Indian Panthers
{{Short description|Indian basketball team in Auckland, New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox Basketball club
| name = Indian Panthers
| color1 = white
| color2 = black
| color3 = orange
| logo = Indian Panthers logo.jpg
| league = NZNBL
| founded = October 2024
| history = Indian Panthers
2025–
| arena = Pulman Arena
| location = Takanini, Auckland, New Zealand
| colours = Black, white, orange
{{color box|#000000}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}} {{color box|#F58233}}
| sponsor =
| ceo = Parveen Batish
| ownership = INBL Pro
| manager =
| coach = Jonathan Goodman (interim)
| championships =
| website =
| h_body = 000000
| h_pattern_b = _orangesides
| h_shorts = 000000
| h_pattern_s = _orangesides
| a_body = #000000
| a_pattern_b = _orangesides
| a_shorts = #000000
| a_pattern_s = _orangesides
}}
The Indian Panthers are a New Zealand-based Indian professional basketball team that compete in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). The Panthers are based in South Auckland and play their home games at Pulman Arena in Takanini, with Auckland being home to the largest percentage of migrants from India as of the 2023 census.{{cite news |title=It's official – Indian Panthers confirmed to join New Zealand basketball leagues in 2025 |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360468306/its-official-indian-panthers-confirmed-join-new-zealand-basketball-leagues-2025 |access-date=30 October 2024 |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=30 October 2024}}
Team history
In July 2024, it was revealed that the New Zealand NBL was looking at an expansion team from the Indian National Basketball League (INBL).{{cite web|url=https://nznbl.basketball/breaking-new-ground-indian-nbl-seeks-entry-into-nbl-and-tauihi-leagues/|title=BREAKING NEW GROUND: INDIAN NBL SEEKS ENTRY INTO NBL AND TAUIHI LEAGUES|work=nznbl.basketball|date=19 July 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240719023953/https://nznbl.basketball/breaking-new-ground-indian-nbl-seeks-entry-into-nbl-and-tauihi-leagues/|archive-date=19 July 2024}}{{cite web|last=Egan|first=Brendon|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350347432/nbl-tauihi-basketball-leagues-set-feature-indian-backed-teams-2025|title=NBL, Tauihi basketball leagues set to feature Indian backed teams from 2025|work=Stuff.co.nz|date=19 July 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240719031322/https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350347432/nbl-tauihi-basketball-leagues-set-feature-indian-backed-teams-2025|archive-date=19 July 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/07/19/indian-backed-teams-to-join-nz-basketball-leagues-in-2025/|title=Indian-backed teams to join NZ basketball leagues in 2025|work=1news.co.nz|date=19 July 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240719031615/https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/07/19/indian-backed-teams-to-join-nz-basketball-leagues-in-2025/|archive-date=19 July 2024}} On 30 October 2024, it was announced that the Indian Panthers, owned by INBL Pro, would join the league in 2025,{{cite web|url=https://nznbl.basketball/indian-panthers-join-nbl-tauihi-kiwi-basketball-set-to-soar-in-india/|title=Indian Panthers Join NBL & Tauihi – Kiwi Basketball Set To Soar In India|work=nznbl.basketball|date=30 October 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241116062046/https://nznbl.basketball/indian-panthers-join-nbl-tauihi-kiwi-basketball-set-to-soar-in-india/|archive-date=16 November 2024}} with a roster primarily consisting of Indian national players.{{cite news |title=The Indian Panthers are taking shape ahead of their entry into the New Zealand men's basketball league |url=https://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=417915&cat=977&fm=newsmain%2Cnarts |access-date=7 March 2025 |work=NZCity |date=5 March 2025}}
