BENDIGO basketball fans have just a few days to secure their ticket for this Thursday night's FIBA Asia Cup 2025 qualifier between the Australian Boomers and Korea at Red Energy Arena.
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The game is nearing a sellout, with the allocation for courtside and gold seats already allocated.
Limited tickets remain for silver and bronze seating.
For the Boomers, the road to defending the Asia Cup title for Australia will begin in Bendigo.
It's been almost 10 years since the Australian and Korean senior men's national teams have faced each other and will mark the first game of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers.
Australia has been undefeated in the Asia Cup, leading to two consecutive championships in 2017 and 2022.
The clash against Korea will be the Boomers first in Bendigo since they trounced Iran 96-68 in a World Cup qualifier in August 2022.
The Australian team will be captained by Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Nick Kay and will feature an exciting cohort of local talent and rising stars.
These include the likes of Dejan Vasiljevic, Isaac Humphries and Mitch McCarron.
Six debutants have been named in the 12-player team, including Rocco Zikarsky, Josh Bannan, Nick Marshall and Jordan Hunter and Centre of Excellence athletes, 18-year-olds Kye Savage and Josh Dent.
Australian Boomers head coach Brian Goorjian said the team was excited to be back playing on home soil and in Bendigo.
"It's always great playing at home, there is nothing like it, I love it and so do the team, you lift for the crowd, and I know Bendigo are mad basketball fans so it will be a great atmosphere," he said.
"These games provide an opportunity to look at some athletes that will be in consideration for Paris and introduce some new younger players to be exposed to 'Boomers Culture' and international basketball."
I know Bendigo are mad basketball fans so it will be a great atmosphere
- Boomers coach Brian Goorjian
Adelaide 36ers guard Vasiljevic is excited to represent his country in his home state of Victoria.
"It's always an honour to wear the green and gold and follow in the footsteps of the greats who have come before us and to represent the Boomers past and present means a lot," he said.
"I'm a Melbourne boy originally so it will be really special to have my family and close friends in the crowd.
"We've got a lot of first timers in this team so it gives them the opportunity to represent the Boomers for the first time and on home soil too."
For ticketing details, visit Ticketek.
Game starts at 6.30pm.
