Paul Berridge and KJ Allen, middle, remain optimistic that HoopNation Junior Showcase can go ahead in Whanganui on June 12-14. Photos / File
Paul Berridge and KJ Allen, middle, remain optimistic that HoopNation Junior Showcase can go ahead in Whanganui on June 12-14. Photos / File
The HoopNation Junior Showcase remains tentatively on the schedule for Whanganui's Springvale Stadium in June, despite Basketball New Zealand holding off on all their national tournaments for a least a further month.
Expat Whanganui promoters Paul Berridge and KJ Allen had announced the 36-team HoopNation junior tournament for Under 12-16 grades in early March, as an offshoot of the original senior tournament, now called HoopNation Classic, which started at Springvale before being moved to Tauranga five years ago.
Since the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and New Zealand entering a Level 4 lockdown just a few weeks later, Berridge had stated they would keep the June 12-14 date open, while waiting to see what announcements the NZ Secondary Schools Sports Council (NZSSSC) would make for their tournaments, should events planned earlier be moved to that same time.
BBNZ announced last week that they will not run any national tournaments until at least the end of July, while three of them previously scheduled from May through to September have been cancelled outright.
"Associations throughout the country, as well as players, coaches and families, will be looking for some clarity around tournaments, to help planning and budgeting," said the BBNZ press release.
"It is difficult to provide certainty around what events will be worked into the calendar.
"Some events will be cancelled. However, where possible, BBNZ is postponing events and considering options including modifying events, reducing attendance, staging regional versions and shifting dates."
Nonetheless, HoopNation will now wait for the big announcement by Prime Minister Jacinda Arden on April 20 on whether New Zealand will leave the current Level 4 lockdown as planned two days later, and whether there will be a furthering lowering of alert levels in the following month.
"We are therefore optimistic that the Junior Showcase may still be viable, and we will have greater clarity then," said the Facebook post.
"This will be the date of our next formal announcement.
"Again, we thank you for your patience and cooperation as we focus on adhering to the call to stay home and keep people alive."
Under the New Zealand Alert System, New Zealand would likely have to go back to Level 1 before a reorganised HoopNation Junior tournament might be feasible.
Level 3 means public facilities like Springvale must stay closed, while mass gatherings are prohibited.
Level 2 also has restrictions on mass gatherings, while non-essential travelling is limited.
At Level 1, it is mass gatherings with over 500 people that are cancelled, which would be around the threshold for HoopNation Junior, although for the three-day tournament, not all participants would be at Springvale Stadium at the same time.
Teams from the Waikato, Tauranga, Taranaki, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Auckland and Brisbane had all previously signed up to take part, with prior HoopNation events in Whanganui having had a positive economic impact for the town estimated at $1.6m.
Berridge had said they have a window to around late May in which to ensure they can meet their June obligations, should the event have the go ahead.
BBNZ's cancelled events are the Under 19 Nationals, set for Dunedin from May 30 to June 2, the Under 23 Nationals in Napier, August 12-15, and the Tertiary Nationals in Auckland, September 18-20.
Postponed, but not cancelled, are the Under 17 Nationals, which were to be July 8-11 in Nelson, and the Under 15 Nationals, previously set for July 15-18 in Auckland.
All BBNZ national tournaments are cancelled or postponed at least through until the end of July.
"BBNZ is considering when these events could be held this year, along with modified formats and qualification criteria," said the press release.
"These decisions will depend on Government restrictions and advice from the Ministry of Health and Sport New Zealand, post the July/August period."
Currently still scheduled are the Secondary Schools National Premierships for August 29 to September 5, and the Secondary School Championships, September 28-October 3.
