Unbeknown to them Rob Loe and Rebecca Dew have something unique in common. They both won full international honours whilst still at school and still in their respective Harbour Under 19 rep teams.

I first met Rob Loe ten years ago when he was a gangly year 6 pupil at Hauraki Primary School, already close to 6 feet tall he was the tallest person in the school, teachers included. Little did I know that he was destined to become one of New Zealand’s most distinguished Junior International basketball players. Rob progressed through the junior ranks via TNIS and then on to Westlake BHS, all the time representing Harbour at the various age group levels. Rob remembers his first rep coach at Under 12’s was Robin McIvor and teammates destined to become Harbour rep regulars included Daniel Munday and Zac Fitzgerald.

Mark Jackson was a big influence on his career as for two seasons Mark was both school and rep coach but Rob genuinely believes all his coaches have contributed to his development.

When asked how many National titles he has won he modestly replies “six or seven but I honestly can’t remember.” This is a mighty haul as most players are fortunate if they win one. I reminded him being booed by a section of the crowd in Tauranga after winning the U19 title in 2008. (Those booing were either Harbour haters or simply jealous of the big guy).”I honestly don’t remember that, I try and block out any negatives and focus on the positives” he replied.

The following year 2009 was a positive to put it mildly. At just 17years of age he was the youngest Junior Tall Black at the Under 19 World Champs in Auckland and played with maturity beyond his years. That maturity was recognised by Tall Blacks coach Nenad Vucinic who whipped him into the New Zealand senior team immediately after the World Champs for a European tour and a successful series against the Australian Boomers. It helped Rob greatly that there were four other current or former Harbour players in that Tall Blacks squad but he was “incredibly surprised and honoured to be chosen for the senior national team.”

Later this month Rob embarks on the next phase of his basketball career as he begins a four year scholarship at the University of St Louis, an NCAA Division One school. Loe was lucky enough to have a number of Colleges chasing his signature but eventually chose to play for the Saint Louis Billikens “because I like the coach and I got good vibes about my teammates. It felt like a team unlike some of the other colleges where it felt more like a bunch of individuals” The coach Rob refers to is Rick Majerus, a veteran of 23 seasons who boasts a 479-189 record. Settling into a new environment and team is a challenge Rob is looking forward to with a mixture of anxiety and excitement. He will be helped by having a couple of familiar faces with him at St Louis as Australian U19 players Cody Ellis and Christian Selecich are also on the roster.

“Playing for Harbour was about playing at the next level and competing for a spot against other good players, then pitting your skills against players from other parts of New Zealand” says Loe. Now Rob must prove himself against players from other parts of the world. All at Harbour Basketball wish Rob well, confident he will take the challenges that lie ahead in his considerable stride.

Former Harbour Representative Rebecca Dew has made a brief return to New Zealand during her summer break from study and basketball at the University of Hawaii.

Delighted to be back in NZ Rebecca couldn’t sit still for long and has taken the opportunity to catch up with old friends at Breeze training and the recently completed BBNZ Womens Academy Camp at the YMCA.. “It’s neat to be back and gauge what’s going on and who’s doing what.” says Dew.

Rebecca was home educated and developed her basketball skills under the tutorage of Angela Perrott-Hunt at the YMCA. Breeze coach Perrott-Hunt, who was also her rep coach would love to be able to select Rebecca for the Breeze’s national title challenge in Dunedin next week but unfortunately it can’t be.

Dew last played rep basketball in 2008 when she was a member of the Harbour U19 team, the year she also made her Tall Ferns debut. At 6’3” (191cm) Dew would have been a certainty for the upcoming Tall Ferns tour of Japan but commitments back in Hawaii  have ruled her out of that and also any possibility of playing for the Breeze this season. Rebecca will return for her third year at Hawaii having already made 58 appearances for the Warriors. Last season she averaged 4.8ppg and 4.6rpg, her main goal for the upcoming season being to start every game. It would be nice to think that we haven’t seen the last of Dew in Harbour or NZ colours but only time will tell.

The latest Women’s Academy attracted over 30 athletes from throughout the country. In addition to Dew, Harbour reps Brooke Blair, Petra Erceg, Anna Lacey and Malika Nathan all current or former age group internationals attended the three day camp.

Breeze coach Angela Perrott-Hunt was assistant coach at the Camp.