Rotorua girl named in NZ Select U16 team

Under 16 trial teams. Photo/Supplied

Rotorua's Te Mihiroa Tangira has been named in the New Zealand Select Under 16 Girls Team.

The New Zealand Under 16 team and the Select team will travel to Australia in June and July to take on some of Australia's top junior teams.

Coach Natalie Visger said the players had trained a lot together and the two teams would be preparing closely during their development.

"So far we have been doing pretty much everything together, and we will continue to work together to train individual skills and fundamental team skills. The 'Xs' and 'Os' will vary slightly on both ends of the ball, so that we have the best-fit scenario for each team.

"All of us as a staff agree that rebounding and defence are the backbone of great teams, and we hope to build those while adding our own twists along the development pathway."

For the New Zealand Under 16s team, the pinnacle event with be the Australian Junior Championships in July. This tournament is the most prestigious age-group national basketball event in Australia, where the best of the best juniors in Australia and New Zealand compete.

The New Zealand Select Under 16 Team will compete in the Medibank Classic from June 10-12 which is an invitational competition primarily for clubs.

2017 will be the second year that a New Zealand team will be invited to compete at this tournament.

New Zealand Under 16 Girls Team:

Sophie Adams - Basketball Mid Canterbury
Jazzmyne Fulu - Harbour Basketball
Waiata Jennings - Australia
Parris Libby May Mason - New Plymouth Basketball Association
Hannah Matehaere - Basketball Otago
Jessica Moors - Harbour Basketball
Caitlin O'Connell - Taranaki Country Basketball Association
Emilia Shearer - Harbour Basketball
Dominique Stephens - Waikato Basketball Council
Ashlee Strawbridge - Basketball Mid Canterbury.

New Zealand Select Under 16 Girls Team

Zaaliyah Fulu - Harbour Basketball
Tausala Yzabelle Laualofa Tevao - Waitakere West Auckland Basketball Inc.
Keyani Leith - Waikato Basketball Council
Jordan Rangitawa - Hutt Valley Basketball Association
Annabelle Ring - Basketball Otago
Melika Samia - Basketball Hawkes Bay
Raquel Sampson - New Plymouth Basketball Association
Te Mihiroa Tangira - Rotorua Basketball Association
Jayze'lee Waihi - Waikato Basketball Council
Olivia Williams - Basketball Auckland.

New Zealand Under 16 Girls and Select Girls Basketball Calendar:

U16 Trial | December 17-20, 2016 | Auckland | All selected 45 athletes
U16 January Preparation Camp | January 21-24 | Auckland | 24 selected
U16 February Preparation Camp | February 24-26 | Auckland
U16 April Preparation Camp | April 22-25 | Auckland
U16 May Preparation Camp | May 19-21 | Auckland | 20 selected
NZ Select Team Preparation Camp | June 3-5 | Auckland | NZ Select Team only
NZ Select Tour | Medibank Classic | June 8-13 | Melbourne
NZ U16 Preparation Camp | June 22-25 | Auckland | 10 selected
NZ U16 Tour | Australia Junior Champs | July 4-16 | Sterling, WA Australia | NZ U16 Team only