Troy Baxter Jr. (Import)

Position: Forward

Height: 206cm

Born: 5 March, 1996

High School: Oldsmar Christian High School, Florida

Previous NBL clubs – Canterbury Rams (2023)

Baxter scored 20 points on debut for the NBL championship winning Rams in 2023 and averaged 17.2 points and 5.1 rebound per game. Scored a season high 29 points against the Hawks in the 2023 Final Six Play-In game.

Played NCAA Division I basketball at three colleges. Played his freshman year at Nevada – Las Vegas followed by a year at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Spent his final two years at Morgan State University where he averaged 15.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in his senior year (2020-21) where the Bears advanced to the Mid-Eastern Conference Championship game.

Played in the NBA Summer League in 2021 for the Chicago Bulls then in the G League for Windy City Bulls, Wisconsin Herd, Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

Has played in Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Lebanon, Mongolia, Bulgaria and most recently at Club Trouville Montevideo in Uruguay.

Lachlan Crate

Position: Guard

Height: 198cm

Born: 23 January, 2007

Junior Association: Manawatu

High School: Fielding High School

Previous NBL clubs – Jets (2023-present)

The Fielding High School student played 6 games for the Jets in 2023.

Crate was part of the New Zealand silver medal winning team at the 2023 FIBA U16 Asian Championship in Qatar. Averaged 15.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and scored 23 points in the semi-final win against China. Named to the All-Star Five at the tournament.

Griffyn Duerkersen-Kapao

Position: Guard

Height: 183cm

Born: 22 February, 2005

Junior Association: Manawatu

High School: Palmerston North Boys High School and St Bernard’s College, Wellington (2023)

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Was the sixth highest scorer at the 2023 Secondary Schools National Championships, playing for St Bernard’s College, averaging 24 points per game – had 30-point outings against St John’s College, St Bede’s College and Dilworth School.

Has progressed through the Manawatu age group teams.

Thomas Gold

Position: Guard

Height: 200 cm

Born: 18 February, 1999

Junior Association: Wellington

High School: Hutt International Boys School/Tawa College

Previous NBL clubs – Wellington Saints (2021-22)

Played 16 games over two seasons with the Saints.

The eldest of the three talented Gold brothers. Ben, at Marquette University, has played 6 games for the Tall Blacks while Sam is at Milligan University.

Named to the Tournament Team at the 2021 U23 National Championships.

Mustapha Heron (Import)

Position: Guard

Height: 196cm

Born: 12 December, 1997

High School: Sacred Heart High School, Connecticut

Previous NBL clubs – Jets (2023-present)

Returns to the Jets after playing 16 games for Manawatu in 2023 – averaged 21.1ppg with a season best 32 points against the Rams.

A 5-star recruit to Auburn University (NCAA Division I) in 2016. Scored in double figures in every game but one in his freshman year.

Transferred to St John’s University for his final two collegiate years. Averaged 13.8 points per game in his senior year.

Has since played in the United Kingdom, Hungary, Iceland, for Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA G League and most recently in Qatar for Al Rayynn Doha.

In the UK he played for Leicester Raiders, the 2021 British League regular season champions.

Prior to college was selected to play in the 2016 All-American High School game where he was selected co-MVP with future NBA player Lonzo Ball.

Liam Judd

Position: Forward

Height: 196cm

Born: 27 July, 2001

Junior Association: Waitakere West

High School: Rangitoto College

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Scored a season high 22 points against the Sharks on his NBL debut in the opening round of the 2023 season. Played all 18 games averaging 7.1 points per game.

Played for the Jets at the 2023 3×3 Cup.

Played for North Harbour at the U23 National Championships in 2022 and 2023. Named to the Tournament Team after scoring 23 points in the Grand Final loss to Taranaki in 2023. 

Jonty Kells

Position: Guard

Height: 192cm

Born: 2 September, 2005

Junior Association: Manawatu

High School: Palmerston North Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – rookie

Debuted against the Sharks in the opening round of the 2024 season.

Led the Palmerston North Boys High scoring at the 2023 Secondary Schools National Championships averaging 16.3ppg.

