Two years after HoopNation left Whanganui, an international level game is coming back when the Malaysia national team meet a NZ Selection on July 25.
Two years after HoopNation left Whanganui, an international level game is coming back when the Malaysia national team meet a NZ Selection on July 25.
International level basketball will return to Whanganui in three weeks at the Malaysian Men's team will play their third game in a six-match North Island tour at Springvale Stadium.
The tour is a joint venture between HoopNation, owned by Akiwa Events promoters Paul Berridge and KJ Allen, and the MABABasketball Malaysia organisation.
Malaysia will play two games in Auckland against Under 23 representative squads, then take the show on the road to Whanganui, Hawera, New Plymouth and Tauranga.
They will play NBL team the Taranaki MountainAirs in New Plymouth, while the other regional centres will be games against a 'HoopNation NZ Selection', which includes Whanganui.
Berridge and Allen founded the HoopNation tournament in Whanganui in 2011, which grew exponentially over the next five years to the point where Akiwa Events moved to ASB Stadium in Tauranga to have enough room to increase entry numbers from 35 teams to around 70.
The Selection team which plays Malaysia is likely to be regulars from that tournament - which includes NBL players, Tall Blacks and standout juniors.
Whanganui's tour game will be Tuesday, July 25, starting at 7.35pm.
Entry is $8 adults, $4 for secondary and intermediate students, a $20 family pass for two adults and two students, while primary students and under is free.
