Young basketball ace on a high   26 Feb 2015

Young basketball ace on a high

A young basketball player is following in the footsteps of some of the country’s top athletes as he embarks on his first year of a sports scholarship programme at Lincoln University.

Ben Bowie, who lives in Lincoln, was awarded a basketball scholarship after acing several rigorous fitness tests that were given to all the hopefuls who applied for the programme.

The towering 18-year-old, who stands at 196cm tall, has been playing basketball for about two years at competitive level. However, he was involved in the game socially for a few years before that.

“Playing socially definitely got me enjoying the sport. I also grew reasonably tall quite late at high school, which helped,” he says.

The University sports scholars undertake an intensive athletic programme while studying towards their academic qualification and receive specialised training in one of eight codes – basketball, cricket, golf, field hockey, netball, rowing or rugby.

“We aim to help our scholars develop their sporting abilities to a professional level, but we also make sure their sporting success is well-balanced with academic study,” says sports scholarship manager Peter Magson.

The programme was the first of its kind in New Zealand when it began in 1999, Mr Magson says. It has produced several well-known sportspeople over the years, including Richie McCaw, Sam Whitelock and Todd Astle.

Bowie is studying Agribusiness and Food Marketing, and says he intends to look for work overseas and continue playing basketball when he finishes his studies.

“I want to play for New Zealand, but possibly further,” he says. “Making the Rams is a possibility over the next few years too.”

Although now focused on basketball, Bowie has played several other sports in the past, including cricket and rugby and cites McCaw as an inspiration.

“Richie McCaw is definitely an inspiring person,” says Bowie. “He has become a Kiwi icon due to being captain of the All Blacks, which is pretty admirable.

“As far as basketball goes, I like to base my game around people like [NBA player] Anthony Davis.”

He says he also keeps a close eye on such players as Thomas Abercrombie and CJ Bruton.

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