12 Aug 2013

Ngatai keeps Tall Blacks spot

5:05 pm on 12 August 2013

Wellington basketballer Jordan Ngatai has retained his Tall Blacks spot for the FIBA Oceania Championships against Australia starting this week in Auckland - while Nelson guard Brook Ruscoe and Manawatu forward Jeremiah Trueman miss out on the 12-man squad.

Ngatai was a late replacement for the recent tour of China and after a final preparation camp over the weekend, the New Zealands men's team have trimmed their squad from 14 players to 12 for Wednesday's opening encounter against the Australian Boomers at North Shore Events Centre.

Ngatai, a forward who is about to take up a scholarship at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, was called into the China trip when Trueman suffered a foot injury on the eve of departure and has shown coach Nenad Vucinic enough to keep his place for this week's series.

Ruscoe effectively loses his spot to Breakers centre Alex Pledger, who also missed the China trip.

Tall Blacks:

Tom Abercrombie

BJ Anthony

Everard Bartlett

Casey Frank

Jarrod Kenny

Izayah Mauriohooho Le'afa

Jordan Ngatai

Alex Pledger

Jack Salt

Reuben Te Rangi

Mika Vukona

Corey Webster