Game Schedule Confirmed For FIBA U19 Basketball World Championship In Auckland

The full schedule for the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship to be held in Auckland from July 2-12 has been confirmed in what is going to be a sporting highlight of 2009 in New Zealand.

Sixteen nations from all corners of the world have qualified for this this basketball extravaganza including the United States, Argentina, Australia, Croatia, Spain and Greece. Many of the best players in the NBA have come from previous U19 World Championships.

The New Zealand Junior Tall Blacks will meet Argentina in the primetime game on the opening day of the tournament. The JTBs, coached by Kenny McFadden will tip-off their first age-group world championship game against the Americas champions at 8.30pm at the North Shore Events Centre.

New Zealand’s other group D games are also at the NSEC, against Croatia at 7.30pm on July 3, and against Kazakhstan at 7.30pm on July 4.

Should the JTBs progess through the preliminary, they would face three games against group C opponents, which could include Australia, Spain, Canada and Syria, between July 6-8.

Two games will simultaneously open the first world championship tournament in New Zealand, with USA and Iran from group B meeting at the NSEC, while Croatia and Kazakhstan do battle cross-town at ASB Stadium in Kohimarama.

The eighth-final round runs from July 6-8, with quarterfinals on Friday, July 10, semifinals on Saturday, July 11 and finals on Sunday, July 12, all games at the NSEC.

Overall the tournament will feature 62 matches played at the North Shore Events Centre, Takapuna and the ASB Stadium, Kohimarama. The quarters, semifinals and finals will all be held at the North Shore Events Centre .

There will be live television coverage of three matches per day plus all New Zealand games and the quarters, semis and finals on Sky Television.

It is the first time New Zealand has hosted a FIBA event and the first time a FIBA event has been held in the Southern hemisphere. It will also be a first for a New Zealand men’s team to compete at the tournament.

Interest in the tournament will see around 100 player scouts descend on the region along with approximately 400 athletes and officials.

The ninth FIBA U19 World Championship will feature 16 teams from five continental zones, comprised of players born in 1990 or after.

The 16 nations confirmed for the tournament are: Angola, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Croatia, Egypt, France, Greece, Iran, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Spain, Syria, USA.

Local supporters of the event are Auckland City Council, North Shore City Council, Major Events New Zealand, SPARC, Tourism Auckland. Sky City Hotels is the official accommodation