New Zealand men's national basketball team

New Zealand New Zealand
FIBA ranking 27Increase7
Joined FIBA 1951
FIBA zone FIBA Asia
National federation Basketball New Zealand
Coach Paul Henare
Nickname(s) Tall Blacks
Olympic Games
Appearances 2
Medals None
FIBA World Cup
Appearances 5
Medals None
FIBA Oceania Championship
Appearances 22
Medals Gold: (1999, 2001, 2009)
Silver: (1971, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015)
FIBA Asia Championship
Appearances 1
Medals None
Uniforms
Light
Dark

The New Zealand men's national basketball team is nicknamed the Tall Blacks. The Tall Blacks name is one of many national team nicknames related to the All Blacks. The team has won three FIBA Oceania Championships, and twice appeared in the Olympic Games. It participated in its first FIBA Asia Cup in 2017, finishing fourth.

History

There is a long and storied history of basketball in New Zealand dating back to when Wilt Chamberlain vacationed at the island paradise back in the 60s and introduced the game to the Kiwis. The Tall Blacks competed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and finished with a 1–5 record, their only win coming against Angola, in the playoff for eleventh place.

In 2001, they defeated Australia, in a three-game series to qualify for the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis, United States. At the tournament, they finished fourth, after beating Puerto Rico in the quarter-finals, before losses to Serbia and Montenegro and Germany. Tall Blacks captain Pero Cameron was the only non-NBA player named to the All-Tournament team in Indianapolis.

The Tall Blacks also qualified for the 2004 Athens Olympics, but again finished with a 1–5 record, and lost to Australia in the playoff for ninth place. Their most noted moment was on the 7th day of the games, when they defeated reigning World Champions Serbia and Montenegro, by a score of 90–87.

2006 FIBA World Championship

At the 2006 FIBA World Championship, the Tall Blacks were not to repeat their fourth-place finish from 2002. After an 0–3 start, the Tall Blacks rallied into the second round, with two straight wins to close out the group stage. However, they would fall in the round of 16 to defending Olympic gold medalists Argentina, 79–62. After that disappointment, Tab Baldwin resigned as the coach of the Tall Blacks, and was replaced by Nenad Vučinić, his longtime assistant coach.

2011 Stanković Cup

The squad competed at the 2011 Boris Stanković Cup in China. They played 3 games against difficult opposition, China, Russia, and Angola. After going down to Russia in the first game by just 3 points, the Tall Blacks quickly put that behind them, to smash China in their second game, which led to a good win against a strong Angolan team. The Tall Blacks came up against a strong Russian team in the final, but the Russians were no match for Tall Blacks star shooting guard Kirk Penney, as he scored 30 points, to give the Tall Blacks the win and the gold medal for 2011.

Haka

The Tall Blacks perform a traditional Haka (Māori challenge) before every game, but due to the influence of Pāora Winitana and Paul Henare, it is very different to the ones performed by All Blacks.

Performance table

Olympic Games

FIBA Basketball World Cup

Asia Championship

Year Position Tournament Host
20174th2017 FIBA Asia CupBeirut, Lebanon

FIBA Oceania Championship

Year Position Host
19711 FIBA Oceania Championship 1971
19751 FIBA Oceania Championship 1975
19781 FIBA Oceania Championship 1978
19791 FIBA Oceania Championship 1979
19811 FIBA Oceania Championship 1981
19831 FIBA Oceania Championship 1983
19851 FIBA Oceania Championship 1985
19871 FIBA Oceania Championship 1987
19891 FIBA Oceania Championship 1989
19912 FIBA Oceania Championship 1991
19932 FIBA Oceania Championship 1993
19952 FIBA Oceania Championship 1995
19972 FIBA Oceania Championship 1997
19991 FIBA Oceania Championship 1999
20011 FIBA Oceania Championship 2001
20032 FIBA Oceania Championship 2003
20052 FIBA Oceania Championship 2005
20072 FIBA Oceania Championship 2007
20091 FIBA Oceania Championship 2009
20112 FIBA Oceania Championship 2011
20132 FIBA Oceania Championship 2013
20152 FIBA Oceania Championship 2015

Commonwealth Games

Stanković Cup

William Jones Cup

Team

Current roster

Roster for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification (Asia).[1]

New Zealand men's national basketball team – 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification (Asia) roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameAge – Date of birthHeightClubCtr.
G/F 0 Reuben Te Rangi 23 – (1994-10-14)October 14, 1994 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Brisbane Bullets Australia
C 14 Loe, Robert 26 – (1991-08-05)5 August 1991 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
F/C 42 Fotu, Isaac 23 – (1993-12-18)18 December 1993 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) ratiopharm Ulm Germany
F 7 Vukona, Mika 35 – (1982-05-13)13 May 1982 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
F 3 Finn Delany 22 – (1995-08-12)August 12, 1995 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
C 35 Alex Pledger 30 – (1987-03-27)March 27, 1987 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
G 9 Webster, Corey 28 – (1988-11-29)29 November 1988 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) Ironi Nahariya Israel
G 0 Webster, Tai 22 – (1995-05-29)29 May 1995 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Skyliners Frankfurt Germany
SF 10 Abercrombie, Thomas 30 – (1987-07-05)5 July 1987 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
PF 16 Tohiraukura Smith-Milner 22 – (1995-10-06)October 6, 1995 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) Melbourne United Australia
G/F 20 Jordan Ngatai 24 – (1993-03-07)March 7, 1993 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
PG 6 Kenny, Jarrod 30 – (1985-09-17)17 September 1985 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) Perth Wildcats Australia
PG 55 Shea Ili 24 – (1992-10-06)October 6, 1992 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (NP) Naturalized player
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on 8 August 2017

