Basketball: Schoolboy selected for Tall Blacks

Isaac Fotu is the only new cap in the 12-player Tall Black squad. Photo / APN

Auckland schoolboy Isaac Fotu was today named in the New Zealand men's basketball team to prepare for the Olympic qualifying series against Australia in September.

However, Fotu will not be able to take part in the three-game series against the Boomers, an event sanctioned by world governing body Fiba.

Under Fiba rules, the 17-year-old Tongan comes under the naturalised player regulations, as he does not hold a New Zealand passport despite spending most of his life in this country.

For Fiba tournaments, teams are limited to one naturalised player, a spot that will go to American-born Casey Frank.

Fotu, 1.98m power forward, is the only new cap in the 12-player squad, which will play in three tournaments during August - the Stankovic Cup in China and events in Macedonia and Turkey.

Another schoolboy who attended the trials in Auckland this week, 2.10m centre Steven Adams, also 17, was ruled out because of school commitments at Wellington's Scots College.

Meanwhile, experienced point guard Mark Dickel returns to the national squad four years after his last appearance for the Tall Blacks.

While there is lack of obvious size in the roster, coach Nenad Vucinic wasn't too perturbed.

"Traditionally we haven't had as much height as other teams,'' he said.

"Sometimes it's a disadvantage, sometimes it's an advantage. We're used to it.''

He said 2.13m Alex Pledger was ``a genuine big guy internationally, so we do have him''.

The Tall Blacks go into a five-day camp tomorrow before heading for the Stankovic Cup, where they will face Angola, China and Russia.

They then fly to Europe for two other four-team competitions in Macedonia from August 19 to 21 and Turkey from August 22 to 25.

The Oceania qualifying series against Australia will be played in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney from September 7 to 11.

Tall Blacks: Tom Abercrombie (Waikato), Benny Anthony (Waikato), Mark Dickel (Southland), Michael Fitchett (Nelson), Isaac Fotu (Breakers), Casey Frank (Wellington), Leon Henry (Wellington), Kirk Penney (Breakers), Alex Pledger (Waikato), Lindsay Tait (Wellington), Mika Vukona (Nelson), Corey Webster (Wellington),

- NZPA