The Stratford Press will be running a profile on each of the team members in the Taranaki Mountainairs basketball team. This week Haize Walker has been profiled.
Position: Guard
Birthday: July 4, 1999.
Height: 188cm.
Junior Association: Manawatu.
High School: Palmerston North Boys High School.
Highest Representative Honour: NZ U17 Team in 2015.
Previous NBL clubs: Manawatu Jets (2018-20). Haize played 15 games for the Jets in 2020 averaging 4.9 ppg. He played a year at Concordia University, Oregon (NCAA Division II) in 2018-19. Haize played in the historic 2016 Schick Secondary Schools Grand Final when Palmerston North Boys High came back from 60-35 down at halftime against Rangitoto College. Haize scored a free-throw with seven seconds to play to give his team an 80-79 lead only for Cameron Stone to hit a 'Hail-Mary' buzzer beater to deny Palmerston North Boys High.
When did you start playing basketball?
I started playing basketball more seriously in Year 7. I played mini ball for a little bit in junior years but then got more serious at intermediate.
Why did you start playing basketball?