Tall Ferns head coach Natalie Hurst has named an extended squad of 18 players in contention for the FIBA Women’s World Cup Pre-Qualifier tournament in Mexico.
The selected players will attend a Tall Ferns camp from August 2-12 in San Francisco, with Kiwi Olivia Williams, who attends the University of California-Irvine also part of this camp as a train-on player.
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The Tall Ferns squad will also play a pair of exhibition games against a WPBA Stars team on August 8-9.
Following that a final squad of 12 will be selected for the Pre-Qualifiers in Mexico City from August 19-25, with the Tall Ferns set to play Mexico, Montenegro and Mozambique in Group B.
If the Tall Ferns win the tournament, they will qualify for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments in 2026.
The extended squad includes eight players capped at Tall Ferns senior national team level in McKenna Dale, Penina Davidson, Ella Fotu, Pahlyss Hokianga, Esra McGoldrick, Tera Reed, Ritorya Tamilo and Lauren Whittaker; with Eva Langton and Tara Manumaleuga also recently playing a pair of friendly games in Japan, as part of a Tall Ferns Select team.
There are currently eight playing at college level in the USA, while seven others are active in NBL1 in Australia.
Bailey Flavell and Hokianga are recent returnees from the FIBA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Mexico, while both Dominique Stephens and Maia Jones are currently representing New Zealand at the FIBA U-23 3x3 Nations League in Kuala Lumpur.
TALL FERNS EXTENDED SQUAD
Ella Bradley, University of Texas-Tyler (USA)
McKenna Dale, Tauranga Whai
Penina Davidson, Keilor Thunder (NBL1)
Bailey Flavell, Harbour Basketball
Ella Fotu, Perth Eastern Suns (NBL1)
Pahlyss Hokianga, Basketball Hawke’s Bay
Maia Jones, Saint Mary’s Gaels (USA)
Eva Langton, Norwood Flames (NBL1)
Esra McGoldrick, Casey Cavaliers (NBL1)
Tara Manumaleuga, Texas Christian University (USA)
Tera Reed, Keilor Thunder (NBL1)
Kaylee Smiler, BYU Cougars (USA)
Dominique Stephens, Rocky Mountain Bears (USA)
Ashlee Strawbridge, West Adelaide Bearcats (NBL1)
Ritorya Tamilo, University of Hawaii (USA)
Ella Tofaeono, Townsville Flames (NBL1)
Charlotte Whittaker, University of Colorado (USA)
Lauren Whittaker, Gonzaga University (USA)
TALL FERNS SCHEDULE
FIBA Women’s World Cup Pre-Qualifier tournament, Mexico
vs Montenegro, 11.30am NZT, Tuesday, August 20
vs Mexico, 2.30pm NZT, Thursday, August 22
Vs Mozambique, 11.30am NZT, Friday, August 23
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