BALLARAT Miners guard Everard Bartlett has been named to bring leadership to the next step in the Tall Blacks’ Olympic bid.
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New Zealand men’s head coach Paul Henare named a 14-player squad on Saturday that he will put in action against Great Britain, Croatia and Slovenia on a European tour before cutting the Tall Blacks’ roster to 12 for the Oceania Series and Olympic qualifiers against Australia in August.
Bartlett has represented the Tall Blacks since 2011, including last year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.
Billed as a Miner in the Tall Blacks’ squad, Bartlett has found his niche as a key player and leader in the Ballarat team. Bartlett, a former NBL guard, is averaging 12.3 points and 6.1 assists per game in his debut South East Australian Basketball League season.
GMHBA Miners coach Eric Hayes said Bartlett was an important part of what his team was doing but the team was about helping each other reach their full potential.
“This is all about excitement. For me, I want every player to get to the highest level they can – even if that means leaving our team,” Hayes said. “...This is a fantastic opportunity for Ev to go back to New Zealand and play.”
The Tall Blacks named their touring squad after three intensive trial days in Auckland last week. There are no guarantees the Tall Blacks’ final 12 to face Australia will come exclusively from the 14-player squad.
Ballarat Miners had a break from SEABL competition this weekend after hosting Geelong mid-week. The Miners return to action for a road trip to Canberra on Saturday, which is the start of a crucial, final push to make east conference finals.
