The trans-Tasman basketball rivalry between New Zealand and Australia will be renewed in May.
Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) announced the three-game Trans-Tasman Throwdown series, which is set to re-ignite New Zealand’s longstanding rivalry with their Australian counterparts.
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The Tall Blacks will go head-to-head with the Boomers, while the Tall Ferns take on the Opals in three double-headers across both countries.
The series will open up in Adelaide on Wednesday, May 7, before heading to Queensland for a match up on the Sunshine Coast on Friday, May 9, before all four teams fly across the ditch where the series concludes in Hamilton on Sunday, May 11.
The Trans-Tasman Throwdown was a fantastic opportunity for basketball fans across New Zealand and Australia to witness both their national sides live.
The Hamilton double-header, at Globox Arena in Claudelands, marks an incredibly special occasion for both the Tall Ferns and the Tall Blacks.
For the Tall Ferns, it will be their first home game since November 2019, where they hosted the Philippines, China and South Korea in the FIBA Women's Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament at Trusts Arena.
The Tall Blacks will be playing the Boomers for the first time since 2021 in game one in Adelaide. The return leg in Hamilton will be the first time the Boomers have stepped foot on New Zealand shores in 10 years.
BBNZ chief executive and former Tall Blacks forward Dillon Boucher, who knows all too well about this heated rivalry, was excited to see its reinstatement.
“We are incredibly excited for the Trans-Tasman Throwdown. The rivalry between our two countries is unmatched, and these three games promise to be action-packed. To be able to host the Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns at home, in front of a home crowd, is huge for us.
“The Tall Blacks have not played Australia in New Zealand for nearly 10 years, and the Tall Ferns have not played at home for over five. We cannot wait to host Australia in Hamilton in what promises to be an incredible experience that fans will not want to miss.”
BBNZ also announced Sky Sport would broadcast all three double-headers in New Zealand.