Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) is keen to build on the success of their first NZ Pro 3×3 Quest event – held in Auckland last weekend – with the next round of this competition locked in for Christchurch’s Cowles Stadium this weekend.
NZ Pro 3×3 Quest is an invite-only competition that features some of New Zealand’s top 3×3 basketball players, with the aim of earning enough FIBA ranking points to qualify for upcoming pinnacle 3×3 events such as the 2024 Paris Olympics.
NZ Pro Quest Round 1 Summary – Auckland
The first NZ Pro 3×3 Quest event saw 38 games played at Auckland’s YMCA last weekend over two days, with 24 teams – 12 men’s and 12 women’s – competing across four courts.
- On Day One, it was Tai Tokerau Taniwha – which included Reef Churches, Tukaha Cooper, Riley Dyer and Taine Wattie – who were the Men’s winners, besting Tāmaki Makaurau 22-17 in the final.
- In the women’s section, Puriri Mā – with a squad made up of Azure Anderson, Ella Fotu and Kendell Heremaia – walked away as unbeaten Day One winners with a 19-13 win over Kāhu.
- Day Two saw Te Kauri Pango – made up of Dom Kelman-Poto, Tai Wynyard, Dru-leo Leusogi-Ape and Chris McIntosh – emerge as the Men’s winners, grinding out a 14-10 Finals win over 3×3 Poitūkohu.
- Meanwhile Kāhu – comprising of Brook Blair, Casyn Buchman, Lily Morgan and Jaycin Tini – were the winning Women’s team on Day Two, getting their revenge over Puriri Mā with a 21-16 win in the final game.
- The MVPs over both days, as selected by 3×3 National Team Head Coaches Piet Van Hasselt and Justine Reed, were Taine Wattie (Men’s) and Kendell Heremaia (Women’s) who both showed the potential to be part of the 3×3 National Team in the future.
BBNZ’s High Performance 3×3 Director, Nikolay Mikhalchuk says that he was impressed by the overall level of competition on display at this 3×3 event.
“We expected the international 3×3 players like Tai Wynyard, Ella Fotu and Dom Kelman-Poto to dominate, and for the most part they did,” says Mikhalchuk.
“But it was also an opportunity for other players to step up and be seen in this setting too; we saw Tukaha Cooper and Taine Wattie as two players on the men’s side who really performed well and caught the attention of the national team coaches.
“And on the women’s side, former Tall Fern Brooke Blair made an impact for Kāhu – returning to the game after the recent birth of her daughter. Azure Anderson also made an impression, following on from her performance with Kāhu at the recent 3×3 Schick Cup.
And there were a number of other young players who impressed, competing fearlessly against older and more experienced opponents.”
NZ Pro Quest Round 1 Preview – Christchurch
The next round of the NZ Pro Quest sees 24 3×3 teams head to Canterbury, where they will battle it out over two days at Cowles Stadium. All 38 games will be open to the public, with tip-off from 10am each morning.
Mikhalchuk explains that the range of experience on offer is good for everyone involved.
“These events are providing us with a great opportunity to identify potential athletes for all of the 3×3 FIBA events that we will be attending in 2023, from U17s all the way to our 3×3 Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns teams.
“I love the enthusiasm and competitiveness that is being shown by the younger athletes; we are also providing them with an opportunity to increase their 3×3 knowledge and gain much-needed experience.
“Being part of the 3×3 Tall Ferns or Tall Blacks squad is something that must be earned – so these events are showing the selectors who is committed to, and focused on, representing New Zealand on the international stage.”
For details on future NZ Pro 3×3 Quest events, visit the Basketball NZ Events page at nz.basketball/whats-on/
Full NZ Pro 3×3 Quest schedule:
Dec 3-4 | Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
Dec 10-11 | Pulman Arena, Auckland
Jan 28-29 | Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
Feb 4-5 | Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland
Feb 11-12 | Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
Feb 18-19 | Pulman Arena, Auckland
Feb 25-26 | Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
Mar 11 | Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland
