Tall Blacks' tall order against "best in world"

A lot has been made of the new faces on the Boomers roster for this World Cup Campaign, but the same can be said for the New Zealand Tall Blacks.

When their first game against Team USA tips off on Saturday in Manila, they will have just five players on their roster who were at the 2019 World Cup in China. Those five are current and former NBL players Tom Abercrombie, Finn Delany, Shea Ili, Jordan Ngatai and Tohi Smith-Milner.

That’s seven new faces. including Tall Blacks Team Captain and NBL veteran, Reuben Te Rangi.

Te Rangi, who has represented New Zealand on many occasions, missed the 2019 tournament with a knee injury and this will actually be his first major tournament (Olympics or World Cup) with the Tall Blacks. That's quite remarkable for a 300-plus game veteran and two-time NBL Champion. He is certainly excited about this opportunity as captain.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">? Your Tall Blacks squad of 12 for the FIBA World Cup 2023.<br><br>?? Finn Delany, Flynn Cameron, Hyrum Harris, Isaac Fotu, Izayah Le’Afa, Jordan Ngatai, Reuben Te Rangi, Shea Ili, Taylor Britt, Tohi Smith-Milner, Walter Brown &amp; Yanni Wetzell?<br><br>? Read more at <a href="https://t.co/C9S2bbSOL2">https://t.co/C9S2bbSOL2</a> <a href="https://t.co/kmR1bS0Hd3">pic.twitter.com/kmR1bS0Hd3</a></p>&mdash; Tall Blacks (@TallBlacks) <a href="https://twitter.com/TallBlacks/status/1694570215408079149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Obviously, the last World Cup I was out with a knee injury and had to get surgery on my knee, so that was a bit disappointing,” Te Rangi told media on Thursday. 

“But this opportunity coming around now is amazing and I just can’t express how excited I am to be here and playing in my first World Cup. 

“To lead this team is an easy gig for me. We have a lot of leaders on our team and any one of the boys could have been the captain. My leadership style is probably lead by example. I speak up every now and then when I need to, but definitely lead by example.”

Te Rangi and his teammates, even the ones who have been to a World Cup before, are very aware of how rare these chances are and they are raring to go.

“We had a conversation not so long ago that not many players get this opportunity, we can’t take these things for granted and we’re going to give it our best for sure,” he said.

New Zealand’s preparation has been very thorough. They’ve had a long lead-up for over a month. It has taken them to Japan, Germany and then China, playing six warm-up games, before arriving in Manila on Wednesday.

Drawn in Group C against USA, Greece and Jordan, they face an uphill battle to advance to the second round, so that lead-up has been crucial.

“Our campaign’s been four to five weeks and it’s been a grind,” Te Rangi acknowledged. 

“We’ve been traveling quite a bit, but to be here at the World Cup is amazing and to see all the teams and the set up at the big Mall of Asia, it’s exciting and I can’t wait for Saturday.”

Head Coach Pero Cameron has enjoyed the time together as a group in the lead-up. He is at the helm of the Tall Blacks for the first time at a World Cup. 

Cameron, who was an Assistant under Paul Henare in 2019, knows a thing or two about what goes into getting ready for these tournaments, having played in three World Cups and two Olympic Games, but he has needed the extended time with so many new faces in the mix, to ensure they are as well prepared and tested as they can be.

“The six games we got, you always wonder if it’s enough or too much, especially in a five-week campaign,” Cameron admits. 

“You want the games to get you battle ready and you want to be able to improve every game and have those moments you recognise on video and that you are getting somewhere. 

“And then also, you want to get some results that help you get belief within the group, and I think we got a mixture of that.”

To get a positive result in their first game, will be a huge challenge. New Zealand faces Team USA on Saturday at 10:40pm AEST. 

The gold medal favourites may not have the headline talent that they had in Tokyo two years ago, but they have come together well for this tournament and look a lot more cohesive than many expected they would, given the lack of FIBA experience on their roster.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Familiar surroundings for the high scoring New Zealand ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForTallBlacks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForTallBlacks</a> ??</p>&mdash; FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 ? (@FIBAWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWC/status/1692371992291561753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Keeping up with USA’s pace and athleticism, and contesting on the perimeter will be key, if the Tall Blacks are to cause an upset.

“The US is a tall order and a tough challenge, but something we won’t shy away from,” Cameron said. 

Te Rangi is confident that his team is as well prepared as they can be, but also agreed it will be a huge test for the Tall Blacks.

“I’m not going to lie, it’s a tough gig,” Te Rangi admitted. 

“Going up against the best in the world is an amazing opportunity, but we’re going to prepare for them exactly how we prepare for every team. 

“We’re going to scout them as much as we can and try to take away some of the things that they do from what we’ve seen in their last few games. We’re going to prepare the same way, but no lie that it is a big game for sure.”

A sub-plot to this Tall Blacks campaign is the debut of Flynn Cameron, who happens to be Pero’s son. Flynn, who signed with Melbourne United for three years this off-season, has a good opportunity to play a significant role for this team, with Corey and Tai Webster missing this campaign.

For Pero, he’s treating Flynn just like any other player on his roster, but is aware that coaching his son at a World Cup is a special opportunity.

“A little bit of banter by the other coach Cameron at home – his Mum,” Cameron joked. 

“But just everyday life as a coach and a player, so nothing different.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Reuben Te Rangi&#39;s got a laser ?<br><br>He&#39;s got 5 of the Tall Blacks&#39; 8 first half 3s! ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForNewZealand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForNewZealand</a> ?? <a href="https://t.co/0ugYnhk9rh">pic.twitter.com/0ugYnhk9rh</a></p>&mdash; FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 ? (@FIBAWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWC/status/1630098373381611521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

At the conclusion of the press conference, Te Rangi was asked about the legendary run of the 2002 Tall Blacks team, who managed to advance all the way to the semi-finals; a team Cameron was on and played a huge role for. 

'How does that team inspire this one and what did that run mean to basketball back home?', Te Rangi was asked.

“Pero doesn’t like us talking about it,” Te Rangi said with a smirk. 

“But yeah, for sure it is a legendary team and it will forever be in the talks, when you’re talking about New Zealand basketball. And what this guy [Cameron] did at that 2002 World Cup, getting All-Star Five is just amazing.”

Te Rangi will be leading his team and hoping he, and his teammates, can achieve something similar and make their own history.