South well represented in NZ Select team
THE South will be well represented in the latest New Zealand Select team.
Southland Sharks players Tom Vodanovich, James Hunter and Derone Raukawa have all been named in the team to play Japan and China in China.
Mitchell Newton, who is from Gore and now plays for the Hawke’s Bay Hawks, is also on the roster.
Former Otago point guard and coach Mark Dickel, now with the Canterbury Rams, will be the assistant coach of the side which is headed by Paul Henare.
The team will play three games in August.
While winning is the aim, there is also a focus on development and there are several youngsters in the side.
‘‘New Zealand Select is a great initiative and has already seen great results with a number of players emerging from these tours to put pressure on others ahead of them in the pecking order, or for some to cement places in the Tall Blacks,’’ Henare said.
‘‘We selected a group of highly promising and mainly young talent from the NBL.
‘‘We will place them in an international environment that will require them to go to a higher level and expose them to the challenges that international basketball can bring.
‘‘While there is an element of development about this team, we are very clear that our goal is to win.
‘‘When we step on the floor wearing black, there are certain standards and expectations that we place upon ourselves.’’