The New Zealand Maori have named strong sides for the FIBA Oceania Pacific Championships in Porirua beginning on November 28.
The women's side has a seasoned look, although Tall Ferns and Otago guard Samara Gallaher is the sole survivor from the team which was defeated by Australia in the final four years ago.
Former internationals Aroha Jennings and Chelsea Terei will also feature on the roster for the opening game against Papua New Guinea on November 28.
Men's coach Jeff Green is not making the mistake of under-estimating the basketball strength of the Pacific Islands.
In 2009, he was in charge of the New Zealand emerging Tall Blacks side which went to the last championships in Saipan, Northern Marianas. The side lost to Australia in the semifinals and was then beaten by Guam in the bronze-medal game.
''I'm not going with a young team like Saipan,'' Green said.
''That was the first thing I said when they asked me to coach - I wasn't going to pick a group of young guys.''
The team will hopefully be headed by Tall Blacks point guard Lindsay Tait.
Green is having to take a wait-and-see attitude with his star, who missed the national team programme this year with a broken thumb, and this week broke a bone in his wrist after being named to captain the Maori.
''I feel bad for Lindsay, because he's been very loyal to the Maori programme,'' Green says.
''He's getting a second opinion and I want to give him every chance to play if he can.''
Former Tall Black Troy McLean is likely to to be handed the leadership reins if Tait is rule out.
The squad also features veteran campaigners Aaron Bailey-Nowell, James Parangatai and Puke Lenden.
The Maori men face Samoa first up on November 28.
New Zealand Maori Squads
Men: Aaron Bailey-Nowell, Lindsay Tait, Randall Bishop, Phillip Green, James Paringatai, Dennis Tawhiti, Troy MacLean, Daniel Green, Ross Taurima, Puke Lenden
Women: Kyler Parai, Samara Gallaher, Aroha Jennings, Arielle Parai, Erica Hopkinson, Laykin Paenga, Chelsea Terei, Natasha Lenden, Jaimee-Lee Tito, Maia Watene
