The Melbourne Tigers will be travelling to Belfast on Saturday the 31st of July to take part in the Inaugural Belfast 2010 International Invitational Classic hosted by USNI Sport. The Tigers will follow the Belfast tournament with a visit to China to take part in the Lu’An Invitational in Changzhi City, Shanxi.
The Tigers international pre season tour will showcase the Melbourne club’s talent as their full strength squad makes the trip, including American imports TJ Campbell and Eric Devendorf from Portland Pilots and Syracuse Orange respectively, as well as current Australian Boomer international Luke Nevill.
The Belfast 2010 International Invitational Classic is the first tournament of its kind ever to be hosted in Ireland. It will be a new experience for basketball and non-basketball fans alike in Ireland with the Tigers competing against USNI Irish All Star team and USA Collegiate team the Pittsburgh Panthers as well as facing the English National team.
The Tigers will get some valuable training time in Ulster Jordanstown’s elite facilities in the lead up to the tournament.
With seven of the ten Tigers players new to the team, it offers a perfect opportunity for Head Coach Al Westover to integrate his players together both on and off the court. Not only will the Tigers be visiting Belfast’s premier sports arena, but with tours of Belfast’s history being organised by USNI Sport as well as the beautiful North Coast it will be a first class experience of what Northern Ireland has to offer. The Tigers squad will also be spending some time visiting outreach clinics promoting basketball throughout the region.
The Odyssey Arena is hosting the event and is the perfect showground as not only is it central in Belfast with easy access via public transport, it is seen as a possible arena for the first fully professional team from Northern Ireland to compete in the BBL (British Basketball League). Currently the league is comprised of 13 teams, 12 hailing from England and the Glasgow Rocks from Scotland being the only non-English team playing.
Ireland’s most capped player, Gareth Maguire sees this tournament as a “stepping stone towards a franchise.” Further information and an interview with Maguire and USNI Sport managing director Mark Marais can be found by clicking here.
Once the Tigers leave Ireland, they fly straight to China to take part in the Lu’An Invitational in Changzhi City, Shanxi. Teams participating in the tournament with the Melbourne Tigers will be Sonice Boom (KBL), Liaoning (CBA), Shanghai Sharks (CBA), American TGBTG (CBA) and Spanish Unicaja (ACB).
The group games will be played from Tuesday the 10th of August to Thursday the 12th of August which will be followed by the semi final and the grand final over the next two days. After completing the pre-season tour of China, the Tigers will depart on the Sunday night to arrive back in Melbourne on Monday the 16th of August, for more training before the NBL season begins on Friday the 15th of October at ‘The Cage’ against the Sydney Kings.
The squad touring for Belfast and China is as follows:
Name, Position, Height, Nationality
TJ Campbell, PG, 5ft 9”, USA
Eric Devendorf, G, 6ft 3”, USA
Daryl Corletto, G, 6ft 3”, AUS
Bennie Lewis, G/F, 6ft 8”, AUS
Tommy Greer, SF, 6ft 7”, AUS
Lucas Walker, F, 6ft 7”, AUS
Cameron Tragardh, F, 6ft 10”, AUS
Matt Burston, F/C, 6ft 10”, AUS
Wade Helliwell, C, 7ft, AUS
Luke Nevill, C, 7ft 2”, AUS
Al Westover, Head Coach
Warrick Giddey, Assistant Coach
Warwick Vale, Trainer
Ian Jones, Team Manager
Pre-season trip itinerary and game schedule:
Date, Description
Sat 31st July - Depart Melbourne
Sun 1st Aug - Arrive in Ireland
Thurs 5th Aug - Tigers v Team England (warm up game)
Fri 6th Aug - Tigers v Pittsburgh Pathers
Sat 7th Aug - Tigers v USNI Irish All Stars
Sun 8th Aug - Depart Ireland
Mon 9th Aug - Arrive in China
Tues 10th Aug - Group Game
Wed 11th Aug - Group Game
Thurs 12th Aug - Group Game
Fri 13th Aug - Semi Final (if required)
Sat 14th Aug - Grand Final (if required)
Sun 15th Aug - Depart China
Mon 16th Aug - Arrive home in Melbourne
For all information regarding the Tigers pre season tour and season ahead please stay tuned to www.tigers.com.au.
