Former NZ Tall Black Andrew Clarke in town for FIBA OQT

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Former NZ Tall Black Andrew Clarke in town for FIBA OQT

by rick olivares

Paul Henare and Pero Cameron aren’t the only former players of Philippines coach Tab Baldwin in Manila. Henare and Cameron are now coaching the New Zealand national team. The other former Baldwin Tall Black is 6’7” Andrew Parke, who played power forward for New Zealand in 1995 and from 1998-99 and for National Basketball League sides North Harbour and Otago. 

Since he hung up his hightops after the 2010 season, the Auckland-based Parke has busied himself with Fuzion Travel, an agency that organizes tours for Kiwis who wish to follow the Tall Blacks’ campaigns all over the world.

“We didn’t get much of a group for this trip to Manila,” said Parke. “They are missing a lot. Especially after that massive win over the Philippines.”

New Zealand stunned the home team, 89-80, to enter the semifinals of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila. “That must have been a difficult win to take for Paul and Pero since they also played for Tab,” surmised Parke. “Tab built that program and if there was anyone who was familiar with what he was going to do it was Paul and Pero. The players are attuned to the system of Tab unlike the Philippines team that I understand is new."

“The Philippine team if they continue with Tab’s program will get better. It didn’t happen overnight for us.”

“It was a different time when I was playing we used to subsidize our travel. We didn’t have enough games in Europe as we concentrated at home. It’s changing now."