Hawks welcome the Shanghai Sharks to the Snakepit

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The Illawarra Hawks are thrilled to announce an international pre-season match against the Shanghai Sharks on Saturday, August 17th, at the Snakepit in Wollongong. The game will give Hawks fans their first look at the eagerly awaited Hawks playing and coaching team ahead of the NBL25 season.  

The Shanghai Sharks, strong competitors in the Chinese Basketball Association, boast top-tier talent, including international representatives Wang Zhelin, Xie Liyongwei and Zheng Liu. The game against the Hawks will be the first of two matches the Sharks will play in Australia, followed by a game against the Brisbane Bullets on August 23rd.   

Hawks CEO Stu Taggart said, “We're excited to welcome such strong international competition to Wollongong next month. It’s a great opportunity to assess our preparations ahead of the upcoming season, and for Hawks members and fans to see the renewed line-up and experience 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 a fitting way for us to recognise the enormous commitment and support that the Illawarra basketball community show for our sport and for the Hawks every year,” he continued. 

NBL COO and Head of Basketball Operations Vince Crivelli said, “We have a fantastic relationship with the international basketball community, including the CBA, and those connections are important to the NBL’s continued growth,” NBL COO and Head of Basketball Operations Vince Crivelli said. 

“The partnership between our two leagues continues to go from strength to strength, and this preseason game is a brilliant step forward towards growing basketball in Australia and Asia. 

“I want to thank the Shanghai Sharks, Illawarra Hawks and CBA for supporting this game and we look forward to enjoying what promises to be a fascinating contest in August.” 

“This is the first international trip for the Shark since 2019,” explained James Duncan, Assistant Coach for the Shanghai Sharks “We are delighted to have the opportunity to visit Australia and take on the Illawarra Hawks in the beautiful city of Wollongong.   

We look forward to sharing friendship and basketball skills with some of the best teams in the Australian NBL.”   

“As basketball's global influence continues to grow, we hope that this visit will allow us to learn from each other in an international context, interact with the Hawks, exchange ideas, enhance practices, and establish a bridge of friendly exchange between the CBA and NBL,” he added.    

Ticket sales information including the proposed public on sale date will be released over coming weeks to Hawks Members and fans via direct email and the Hawks' website.