Basketball: Basketballers face exacting build-up

Coach Kenny McFadden likes what he has but knows the real work for his national under-19 basketball team for July's world championship in Auckland is just about to begin.

The team of 12 named yesterday included United States-based Dion Prewster and Richie Edwards, two-times secondary schools most valuable player Brook Ruscoe and Tall Blacks trialist Rob Loe.

Four new faces have been picked: Nelson's Josh Bloxham, Hutt Valley's Riki Buckrell, Porirua's Tipene Friday and Otago's Tom Rowe.

McFadden rated Friday, Buckrell and Rowe as the big improvers since the world championship campaign began.

"I feel pretty comfortable, I feel that we've got the best players," he said.

"It has been an 18-month build-up for some of these guys and there has been a lot of progress from a lot of players. I'm very excited about what we're going to produce on court."

Prewster, a Junior Tall Black since 2005 and captain the past two years, returned from his freshman season at San Jacinto College in Texas this week, while Edwards, after a senior season at Lakeland High School in Florida, will join the group in two weeks.

Otago has the highest representation through Rowe, Sam King and Morgan Nathan, while Canterbury's Logan van Beek and Wellington's David Beck complete the team.

The team gather next week in Wellington for a four-week residential programme, leading up to their departure for Auckland and their opening game on July 2 against Argentina at the North Shore Events Centre.

NZ TEAM
David Beck, Josh Bloxham, Riki Buckrell, Richie Edwards, Tipene Friday, Sam King, Rob Loe, Morgan Nathan, Dion Prewster, Tom Rowe, Brook Ruscoe, Logan van Beek.

- NZPA