Basketball New Zealand

AA Secondary Schools National Championships

Monday, September 29-Saturday, October 4
B&M Centre & Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North

A Secondary Schools National Championships

Wednesday, October 1-Saturday, October 4
TSB Stadium, New Plymouth

Hosting 67 teams and 804 players, playing 258 games, or 172 hours, of basketball over six days in two cities and two tournaments, eventually crowning four national champions – Basketball New Zealand’s secondary schools nationals week tips-off Monday, September 29.

Palmerston North’s B&M Centre and Arena Manawatu and New Plymouth’s TSB Stadium will host next week’s 2008 AA and A Secondary Schools National Championships - presented by Furnware – bringing together 59 schools in competition.

With a strong history in unearthing some of the country’s finest basketball talent, the national championships have a tradition showcasing the game’s future stars, with Tall Blacks guards Michael Fitchett and Corey Webster and Tall Ferns centre Jessica McCormack among the lists of former MVPs.

The 48-team AA championship – for larger schools with more than 600 (co-ed) and 300 (single sex) students – will be hosted in Palmerston North for the first time since 2003 and acts as the major secondary schools tournament.

“We’re ecstatic to host the tournament,” said Willie Bryant, Palmerston North Basketball Association secretary and tournament director.

“We’ve got one of the best stadiums around the country, we’ve got eight wooden courts now. For the community, it’s one of the biggest events because it’s bringing in $1.3 million to the economy, which is pretty big for just one basketball tournament.

“Hopefully the competition will be absolutely fantastic. It’s the 24 best boys and girls team in the country, so it will be rocking.”

Defending champions St Patrick’s College of Wellington (boys) and Church College of New Zealand (girls) return, along with their MVPs from 12 months ago, Brook Ruscoe and Letava Whippy, looking to defend their titles.

Church College, in its penultimate year of existence, will attempt to add to their 19 girls and 13 boys titles, while St Pat’s will be hoping to become the seventh school in either boys or girls to win back-to-back titles.

Now in its second year, the 19-team A championship – for smaller schools under the student threshold numbers – will be hosted in New Plymouth for the first time, bringing together schools like Dunstan High in Alexandra, the West Coast’s Buller High and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Koutu of Rotorua.

Taumarunui High returns for a repeat shot at the boys A title, while defending girls champions Paeroa College also return, fortunate to gain entry courtesy of a team withdrawal and a wildcard berth.

The AA and A Secondary Schools National Championships are supported by Furnware.