The Illawarra Hawks are excited to announce an international preseason encounter versus the Shanghai Sharks on Saturday, August 17th, at the Snakepit in Wollongong. The game will provide Hawks supporters with their first peek at the much anticipated Hawks playing and coaching staff ahead of the NBL 25 season.
The Shanghai Sharks, formidable opponents in the Chinese Basketball Association, have top-tier talent, including international representatives Wang Zhelin, Xie Liyongwei, and Zheng Liu. The Sharks will play two games in Australia, the first against the Hawks and the second against the Brisbane Bullets on August 23rd.
Hawks CEO Stu Taggart stated, “We are thrilled to bring such great international competition to Wollongong next month. It’s an excellent opportunity for us to analyze our preparations for the forthcoming season, as well as for Hawks members and fans to witness the new lineup and enjoy international basketball at the Hawks’ traditional home court.”
“We are grateful to the Illawarra Basketball Association for hosting the game at the Snakepit, and we hope the game is an appropriate way for us to celebrate the immense devotion and love that the Illawarra basketball community shows for our sport and the Hawks year after year,” he said.
NBL COO and Head of Basketball Operations, Vince Crivelli, stated, “We have a terrific relationship with the international basketball community, including the CBA, and those relationships are vital to the NBL’s continued growth.”
“Our two leagues’ collaboration is growing stronger by the day, and this preseason game is a fantastic step toward expanding basketball in Australia and Asia.
“I’d like to thank the Shanghai Sharks, Illawarra Hawks, and CBA for their support, and we’re looking forward to what promises to be an exciting game in August.”
“This is the Shark’s first international journey since 2019,” explained James Duncan, Assistant Coach of the Shanghai Sharks. “We are thrilled to get the opportunity to travel Australia and face the Illawarra Hawks in the beautiful city of Wollongong.
We are excited to share friendship and basketball talents with some of the greatest teams in the Australian NBL.”
“As basketball’s worldwide influence grows, we believe that this visit will allow us to learn from one another in an international setting, connect with the Hawks, exchange ideas, improve procedures, and build a bridge of friendly interaction between the CBA and NBL,” he said.
Ticket sales information, including the intended public on-sale date, will be made available to Hawks Members and fans in the coming weeks via direct email and the Hawks website.
