Thunder call for young talent
After an outstanding campaign in this year’s Women’s Basketball Championship saw them finish second in the country, the Taranaki Thunder are set for a rebuild.
With players moving away for university or taking up opportunities overseas, spots on the roster have freed up.
It’s a familiar theme for the Taranaki Thunder, but one coach Angelo Hill sees more as an opening than a vice.
‘‘It’s a good opportunity for young people to play,’’ Hill said. ‘‘We’ve always wanted to develop players and if we have a team full of high school kids that’ll be fine by me.’’
The Thunder are holding an open scrimmage on Saturday at TSB Stadium for anyone interested in joining the team for the 2018 campaign to head along to and see what the team is all about.
Despite losing a lot of players over the past couple of years, the Thunder have held their own in the national competition - finishing fourth in 2016 before finishing as the runners-up this year.
With sisters Isabelle and Simone Cook the only certain returning players, Hill said they set a good example of how the league can help young players expand and improve their play.
Isabelle, 16, averaged eight points and 10 rebounds per game through the season and was an important part of the front court for the team, being in the top five in the league in total rebounds (71) and the top two in total offensive rebounds (30).
Simone, who was in her final year at Opunake High School this year, was among the top three threepoint shooters in the league, shooting at a 40 per cent clip and averaging nine points per game.
‘‘Is and Simone both showed last year that young people can play important roles at this level,’’ Hill said.
‘‘We want to put the best possible product out there and give the young ladies every opportunity to play in the national competition.
‘‘I’m really excited. It would be nice if a lot of the kids 15-years or older would give this a go.’’