Zion Anderson

Position: Wing

Height: 192cm

Born: 21 March, 2004

Junior Association: North Harbour

High School: Rosmini College

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

In 2023 won a New Zealand Secondary Schools 3×3 National Championship with Rosmini College and played for Harbour at the U23 National Championships.

Led the Rosmini College scoring at the 2023 Secondary Schools National Championships averaging 20.5ppg – scored 33 points against Otago Boys High School and Fielding High School.

Jayden Boucher

Position: Forward

Height: 190cm

Born: 30 May, 2001

Junior Association: North Harbour

High School: Rosmini College

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Boucher links up again with coach Lacey – the pair won back-to-back Secondary Schools National Championships in 2017 and 2018.

In 2023 played for the Whai at the 3×3 Cup and for Harbour at the U23 National Championships.

Son of former Tall Black Dillon Boucher

Jayden Bezzant

Position: Guard

Height: 187cm

Born: 9 January, 1996

Junior Association: Tauranga

High School: St John’s College, Hamilton

Highest Representative Honour – Tall Blacks (debuted 2022)

Previous NBL clubs – Manawatu Jets (2020-21), Bulls (2022-23)

In the 2022 Sal’s NBL season averaged 15.4 points and 4.3 assists per game for the Bulls although his production dropped in 2023 to 6.8 points and 2.7 assists per game.

Scored a career high 31 points against the Nuggets in 2022.

Played one game for the Sky Sport Breakers in December 2022 against Tasmania Jack Jumpers.

Played two season with the Jets helping them to the NBL Showdown Grand Final in 2020.

Played for the New Zealand 3×3 team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

After school gained a four-year scholarship at Northwest Nazarene University (NCAA Division II), graduating in 2020 after playing 91 games for the Nighthawks. Averaged 14.0 points and 3.9 assists per game in his senior year.

Phil Carr (Import)

Position: Forward

Height: 206cm

Born: 20 October, 1995 in Raleigh, North Carolina

High School: Transit Tech High School, Brooklyn, New York

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Following high school played a year at Mohawk Community College before transferring to Williston State University. He then played three years at Morgan State University (NCAA Division I). 

He played 87 games for Morgan State scoring 1,165 points, graduating in 2018.

Carr played in the NBA G League for Westchester Knicks (10 games) and Canton Charge (10 games) in 2018-19.

Subsequently he has played in Slovakia, Sweden, Italy and most recently in Portugal for AD Galomar.

Adam Dunstan

Position: Forward

Height: 203cm

Born: 15 October, 1991

Junior Association: Tauranga City

High School: Tauranga Boys College

Highest Representative Honour – Junior Tall Blacks (2008)

Previous NBL clubs – Franklin Bulls (2020-21)

Played 16 games for the Bulls in 2021 averaging 2.7ppg – scored a season high 10 points against the Hawks.

Led Tauranga Boys College to a Super 8 title in 2008 and was then included in an extended JTB’s squad training for the 2009 U19 FIFA World Cup but broke his wrist in training.

Following a stint at the  Breakers Academy in 2009 and 2010 he attended Otago University

CJ Flavell

Position: Guard

Height: 190cm

Born: 22 October, 2007

Junior Association: Tauranga City

High School: Aquinas College, Tauranga

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

A Year 12 at Aquinas College.

Named to attend the New Zealand U16  National Team Selection Camp in April 2023.

Flavell had a monster 32 points and 18 rebounds for Aquinas College in their 2023 Secondary Schools ‘A’ Grand Final defeat.

Played for Tauranga City at the 2023 U17 National Championships.

Maioro Greensill

Position: Guard

Height: 180cm

Born: 12 September, 2004

Junior Association: Waikato

High School: Ngā Taiātea Wharekura, Hamilton

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Named to the Tournament Team at the 2022 ‘A’ Secondary Schools National Championship. He scored 19 points in the Grand Final loss to Opunake High School.

Nick Hayward

Position: Forward

Height: 195cm

Born: 15 February, 2005

Junior Association: Waikato

High School: St John’s College, Hamilton

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Played for the New Zealand team at the 2023 FIBA 3×3 U17 Asian Cup in Kuala Lumpar.

Top scored (27 points) for Waikato in the 2022 U17 National Championships Grand Final loss to Canterbury (96-94)  – Named to the Tournament Team.

Mahnaya Heke

Position: Guard

Height: 189cm

Born: 12 February, 2006

Junior Association: Waikato

High School: St John’s College/Rotorua Boys High School

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Averaged 9.8 points per game for the silver medal winning New Zealand team at the 2023 FIBA U17 Oceania Championships in Papua New Guinea.

Named to the Tournament Team at the 2023 Aon U17 National Championships playing for bronze medalists Waikato.

Averaged 10.1ppg for St John’s College at the 2023 Secondary Schools National championships. Had a top score of 22 points against Waikato rivals Hamilton Boys High School. Has moved to Rotorua Boys High for his final school year.

Carter Hopoi

Position: Forward

Height: 205cm

Born: 14 April, 2006

Junior Association: Tauranga City

High School: Mount Maunganui College

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Averaged 11.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the silver medal winning New Zealand team at the 2023 FIBA U17 Oceania Championships in Papua New Guinea.

Averaged 18.8ppg for Mount Maunganui College at the 2023 Secondary Schools National championships. Had a top score of 30 points against Wellington College.

Father David Hopoi is a former NBL player who was also a Development player with the Breakers in their inaugural season in 2003-04.

