The Sky Sport Tall Ferns depart for Jordan this evening (Tuesday 14 September) bound for the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, thus embarking on their first international basketball campaign since November 2019.

The 12-player team includes the Platinum Homes Harbour Breeze players Brooke Blair, Penina Davidson and Ashleigh Karaitiana. It’s double celebration time for Brooke as she also got married at the weekend – congratulations Brooke.

The squad has been reduced from 14 to 12, with two other Breeze players Ash Kelman-Poto and Micaela Cocks missing out on the trip. Ash is still rehabbing from ankle surgery, while the COVID-19 impact on the tour, including quarantine on the way home, means Micaela will remain behind with her young family. 

Head Coach Guy Molloy says the team can’t wait to finally pull on the black jersey again.

“As you may imagine, it’s been logistically challenging pulling this tour together given the way of the world, but now it’s here I can say we’re ready to go. A lot of preparation has gone into getting to this point, and I can’t wait to see the team get out on the floor for the first time in nearly a year.”

The Tall Ferns target for the Asia Cup is to finish in the top four to qualify for the 2022 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament.

Molloy is aware that it’s no easy task.

“This is the region’s premier event, every team there has worked hard to be there and will be taking it extremely seriously. Our group is a challenging one, Japan and Korea have won the Asia Cup more than any two teams ever, they have tremendous support behind them but so do we. We’re excited to take them on.”

The Sky Sports Tall Ferns FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Squad

• Brooke Blair – Brisbane Capitals
• Tessa Boagni – Alloyfold Canterbury Wildcats
• Penina Davidson – Melbourne Boomers/Nunawading Spectres
• Mary Goulding – Bendigo Spirit/East Perth Eagles
• Lauryn Hippolite – Alloyfold Canterbury Wildcats
• Ash Karaitiana – Melbourne Boomers/Southern District Spartans
• Charlisse Leger-Walker – Washington State University/Waikato Wizards
• Krystal Leger-Walker – Washington State University/Waikato Wizards
• Chevannah Paalvast – Bendigo Spirit/Logan Thunder
• Kalani Purcell – Sydney Uni Flames/Southern District Spartans
• Zoe Richards – Otago Gold Rush/Rockingham Flames
• Ash Taia – Canberra Capitals/Logan Thunder

Drawn in Group A alongside Japan, Korea and India, the Tall Ferns need to finish in the top three in their group to have a chance to make it to the semi-final. Ranked 36th in the world, they are 34 places above group rivals India (70th), and behind Korea (19th) and Japan (8th).

Once they have arrived in Jordan, the team will settle into a training camp from 15-24 Sept, before the official FIBA Women’s Asia Cup bubble opens.

The tournament gets underway on Monday 27 September.