New Zealand earned its first medal at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup, capturing Bronze in the nation's second appearance at the event.
The road to defending that podium spot begins on Thursday when New Zealand opens up its first scheduling window at the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers with a matchup against Chinese Taipei.
According to the FIBA rankings, New Zealand enters the tournament in a good spot: They rank second in Asia and 21st in the world, per the latest rankings.
In Group B, they will be competing with Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and the Philippines for the coveted spots in the field for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025.
The Sporting News has you covered with everything that you need to know as New Zealand gets set to begin play.
When are the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers?
- Dates:
- Window 1: Feb. 22 to Feb. 26
- Window 2: Nov. 21 to Nov. 25
- Window 3: Feb. 20 to Feb. 24 (2025)
- Teams:
- Australia, Korea, Japan, Guam, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, China, Mongolia, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Iran, Qatar, Kazakhstan, India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain, UAE, Jordan, Palestine
The first of three scheduling windows for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers begins on Thursday, Feb. 22 and continues through Monday, Feb. 26.
Teams representing 24 different nations will eventually play a total of six games, facing off against the three other teams in their group twice. Each team will play two games in each scheduling window.
New Zealand’s schedule at the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers
| Date | Opponent | Time (NZST) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 22 | at Chinese Taipei | FINAL | (W, 89-69) |
| Feb. 25 | vs Hong Kong | 16:30 p.m. | TBD |
| Nov. 21 | at Philippines | TBA | TBD |
| Nov. 25 | vs Chinese Taipei | TBA | TBD |
| Feb. 20 | vs Hong Kong | TBA | TBD |
| Feb. 23 | vs Philippines | TBA | TBD |
New Zealand’s roster for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers
| Number | Player | Age | Height/Weight | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Alexander McNaught | 21 | 6-2, 90 kgs. | G | New Zealand Breakers |
| 5 | Taylor Britt | 27 | 6-2, 77 kgs. | G | Canterbury Rams |
| 7 | Walter Brown | 20 | 6-3, | G | Tasmania JackJumpers |
| 8 | Max Darling | 23 | 6-5, 118 kgs. | F | Canterbury Rams |
| 11 | Tobias Cameron | 25 | 6-5, 95 kgs. | F | Taranaki Mountain Airs |
| 12 | Ethan Rusbatch | 31 | 6-5, | G | Bay Hawks |
| 13 | Dion Prewster | 34 | 6-5, 96 kgs. | G | Sandringham Sabres |
| 15 | Thomas Vodanovich | 29 | 6-7, 104 kgs. | F | Tasmania JackJumpers |
| 20 | Jordan Ngatai | 30 | 6-5, 100 kgs. | F | Tampereen Pyrinto |
| 24 | Tyrell Harrison | 24 | 7-0, 115 kgs. | C | Brisbane Bullets |
| 33 | Samuel Timmins | 26 | 6-11, 119 kgs. | C | Sydney Kings |
| 42 | Dan Fotu | 23 | 6-7, 100 kgs. | F | New Zealand Breakers |
Where to watch the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers: TV channel, live stream
- Dates: Feb. 22 to Feb. 26; Nov. 21 to Nov. 25; Feb. 20 to Feb. 24
- TV channels: ESPN, Kayo (Australia)
- Live stream: Courtside 1891 on DAZN
Fans in Australia hoping to watch New Zealand can do so live on Kayo.
Meanwhile, viewers hoping to stream the action can do so on Courtside 1891, which is available through DAZN. Courtside 1891 is the exclusive home of FIBA live streaming for all major international tournaments.