Basketball: Marsters ready to play with the big boys

Akira Marsters

Whanganui basketball prodigy Akira Marsters cannot wait for the chance to play international basketball on his home court tonight as the Malaysia men's team take their North Island tour on the road.

Having made landfall with two victories over Under 23 teams in Auckland, Malaysia comes to Springvale Stadium for the first of two back-to-back games against the HoopNation New Zealand Selection, which includes Hawera tomorrow night.

Marsters, a former Nelson Giant and NZ Impact Under 23 player, has been chosen for the HoopNation team alongside former Tall Blacks and NBL regulars.

"It's an honour, honestly. Praise God for the opportunity for it," he said.

"You don't get these opportunities in Whanganui, and the fact I can play in front of my home town."

The squad were getting together for a run through this afternoon and Marsters says there is no better time to take the tourists unbeaten record from them.

A small forward or point guard, Marsters is looking forward to playing alongside the professionals like Paora Winitana, Everard Bartlett and Kareem Johnson, and will take as many minutes as Byron Vaetoe can give him.

"I just hope when I go out I'm going to do what my coach wants me to do.

"Just leave it all on the court."

Another HoopNation team will play Malaysia for their third game in Tauranga on Saturday.

In between then and the Hawera match, the tourists will face NBL team the Taranaki MountainAirs in New Plymouth on Thursday.

Other local connections in the squad are Matt Te Huna and Matangirei Hipango.

Malaysia kicked off their tour with a 90-80 win over Counties Manukau U23 last Friday, and followed up with a 79-70 victory over Waitakere West Under 23 the next day.

Tian Yuan Kuek, a three-point specialist, topped the scoring in both games for a 32-point haul so far, followed by Perry Lim (29) and Chin Yong Wong (26).

They arrived in town yesterday.

They arrived in town yesterday.

HoopNation players held a 'Skills & Drills' sessions for the Whanganui basketball community at Cullinane College gym yesterday morning with another scheduled for early this morning.

The game starts at 7.35pm.

Entry is $8 adults, $4 secondary and intermediate students, a family pass for two adults and two students is $20, while primary school and under 5's are free.