Good news basketball fans... Invercargill to host NZ-Australia series
“It’s another fantastic opportunity to not only showcase our venue and our people, but to put Murihiku on the map as a destination."
ILT Stadium Southland has locked in another sporting coup with New Zealand and Australia to square-off in a 3x3 basketball series in Invercargill in October.
Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) has announced that its 3x3 men’s and women’s national teams will play in Aotearoa - for the first time ever – from October 25 to 28, when they face Australia in a brand-new Trans-Tasman series.
The 3x3 Tall Ferns and 3x3 Tall Blacks will each compete against the Australian 3x3 national Women’s and Men’s teams over an eight-game series across four nights.
It will all as part of the 3x3 Cup at ILT Stadium Southland from 25-28 October. The 3x3 Cup involves top domestic teams throughout the country, including the Southland Sharks and Southland Stom.
ILT Stadium Southland Event Manager, Joz Shepard was excited the Invercargill venue was the first cab off the rank in hosting the Aussie counterparts for this series.
“It’s another fantastic opportunity to not only showcase our venue and our people, but to put Murihiku on the map as a destination.
“For local fans this is a dream result, one ticket giving you access to see two-time defending champs our Southland Sharks, the Southland Storm, and now the first ever Trans-Tasman series. It’s going to be a mammoth four days of fast paced, non-stop action, bring your whānau, round up your work crew, you don’t want to miss this spectacle.”
All 16 games of the Trans-Tasman series will be shown live on Sky Sport.
It will be the Australian 3x3 team’s first appearance on New Zealand soil and as such, also the first time the New Zealand teams have played in front of a home crowd in their nine-year history.
BBNZ 3×3 Programme Manager Nikolay Mikhalchuk said he was pleased that New Zealand fans will finally be able to watch their 3x3 national teams in action – in person and against quality competition.
“Our 3x3 Tall Ferns and 3x3 Tall Blacks have been extremely active over the past few years, playing in a combined 78 games around the world; including the Commonwealth Games and 3x3 World Cup in 2022, and the 3x3 Asia Cup this year,” Mikhalchuk said.
“But the reality is that many of the best 3x3 opportunities are happening in Europe, North America and Asia, where the popularity of 3x3 basketball is continuing to skyrocket.
“So, this is a rare chance for us to bring our 3x3 teams back home, to play arguably our greatest sporting rivals in front of a home crowd for the first time ever. It’s going to be amazing.”
Both Australia and New Zealand have faced each other multiple times over the past two years, including at the 3x3 Asia Cup in Singapore this year. In that tournament the 3x3 Tall Ferns - after going 8-0 in the multi-team competition - fell 11-21 to Australia in the final, as they settled for silver.
Meanwhile, the 3x3 Tall Blacks suffered a 13-21 loss to Australia during pool play at this Cup, with Australia going on to claim Silver while New Zealand earned bronze with a 6-2 record.
BBNZ Chief Executive Dillon Boucher said BBNZ was continuing to invest in its 3x3 programme - and the results were evident.
“We have some incredible 3x3 talent here in New Zealand, and the fact we won silver and bronze at the 3x3 Asia Cup in April, speaks to the growth of our 3x3 programme over the past few years,” says Boucher.
“Our 3x3 teams are routinely taking on the world’s best, and there’s nothing like competing against the top teams to bring the best out of yourself – which is what this 16-game International Series against Australia offers us. It helps our programme continue to grow, not just in experience but also in popularity.
“3x3 basketball is one of the most rapidly growing sports in the world, as evidenced by its inclusion in both the Commonwealth Games and Olympics. It features a fast, dynamic and thrilling style of play that has hooked basketball fans here and around the globe, so we hope fans flock to watch our national teams take on the Aussies at ILT Stadium Southland this October.”
The 3x3 Tall Ferns and 3x3 Tall Blacks squads will be named in late September.