The SKYCITY Breakers are bringing an international flavour to their pre-season with the announcement that Chinese CBA team the Dongguan Leopards will take part in a 3 game series as the defending 3-peat champions finalise preparations for the 2013-14 season.

The 3 games will be hosted by New Plymouth (Sept 29), Hamilton (Oct 1) and Auckland (Oct 3), with the three venues watching history unfold as the game continues to grow and develop on the back of the club’s championship 3-peat.

SKYCITY Breakers head coach Dean Vickerman says the series will be a perfect lead in to the season proper and a great thrill for fans, in particular those in New Plymouth and Hamilton.

The Leopards roster features 5 players over 6 foot 10, including several Chinese national team members and will also include 2 US import players – including guard Bobby Brown, who has over 120 games in the NBA with clubs such as the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Hornets.

Sport Taranaki CEO Howie Tamati believes hosting the SKYCITY Breakers is a chance for everyone to enjoy the superstars of New Zealand basketball playing live.
“Our province has a passionate and enthusiastic basketball following that will embrace these top athletes. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Taranaki community to see the best team in Australasia play the leading team in the Chinese national league,” says Mr Tamati.

The SKYCITY Breakers will arrive in New Plymouth on Saturday 28th September and train at TSB Stadium with invited local children. The team will then attend a dinner and charity auction that evening at the Quality Hotel New Plymouth International before SKYCITY Breakers coaching staff lead a clinic for local basketball coaches at TSB Stadium prior to the main event, the opening game of the Champions Challenge against Dongguan with tip off at 7pm.

Tickets for the New Plymouth game will go on sale on Monday August 26th and with a capacity of just over 2,000 at TSB Stadium for the biggest basketball game to be hosted there in years, demand is expected to be high.

The teams will then travel to Hamilton for game two in the Series at Claudelands Arena on Tuesday October 1st. Once again a great atmosphere and a great game is promised as the Breakers return to Claudelands for the third year running.

The final game is scheduled for Vector Arena on October 3rd.