Local youth shooting high for rep selection

Hundreds of the best young basketballers from across the province converged on Kaitaia earlier this month to take part in the first of two trials designed to give local players a chance to make Northland rep selection.

The first trial was held at the Te Rangi Aniwaniwa gym on Saturday, March 16, with an estimated 250 players representing basketball organisations from Whangarei, Kaipara, Mid North and Kaitaia.

Players were trialling to make selection in the Northland under 11s, 13s, 15s, 17s, 19s and 23s squads in both female and male divisions.

KBA spokesman Shane ‘Pika’ McDonald said the tournamentstyled trials came about with the KBA challenging Northland Basketball to become more inclusive rather than just looking to Whangarei for players to fill the various rep teams with.

After learning the NBA had recently appointed Josh Portas as its new GM, the KBA decided to approach the organisation and invite them to hold a trial in the Far North, McDonald said.

“We are trying to make it all about Northland, not just Whangarei. First time we have had the Northland selectors up here in something like 20 years,” he said, adding the next step for the KBA was to consider becoming officially affiliated to the provincial body and, through that, to Basketball New Zealand.

The Kaitaia trial day proved a long one, with organisers arriving around 7am and everything wrapping up around 5.30pm.

Nearly two dozen local players were picked out to take part in for the second and final trial at the ASB Stadium facility Kensington, Whangarei last Saturday (February 23).

A list of local players who made the cut is forthcoming.