The Auckland Tuatara have confirmed their roster for this week’s Westside Blitz pre-season tournament on the West Coast.
An exciting and youthful Tuatara side will get a chance to press claims ahead of the Sal’s NBL and Sky Broadband Rapid League seasons with star signings Rob Loe, Cam Gliddon, Tom Vodanovich, Reuben Te Rangi and Corey Webster all missing.
Vodanovich and Webster remain with their Australian NBL sides in the playoffs while Gliddon is taking a short break after his season just concluded. Te Rangi is due to arrive in Auckland next week while Loe’s wife is expecting the birth of their second child any day.
The group will be led by experienced guard Reuben Fitzgerald, big man Josh Leger and fellow new signing Tukaha Cooper as well as returning players Will Leger and Conor Flanagan.
First year players Jackson Kiss, Aaron Sievert, Jameer Reed, Hunter Te Ratana, Josh Wyllie and Ezrah Eagle will get a chance to impress assistant coaches Sonny Tuaputa and Josiah Maama in the three games against the Nelson Giants, Wellington Saints and Taranaki Airs.
Experienced campaigners Chris McIntosh and Nick Barrow will miss the week due to work commitments while coach Aaron Young is still in Australia with his Perth Wildcats side.
The Tuatara begin the Westside Blitz on Wednesday when they face the Giants at Pulse Energy Recreation Centre in Westport at 5.30pm.
They then meet the Saints at 5.30pm on Thursday at the same venue before heading south to Greymouth on Friday.
The team completes the tournament with a match-up against the Airs from 3.30pm at Westland Recreation Centre in Greymouth.