Photo credit: Render Creative NZ
Who: Auckland Tuatara vs Franklin Bulls
When: Wednesday July 24
Where: Eventfinda Stadium,
Tickets Available HERE
Basketball fan, not a basketball fan, it doesn’t matter. If you live in Auckland then you need to pick a side, because sitting on the fence won't be good enough for this Final 6 battle.
Are you going North, or are you going South?
This Wednesday’s semi-final between the Auckland Tuatara and Franklin Bulls has classic written all over it, hopefully in a similar vein to the Rams and Airs thriller we all witnessed last Sunday afternoon.
Some will liken this semi-final to the North Shore taking on Pukekohe or maybe the Battle of the Bridge days, while the most ardent hoops fans will simply and affectionately refer to it as the ‘Battle of the 09'.
Either way, all roads lead to Eventfinda Stadium on Wednesday night where Corey Webster, Tom Vodanovich, Rebuen Te Rangi, Rob Loe, Cam Gliddon and a couple of young men by the names of Charlie Dalton and Braydon Iuli will clash with Luther Muhammad, Isaac Davidson, Ethan Rusbatch, Sam Timmins, Lee Skinner, Josh Scott and Dom Kelman-Poto.
It’s an appetising match-up. A star-studded Tuatara crew up against the hard-working Bulls who seemingly always have a chip on their shoulder with an us-against-the-world mentality.
If you haven’t got your tickets yet – get them. You won’t be disappointed.
The Tuatara put on a great show with loads of entertainment and giveaways, geared towards kids and families. It’s a fun night out.
The battles on the court will go above and beyond. The Tuatara come in off a two-week break, while the Bulls hit the big smoke after having literally smoked the Wellington Saints last Friday night.
The belief amongst the Bulls is real, they fear no one and will throw everything at the Tuatara. They are shooting well, largely keeping their fouls under control, and have a genuine star in Luther Muhammad.
The Tuatara are packed with quality. Can Webster rise to the top yet again just like he did in last year’s Final 6 with the Rams? Will Rob Loe bring his MVP talent? Will Tom Vodanovich deliver his brute strength and muscle?
Tickets start from about $20, a bargain given you always feel like you’re literally sitting in the middle of the action. And as always, as soon as the game finishes you get to step on court and meet the players.
If you haven’t been to a Sal’s NBL game before, you couldn’t have hoped for a better time to start. The passion will be real, the entertainment will be electric, and the stars will put on a show.
See you Wednesday night.