Demarcus Holland (Import)

Position: Guard

Height: 190cm

Born: 2 March, 1994 in Tyler, Texas

High School: Naaman Forest High School, Garland Texas

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Following an outstanding career at the University of Texas where he played 133 games for the Longhorns before graduating in 2016. Was named to the Big 12 Conference All-Defensive Team in 2014. Also won the Longhorns Defensive Player Award in three of his four years on the team.

Between 2017 and 2019 Holland played in the NBA G League for the South Bay Lakers (63 games) and in the NBA Summer League for the LA Lakers (10 games).

Subsequently he has played in Finland, Germany, Mozambique, Canada and most recently (2023) in Venezuela. 

Also played 43 games for 2022 NBA G League Finalists Delaware Bluecoats in 2022. 

Vance Jackson Jr. (Import)

Position: Forward

Height: 206cm

Born: 20 August, 1997 in Pasadena, California

High School: St John Bosco High School, Bellflower, California

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Most recently played in the G League making 6 appearances for the Salt Lake City Stars.

Since leaving college in 2022 he has also played in Qatar and the Dominican Republic.

Jackson’s five year NCAA Division I collegiate career saw him play at four universities. It began with a freshman season at the University of Connecticut followed by two years at the University of New Mexico. His junior year was at the University of Arkansas where the Razorbacks enjoyed a deep run at the NCAA Tournament before losing to Baylor in an Elite Eight matchup. 

His senior season (2021-22) was at East Carolina University where he averaged 13.1 points and 6 rebounds in 30 games for the Pirates.

Te Tuhi Lewis

Position: Guard

Height: 195cm

Born: 10 May, 2003

Junior Association: Waikato

High School: Nga Taiatea Wharekura and then Te Aroha College

Previous NBL clubs – Franklin Bulls (2022-23)

Played 15 games for the Bulls in 2023 scoring a career high 13 points against Auckland Tuatara. Had a 41% 3-point percentage making 9 from 22 attempts.

Played for Whai at the 2023 3×3 Cup in Invercargill.

Xanda Marsters

Position: Guard

Height: 188cm

Born: 15 February, 2006

Junior Association: Rotorua

High School: Rotorua Boys High School

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Selected to the New Zealand team to attend the 2023 FIBA U17 Oceania Championships in Papua New Guinea but was forced to withdraw due to injury.

Led the Rotorua Boys High School scoring at the 2023 Secondary Schools National Championships averaging 27.0ppg – scored 46 points against Christ’s College.

Murphy Rodgers

Position: Guard

Height: 191cm

Born: 27 May, 2005

Junior Association: Wellington

High School: Wellington  College

Previous NBL Clubs – Rookie

Captained the Wellington College team that won the 2023 Secondary Secondary Schools National Championship. Led the scoring for Wellington in the Grand Final win against Waimea College – named to the Tournament Team.

Maxim Stephens

Position: Forward

Height: 206cm

Born: 26 October, 2000

Junior Association: Waikato

High School: Hamilton Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Rookie

Highest Representative Honour – Junior Tall Blacks (2019)

Stephens links with the Whai after a five year collegiate career at Rocky Mountain College (NAIA Division 1). Played 97 games with 72 starts for the Battlin’ Bears and scored 1,212 career points. 

In 2022-23 was named to the Frontier All-Conference First Team after averaging 14.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

In 2019 played alongside Whai teammates Sam Mennenga and Kruz Perrott-Hunt (plus Flynn Cameron, Max Darling and James Moors) for the Junior Tall Blacks at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Greece.

Following high school, in 2018-19, Stephens played club basketball for MTV Kronberg in Germany. 

Son of former Tall Black Neil Stephens.

Kruz Perrott-Hunt

Position: Guard

Height: 190cm

Born: 23 November, 2000

Junior Association: North Harbour

High School: Rosmini College

Highest Representative Honour – Tall Blacks (Debuted 2018)

Previous NBL Clubs – Nelson Giants (2019), Auckland Tuatara (2023)

Played 9 games for the Tuatara in 2023 – averaged 6.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game with a top score of 13 points on two occasions. Career high is 18 points against the Saints in 2019.

Has played 9 games for the Tall Blacks.

Enjoyed an outstanding 4-year career at the University of South Dakota scoring 1,104 points in 108 games for the Coyotes. Kirk Penney, Callum McRae, Tai Webster, Craig Bradshaw and Flynn Cameron are the only other Kiwis to have scored over 1,000 points in NCAA Division I Men’s basketball.

Averaged a team high 14.3 points per game in his senior year (2022-23). Shot 42% (58/137) from beyond the 3-point arc and 84% (66/79) from the free-throw line.

Prior to college won back to back Secondary Schools National Championships with Rosmini College (2017 and 2018).

Jett Thompson

Position: Guard

Height: 188cm

Born: 25 February, 2003

Junior Association: North Harbour

High School: Westlake Boys High School

Previous NBL clubs – Franklin Bulls (2021-22), Otago Nuggets (2020)

Highest Representative Honour – NZ U17 Team (2018)

Played for South Australian club Noarlunga City Southern Tigers in NBL1 Central in 2023 averaging 9.8 points and 3.7 assists in 17 appearances.

Played for North Harbour at the 2023 U23 National Championships – named to the Tournament Team.

Joined the 2020 NBL championship winning Nuggets team in 2020 as an injury replacement making a single appearance against Manawatu Jets. Then played 33 games for the Bulls over two seasons – had a career best 12 points on two occasions in 2021.

Played for NZ at the 2018 FIBA U15 Oceania Championship in Port Moresby where New Zealand beat Australia 59-57 in pool play.

Matt Lacey (Head Coach)