Strong Tall Blacks named - brothers called up
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Tall Blacks have named two sets of brothers into the squad as they continue their 2027 FIBA World Cup qualification process this month.
The Websters, Corey and Tai, were also involved in the first instance during the 2019 World Cup Qualifiers when Isaac and Dan Fotu were in the squad.
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The Fotus are not playing in this window, instead it is the Cameron brothers coming together again for just the second time two sets have been named in the same squad.
Guard Flynn Cameron who plays at the Adelaide 36ers re-joins the Tall Blacks after missing the last two windows where he will link up with his older brother Tobias at the Breakers.
Tall Black centurion, Corey Webster, returns to the black singlet, for the first time in more than a year, after recovering from an Achilles tear and he will play alongside younger brother Tai who came back to the squad in July after seven years out.
Eight players remain from July, when New Zealand hosted the Philippines and Guam in Auckland and won both games.
The Sam trio of Mennenga, Timmins and Waardenburg bring real size and athleticsm to the squad.
Waardenburg and also Shea Ili are part of the strong Melbourne United team in the NBL.
After qualifying out of the first round of the Asian Qualifiers, the Tall Blacks now enter the second round of World Cup qualifying, which goes through till the March next year.
A new pool has been formed, merging Group A and Group C from the first round of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers, to form Group E.
The Tall Blacks play Iran, Syria and Jordan in their remaining six games of qualifying, a top three place in Group E securing their ticket to the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.
Currently, the Tall Blacks sit a win outside of third spot, with Iran and Jordan equal on 11 points in the group. Australia sit on top of Group E unbeaten on 12 points, with the Philippines and Syria below New Zealand with 8 points each.
Window 4 of the World Cup Qualifying will be hosted in the Philippines, where the Tall Blacks will take on Iran (28 August) and Syria (30 August), rather than in a home-and-away format due to safety concerns.
Tall Blacks Squad for Window 4 of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers
Flynn Cameron, Tobias Cameron, Carlin Davison, Shea Ili, Sam Mennenga, Jordan Ngatai, Reuben Te Rangi, Sam Timmins, Sam Waardenburg, Corey Webster, Tai Webster, Luca Yates.