Depth chart

Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Alex Pledger Robert Loe Tohi Smith-Milner
PF Isaac Fotu Mika Vukona Finn Delany
SF Thomas Abercrombie Reuben Te Rangi Jordan Ngatai
SG Corey Webster Tai Webster
PG Shea Ili Jarrod Kenny

Notable players

Probably the most well-known former New Zealand Tall Black player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) is former San Antonio Spurs forward Sean Marks. Another New Zealand player, former University of Wisconsin star Kirk Penney, briefly played in the NBA, and later played with top European teams Maccabi Tel Aviv and Žalgiris after being released by the New Zealand Breakers. In past generations, players such as Stan Hill and Glen Denham, were well revered and respected players, who were the face of New Zealand basketball.

Past rosters

1986 World Championship: finished 21st among 24 teams

Gilbert Gordon, Peter Pokai, Stan Hill, Neil Stephens, Dave Edmonds, Ian Webb, Dave Mason, Tony Smith, Colin Crampton, Frank Mulvihill, Glen Denham, John Rademakers (Coach: Robert Bishop)

2000 Olympic Games: finished 11th among 12 teams

Sean Marks, Pero Cameron, Mark Dickel, Phill Jones, Kirk Penney, Robert Hickey, Nenad Vučinić, Tony Rampton, Paul Henare, Brad Riley, Ralph Lattimore, Peter Pokai (Coach: Keith Mair)

2002 World Championship: finished 4th among 16 teams

Sean Marks, Pero Cameron, Mark Dickel, Phill Jones, Kirk Penney, Robert Hickey, Dillon Boucher, Damon Rampton, Ed Book, Paul Henare, Paora Winitana, Judd Flavell (Coach: Tab Baldwin)

2004 Olympic Games: finished 10th among 12 teams

Sean Marks, Mark Dickel, Phill Jones, Pero Cameron, Kirk Penney, Dillon Boucher, Ed Book, Paul Henare, Paora Winitana, Tony Rampton, Aaron Olson, Craig Bradshaw (Coach: Tab Baldwin)

2006 World Championship: finished 16th among 24 teams

Kirk Penney, Pero Cameron, Phill Jones, Mark Dickel, Casey Frank, Paul Henare, Dillon Boucher, Paora Winitana, Tony Rampton, Craig Bradshaw, Aaron Olson, Mika Vukona (Coach: Tab Baldwin)

2010 World Championship: finished 12th among 24 teams

Thomas Abercrombie, Benny Anthony, Craig Bradshaw, Pero Cameron, Michael Fitchett, Casey Frank, Phill Jones, Jeremy Kench, Kirk Penney, Alex Pledger, Lindsay Tait, Mika Vukona (Coach: Nenad Vučinić)

New Zealand Tall Blacks – 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameAge – Date of birthHeightClub
PG 0 Ili, Shea 22 – (1992-10-06)6 October 1992 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
G/F 1 Te Rangi, Reuben 20 – (1994-10-14)14 October 1994 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Brisbane Bullets Australia
PG 4 Tait, Lindsay 33 – (1982-01-08)8 January 1982 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Super City Rangers New Zealand
SG 5 Bartlett, Everard 29 – (1986-02-06)6 February 1986 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Southland Sharks New Zealand
PG 6 Kenny, Jarrod 29 – (1985-09-17)17 September 1985 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) Perth Wildcats Australia
F 7 Vukona, Mika (C) 33 – (1982-05-13)13 May 1982 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
G 9 Webster, Corey 26 – (1988-11-29)29 November 1988 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
SF 10 Abercrombie, Thomas 28 – (1987-07-05)5 July 1987 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
F/C 11 Wynyard, Tai 17 – (1998-02-05)5 February 1998 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) Kentucky Wildcats United States
F/C 12 Fotu, Isaac 21 – (1993-12-18)18 December 1993 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) CAI Zaragoza Spain
G/F 13 Prewster, Dion 25 – (1990-01-10)10 January 1990 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) Wellington Saints New Zealand
C 14 Loe, Robert 24 – (1991-08-05)5 August 1991 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) New Zealand Breakers New Zealand
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Video analyst
  • Judd Flavell
Scout
  • United States Tim Fanning
Strength and conditioning coach
  • Gavin Cross
Doctor
Physiotherapist
  • Anousith Bouaphone
Team manager
  • Andrew Dewhurst
Operations manager
  • Peter Kadar
Groupie/Ball bag
  • Greg Elliot
Cultural ambassador
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on 15 August 2015

Kit

Manufacturer

2015: Peak[2]

References

  1. ↑ 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification (Asia)
  2. ↑ 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship - New Zealand, FIBA.com, Retrieved 30 September 2015.
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