Two school teams flew to Australia earlier this week for a 10-day tour.
Both sides will play eight games against teams from the Gold Coast and Brisbane.
Ian Cathcart is coaching the junior team while Toby Lewis is leading the senior team.
The whole tour group were ‘‘really looking forward to it’’ Cathcart said.
‘‘The boys have been working hard and preparing and it’s been a long time coming.’’
It is the first overseas basketball trip for the school since 2018.
They had historically gone every two years but Covid cancelled their planned trip in 2020 and then the 2024 trip also fell over.
Cathcart said it was about more than just basketball.
‘‘The basketball itself is cool but the actual cultural experience, for some of these kids it might be the only time they go to Australia, maybe it could be the only time they head overseas.
‘‘To experience the cultural side of it, we’re going to an AFL game, we’re going an NRL game and a couple of theme parks as well, that whole experience is definitely something they’re going to remember.’’
Waitaki Boys’ High School old boy and Black Cap Nathan Smith went on a basketball trip while a student and still remembered it fondly, Cathcart said.
‘‘Every time I see him he always brings it up and we’ll chat about the days and he’ll say ‘oh man, that Oz [sic] tour was so much fun I loved it, I still think about it lots’.
‘‘That’s a guy that’s experienced so much through his cricket and he still reflects and talks about how fun that Australian tour was.’’
Cathcart spent 2024 living on the Gold Coast and had seen their basketball scene up close.
‘‘They play a lot, they don’t necessarily practice a lot so I think we’ll probably be a lot more organised with them when it comes to structure.
‘‘The quality of opposition we’re playing is good.
‘‘We’ve got some good solid skills and it’s just an opportunity for some of those boys to see what it’s like to play against some of those teams.’’
It would also help both teams to get game time under their belt before the season back home.
‘‘The bigger picture for us is building this group leading into the Otago competition and South Island [tournament].’’
