Famous First Four
Tagged in: Tall Ferns
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Sneakers Ö check. Japanese translation book Ö check. Australian WNBL contract Ö check.
Four NZ Tall Ferns have embarked on two exciting basketball journeys at once, signing contracts with the new Christchurch-based Aussie womenís league team on the eve of their departure for Japan, the official start of their Beijing Olympic campaign.
Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe, sisters Charmian and Natalie Purcell and Noni Wharemate thus become the franchiseís first recruits in its bid for championship honours, as well as to develop Kiwi players for the international programme.
A fifth player – forward Lisa Wallbutton – will iron out some fine details before signing. She insists her signature is a formality.
ìThese are our core players,î says Basketball New Zealand womenís coaching director Mike McHugh.
ìWhen youíre putting a team together, you obviously have priorities, but youíve also got to have your ëworker antsí and sometimes it happens in reverse.
ìWeíre delighted to have these players and they should now help convince the other senior players to sign as well.î
McMeeken-Ruscoe (27) is probably the key signing in this initial group. Born in Christchurch, she is one of three with previous experience in the Australian league, having started for Bulleen Boomers last summer.
The shooting guard first represented the Tall Ferns as a teenager in 1998 and narrowly missed the cut for two Olympics before finally gaining selection for last yearís Melbourne Commonwealth Games. In the meantime, she enjoyed a successful US college career at the University of Buffalo, was MVP of the 2003 New Zealand WNBL and also played professionally in Germany.
ìAlthough Kate has only played one year in the Australian WNBL, it was a highly successful year with a very good team,î observes McHugh. ìHer growth over the past 18 months has been considerable.
ìShe improved significantly during the Commonwealth Games campaign. From not quite making teams to becoming a starter in Melbourne was a real acceleration Ö and then she accelerated again to have a wonderful WNBL season.
ìKate is at an age where all her basketball experiences are starting to pay dividends Ö her journey is reaching a culmination.î
Wharemate and Natalie Purcell bring impressive college credentials.
Wharemate (25), who will captain the Ferns in Japan, graduated from the University of Texas El Paso in 2004, setting a school record for career assists.
Purcell (24) played for Southeast Missouri State University, helping them to the 2006 NCAA Tournament in her senior year and recording a ìdouble doubleî in their first round loss to superpowers Stanford University.
Older sister Charmian (28) is a product of the BBNZ High Performance programme and, like McMeeken-Ruscoe and Wharemate, was a key contributor when the Tall Ferns won Commonwealth Games silver medals. She also had a season with the Sydney University Flames in 2005/06.
ìThey all have great potential to be WNBL players,î says McHugh. ìNoni has the skills, and Charmian and Natalie have the athleticism.
ìThis is really their opportunity. Here is a team they can play for and a chance to work on their games.
ìThose with previous experience in the league already know what it will be like when they walk out on the court.î
Basketball New Zealand and the Canterbury Basketball Association expect to make further announcements about the new franchise in the near future, including the head coaching appointment and a team name.
