Tall Ferns to play before NBL final

BASKETBALL New Zealand has announced a Tall Ferns clash to be played before the National Basketball League Showdown grand final on

5.8 rebounds per game through the first six games.

He will look to do more of the same this weekend in a doubleheader against the Manawatu Jets and Nelson Giants.

‘‘I’ve found it pretty good,’’ he said.

‘‘The first couple of weeks just getting to know the boys, they’re all good guys, great lads, the

August 1.

Twentyfour players will enter a weeklong Tall Ferns camp before the showcase game.

New Zealand Basketball High Performance manager Leonard King said the Tall Ferns pro

coach [Brent Matehaere] is pretty cool.

‘‘Everyone just gets along with each other and that translates on to the basketball court, especially those first couple of games, we were playing really well together.

‘‘We kind of took a downturn those last couple of games, but we need to figure it out again.’’

Hunt said it was good to be gramme was working towards qualifying for the 2022 Fiba Women’s World Cup and the camp and game would be be helpful.

Zoe Richards is the only player from Otago selected for

back in New Zealand playing against the people he grew up with, alongside the older players he looked up to.

Originally from Hutt Valley, he had played both there and for Wellington growing up.

In 2016 he left for college, playing at the NAIA level.

That had been a great experience and he graduated with a

the camp — business management degree.

There his toughness and aggression developed, both being key in the American game.

Both were useful coming back to this league.

Playing against grown men brought different challenges though and getting stronger was now a key.

That strength would be import