Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) is pleased to announce its New Zealand U23 3×3 Men’s and Women’s national teams for the upcoming FIBA U23 3×3 World Cup 2024; held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 11-15 September.
The NZ U23 3×3 Women’s squad includes Kate Herman, Anika Hyland, Arielle Mackey-Williams and Dominique Stephens and will be led by Kat Jones. In addition, Maddy Timms and Maia Taingahue have been named as non-travelling Reserves.
The NZ U23 3×3 Men’s squad features Josh Book, Zach McKenzie, Campbell Scott and Aidan Tonge, and will be helmed by 3×3 Tall Blacks head coach Piet van Hasselt. In addition, Daniel Dobson and Zach Hannen has been named as non-travelling Reserves.
Athletes return from U23 3×3 Nations League
Both New Zealand squads are mostly unchanged from the 3×3 U23 national teams that won in dominating fashion at the FIBA U23 3×3 Nations League in July, which earned the Kiwis two tickets to the U23 3×3 World Cup.
That New Zealand U23 3×3 women’s team went undefeated (18-0) over six days at the FIBA U23 3×3 Nations League tournament, averaging 20.5 points per game while holding opponents to just 8 points per game. Meanwhile the NZ U23 3×3 Men’s team went 17-1 in their campaign, averaging 20.7 points per game while holding opponents to 12 per game.
The women’s team sees leading scorer Maia Jones ruled out due to injury, with Mackey-Williams – who last year represented New Zealand with the 3×3 Tall Ferns in the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series – coming in as her replacement. Both Timms and Dobson have been moved to a non-travelling reserve role, due to the tournament squad limit of four players.
FIBA U23 3×3 World Cup new territory for New Zealand
In the fifth edition of the FIBA U23 3×3 World Cup, New Zealand will be among 40 teams – 20 men’s and 20 women’s squads – competing at this tournament. New Zealand has only competed once before at this level, with its Men’s team finishing eleventh out of 20 teams in the 2019 edition; the NZ Women’s team will compete here for the first time.
The NZ U23 3×3 Men’s squad have been placed into Pool C alongside Germany, Italy, Argentina and Israel, while the NZ U23 3×3 Women’s squad will compete in Pool B alongside Japan, Spain, Italy and the United States. If both teams can finish in the top two of their pool, they will move onto the Quarter-final round – in cross-pool play – from 15 September.
3×3 programmes manager Nikolay Mikhalchuk, says that the FIBA U23 3×3 World Cup is arguably the world’s pinnacle age group 3×3 tournament.
“The FIBA U23 3×3 World Cup presents a unique opportunity for our 3×3 programme to test itself against the global leaders in the 3×3 game – this challenge will be crucial in helping us map out our strategy for the LA 2028 Olympics campaign,” says Mikhalchuk.
“I’m excited for our players and coaches who have earned the chance to represent New Zealand at such a high level 3×3 event; their hard work and dedication have been instrumental in developing our newly designed 3×3 style of play, which has already proven successful at the Nations League in Malaysia. U23 age-group in 3×3 gives as a unique chance to test our young talents and roadmap our Olympics strategy.”
All games can be watched live at www.youtube.com/fiba3x3. Find out more at https://fiba3x3.basketball/2024/u23worldcup
New Zealand U23 3×3 National Team – Women’s Squad
Kate Herman
Dominique Stephens
Anika Hyland
Arielle Mackey-Williams
Head Coach – Kat Jones
New Zealand U23 3×3 National Team – Women’s Schedule
12 September, 8.05pm NZT – Japan vs New Zealand
12 September, 10.20pm NZT – New Zealand vs Spain
14 September, 8.30pm NZT – Italy vs New Zealand
14 September, 11.35pm NZT – New Zealand vs United States
New Zealand U23 3×3 National Team – Men’s Squad
Josh Book
Zach McKenzie
Campbell Scott
Aidan Tonge
Head Coach – Piet Van Hasselt
New Zealand U23 3×3 National Team – Men’s Schedule
11 September, 5.55pm NZT – Germany vs New Zealand
11 September, 9.20pm NZT – Italy vs New Zealand
13 September, 9.20pm NZT – New Zealand vs Argentina
13 September, 11.10pm NZT – New Zealand vs Israel
