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August 2015
Team (New Zealand)
10/08/2015
News
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New Zealand announce team for showdown with Opals

AUCKLAND (2015 FIBA Oceania Women's Championship) - New Zealand have finalized their squad for the upcoming FIBA Oceania Women's Championship series with Australia.

The Tall Ferns and Opals will face each other in Melbourne 15 August and then two days later in Tauranga with the winner clinching a berth in next year's Rio de Janeiro Games and the loser taking a spot in the FIBA Olympic Women's Qualifying Tournament.

Josie Stockill and Jacinta Beckley have been let go by New Zealand coach Kennedy Kereama.

"It was a very difficult decision," Kereama said.

"Every player probably deserves to be there.

We have got to take the twelve that we believe can help us beat Australia right now - Kereama

"It doesn't mean that Jacinta and Josie are out of the picture."

Stockill has joined her American college team, Colgate University, which is currently touring New Zealand and Beckley is about to return to Seattle University to begin her sophomore year.

"They will be getting some feedback and expected to come back even better next year and push for a spot in our Olympic team," Kereama said.

The Kiwis will be underdogs against Australia, a national team that finished third at last year's FIBA Women's World Championship.

The Opals, missing some key players from the squad that competed in Turkey, have looked formidable in the build-up to the Oceania series.

"The focus is now directly on Australia," said Kereama, whose Tall Ferns just lost all three friendly games they played on home soil to defending FIBA Asia champions Japan.

"Everything we do will be geared around how we defend their systems.

"Players will be required to remember a lot of information on different players and we will be solidifying the game plan that we need to put in place over the next week."

Tall Ferns squad for FIBA Oceania Women's Championship: Stella Beck, Tessa Boagni, Jess Bygate, Micaela Cocks, Megan Craig, Penina Davidson, Samara Gallaher, Jordan Hunter, Chevannah Paalvast, Kalani Purcell, Natalie Taylor and Lisa Wallbutton.

FIBA