Hawai'i Here Soon! - Canterbury Basketball Canterbury Basketball

The Rainbow Wahine will be in Christchurch soon, ready to take on the best basketballers from the South Island, as well as hosting a free Coaching Clinic

New Zealand International Basketball Tours (NZIBT) have announced the New Zealand Premiere Teams (North and South) to face the University of Hawaii Women’s basketball team for two games in New Zealand in early August.

NZIBT successfully hosted University of California Golden Bears (Cal) last year and have once again attracted a high profile NCAA Division I college to tour New Zealand. The game against Cal attracted over 150,000 online viewers in addition to the 1000 spectators that enjoyed the game live at North Shore Events Centre.

The local game against the Rainbow Wahine will be played at Cowles Stadium on 12 August. The New Zealand Premiere teams have been selected from players that played in the recently concluded Women’s Basketball Championship (WBC).

There was a coaching clinic scheduled, but we have now been notified (as of 30 July 2018) that this has to be cancelled, so the only option to see the UH team in action will be at their game.

The North and South teams each have two current Tall Ferns as well as a blend of veteran WBC players and emerging young talent.

Helen Mathews is currenlty in Belarus and she will be one of three teenagers, alongside Charlotte Whittaker and Sofia Kennedy, in the South Team. Tall Ferns Tessa Boagni and Nicole Ruske return from senior international duty to compliment the experienced core of Alloyfold Canterbury Wildcats and Otago Gold Rush players.

NZIBT Sports Tour Director Ashley Gayle is thrilled at the prospect of hosting another top American college women’s team.

“We are extremely excited for the opportunity to bring Hawai’i University women’s basketball team to New Zealand. We encourage you to support the Kiwi players and watch two great games.”