New blood for Tall Ferns

Seven rookies were named in the New Zealand women's basketball to face Australia in the home-and-away Oceania Championship next week.

Tall Ferns coach Kennedy Hamilton-Kereama has named seven new caps on his roster to take on Australia at basketball's Oceania Championships in Auckland next week.

Perth-based Kate Fielding is the biggest bolter - the shooting guard has a Kiwi father and plays for Hamilton-Kereama's West Coast Waves in the Australian WNBL.

Towering 2.03m centre Megan Craig will get her chance after two strong seasons on a US scholarship at the University at Albany.

The other rookies - Samara Gallaher, Kalani Purcell, Penina Davidson, Stella Beck and Jess Bygate - have all starred in the domestic Women's Basketball League over recent seasons.

Purcell follows older sisters Charmian Mellars and Natalie Taylor into the national women's team, although Taylor's knee injury has deprived them the chance of playing together.

The incumbent captain, Taylor will join the group in a non-playing capacity, with a replacement skipper to be named when overseas players arrive later in the week.

New Zealand: Stella Beck, Jess Bygate, Micaela Cocks, Megan Craig, Penina Davidson, Antonia Edmondson, Kate Fielding, Samara Gallaher, Jordan Hunter, Casey Lockwood, Kalani Purcell, Lisa Wallbutton.

The Tall Ferns play London Olympics bronze medallists Australia in Auckland on Wednesday, then travel to Canberra for the return match on August 18.


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world