Big man Mcrae selected for NZ
Manawatu’s Callum Mcrae has been named in the Junior Tall Blacks squad for the FIBA Oceania Championships in Fiji.
The tall centre, who is 17, has been in great form this year and helped get Palmerston North Boys’ High School to the final of the national secondary schools championship final this year.
At 212cm tall, he will play a key big man for the team.
Junior Tall Blacks coach Daryl Cartwright said every one of the 12 players have the confidence to lead and step up to a more intense level of competition.
‘‘In their respective teams or schools, they are the leaders, they are the ones to make the big plays or carry their teams just about every time they step on the floor.,’’ he said.
‘‘That brings a confidence that we need them to carry to the Oceania championships. I feel we have genuine depth in the squad and every player has the ability to be a starter for us.’’
The team already has a number of players that are well known to the basketball community for more than their on-court ability.
The basketball pedigree of two new faces is particularly notable – Flynn and Tobias Cameron, the sons of Tall Black legend and Tall Black assistant coach Pero Cameron.
Both live in the Gold Coast and although they are eligible to compete for Australia, they have put their hands up for New Zealand.
Dan Fotu is another familiar name, being the younger brother of Tall Black
and Zaragoza player Isaac Fotu.
Dan Fotu was also selected for the Basketball Without Borders Asia Camp, alongside JTB team mates Sam Waardenburg, Taane Samuel and Quinn Clinton.
Clinton went on to be named MVP of the camp’s All Star Game, while Waardenburg was named MVP of the entire camp.
Waardenburg has already hit the headlines multiple times through playing in the FIBA 3x3 under-18 world championships, attending the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp, attending the Adidas Nations Tournament and for signing to Miami University on a full division 1 scholarship.
Takiula Fahrensohn has also signed to Division 1 with the University of Portland.