With just over six weeks until the start of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, the Sky Sport Tall Ferns schedule for the tournament’s Group Phase – as well as their preparations for this pinnacle event – have been finalised, with the New Zealand women’s national team set to face six countries over eight games in June.
In preparation for the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup at the end of June, the Tall Ferns are holding a pair of training camps in Auckland this month; the first from 13-16 May and the second a pre-departure camp from 28-30 May.
Directly following the second camp, the Tall Ferns depart for a two-week tour of Europe – where they take on a trio of strong women’s teams in Serbia, Turkey and Poland over a five-game series of international friendlies.
The FIBA Women’s Asia Cup then tips off in Sydney from 26 June – 2 July 2023, with the Tall Ferns set to take on Korea, China and Lebanon across the first three games of group play. All three games will be played at the famed Sydney Olympic Parks Sports Centre and shown live on Spark Sport in New Zealand.
With the Tall Ferns aiming to advance out of Group A and into the Asia Cup semi-finals, Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) is pleased to confirm that both the semi-finals and finals of this tournament will be shown live and free-to-air on TVNZ.
A top four finish for New Zealand at the Women’s Asia Cup also ensures the Tall Ferns entry into the Olympic Qualifiers in February 2024, which takes them one step closer to their ultimate goal: a place at the 2024 Paris Olympics for the first time since 2004.
Tall Ferns 2023 Schedule
- 13-16 May; Preparation Camp, Auckland
- 28-30 May; Preparation / Pre-departure Camp, Auckland
- 31-May – 13 Jun; Tall Ferns Europe Tour:
- 3 games vs Serbia in Belgrade
- 1 game vs Turkey in Istanbul
- 1 game vs Poland in Istanbul
- 26 Jun; FIBA Women’s Asia Cup Game 1: Korea vs Tall Ferns, 1pm NZT
- 27 Jun; FIBA Women’s Asia Cup Game 1: Tall Ferns vs China, 7pm NZT
- 28 Jun; FIBA Women’s Asia Cup Game 1: Tall Ferns vs Lebanon, 1pm NZT
Find out more about the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup at: https://www.fiba.basketball/womensasiacup/2023
Tall Ferns Squad of 18
Stella Beck, 51 caps
Tayla Dalton, no caps
Penina Davidson, 53 caps
Mary Goulding, 12 caps
Kendall Heremaia, 4 caps
Lauryn Hippolite, 8 caps
Ash Kelman-Poto, no caps
Charlisse Leger-Walker, 31 caps
Krystal Leger-Walker, 18 caps
Parris Mason, 4 caps
Chevannah Paalvast, 60 caps
Tera Reed, 6 caps
Ash Taia, 9 caps
Lilly Taulelei, 3 caps
Ritorya Tamilo, no caps
Josie Trousdell, 36 caps
Tahlia Tupaea, no caps
Amy West, 7 caps
Guy Molloy – Head Coach
Jody Cameron – Assistant Coach
Leanne Walker – Assistant Coach
Mel Downer – Assistant Coach
