Bay teens selected for NZ Junior Tall Blacks squad

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Kahuranaki Treacher and Ezrah Eagle have been selected for the NZ Junior Tall Blacks squad.

Bay teens Kahuranaki Treacher and Ezrah Eagle have both been named as members of the NZ Junior Tall Blacks squad.

“I’m just honoured to have the opportunity to represent the country,” Eagle said.

“It’s a pretty crazy feeling to be able to wear the black jersey on the international stage,” Treacher said.

“I’m really excited about it.”

Basketball New Zealand named its squad of 12 for the men’s under-17 team that will head over to Papua New Guinea in October this year to compete in the Oceania Cup.

It’s a big honour for both Eagle and Treacher, who first met in the Hawke’s Bay U-13B team, where they formed a solid friendship.

“Ezrah is my brother from another mother!” Treacher said.

“We’ve been friends for ages. I can’t wait to play with Ezrah, he’s the person I’m most excited to play with. Just knowing how far we’ve come is so surreal.”

Treacher came from the Hawke’s Bay U-13C team before being promoted to the U-13B team, in which he first played with Eagle.

“Back then, I was taller than him, so to see him shoot up [to] tower over me now was definitely a surprise, but [it’s] really cool to see how he’s developed on the court - his skill set has just skyrocketed,” Eagle said.

They played in every age group team together, making the Hawke’s Bay U-15A team for three years as well as playing in the Junior A at Hastings Boys’ High School.

But the duo’s four-year playing streak came to an end when Treacher went to Auckland Grammar School and, shortly afterwards, Eagle went to Dilworth School in Auckland, both boys making the move to the big city to open up more opportunities for them in the sport.

“It’s a huge sacrifice for us as a whānau,” Eagle’s mum Amanda said.

“I miss him; the other kids miss him heaps. But when you look at his game now, you see how he’s being pushed, and I don’t know if he would be where he is now if he didn’t make the move.”

“We’re all very proud of him,” she says.

Eagle has been exposed to the professional basketball space by being afforded the opportunity to train with the Auckland Tuatara NBL team regularly.

Coming from a netball background, Eagle didn’t know very much at all about basketball when he first started.

“I was taking each year as it came,” he said.

“But definitely over the last couple of years, I’ve done more running and fitness than I’ve ever done before, prioritising that in the off-season.”

Treacher has since made the move to the United States, where he is now entering into his senior year at St Albans School in Washington DC.

There, he was able to get a season of high school basketball under his belt, and also played on the AAU circuit for Team Takeover National.

He was fortunate enough to be selected for the NBA Basketball Without Borders camp in Abu Dhabi, where he was named as part of the All Star team, the top 10 boys from the camp.

Reflecting on his journey so far and now being able to represent his country, Treacher says he’s very grateful for all the opportunities coming his way.

“This sport is my life. I can’t see myself doing anything else, and I’m going to make the NBA one day - that is my big goal.”

Both boys have playing US college ball in their sights. Eagle hopes to attend an Ivy League college, while Treacher is aiming for Division 1.

Eagle says the hard work is paying off and all the sacrifice over the years has been worth it.

“I think our journey is an example of how it doesn’t matter where you come from - if you really put your heart and soul into something and are committed, then you’ll do whatever it takes to get over the line.”

Treacher says his friend has come a long way in his game. “He’s definitely exceeded the bar by a lot. His IQ for the game is elite.”

The duo are excited to be reunited once again on the court, but this time with New Zealand on their chests.

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