Reuben Te Rangi Notches up 250 Games

South East Melbourne Phoenix’s Reuben Te Rangi will play his 250th NBL game this Friday night against the New Zealand Breakers.

The 27-year-old, originally from New Zealand, spent four years with the New Zealand Breakers, before moving to the Brisbane Bullets in 2016 and in 2020 made the move to Melbourne joining the Phoenix. 

“He is the old man of the league, but he is the youngest old man floating around,” Head Coach Simon Mitchell said.

(Reuben Te Rangi is a leader to all at Phoenix.)

“He’s a ripper and a real leader of our ball club. Not the most boisterous leader…but he’s got a quiet, calm and strong demeanour,” Mitchell said on Te Rangi’s milestone. 

Te Rangi is looked up to by his teammates for his toughness, hardness, and basketball IQ.

“If there ever is a breakdown and two guys are looking at each other, and one of them is Reubs, I just yell at the other bloke coz I know he (Te Rangi) has done the right thing,” the Head Coach said. 

Te Rangi a two-time NBL champion with the Breakers said in Thursday’s press conference he was shocked to be notching up 250 games.

“It’s just another game for me, it’s been a long journey, but it seems to go by really quickly and I am definitely enjoying my time here at the Phoenix,” Te Rangi said.

(Reuben Te Rangi plays his 250th game against his former side on Friday night.)

Te Rangi credited his development to the teammates he had in his formative years at the Breakers.

“I got to see what winning was like first-hand and then I also got to see what losing was like first-hand.

“I think bringing two and two together, I don’t ever want to be in the losing situation again…just trying to bring the winning things from the winnings cultures into this team,” he said.

Te Rangi has been with the Phoenix for two seasons now and sees the side striving for the best.

“We just got to believe we are that team now, that we’re one of the teams now that everyone will be chasing,” Te Rangi said.

For tickets to Friday night's re-match - CLICK HERE

Kadek Thatcher for Phoenix Media (09/12/21)