Tall Blacks plans on hold ahead of FIBA World Cup

Tall Blacks coach Pero Cameron has given more than 30 players opportunities to impress ahead of the Basketball World Cup.
Photo: Photosport

Tall Blacks coach Pero Cameron is playing a waiting game.

Waiting to see who New Zealand will be drawn against at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, waiting on confirmation of a world cup preparation plan and waiting to find out which players will be fit to fill his 12-man roster for the showpiece event.

New Zealand was one of the first countries to qualify for the world cup which will be coach Cameron’s first major tournament in charge.

The Tall Blacks secured a spot in the 32-team tournament a year before tip off, with the final 15 teams to qualify to be locked in this month.

By the time the Tall Blacks take the court for a seventh world cup appearance in August, more than a decade will have passed since New Zealand shocked the basketball world with a top four finish at the world cup.

Since the heady days of the 2002 tournament in America, in which Cameron played, the Tall Blacks have failed to make the quarterfinals.

At the last world cup in 2019 New Zealand finished 19th.

That team won more games than any Tall Blacks side ever had the world cup – but they didn’t reach the same heights as their predecessors.

Cameron struggles to answer the question of whether the Tall Blacks will ever get close to the medals again.

“We’re building to be successful…we want to be heading in the direction of improving and getting better every day and that takes time and being able to work together.

“We want to perform, we want success and we will plan for it. We have a belief and an expectation within [the squad] and we won’t leave any stone unturned.”

Turning around the Tall Blacks’ results against the top nations won’t be a straight forward task.

Cameron has called up 34 players during the 15-month qualification period for this year’s world cup.

Many of them won’t see any court time at the tournament co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

Some might never wear the black singlet again.

Tall Black Ethan Rusbatch, left, has helped New Zealand qualify for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Photo: Basketball NZ

Only one player, 30-year-old Ethan Rusbatch, played in every qualifying window as Cameron selected players plying their trade in Japan, America, Germany as well as Australia and New Zealand and handed out several debuts as he worked with who was available and who would fit with his game plan.

The Tall Blacks face Saudi Arabia in Christchurch on 24 February and Lebanon in Wellington on 27 February to wrap up the world cup qualifying period.

In the extended squad for those games only Sam Waardenburg is a newcomer.

The 23-year-old forward could make his Tall Blacks debut following a productive first year with the Cairns Taipans in the Australian NBL.

“With the last couple of years with the qualification windows and all of the [Covid] interruptions it’s a great way to look at your depth and give them some experience.

“I just want to make sure that these guys come in in great shape, battle ready and come together as a team especially in the preparation phase but also that they all get to experience a window or two of what it’s going to be like with this style of play.”

Keeping up the Tall Blacks’ standards.

Jordan Ngatai has been around the Tall Blacks for nearly a decade after first taking the court for the senior national side as a 19-year-old.

During that time he’s played under several different head coaches and had numerous different team mates – some he only met for the first time during this world cup qualifying period.

Tall Black Jordan Ngatai played at the last world cup in 2019 where New Zealand finished 19th.
Photo: Photo by Jayne Russell / www.PhotoSport.nz

Ngatai says each coach has a different game plan but one thing that hasn’t changed in the Tall Blacks over the years is the culture.

“Since I have been a part of it until now we’ve always kept that same standard of our culture, making sure that any new guys or even some that haven’t been in it in a while that keep coming in and out they know our culture is this and this is who we are and this is what we set our standards on.”

The team’s standards of play will be under the spotlight later this year after Ngatai admits they “let a few things drop” during the 2019 world cup.

“Brazil was a team that we should of beaten, we had Greece right there in the hand and then two bad calls go their way and that changes the whole game but that’s basketball you can’t really do much about that.

“I hope we have all learnt and gained that experience to push us to that next level and hopefully carry on more success through the world cup but I guess only time will tell depending on who is available health-wise but I am really positive with what we have pushing ahead to the world cup.”

The 29-year-old takes pride in representing his country and believes fringe players should be making the most of the opportunities with the Tall Blacks this month – even though New Zealand’s already locked up a sixth consecutive world cup spot.

“It is a showcase for the young ones and for guys who haven’t had an opportunity and do get this to put their names forward for the world cup because there might be times where Pero or Ross [McMains] or whoever is coaching at the time or selectors might not get chance to get around to watch every single NZ NBL game, every high school game or college game or ANBL but if they put their names forward during these windows and they get an opportunity I think it’s been great.

Reuben Te Rangi is still in the Tall Blacks picture despite not always be available.
Photo: Photosport NZ

“Being the age that I am now and having the experience that I’ve had seeing all this young talent coming though it’s truly awesome to see. These guys are putting a lot of work in and to see New Zealand basketball being appreciated on different levels at different competitions around the world it’s pretty special to see.”

After this month’s games Cameron and the playing group will be waiting until April for the world cup draw to be made before preparations can begin in earnest for the tournament.