The Tall Ferns travelled to China for the latest Asia Cup with one major objective: don’t come last... or second to last. As long as they avoided those fates then, no matter what else happened, they’d progress in World Cup qualification.

While most of the kiwi basketball focus is rightfully on the FIBA Men’s U19 World Cup, not to mention the latter stages of the NBL season, it just so happens that we’re only the start of a busy spell of international hoops which also includes both men’s and women’s Asia Cups.

It may have snuck under the radar but the Tall Ferns were in Mexico last week playing some games. They had a Pre-Qualifying Tournament for the next FIBA World Cup. Very similar to the format they went through with Olympic Qualifiers earlier in the year...

The Tall Ferns will not be going to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. A narrow defeat against Puerto Rico in their qualifying tournament made sure of that, as a very inexperienced and injury-ravaged Aotearoa side fell agonisingly short of their goal

It’s been a long time since Aotearoa last had a basketballing presence at the Olympics. You’ve got to go all the way back to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing for the last appearance.

The Tall Ferns hit up this Asia Cup with a clear target in mind: a top four finish. Make the semi-finals of this tournament for the first ever time, see if they can’t win a medal while they’re at it, and most importantly stay in the hunt for Olympic qualification

The FIBA Women’s Asia Cup is taking place in Sydney, Australia next week and the Tall Ferns have a task ahead of them. Winning this thing may not be realistic but that’s fine, the real task is getting into the top four

The Tall Ferns hit up the Asia Cup having not played an international basketball game in almost two years. Yet another Aotearoa national team who’d disappeared since the pandemic hit.