Tall Blacks look to build on whopping 8,400 crowd in Auckland with November game in Christchurch against Jordan

CHRISTCHURCH (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - Basketball in New Zealand is moving from strength to strength, with the Tall Blacks having just finished the First Round with a fifth consecutive win, a triumph over China played before 8,400 fans in Auckland.

Now the South Island is going to have the opportunity to show its passion for the national team with Basketball New Zealand announcing that Christchurch will stage the November 29 Qualifier between the Kiwis and Jordan.

"FANS WILL FLOCK TO CHRISTCHURCH FOR AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT RATHER THAN CHRISTCHURCH PEOPLE HAVING TO TRAVEL AWAY. BASKETBALL IS THE MOST POPULAR HIGH SCHOOL SPORT IN CANTERBURY, AND IT WILL BE FANTASTIC FOR PLAYERS AND FANS TO SEE A GAME OF THIS CALIBRE LIVE AND UP-CLOSE."
Canterbury Basketball chief executive Paul Duggan

"There’s no doubt there’s a thirst for basketball in Christchurch," said Basketball New Zealand’s chief executive, Iain Potter. "You only have to look at the Canterbury Rams, who sold out Horncastle last month, which was the largest NBL audience ever with 6,000 people.

Christchurch, the biggest city on the South Island of New Zealand and capital of the Canterbury Province, is home to the Canterbury Rams basketball team, who play in New Zealand's National Basketball League.

"The Canterbury Basketball Association and the Mainland Eagles are doing great things with the local community and participation is thriving there," Potter said. "So we know this will be a great occasion."

Jordan also finished the First Round of the Qualifiers with 5-1 record. Both they and the Tall Blacks will have two tough games in the fourth window of the Qualifiers in September before squaring off at the Horncastle Arena in November.

The top three sides from each of the two Second Round groups in the Asian Qualifiers, and the best fourth-placed side, will clinch spots at next year's World Cup in China. In addition to the two games in September and November will be a sixth window of Qualifiers to be played in February.

The Tall Blacks suffered a home defeat to Korea in their opening Qualifier but have hit back with five straight victories. In their most recent games, the Kiwis rolled to a 124-65 triumph over Hong Kong in Rotorua on June 28 and then hit back from an early deficit to beat China, 67-57, in Auckland on July 1.

The Jordanians have also had an outstanding run in the Asian Qualifiers, including an 87-83 triumph over Lebanon in Amman on November 26.

They fell to the Cedars the next time they met, however, on June 28 in a 77-76 third window thriller at Zouk Mikael, the site of last year's Asia Cup on the outskirts of Beirut.

New Zealand and Jordan met in the Quarter-Finals of last year's FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon, with the Tall Blacks prevailing, 98-70. Both sides have had stronger rosters in the Qualifiers.

One of the pluses of having the World Cup Qualifiers is that countries are having games in different parts of the country so more fans have an opportunity to see the national team. 

"Fans will flock to Christchurch for an international event rather than Christchurch people having to travel away," said Canterbury Basketball chief executive Paul Duggan. "Basketball is the most popular high school sport in Canterbury, and it will be fantastic for players and fans to see a game of this calibre live and up-close."

FIBA