00:07PTV Sports is coming to PTV Sports today with us live here in the studio, Team New Zealand is on
00:12the ball out.
00:14Welcome to the show, Ravon Simpkins, Man Baldin, Jagahith, and Nakoho Papuni.
00:21Good morning and welcome to the show.
00:24Good morning guys.
00:25And welcome to the Philippines. Is this your first time here in the Philippines?
00:28My first time. I've been here on a number of occasions, but my second time for basketball.
00:33Second time for basketball. How about for you guys, Val?
00:36This is my second time. So I came last year for Manila Live. So this is my second time for
00:41basketball.
00:42Nice.
00:44This is my second time for basketball, but I come here for a holiday with my family.
00:49For Ravon?
00:50This is my first time here, so it will be a good experience.
00:54Now you will be joining the Ball Out Friendship Games. Can you tell us more about this?
01:00Yeah, just an amazing initiative by Mr. Chris Batista in collaboration with Coach Manuhok, who's a bit of a legend
01:09here in Gilas Basketball.
01:11It's really about, you know, making the world small when it comes to basketball. Obviously, it's the national sport in
01:17the Philippines as we understand it.
01:19And it's a very spectacular sport for our young people back home in Aotearoa, New Zealand. So we're just really
01:26privileged to be here.
01:27I understand you guys just arrived on Saturday, but it's good to know that you guys are quite familiar with
01:32the Philippines already.
01:34Tell me a little bit about what do you think the difference is with regards to, like,
01:38Philippine basketball and New Zealand basketball in terms of the culture, in terms of the fanfare.
01:45So for me, one of the biggest things when it comes to differences between New Zealand basketball and Filipino basketball
01:52is just physicality.
01:53And you've probably heard a lot from a lot of people that Filipino basketball is really, really physical.
01:59So it is quite of a change when we come from New Zealand basketball and then come over here and
02:05play this style.
02:07I think I have to be the same with Val. I think the physicality is something that's the difference between
02:15New Zealand basketball.
02:16I think also the team culture is also different. Being able to, like, experience it firsthand.
02:22I think the physicality is something that us as a team were able to adapt to quickly.
02:27What's the difference between team culture?
02:28Team culture? I think there's a lot of brotherhood here in the Philippines.
02:33Being able to play against lots of teams so far. For example, we've played against NU.
02:38And it was actually a good experience being able to play alongside my team and play UTM.
02:45How did that game go? It was pretty good. We lost by six, I think.
02:50So we were able to hold our own in that game. We were able to play against one of the
02:56MVP, Timothy Okowe, I think.
03:00Yeah, yeah. It was a good experience then, yeah?
03:02A hundred percent.
03:03Fantastic. Yourself, Ramon?
03:05Yeah, definitely the physicality as well, but it's definitely higher pace here in the Philippines.
03:10So, yeah, it'll be good to play against some Filipino basketball players.
03:16Yeah.
03:17Now, you mentioned about the physicality of the style of basketball here in the Philippines.
03:22But what do you think is the biggest strength that the team New Zealand will offer against our Filipino team?
03:34And I mean this with all due respect, and that's probably hopefully going to be size.
03:38But yeah, hopefully we can out-rebound them, get to the rim on them, and then sort of get to
03:44the free throw line as much as we possibly can.
03:48But yeah.
03:49I think being able to execute our game plan better than they do would help us achieve probably a better
03:57outcome for our game.
03:59I feel like if we're able to just stay strong on defense and stick to the system, I think we'll
04:04do all right.
04:06Yeah, no, just size, you know, getting to the hoop, getting to the free throw line, yeah, I think they'll
04:12play a big part in winning.
04:14Coach, just hearing from them, it feels like you've communicated your game plan very well.
04:19Right.
04:20This is, is it to the T? Have they done it well?
04:24Absolutely, absolutely.
04:25I was actually just taking it back a little bit with how precise they were with their recall.
04:31But nah, in all honesty, like, I think, yeah, we are coming here to compete in the game of basketball.
04:38I suppose the difference is, you know, we probably just have another style of game.
04:43It's probably our point of difference.
04:46So, yeah, slowing it down to our pace is probably going to be helpful.
04:50But, you know, at the end of the day, I think you'll find that there's going to be two teams
04:55out there every time that are wanting to just go at each other.
04:57So, you know, we've got to just remain disciplined.
05:00Now, Coach, I'm very curious because how did you prepare for this upcoming tournament knowing you'd be facing unfamiliar opponents?
05:07Yeah, yeah. I think last year was a big stepping stone for us coming over, being involved with that tournament.
05:13In terms of what we do back home, we've just finished off our summer.
05:17So these guys have been putting in some yards and they're in strengthening and conditioning.
05:21Obviously, coming here, it's a different type of humidity.
05:24But they're pretty clued up, you know, very agile.
05:28They can adjust quite quickly to game plans, which is very helpful.
05:31And I think like what Jed was talking about, you know, being Māori coming from our country, we can pretty
05:39much go anywhere in the world and just bond and get on with the job.
05:43So, first game is today. How excited are you guys to get started in this competition?
05:50And can you tell us a little bit about how long it's going to be and who else you guys
05:53are facing?
