Basketball New Zealand

Basketball New Zealand

Palmerston North will host the first FIBA Oceania age-group championship in New Zealand since 2006, with confirmation of the 2010 FIBA Oceania U18 Championships.

Basketball New Zealand’s bid, in conjunction with Sport Manawatu and Arena Manawatu, to host the championships, tentatively scheduled for September 17-19, 2010 at Arena Manawatu, was approved by FIBA Oceania in July.

The winners of the men’s and women’s championships, which have featured Australia and New Zealand the last three editions, will fill Oceania’s spot at the FIBA U19 World Championships in 2011.

“Basketball New Zealand is very pleased to be hosting the FIBA Oceania U18 Championships, in partnership with Sport Manawatu and Arena Manawatu, next year,” BBNZ president John Gallaher said.

“The previous three FIBA Oceania age-group championships have been held in Australia, so we’re hoping home-court advantage will benefit our teams as they battle to qualify for the FIBA U19 world championships in 2011.

“We saw with the Junior Tall Blacks at the recent FIBA U19 World Championship for Men in Auckland that our age-group national teams have the ability to be highly competitive against the world’s best when given the opportunity and we want that to continue in Palmerston North and beyond.”

The Australian men finished fourth at the FIBA U19 Championship for Men in July and the Australian women finished fifth at the FIBA U19 Championship for Women in Thailand on Sunday.

Palmerston North and Arena Manawatu will host the BBNZ AA Secondary Schools National Championships for a second straight year in September and also held the BBNZ U17 National Championships in June.

“Being the region awarded rights to host this tournament is great,” said Sport Manawatu events coordinator Thomas Buchanan, who headed the successful bid.

“It will enable us to strengthen our relationship with BBNZ and will show them and the wider events industry that Palmerston North can host large-scale international events.

“Our bid was a collaboration between Sport Manawatu, Arena Manawatu, the Palmerston North Basketball Association and Destination Manawatu. We are all excited about this opportunity and are looking forward to working together to create an unforgettable series for the teams, spectators, officials and all involved.”

New Zealand has not hosted a FIBA Oceania age-group championship since the U21 women’s tournament in Dunedin and Invercargill in 2006.

“One of the factors favouring the allocation of the event to New Zealand was the fact the 2007 and 2009 editions of this competition were played in Australia and that in 2009 Australia also will host the inaugural FIBA Oceania U16 Championships,” said FIBA Oceania secretary general Steve Smith.

2010 FIBA Oceania U18 Championships

Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North
September, 2010