Basketball
Sydney Neale – Waikato Basketball
Lilly Parke – Basketball Auckland
Lauren Tewhata – Wellington Basketball Association
Vitolia Tuilave – Waitakere West Auckland Basketball
Selected but unavailable due to injury:
Alana Paewai – Waikato Basketball
Staff
Head Coach – Natalie Visger
Assistant Coach – Shay Haira
Assistant Coach – Liam Connelly
Team Manager – Katherine Wills
Physio – Shannon Spicer
Team Doctor – Jamie Lockyer