Simon Lafaele

Position: Forward

Height: 196cm

Born: 22 July, 2000

Junior Association: Canterbury

High School: St John’s College, Hamilton

Previous NBL Clubs – Manawatu Jets (2023-present)

Scored 6 points against the Sharks on his NBL debut in the opening round of the 2023 season – played a further 5 games in his rookie season.

Played for the Airs at the 2022 Schick 3×3 Cup.

Named to the Tournament Team at the 2018 Secondary Schools National Championships after standout performances for St John’s College.

Hikaia Lambert

Position: Small Forward

Height: 193cm

Born: 26 October, 2005

Junior Association: Manawatu

High School: Manukura

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Made his NBL debut against the Franklin Bulls in Round 3 of NBL ‘24.

Was the Manukura School’s leading scorer at the ‘A’ Secondary Schools National Championships in 2023 averaging 18.9 points per game.

Manukura were bronze medalists with Lambert named to the Tournament Team.

Has progressed through the Manawatu age-group system.

Son of former player Stacey Lambert who played nine seasons for the Jets.

James Moors

Position: Forward

Height: 206cm

Born: 10 February, 2000

High School: Westlake Boys High School

Highest Honour: Junior Tall Blacks

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Graduated from Colorado State University in 2023 after making 92 appearances for the Rams. Those 92 games ranks him 20th on the list of Men’s NCAA Division 1 games played by a Kiwi. 

Then played for Brisbane Capitals where he averaged 14 points per game in NBL1 North.

Played the 2023-24 European season for Dutch club LWD Basket Leeuwarden.

Lukah Richards

Position: Forward

Height: 201cm

Born: 17 October, 2004

Junior Association: Kapiti Coast

High School: Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rito, Õtaki

Previous NBL clubs – Manawatu Jets (2023-present)

Played 5 games for the Jets in 2023 – averaged 3.6ppg with a highest score of 7 points against the Southland Sharks.

Zavier Pearn

Position: Guard

Height: 191cm

Born: 7 April, 2003

Junior Association: Manawatu

High School: Palmerston North Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Manawatu Jets (2021)

Played 3 games for the Jets in 2021.

Played for Massey University in 2022.

Campbell Scott

Position: Guard

Height: 185cm

Born: 18 March, 2004

Junior Association: Manawatu

High School: Fielding High School

Previous NBL clubs – Southland Sharks (2022), Manawatu Jets (2023-present)

Scored 6 points against the Sharks on his Jets debut in the opening round of the 2023 season – his first NBL points. Went on to average 4.6ppg in 17 appearances.

Played for the Jets at the 2023 3×3 Cup.

Scott was a Development Player for the Southland Sharks in 2022 – played 2 games.

Named to the New Zealand U18 National Team squad in 2022.

Dov Silberstein

Position: Guard

Height: 189cm

Born: 11 January, 2007

Junior Association: Wellington

High School: Wellington College

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Named MVP at the 2023 Secondary Schools National Championships. Scored 17 points in Wellington College’s Grand Final win against Waimea College.

Played for New Zealand at the 2022 FIBA Oceania Championships in Guam.

Jackson Stent

Position: Forward

Height: 203cm

Born: 2 October, 1997

Junior Association: Canterbury

High School: Westlake Boys HS/Middleton Grange

Previous NBL clubs – Canterbury Rams (2015 and 2022), Manawatu Jets (2023-present)

Played 7 games for the Rams in 2021 before suffering a season ending shoulder injury. In 2023 played 17 games for the Jets – scored a season high 9 points against the Sharks in the opening game of the season.

Played for the Jets at the 2023 3×3 Cup.

Played at Nicholls State University and Casper College before completing his collegiate time at Houston Baptist University (NCAA Division I) from 2018-20 playing 54 games for the Huskies.

In the 2021-22 season Stent was Graduate Manager – Operations at Houston Baptist.

Natu Taufale (Head Coach)

Matt Te Huna (Assistant Coach)

Tiatoa Temata-Frost (Assistant Coach)