Hunt added to Tall Blacks’ Asia Cup squad

Jordan Hunt earned the last spot on the Tall Blacks roster for the FIBA Asia Cup. PHOTO: FIBA

Franklin Bulls big man Jordan Hunt has joined the Tall Blacks' FIBA Asia Cup squad as 12th and final player.

Following a successful couple of weeks in China during the team’s build-up tour, head coach Judd Flavell opted for the 28-year-old for the last roster spot.

LATEST HEADLINES:

Braydon Ennor extends at Crusaders

AFC, Phoenix on same side of Cup

Kiwis mid-field at the Women's Open

Long-awaited stand for ASB Classic

Black Caps collapse, still in control

Sopoaga caps Waikato NPC victory

The 6-foot-9 forward/centre last played for the Tall Blacks at a FIBA tournament at the FIBA Asia Cup in 2022.

Now he is heading to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for the continental championship from August 5-17.

Hunt, who averaged 6.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 10 games for the Bulls during the National Basketball League (NBL) season, beat out guard Hayden Jones and centre Luca Yates.

The Tall Blacks had a great lead-in to the FIBA Asia Cup, with notable wins against world No 12 Brazil, just the second victory over the Brazilians in New Zealand’s history, and world No 16 Montenegro.

The team finished with a 4-1 record in Shenzhen, which included taking home the silverware at the FIBA Four Nations tournament, beating Chinese club Guangdong 82-77 in the final.

Having won eight of their last 11 games across all competitions, the Tall Blacks open their FIBA Asia Cup campaign against Iraq on Tuesday, August 5 (tip-off 8pm NZ Time). 

TALL BLACKS SQUAD

C - Jack Andrew* (Taranaki Airs), 5 games

G - Taylor Britt (Canterbury Rams & New Zealand Breakers), 38 games

G - Flynn Cameron (Franklin Bulls & Adelaide 36ers), 33 games

F - Max Darling (Canterbury Rams & New Zealand Breakers), 12 games

F – Carlin Davison (Taranaki Airs & New Zealand Breakers), 9 games

F – Ben Gold (Marquette University), 7 games

F – Jordan Hunt (Franklin Bulls & Surrey 89ers), 17 games

G – Mojave King* (Tauranga Whai), 5 games

G/F – Taine Murray (Brisbane Bullets), 15 games

G/F – Jordan Ngatai (Wellington Saints), 87 games

G – Dontae Russo-Nance* (Manawatū Jets & Perth Wildcats), 2 games

F/C – Tohi Smith-Milner (Canterbury Rams & Brisbane Bullets), 72 games

TALL BLACKS SCHEDULE

FIBA Solidarity Cup (Guangdong, China)

July 26: vs Brazil, L 85-68

July 27: vs Guangdong, W 90-66

July 28: vs Montenegro, W 89-82

Four Nations Tournament (Shenzhen, China)

July 30: vs Brazil, W 90-89

July 31: vs Guangdong, W 82-77

2025 FIBA Asia Cup (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)

August 5 (8pm NZT): vs Iraq

August 7 (3am August 8 NZT): vs Philippines

August 9 (6am August 10 NZT): vs Chinese Taipei