NBL stars headline Tall Blacks squad

The New Zealand Tall Blacks have named their team for the next window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, headlined by eight current NBL players.

Leading that contingent are Breakers quartet Sam Mennenga, Carlin Davison, Reuben Te Rangi and Tobias Cameron, as well as Melbourne's Shea Ili and Sam Waardenburg, Adelaide's Flynn Cameron and Cairns' Luca Yates.

Rounding out Judd Flavell's squad to play Syria and Iran are Corey and Tai Webster, Sam Timmins and Jordan Ngatai. It's set to be just the second time two sets of brothers have played together in the same Tall Black squad, after the Websters and the Fotus (Isaac and Dan) played during the 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers together.

After qualifying out of the first round of the Asian Qualifiers, the Tall Blacks now enter the second round of World Cup qualifying, which goes through till the March next year. A new pool has been formed, merging Group A and Group C from the first round of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, to form Group E.

The Tall Blacks play Iran, Syria and Jordan in their remaining six games of qualifying, a top three place in Group E securing their ticket to the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.

Currently, the Tall Blacks sit a win outside of third spot, with Iran and Jordan equal on 11 points in the group. Australia sit on top of Group E, unbeaten on 12 points, with the Philippines and Syria below New Zealand with 8 points each.

Window 4 of FIBA World Cup Qualifying will be hosted in the Philippines, where the Tall Blacks will take on Iran (August 28) and Syria (August 30), with both games scheduled to tip-off at 4pm (AEST).

New Zealand Tall Blacks squad

Flynn Cameron
Tobias Cameron
Carlin Davison
Shea Ili
Sam Mennenga
Jordan Ngatai
Reuben Te Rangi
Sam Timmins
Sam Waardenburg
Corey Webster
Tai Webster
Luca Yates

New Zealand Tall Blacks fixtures

New Zealand v Iran
Friday, August 28
Mall of Asia, Phillipines

New Zealand v Syria
Sunday, August 30
Mall of Asia, Phillipines