Basketball New Zealand

Tall Ferns Lisa Wallbutton and Charmian Purcell v Mali, 2008 Beijing Olympics (Getty Images)

Olympians Charmian Purcell and Lisa Wallbutton, are among the nine basketballers to receive Prime Minister’s Athletes Scholarships for 2009 through the NZ Academy of Sport.

The scholarship scheme, designed to assist elite athletes in tertiary study, has recognized 356 recipients across 25 sports this year, all of whom are considered capable of fulfilling SPARC’s high performance mission – “More New Zealanders winning on the world stage”.

Purcell and Wallbutton have already achieved that aim, helping the Tall Ferns to silver medals at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and then performing at last year’s Beijing Olympics.

Promising guard Antonia Edmondson, the last player cut from the TF Olympic squad, has also been awarded a scholarship, along with NZ Breakers development player Tom Abercrombie and Junior Tall Black point guard Josh Bloxham.

The full list of basketballers receiving PM scholarships is Abercrombie, Bloxham, Edmondson, Jordan Hunter, Natalie Moore, Purcell, Georgina Richards, Chelsea Terei and Wallbutton.

Basketball New Zealand was unable to secure coaching and support staff scholarships for 2009.