When the players gather in Auckland on Monday for the Tall Ferns Selection Camp there will be four new faces amongst the 15 players named: Kayla Manuirirangi, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Tea Charlton and Georgia Agnew.
At the age of 23, Georgia Agnew is spending her time off-court studying physiotherapy at AUT. She is just one of three players attending the camp that are currently domiciled in New Zealand (Deena Franklin and Charlisse Leger-Walker are the others), although she was based abroad for the previous four years at Utah Valley University.
Now back in New Zealand, Agnew is playing for Harbour Breeze in the Women’s Basketball Championship (WBC). She currently sits fourth in the points scoring category in the WBC, averaging 16.8 points per game.
Agnew was a member of the New Zealand team that competed at the FIBA 3×3 World Championships in China last year. She performed well at the tournament where New Zealand coach Anthony Corban described Agnew as, “a nightmare for opposition guards to handle.”
Her excellent ball handling skills helped her win a bronze medal in the Skills Contest at that World Championships, however Agnew says she’s unsure her performances in that tournament had much bearing on her squad selection, whereas her college career might be a key to her development.
“Maybe playing in the States helped a bit, I think it helps anyone who goes over and plays in college.”
The former Waikato guard wasn’t sure if returning to New Zealand would impact on her chances of playing for the Tall Ferns.
“I hadn’t given it much thought to be honest. The main thing I wanted to do after coming back to New Zealand from college was to have a really good break. I needed to allow my body to recover after all the pounding you do on the court when playing full time.”
The challenge of playing international basketball combined with full time study is one Agnew is prepared to face if she is fortunate enough to be selected.
“I’ll need to talk to my lecturers to see what I can do and when I can do it. I would be silly to pass up an opportunity like this, it may not come around again.
“I think it is a goal for all players to make the national team. For those successful it is a great achievement and you get to do some cool stuff – travelling overseas, meeting other players and some influential people.”
Following the selection camp the team will be selected for a tour of China and Singapore before the Tall Ferns compete at its first FIBA Women’s Asia Cup.
The 2017 tournament will be staged in Bangalore from July 23-29. For the first time Australia and New Zealand will compete at the tournament alongside six Asian teams in Division A.
New Zealand has been drawn in Pool A alongside perennial powerhouse China, Chinese Taipei and the DPR of Korea
The top four teams from the tournament will qualify for the 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup. For more information on the Women’s FIBA Asia Cup go to www.fiba.com/womensasiacup/2017
Tall Ferns Selection Camp Squad | Name and Club
Georgia Agnew –Harbour Breeze / NZL
Jessica Bygate – Melbourne Boomers/ Sandringham Sabres /AUS
Tea Charlton – Nottingham Wildcats/Nottingham Trent University /ENGLAND
Micaela Cocks – Townsville Fire/ Mackay Meteorettes /AUS
Antonia Farnworth (nee Edmondson) Perth Lynx/ Perry Lakes Hawks /AUS
Deena Franklin – Harbour Breeze /NZL
Jillian Harmon – Le Mura Lucca /ITALY
Charlisse Leger-Walker – Waikato Wizards /NZL
Kayla Manuirirangi – Tulane University /USA
Katelin Noyer – Fresno State University /USA
Chevannah Palvaast – Townsville Fire/ Mackay Meteorettes /AUS
Kalani Purcell – Brigham Young University /USA
Erin Rooney – Artego Bydgoszcz /POLAND
Josephine Stockill – Sunbury Jets /AUS Natalie Taylor – Brisbane Spartans /AUS
