A record seven Kiwis have been chosen to attend the 11th Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia camp in Japan next month.
The players selected are;
– Jackson Smyth – New Zealand
– Clifton Bush III – Hawkes Bay
– Jazzmyne Kailahi-Fulu – Harbour
– Emilia Shearer – Harbour
– Harrison Payne – Harbour
– Dallas Clayton – Harbour
– Evyatar Tabor – Wellington
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and International Basketball Federation (FIBA) hosted event will take place in Tokyo from August 14-17, with top prospects aged 17 and under from the Asia-Pacific region presented with a chance to train and compete against other young talents.
This year’s selection of seven New Zealand athletes is the country’s largest assembling for an NBA and FIBA affiliated camp and is the first time multiple girls have been invited to the same gathering.
Basketball New Zealand High-Performance General Manager Leonard King said the BWB Asia camp will help to develop the selectees’ skill-sets and pits them against the best from the Asia-Pacific catchment.
“Basketball Without Borders Asia is an elite basketball skills camp for top young players from the Asia-Pacific region.
“It will be a unique opportunity for each player to improve their basketball talents, be coached by FIBA/NBA players and coaches, and get to know other basketball players their age from the region.”
Campers will be led through many different activities both on and off the court. Across the four days of training players will work on their movement efficiency, positional skills, court awareness and practical skills focused on leadership, nutrition and overall health.
Among the seven players picked is Emilia Shearer, who has also been named in the National U18 3×3 Women’s team playing in the 3×3 Asia Cup in Malaysia the following week of the camp.
The Harbour representative emerged in 2017 after being selected for the National U16 Girls’ side which contested the Australia Junior Championships. She was also recently named the Most Valuable Player at the U19 Women’s National Basketball Championships.
Shearer said she was looking forward to what shapes to be a full-on fortnight of basketball.
“Basketball and sport, in general, keeps me pretty busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’m really excited for my time away in Asia and can’t wait to work on my game with some of the best players and coaches.
“It’s a real honour to be asked to attend an NBA camp and also play for my country, and it’s a credit to those around me for putting me in this position.”
Previous Kiwi talent invited to BWB Asia camps includes US collegiate athletes Callum McRae, Sam Waardenburg and Quinn Clinton, with the latter two impressing scouts and coaches enough to be asked to attend the BWB Global camp. Earlier this year, Tall Fern Charlisse Leger-Walker and Junior Tall Black Sam Mennenga attended the ‘19 BWB Global camp.
