Basketball New Zealand

Jordan Ngatai

Nelson guard Chris Duthie and Porirua forward Jordan Ngatai have already learned so much about international basketball this year, but their education is about to ramp up another level with selection for the Basketball Without Borders camp in Singapore, June 28-July 1.

About 50 young athletes from across Asia and Oceania will attend the event, part of the NBA and FIBA’s global development programme that uses basketball to create social change in the areas of education, health and wellness.

NBA players and coaches will oversee the camp, which will also feature extensive community outreach.

For Duthie (18) and Ngatai (17), it is a prime opportunity to build on the lessons learned during the Junior Tall Blacks’ visit to Europe for the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany last month.

Duthie was the star performer on that tour, averaging 12.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals during the AST, while Ngatai almost led the Emerging Junior Tall Blacks to an upset series victory over Australia at last year’s FIBA Oceania U17 Championships.

“Chris played well against every team at the tournament, and worked hard to develop his defensive footwork and intensity,” reported JTB coach Deslea Wrathall. “He often had to mark the top scorer in other teams and did a good job defensively to contain them.”

Duthie is still buzzing from the experience.

“It was great to see and play against some of the best basketball teams of my age in the world, being able to compare myself with them,” he said.

“I’m very excited to be invited to Singapore and to be coached by NBA players and coaches. Opportunities don’t get any better that this.”

Since leaving Waimea College at the end of 2009, Duthie has enrolled for an engineering degree at Canterbury University, and must now achieve a balance between basketball and studies.

“In terms of basketball, this year has already been very successful and I would wish that to continue,” he said, “That means maintaining and improving my level, and ensuring I’m in the best physical shape for the world championship qualifying series against Australia in September.”

Meanwhile, Ngatai has his sights set on a US college career and sees BWB as a stepping stone towards that goal.

“Jordan learned a lot at the AST and quickly adjusted his game to the international style of play,” said Wrathall. “As the tournament went on, he had longer periods of being able to compete against bigger and more fancied forwards.”

Ngatai was speechless at the prospect of an all-expenses-paid stint in Singapore.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” he said. “Hopefully, it will teach me heaps more about international basketball and make me a better player.”

Players at BWB will be schooled in fundamentals and positional development in morning practices, then get the chance to scrimmage against each other in the evenings.

They will be outfitted in Nike apparel – practice gear, shoes and socks.