* Edit – Following this article being published, Aidan Tonge has since replaced Tai Wynyard in the 3×3 Tall Blacks squad for the FIBA UOQT1.
Following the 3×3 Tall Blacks fourth-place finish at the recent 3×3 Asia Cup in Singapore, the squad will now set their sights on their next big goal – qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) and 3×3 Tall Blacks head coach, Piet van Hasselt has named an unchanged squad for this pinnacle tournament: Dom Kelman-Poto, Nikau McCullough, Chris McIntosh and Tai Wynyard.
In addition, Aidan Tonge and Tanae Lavery have been named as travelling reserves, who will not compete in the tournament but will actively train while on tour.
The team will depart on Saturday for a mini-camp in Shanghai – taking on several professional 3×3 Chinese teams – before moving onto Hong Kong for the FIBA Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament 1 (UOQT1) from 12-14 April.
These qualifiers will determine the last five spots per gender for 3×3 basketball’s second appearance at the Olympics. Serbia, USA and China have already qualified for the men’s, while China, USA and France have earned slots in the women’s tournament.
The FIBA UOQT1 features the 3×3 Tall Blacks set to compete against opponents from Pool B, including Egypt, Latvia, and Mongolia. Should they secure a top-two finish in their pool, they will contend against the top two teams from Pool A (comprising of Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Hong Kong) in the semi-finals, vying to advance to the grand finals – and the coveted prize of a ticket to the Paris Olympics.
The highly anticipated 3×3 Olympic event is scheduled from 30 July to 5 August at the Place de la Concorde; Paris’ largest public square, located near the iconic Champs-Elysées and The Louvre.
BBNZ 3×3 Programme Manager, Nikolay Mikhalchuk says that BBNZ’s focus now is on preparing the 3×3 Tall Blacks to compete against the world’s best.
“We’ve in a tough pool at these qualifiers, with Tokyo Olympic gold medallists Latvia and 2023 Asian champs Mongolia, so we’ll need our squad to be at their absolute best to earn a ticket to Paris,” says Mikhalchuk.
“The 3×3 Tall Blacks displayed competitive spirit at the recent 3×3 Asia Cup and were unlucky to miss out on a medal. We expect to see an improved performance in Hong Kong, as they know a berth at the Paris Olympics – the pinnacle event for any professional 3×3 player – is on the line.
“With the 3×3 Tall Ferns unable to progress to the 3×3 Olympic qualifying tournaments, the 3×3 Tall Blacks are our best hope of appearing at the Olympics for the first time – which would be a massive boost for our programme and our reputation as a top 3×3 nation.”
Stay up to date with 3×3 basketball in New Zealand at nz.basketball/national-teams/3×3-national-teams/
3×3 Tall Blacks – FIBA UOQT 1
Dom Kelman-Poto, Franklin Bulls
Nikau McCullough, Northside Wizards
Chris McIntosh, Auckland Tuatara
Tai Wynyard, Shanghai Sharks
FIBA UOQT 1 Schedule (Pool B)
3×3 Tall Blacks vs Egypt – 8.20pm, Friday 12 April
3×3 Tall Blacks vs Latvia – 10.10pm, Friday 12 April
3×3 Tall Blacks vs Mongolia – 8.20pm, Saturday 13 April
