Basketball: 2019 HoopNation uniform to celebrate Mauao

For the last nine years, HoopNation has been an event circled on the calendars of New Zealand basketball fanatics. In its ninth year, the ever-growing tournament, held in Tauranga since 2016, has attracted 150 teams from all over New Zealand as well as Australia. The tournament attracts past and present NBL players, former Tall Blacks and even some current Tall Ferns. One of the highlights for attendees each year is the reversible, custom-made uniform each player receives to play in throughout the weekend and keep. This year's uniform incorporates a tribute to the place the tournament has called home for the last three years. Competitors in this year's HoopNation, being held in Tauranga from October 25-28, will take a little piece of Mauao home with them.

This year's custom-made, reversible singlets, which all the players receive, were launched last nightand incorporate a silhouette of Mount Maunganui, a throw to the place the tournament has called home since 2016.

Co-founder Paul Berridge said the uniform launch was highly anticipated ahead of each year's tournament.

The event was started by Berridge and co-founder KJ Allen in Whanganui in 2011 with just 15 teams. Eventually, they outgrew Whanganui and moved to Tauranga in 2016.

"There's a tribute there to the Mount, this is our fourth year in Tauranga - the start of another three-year deal with the council here," Berridge said.

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"It's a great location with great resources. The lifestyle here and the growth of the game, especially participation not just here but all over New Zealand, and the accessibility Tauranga has as well.

"With the changing of the seasons we have some great weather here in October. It's not just about getting on the court and participating in HoopNation, it's about taking in the atmosphere and what the city has to offer too. I think that's part of the reason we've expanded and had so much growth."

Tauranga basketball players Taiana Day (left), Mitchell Dance, HoopNation co-founder Paul Berridge, Kaia Berridge, and Lyric Berridge. Photo / Andrew Warner

The first year the event was held in Tauranga, 52 teams entered. This year, 150 teams are entered - that's more than 1500 individual athletes.

"We now attract teams from Australia - Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne this year. With the resources that we have can definitely grow up to about 216-220 teams. That's a big target for us.

"Because of where we're placed in the basketball calendar, it's the biggest pro-am tournament in the country. It's sort of a last hit out for everyone in the basketball community on the landscape of basketball in New Zealand."

Berridge and Allen started the tournament as a way to honour their close friend Billie-Jo Thompson who died in Sydney in 2009. It's growth since then has seen it become a highlight on the New Zealand basketball calendar.

It's not just about getting on the court and participating in HoopNation, it's about taking in the atmosphere and what the city has to offer too. I think that's part of the reason we've expanded and had so much growth.

It includes boys' and girls' age divisions from under-14 all the way through to men's and women's elite as well as social grades.

"We've got some of the best youth talent in the country coming, our youth team entries are just through the roof. We had 10 under-16 boys' teams last year and now we have 28," Berridge said.

"The calibre of talent - we've got Junior Tall Blacks, representative players, ex-Tall Blacks, ex-Breakers players and players heading over to the States to start their college careers next year."

Players also have the opportunity to be selected for HoopNation squads to tour overseas.

"We're taking a tour to Melbourne next year which will be hand selected from the youth divisions at the tournament. We take the top under-14, under-16 and under-18 boys and girls.

"With our men's elite division we select some of the best talent to go and participate at the King of Kings tournament in China in August next year."