05:54But let's start with the first one, like excitement levels heading into today's first game.
06:00For me, it's super exciting, super exciting.
06:03There's a reason why I did come back to the Philippines.
06:06It wasn't because I had to, it was because I wanted to.
06:09So I fell in love with the Filipino style, you know, they compete to a very high level.
06:13And that's what I'm all about, is competing to my best of my ability.
06:17So yeah, just competing is what I'm most excited for.
06:24I'm pretty excited as well, but pretty confident in my ability to play.
06:28I think being able to just do what I need to do on the court, just help my team out,
06:33I think that'll be alright.
06:35Oh yeah, nerve-wracking.
06:38Yeah, first time obviously and just getting to experience the international level.
06:42But more, it's pretty good.
06:45Now aside from winning, definitely that's your goal.
06:49But what do you hope to learn from competing here in the Philippines, Coach?
06:55Just being able to adapt, you see, I think it was only a few weeks ago when the Tall Blacks
07:01New Zealand men's team took on the Filipino Gilas.
07:04Don't remind us, Coach.
07:05Wow, you know.
07:06Come on.
07:07You don't need to rub it in.
07:08No, no, no, no rubbing in at all.
07:10It's just, you know, our young men look up to our national players in the same way that I would
07:16imagine the young Filipino men look up to Gilas.
07:19So, you know, for us, learning from that gives our young people, I suppose, a foundation in terms of what
07:25they need to work towards.
07:27The contest out there just looks brutal.
07:31And I think this would be a good eye-opener for us going forward.
07:35Definitely, definitely.
07:37How many games are you guys playing over the course of the tournament?
07:40How long are you guys here for?
07:42Yeah, so we've got seven games locked in.
07:45Wow.
07:45Wow.
07:47And an exhibition game, we'll top it off with post-tournament.
07:51The Filipino family, people in basketball are amazing.
07:56Okay.
07:56Very kind.
07:58Very humble.
07:59Very kind.
08:00Very giving of time.
08:01So, for us, we head out a Sunday evening.
08:04But whilst we're here, we're really at the service of our friendships that are here, the relationships.
08:11One, to serve with regards to the game of basketball, the tournament for All Out International.
08:17But also, culture for us is really important.
08:20The history of the Philippines is amazing.
08:22It's actually quite, it's very provoking.
08:26But in saying that, you know, we're here for the game.
08:30Hopefully, we get to try some more food.
08:32That John is just something else.
08:34But also, just the culture of the people is very similar synergies to our people back home.
08:41With that, I just want to ask, how important are tournaments like this in developing players
08:47and strengthening basketball connections between countries?
08:50I think it's pivotal.
08:52It's absolutely important that those of us that are in the game, the coaching fraternity,
08:58player fraternity, we're all really availing ourselves to build these connections.
09:02The world's so much smaller now.
09:04You can jump in a plane and get over here to Manila.
09:07Just for a basketball tournament, go back 10 years, it was very challenging.
09:11So, in terms of, I suppose, bringing the world together, potentially, and it's my hope as well,
09:18along with Coach Chris and Coach Manu, that the Philippines can be almost like a center point
09:23for bringing in international teams from all around the world.
09:27And we'll definitely keep coming.
09:30Spectacular.
09:31You guys arrived on Saturday night.
09:32You guys leave on Sunday.
09:34Seven games of basketball.
09:36It's going to be quite a whirlwind for you gentlemen.
09:39So, good luck.
09:40And do you guys have a message to any of our Filipino fans who are looking forward to seeing you
09:46guys compete?
09:46Let's start this out.
09:48Just be sure to come on down and support.
09:51I love when there's supporters and it's obviously one thing that I did forget to mention about the difference
09:57with Filipino and New Zealand style basketball is the support that Filipino teams get is just like no other.
10:05It's unreal, especially for just kids playing as well.
10:10We don't quite get that same sort of energy and support from crowds and stuff like that that you can
10:15get in the Philippines.
10:17So, yeah, be sure to turn up because I love that type of stuff.
10:20Shout out.
10:21I think I'll go with the same thing as well.
10:23I think the support is something that's big in here in the Philippines, New Zealand.
10:27It's here and there, but in the Philippines there's a lot.
10:29Just from watching the social media, you can see that there's a lot of support from each individual and the
10:34teams that play here in the Philippines.
10:37It'll be good.
10:38It'll be good.
10:38I'll come support some high level and intense games and also for the Filipinos as well to see some of
10:44us play, like other countries come.
10:47Yeah, it'll be good.
10:49I think we're under no illusion.
10:51We're going to walk into a healthy, hostile environment, but we love that.
10:55We love that that's the passion of the givers, the Filipino people, because on the court, you know, we're going
11:02to go at it.
11:02Off the court, I'm sure we're going to build some amazing relationships and friendships, which I think is going to
11:07help the game going forward.
11:10Fantastic.
11:11With that, we would like to thank everybody, your team, New Zealand, for gracing our show this morning and hope
11:19that they will win.
11:21Good luck to you gentlemen.
11:23Salamat po.
11:24Salamat po.
11:24Salamat po.
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