Everard Bartlett works out in Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor
Everard Bartlett works out in Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor
The Tall Blacks need to get the job done against the Australian Boomers in the Oceania series next month, rather than rely on wild-card opportunities to book a berth to the Rio Olympics.
That's the verdict of former IMS Payroll Hawks player Everard Bartlett, who is attending a five-day trainingcamp with the New Zealand men's team in Napier since Sunday.
"I was part of the qualifying team when we did lose to the Boomers and moved to the wild-card round, which was very tough because we were up against some great teams, so we have to take care of business here," said the 29-year-old shooting guard, who has cut short his stint with the Ballarat Miners in Melbourne as the Tall Blacks prepare to jet off to Europe on Sunday to play against Great Britain, Croatia and Slovenia before competing in the Stankovic Cup against hosts China, Mexico and Venezuela.
Former IMS Payroll Hawks player Bartlett never loses that tingling sensation when called on to represent his country.
"It's a privilege and honour to be selected so I'm looking forward to it."
With home-grown coach Paul Henare and assistants Pero Cameron, Ross McMains and Judd Flavell at the helm, Bartlett said it was great to see the injection of some young blood, including "first timers" Shea Ili, Duane Bailey and former Hawk Dion Prewster, as well as welcoming back Rueben Te Rangi and Leon Henry.
Henare, a former Napier Boys' High School pupil, has named Bartlett among veterans captain Mika Vukona, Hawks point guard/skipper Jarrod Kenny, Lindsay Tait, Thomas Abercrombie and Corey Webster as the pool of experience.
"It's a transition that takes some time to get used to but, look, it's a young team and I'm kind of one of the veterans with a few others so we've been kind of put into that role because we've been there and done that," Bartlett said, mindful it should all trickle down to helping the young guns prepare for the new frontier abroad.
The final expectation, the former Hastings Boys' High School pupil said, was mustering the energy and skill levels to negate the Boomers.
"We're training hard to do everything we're doing now to be at our peak performance come 15th of August."
Bartlett reflected on the great build up last year on the European tour against powerhouse sides that saw the Tall Blacks consolidate more as a team.
"It gave us confidence as well ... so it will be a huge confidence booster for us coming back into the Australian series, when we should be playing our best basketball."
It was good to be back home among familiar faces, with a good turnout in the morning clinic yesterday.
"Right now, I'm in Melbourne with my family but I can't guarantee we'll be there much longer because circumstances change."
The Hawks, who failed to make the Bartercard National Basketball League (NBL) season playoffs early this month, desperately needed Bartlett's shooting prowess.
"It wasn't a decision not to come back to the Hawks. I've always respected the Hawks because I've grown up watching them and been a part of them.
"It's just situations, as it happens with negotiations sometimes, so you've got to think of your family and provide for them. That was the main decision." Bartlett said he was always open to discussions for next season with the Hawks.
Ballarat "ticked all the boxes", although he assumed the mantle of point guard rather than shooting guard in Seabl League, just below the ANBL.
"I was put in a role where I believe I need to strengthen to make my game all round so I got a lot out of it being a leader and heading in the direction of growing into a complete player," he said, even though he felt his statistics might not reflect that on and off the court.
With about five more rounds to go, the Miners are sitting in fifth place in the seven-team league, with Hamilton-raised Dyson Hawea, whose ex-hawk father Parlayne is from Flaxmere, joining the ranks.
Bartlett, a former Perth Wildcat, is still keen to snare an ANBL contract.
"I will continue to work hard for it so if the opportunity arises at least I know I'll be ready."
Coach Paul Henare.
'I'm who I am. I'm not trying to be anybody else'
Coach Paul Henare's expectation post-Europe tour this month is for his players to become familiar with his as well as the Tall Blacks' style.
"Yeah, I don't really know. You'll have to ask someone else. Try some of the boys," Henare said with a grin in Napier yesterday.
If his playing days were anything to go by, it was an in-your-face never-take-a-step-back attitude - so perhaps that?
"No, I'm who I am. I'm not trying to be anybody else. I'm just trying to work hard and be the best coach I can be for the team and the players. So, yes, I don't know how to describe myself," said the rookie Tall Black coach, who is fresh from helping the Southland Sharks nail their second NBL title in three years this month.
Enter Everard Bartlett: "Paulie is well respected in the league ... he's a leader and general. "He leads by example and he doesn't ask of you anything he doesn't ask of himself, and he gets on you when it's necessary.
"So I believe he'll carry that on to his coaching style. That's his way and his personality, after a great career in playing basketball," Bartlett said.
Thomas Abercrombie, Duane Bailey, Everard Bartlett, Isaac Fotu, Leon Henry, Shea Ili, Jarrod Kenny, Robert Loe, Dion Prewster, Lindsay Tait, Reuben Te Rangi, Mika Vukona (c), Corey Webster, Tai Wynyard.
2015 schedule
July 25: v Great Britain (London). July 29: v Croatia. July 30: v Slovenia. August 3-8: Stankovic Cup v hosts China, Mexico, Venezuela. August 15: Oceania series v Australia, Melbourne. August 18: Oceania series v Australia, Wellington.
