Basketball: Junior Tall Black Finn Lally signs with Manawatū Jets

Junior Tall Black Finn Lally will play basketball for the Manawatū Jets this season. Photo / Supplied

The Manawatū Jets continue to be a destination for young, rising stars, with Junior Tall Black Finn Lally the latest to sign for the Palmerston North-based franchise.

Lally was widely regarded as one of the top five high school players in the country last year and was an automatic selection for the 2020 Junior Tall Blacks squad.

In 2019, the 2.01m guard averaged 24 points a game during the National Secondary School Championships and was one of only three New Zealanders selected in his age group for the Nike All Asia Camp in Shenzhen, China.

Jets head coach Tim McTamney says one of the key elements in positioning the Jets franchise for long-term success is developing young talent and providing opportunities for young players to reach new levels of play.

"I've worked with Finn and seen him play a lot in recent years," he says.

"He has a great deal of potential to be a very good player in this league, and we're really excited about working with him. He's also an outstanding young man – a high character guy who will enjoy the opportunity to go up against quality players in training every day."

McTamney notes that at 6'7", Lally has a clear size and length advantage over most guards in the league.

"As he develops his understanding of the game, Finn will become a very useful piece in the squad," he says.

Lally agrees that joining the Jets provides a great opportunity to step up to a higher level of basketball.

"I really believe coach Tim [McTamney] and the Jets will be able to help me with my skill development, and the experienced players in the squad will be able to help me with my basketball knowledge," he says.

He's also excited about joining fellow St John's College old boys Jayden Bezzant and Nikau McCullough in this year's team.

"It's a real blessing as they're players who I looked up to as a young St John's kid. I'm just hugely excited about the situation and I'm ready to work hard to make the most of this opportunity."

The 2021 NBL gets under way for the Jets in Auckland on April 29 when they take on the Auckland Huskies.