This week's training camp for the Tall Ferns in Auckland will wrap up with a showcase match tomorrow night ahead of the NZNBL Final, but it's not just new skills picked up this week that will be on display.
Players Mary Goulding and Charlisse Leger-Walker and assistant coach Jody Cameron told TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning there has been a focus this week on team culture as well with plenty of youthful prospects featuring in the 24-strong training camp squad.
"It's been a little bit different to usual," Goulding said.
"There's been a lot of new players, a lot of young players but really it's been a lot of fun just to get out and play basketball and be competitive with the top New Zealand players."
Leger-Walker added: "It's been a lot of learning, obviously, because we do have a lot of new players coming in, and just trying to teach them both the on-court stuff but also one of our big focuses is the culture of the Tall Ferns."
Tomorrow night's match will see the squad split into two 12-player teams named Team Beck and Team Davidson - named after Stella Beck and Penina Davidson, the two oldest members of the squad.
The two teams will be coached by assistant coaches Cameron and Aik Ho after head coach Guy Molloy spent the week chiming in via online conferences because he is stuck in Australia currently due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Cameron said she wants players to show off everything they've learned tomorrow night.
"You want the girls to leave knowing they have integrity around their training when they're not in view of us and they can see their future after having this experience in camp and knowing that we want them to come back as a better player and a better person.
"It's a showcase of all the talent we have coming through... so it's a great opportunity for them."
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