Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) will be hosting a pair of 3X3 Senior National Team Camps in Auckland this weekend, as it continues to evaluate the growing basketball talent in Aotearoa ahead of July’s Commonwealth Games.
3X3 Tall Ferns Coach Justine Reed will run the first camp with 18 female participants, while 3X3 Tall Blacks Coach Piet Van Hasselt will put 25 men through their paces in the second camp.
This comes after both the New Zealand men’s and women’s 3X3 national teams have received an invitation to compete at the 2022 FIBA World Cup qualifier at the end of March in Doha, Qatar. In addition, both 3X3 national teams have qualified for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where 3X3 basketball will appear for the first time.
BBNZ Head of High Performance, Leonard King, says that these camps will serve a dual purpose for him and his staff.
“These trials will act as both a selection for the World Cup Qualifying tournament and to assist with preparations for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in July,” says King.
“We have a young crop of talented Kiwi players coming up through the ranks, alongside some of our veteran players from the 5 on 5 setting – so this camp helps us evaluate how well their skill-sets can translate into the 3X3 setting.”
One of the athletes in attendance will be Ella Fotu, who first debuted for the Tall Ferns in 2019 versus Japan. Fotu says that she is looking forward to seeing the other Kiwi-based players in the camp and seeing what a potential 3X3 Ferns squad could look like.
“I’m just excited, I enjoy the 3X3 game so it’ll be interesting to see what the camp is like; looking at the invites I think there’s a few younger girls there which is good to see, as they’re part of the future,” says Fotu.
“I think Justine [Reed] will be looking for something to build on, for players that are versatile and are willing to work on the skills needed for the 3X3 game, and people who are excited to play in this setting.
“For me, travelling to Doha [for the FIBA World Cup qualifier] and being in the Commonwealth Games is definitely a goal for me, so I’m excited to show what I can do at this camp.”
Fotu has experience in the 3X3 setting, having played in the U18’s national team in her younger years and also being part of the FIBA 3X3 World Cup in 2013. She enjoys the different skill-sets required for each game.
“There’s definitely different parts to the game between 3X3 and 5 on 5, obviously with 3X3 it’s a very quick game and the fitness is definitely different, for me I enjoy it more because it’s almost like ‘less thinking’ it’s more instinctive and you kind of just go for it. It’s nice to be able to work on the different skills needed for the 3X3 environment.”
King says that BBNZ are taking a ‘safety first’ approach with both of the camps, which will be held under the Red setting of the Government’s traffic light system.
“Each camp will be held in isolation – one for the men’s and one for the women’s triallists – with all appropriate measures in place to protect participants from the risk of Covid.
“This is an important camp for us this year in terms of talent assessment and development and an important year for us on the international stage; we have to balance that with a responsibility to ensure our players can operate safely and at minimal risk to everyone involved.”
The New Zealand men’s and women’s 3X3 national teams will play their next games at the end of March, when they attend the 2022 FIBA World Cup qualifier in Doha, Qatar.
Women’s Triallists
- Jacinta Beckley
- Olivia Berry
- Tiarna Clarke
- Makayla Daysh
- Ella Fotu
- Jazzmyne Kailahi-Fulu
- Ashleigh Kelman-Poto
- Awatea Leach
- Esra McGoldrick
- Katelin Noyer
- Hineaupounamu Nuku
- Alana Paewai
- Sharne Robati
- Nicole Ruske
- Rosalia Samia
- Jelena Vucinic
- Stirling Walker-Pitman
- Dre Whaanga
Men’s Triallists
- Josh Aitcheson
- Samuel Aruwa
- Quintin Bailey
- Taylor Britt
- Denhym Brooke
- Jarred Burnett
- Alonzo Burton
- Tukaha Cooper
- Carlin Davison
- Zac Easthope
- Reuben Fitzgerald
- Ben Hill
- Jack Henry
- Jordan Hunt
- Dominique Kelman-Poto
- Nikau McCullough
- Chris McIntosh
- Christian Martin
- Pafe Momoisea
- Francis Mulvihill
- Emmerson Potts-Broughton
- Derone Raukawa
- Richard Rodger
- Klein Salmon
- Tai Wynyard
