“This is a really big platform for them to show their talent, get exposure and build their profile.”
One example was Taranaki’s Oscar Goodman, Berridge said.
“No one knew who he was, but he came through last year and now he’s off to high school in America in August.
“Oscar is your typical Taranaki kid - huge, looks like a rugby player - but he’s actually a really talented basketball player.”
Goodman made the New Zealand men’s under-15 (U15) team in 2022.
Berridge said recent statistics showed basketball was now the most popular high school sport in New Zealand.
“The sport is definitely taking the locks and flankers away from rugby, and it’s an interesting space to be in, especially with how successful our kids are at basketball.
“It’s the county as a whole, really. The ‘Steven Adams effect’ still has its place in our community.”
This week’s tournament features boys’ and girls’ teams in the 13-and-under, U15, U17 and U19 categories.
Teams come from clubs, associations and academies, with games played at Springvale Stadium, Faith City, Whanganui Collegiate School, Whanganui High School and Cullinane College.
There will be three teams from Whanganui.
“This is definitely the biggest junior showcase we’ve hosted here,” Berridge said.
“We are anticipating anywhere between 5500 and 7000 people through the week. The economic benefits to the city will be huge.
“Forty per cent of our teams are from Auckland. They want to get out of there and come and experience something new. Last year, I think we even had a couple of families relocate to Whanganui because they enjoyed it so much.”
Berridge’s biggest event - the HoopNation Classic - began in Whanganui but moved to Tauranga in 2016.
That’s where it will stay for the moment, with a five-year deal close to being signed with Tauranga City Council.
“If we could get a 15-court facility here, we would love to bring the classic back,” he said.
Two more junior success stories are Berridge’s own children - son Kaia, 17, and daughter Lyric, 16.
Kaia, who attends Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco, plays for the Bay City Warriors on the Adidas Gauntlet circuit and has been offered scholarships at UC Santa Barbara and UC Riverside.
Lyric will soon join him at Archbishop Riordan.
“She will spend her last two years of high school in America, and she’s also playing for Bay City,” Berridge said.
“Her journey is just beginning. It’s really exciting.”
Kaia said the game was completely different in America.
“Everything is so much faster. The place and the talent are crazy.
“I guess it’s the same with people who want to play rugby - they want to come to New Zealand.”
The HoopNation Junior Showcase runs from April 18 to April 22.
