Basketball: HoopNation's tourney line-up full of promise

BACK FOR MORE: Lindsay Tait competing in the Men's Premier final of the 2013 HoopNation tournament. PHOTO/FILE A-281013WCBRCHOOPN05

The action will hit the hard wood running this morning at Springvale Stadium as the 2014 HoopNation tournament gets under way with some big pool matches between a couple of the favourites in the Pakaitore-Whanganui Men's Premier grade.

After the 9am tipoff for games, Auckland's Choppers team, which contains current Tall Blacks Lindsay Tait and Casey Frank, will meet the Junior Tall Blacks at 11am.

Choppers have also been reinforced by the late inclusion of NZ Breakers development player Jordan Ngatai, who HoopNation organiser Paul Berridge said had been in camp with the NBL team in the buildup to their recent match with the Cairns Taipans.

The Junior Tall Blacks are preparing for the 2014 Under-19 FIBA Oceania Championships in Suva, Fiji in November, with an eye to the world championships next year.

Other Premier teams to watch are Rack City with the likes of Kareem Johnson, Thats Us with Matt Te Huna, and last year's runners-up NZ Kauri which again consists of the veteran Brendon Pongia and some promising young talent.

Yesterday at Springvale, Berridge and co-organiser KJ Allen were supervising preparations for the three courts inside the building, as well as across the way, to accommodate the 35 teams.

"We're going down to Jubilee [Stadium] and created a fourth court," said Berridge.

"We picked up portable hoops from Arena Manawatu and we're laying the floor down today."

Wanganui Girls College was briefly considered as the venue for the fourth court, but Berridge said there was better viewing capacity to have the matchups in the neighbouring building.

As well as Premier, there will be some good matchups in the Men's A grade.

The 2011 champions Trentham, from Wellington, will meet 2013's champions OBC, as they are drawn in the same pool, at 4pm today.

Games start today and tomorrow at 9am and carry on until the last matchups at 6pm.

Labour Day Monday will be finals day across the three grades, starting at 10am.

The Men's Premier semifinals will be side by side on Courts 1-2 at 12pm, with the final on Court 1 at 3pm.

The Men's Premier teams are:

Rack City: Thomas Bartlett, Alonzo Burton, Travis McIlroy, Kareem Johnson, Ana Haku, Bronson Beri, Ryan Strawbridge, Theo Farrow, Aidan Daly, Geoffery Heather, Matt Wilson.

Auckland Under 23: Sherif Hassan, Ben Fraser, Anthony Jones, Quentin Potts, Michael Woodbridge, Timothy Easthope, Zachary Easthope, Blair Manners, Dylan Perfect-Tait, Manu Hoque, Matt Loulanting, Wade Brownlee.

Blitz: Jamie Reddish, Trent Luli, Sam Nuku, Nick Barrow, Josh Tuaiti, Patrich Bolstad, TBC.

Thats Us:Matt Te Huna, Tia Temata-Frost, Ethan Rusbatch, Derek Albertson, Tala Taufale, Nick Fee, Paul Bristol, Jeremiah Trueman, Matt Trueman, Sid Adams.

Young Bloodz: Harris Stephens, Mitchell Stephens, Elliot Stubbins, Jackson Stubbins, Lachlan Fenwick, Nico Buckrell, Riki Buckrell, Jordan Harris, Christopher Porteous.

Victoria University 2: TBC.

Junior Tall Blacks: Beauden Giddy, Nikau McCullough, Izayah Mauriohooho-Leafa, Sam Smith, Luuk Wittiveen, Jayden Bezzant, Dane Brooks, Logan Elers, Matthew Freeman, Yuata Alok, Tai Wynyard, Sam Timmons.

Choppers: Hayden Allen, Lindsay Tait, Tyler Kerlin, Mike Homik, Casey Frank, Daryl Cartwright, Travis Hunt, Brooke Ruscoe, Aaron Nowell.

Impact:Joel Vaiangina, Akira Masters, Sam Love, Kaleb Barton, Harrison Willams, Djordje Petkovic, Kane Kiel, Terrance Lewis Jr, Conner Crowe.

KAIA:Adam Wadey, Raniera Walker, Jack Yoong, Tariq Hassif, Jun Iwasa, Peter Joseph, Joe Jackson, Aidan Karatua, Nelson Leqakowailutu.

RangersHouston O'Riley, Patrich Bolstad, Christoph Fahrensohn, Valance McCarthy, Hayden Miller, Karl Noyer, Seymore Harrison, Willie Green, Greg Elliot.

NZ Kauri:Daniel Green, Phillip Green, Ross Taurima, Randall Bishop, Puke Lenden, Dyson King-Hawea, Ezra Nikora, Brendon Pongia, Tamamoko Green, Hyrum Harris.