Capital Tipped For Test
Tagged in: Tall Blacks
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Toby Robson, Dominion Post
International basketball is set to return to Wellington for the first time in six years when the Tall Blacks play Venezuela in the capital in July.
Though the test series has not been officially confirmed, Basketball New Zealand marketing manager Andrew Alleway said yesterday that the South Americans had conditionally agreed to make the trip down-under.
“We are getting very close to finalising discussions with Venezuela, who are ranked 21 in the world.
“We need a home test series and they are a quality opponent, so it is important for the Tall Blacks.”
The series would be “up to three tests”, with the first likely to be in Wellington on July 20 and one or two tests in Napier depending on whether a decider was required, Alleway said.
Finding a highly ranked country to travel to New Zealand had not been easy, with most teams already tied up with long-planned buildups to the Beijing Olympics.
If the Venezuela series goes ahead it will be the first international basketball match played in Wellington since the Tall Blacks played Australia in 2001.
BBNZ had been working with Wellington Saints’ chief executive Nick Mills and the Wellington City Council on hosting a test at the TSB Bank Arena on Queens Wharf, Alleway said.
Part of the appeal was the likelihood of big crowds in Wellington and Napier, with the Saints and Hawks currently setting the pace in the National Basketball League.
“Wellington has taken a massive leap forward this season. They had about 3000 for their last game (against Waikato). Hawke’s Bay have had about 1800-2100 a match, Dunedin’s crowds are good as are Nelson’s and Taranaki’s.
“I think Nick Mills returning to the fold has helped there (in Wellington). He is turning it into an entertainment event rather than just a sporting event and the crowds are coming back.”
Venezuela, who the Tall Blacks beat 100-70 in Argentina last year, would be a step up from last year’s home series against Qatar and an ideal opponent for 12th-ranked New Zealand as new coach Nenad Vucinic prepares for a busy season.
The Tall Blacks travel to an invitational tournament in China in late July, with Angola, Slovenia, Venezuela and the host nation taking part. They then play Australia in a three-test series in August.
