Settled Tall Blacks squad for qualifiers
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
Tall Blacks head coach Judd Flavell has named a 12-player squad for the second window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
The Breakers have six in the squad - Reuben Te Rangi, Taylor Britt, Max Darling, Carlin Davison, Alex McNaught and Sam Mennenga after a forgettable Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) season.
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The Brisbane Bullets trio from Window 1 returns Tyrell Harrison, Taine Murray and Tohi Smith-Milner return, while Jordan Ngatai, whho is currently playing for Levanga Hokkaido in Japan, will be looking to add to his 93 appearances for New Zealand.
Yanni Wetzell will also suit up against the Philippines. The Akita Northern Happinets centre back again after averaging 7.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and a block in the opening window of 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifying.
Australia-born Adelaide 36ers guard Keanu Rasmussen, who qualifies for New Zealand through his father, who was born in Auckland and grew up in Hamilton, has earned his first Tall Blacks selection.
The Tall Blacks will be looking to avenge what happened in the team’s previous game in Manila, where they went down to the Philippines 93-89.
Since then, however, New Zealand has had the better of their Filipino counterparts.
In front of a sold-out Spark Arena crowd, Smith-Milner’s 25 points led the way in a big 17-point victory last year. At the Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia, it was Ngatai who knocked down five triples to lead the Tall Blacks to a 94-86 win.
Following their showdown with the Philippines in Manila, the Tall Blacks travel to Guam for their second game of the window.
New Zealand have taken care of Guam in their two previous match-ups, with a big 125-43 win back in 1999 and more recently a 113-94 win during the 2020 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifying campaign.
TALL BLACKS ROSTER
Taylor Britt (Canterbury Rams/NZ Breakers), Max Darling (Southland Sharks/NZ Breakers),
Carlin Davison (Wellington Saints/NZ Breakers), Tyrell Harrison (Brisbane Bullets), Alex McNaught (Nelson Giants/NZ Breakers), Sam Mennenga (NZ Breakers), Taine Murray (Brisbane Bullets), Jordan Ngatai (Levanga Hokkaido), Keanu Rasmussen (Adelaide 36ers), debutant, Tohi Smith-Milner (Brisbane Bullets), Reuben Te Rangi, captain (Tauranga Whai/NZ Breakers), Yanni Wetzell (Akita Northern Happinets)
Head Coach: Judd Flavell
Assistant Coaches: Michael Fitchett, Quinn Clinton
ASIA FIBA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - ROUND ONE
WINDOW ONE
L 79-84 vs Australia, MyState Bank Arena, Hobart
L 77-79 vs Australia, TSB Arena, Wellington
WINDOW TWO
February 27, 12:30am (NZT) vs Philippines, Mall of Asia Arena, Manila
March 1, 8pm (NZT) vs Guam, University of Guam Fieldhouse, Mangilao Village
WINDOW THREE
July 3 vs Philippines, Spark Arena, Auckland
July 6 vs Guam, Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland