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    NZ's Samuel excited to share Big Dome floor again with former Archers captain Montalbo

    Taane Samuel excited to play at Big Dome again, face La Salle captain Kib Montalbo
    Feb 27, 2022
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    Taane Samuel says he can't wait to be on the Araneta Coliseum floor again with former Archers skipper Kib Montalbo.
    PHOTO: fiba.basketball

    TAANE Samuel never thought that he'll be back in the Philippines anytime soon.
    After his La Salle stint in UAAP Season 81, the forward decided to return to New Zealand for a fresh start.

    And with three seasons as a pro and a New Zealand National Basketball League (NZ NBL) championship with the Wellington Saints to boot, Samuel finds himself called up by the Tall Blacks and in Manila for the February window of the 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers.

    "It's crazy. I didn't think I'll be back here anytime soon, but I love it," he said with a chuckle.

    Yet as delighted as he to be back here, there's just one regret that the 6-foot-8 shooter couldn't stop himself from feeling: that being in a bubble, he can't go out and about reconnecting and hanging out with old friends from Taft.

    "It's good to be here but it's just hard being in a bubble," he said. "I wanted to go out and explore, show the lads around, show them Jollibee and all that's out there. I miss my friends out here as well, really just the people that make this city so easy to settle in."

    Now, those friends will have to settle watching him play on the Smart Araneta Coliseum floor.

    It's also a golden chance for the 22-year-old to display how much he has evolved as a player.

    From being a back-to-basket center in his time with the Green Archers, Samuel has settled down being a three-and-D threat from the wing as he averaged 16.5 points on 44-percent shooting for the Saints last season.

    "Before coming to the Philippines, I was playing more of the three position and then only since coming out here, they made the transition to me playing the five. So I'm kind of always been a versatile player for my height," he said.

    "But I have been shooting threes for a while now. With my development after leaving the Philippines, it was just really to get in shape and work on the weak points of my game. And it really was shooting the three. Playing in the NZ NBL under coach Zico Coronel was a big stepping stone for my career. He helped me a lot with mental toughness and just focusing on making shots and making the right decisions."

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    Taane Samuel returns to action with New Zealand against the Philippines.

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      Samuel played 12 minutes in New Zealand's 101-46 win over India on Thursday, collecting five points on a 2-of-4 shooting from the field, on top of three rebounds - numbers which he's determined to improve on in the Tall Blacks' game against Gilas Pilipinas on Sunday.

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      But he'll have to do that against a familiar face in Kib Montalbo, his team captain in his lone season with La Salle.

      "It's exciting because I haven't seen him in almost four years," Samuel remarked. "He changed a lot as a player. I've seen his growth, I've been following his journey from La Salle to the PBA, and I just can't wait to be on the floor with him again. He's an amazing player, an amazing leader for me. A good friend, a good teammate and I just can't wait for it."

      What does Samuel expect for this clash between the Philippines and New Zealand? Pretty much the same as others have predicted, a highly physical, gritty battle between two squads who refuse to give an inch.

      "I know it'll be a tough matchup. Gilas has some good pieces and I know that we have a lot of good pieces as well. So I'm just excited," he said.

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      "I know New Zealanders have a rep of doing the nitty gritty and getting down and dirty, willing to do all the dirty work. We have lots of strong players, strong lads, and knowing my team, we won't back down. I know the mentality that we have going into every game. So yes, on our side, it's going to be a tough game. It's gonna be fun, too."

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      Taane Samuel says he can't wait to be on the Araneta Coliseum floor again with former Archers skipper Kib Montalbo.
      PHOTO: fiba.basketball
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