AUS - Basketball Australia pens collaboration agreement with Chinese Basketball Association

MELBOURNE - In what has been described as a 'major coup' by Basketball Australia, the Boomers and Jayco Opals will play a total of 12 games against China in Perth over the next four years - on top of a further 12 games in China.

The announcement came via a strengthening of ties between each nation, by way of a four-year partnership agreement with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and supported with funding from the West Australian Government.

The new collaboration will tip off next month with the four-game 'Sino-Australia Challenge' event - essentially a series between the Australian Boomers and the Chinese men's national team as preparations intensify ahead of the qualifying tournaments for the all-important 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain next year.

The Sino-Australia Challenge will see Perth host the opening two games, with the series scheduled to conclude with two games on Chinese soil.

The series will also see a new page turned on the court, with recently-appointed Australian Boomers head coach Andrej Lemanis taking charge of the men’s national team for first time.

Speaking about this latest exciting development, Basketball Australia Chief Executive Officer Kristina Keneally claimed the new partnership with the CBA was a major development for the high performance programme of her organisation.

"After so many memorable moments at the 2012 London Olympic Games, the Sino-Australia Challenge represents an opportunity for the Boomers to build on this momentum as we draw closer to the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

"The Sino-Australia Challenge will also tip off regular competition between the two countries at all levels from the Boomers and Jayco Opals through to our U17 and U19 teams - which will be a boon for our national team programmes."

"The Perth basketball community is made up of some of the most passionate sporting fans in the country, turning out in huge numbers to support the Perth Wildcats this past season.

"I have no doubt we'll see those same fans cheering on the Boomers at Perth Arena on Friday 7 June in a sea of green and gold."

The Sino-Australia Challenge tips off with a bang at the home of the Perth Wildcats and a bumper crowd is expected.

The action then moves to the Western Australian State Basketball Centre for the second game which will be contested on Sunday 9 June.

The series will conclude in China, with the penultimate game on Wednesday 12 June and the series finale on Friday 14 June.

FIBA