Due to delayed visa applications, the Panthers were unable to participate in the NBL's 2025 pre-season tournament.{{cite web|url=https://nznbl.basketball/panthers-visa-setback/|title=Indian Panthers to Join Sal's NBL on March 12 After Visa Setback|work=nznbl.basketball|date=28 February 2025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228055202/https://nznbl.basketball/panthers-visa-setback/|archive-date=28 February 2025}} Two days prior to their season opener, it was announced that due to an Indian national team camp, the Panthers would start the season with a mostly New Zealand player roster.{{cite web|url=https://nznbl.basketball/panthersrosterupdate/|title=Panthers Expand Kiwi Connection Due To Indian National Team Camp|work=nznbl.basketball|date=10 March 2025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250310120235/https://nznbl.basketball/panthersrosterupdate/|archive-date=10 March 2025}}{{cite news |title=New Indian National Basketball League team to debut with ... Kiwi players |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360609974/new-indian-national-basketball-league-team-debut-kiwi-players |access-date=11 March 2025 |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=11 March 2025 |archive-date=10 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250310235254/https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360609974/new-indian-national-basketball-league-team-debut-kiwi-players |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Panthers a mystery ahead of NBL debut |url=https://www.nzsportswire.com/post/indian-panthers-unknown-ahead-of-nbl-debut |access-date=11 March 2025 |work=NZ Sports Wire |date=11 March 2025 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Straight Shot: Indian Panthers Season Preview |url=https://nznbl.basketball/straightshotpanthers2025/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=nznbl.basketball |date=12 March 2025 |language=en-AU}} In their inaugural game on 12 March 2025, they lost 112–78 to the Hawke's Bay Hawks.{{cite news |title=Teen stars as Hawks tip-off NBL with win |url=https://www.nzsportswire.com/post/hawks-vs-panthers |access-date=13 March 2025 |work=NZ Sports Wire |date=12 March 2025 |language=en |archive-date=13 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250313150652/https://www.nzsportswire.com/post/hawks-vs-panthers |url-status=live }} Following their first game, head coach Miles Pearce stepped down and was replaced by interim coach Jonathan Goodman.{{cite news |last1=Tom |first1=Blessen |title=Home losses, coach's departure sour start to Indian Panthers' debut season |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/indonz/545852/home-losses-coach-s-departure-sour-start-to-indian-panthers-debut-season |access-date=27 March 2025 |work=RNZ |date=25 March 2025 |language=en-nz}}
Players
=Current roster=
{{Basketball roster nationality note}}
{{Basketball roster header|team=Indian Panthers|wt=n|age=n
| color1 = #F58233 | bg1 = #000000| color2 = #F58233 | bg2 = #000000}}
{{player3 | pos = G | num = 6 | nat = NZL | first = Jaylen | last = Gerrand | m = 1.83 }}
{{player3 | pos = G | num = 7 | nat = IND | first = Tushal | last = Singh | m = 1.81 }}
{{player3 | pos = G | num = 8 | nat = NZL | first = Ryan | last = Laumatia | m = 1.88 }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = 10 | nat = NZL | first = Dante | last = Matakatea | m = 1.94 }}
{{player3 | pos = G | num = 11 | nat = NZL | first = Cooper | last = Lepou | m = 1.78 }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = 12 | nat = NZL | first = Luke | last = Kelemete | m = }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = 13 | nat = IND | first = Sejin | last = Mathew | m = 1.95 }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = 14 | nat = NZL | first = Emmerson | last = Potts-Broughton | m = 1.98 }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = 15 | nat = NZL | first = Leon | last = Henry | m = 2.00 | note = C }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = 16 | nat = IND | first = Aaron Verghese | last = Blessen | m = 1.92 }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = 17 | nat = NZL | first = Zack | last = Te Puni | m = 2.03 }}
{{player3 | pos = F/C | num = 18 | nat = CHN | first = Shengzhe | last = Li | m = 2.11 }}
{{player3 | pos = F/C | num = | nat = NZL | first = Patrich | last = Bolstad | m = 2.03 }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = | nat = NZL | first = Cooper | last = Boyce-Towler | m = 1.97 }}
{{player3 | pos = G | num = | nat = NZL | first = Salem | last = Broughton | m = }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = | nat = NZL | first = Vince | last = Lenden | m = }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = | nat = IND | first = Vaisakh | last = Manoj | m = 1.94 }}
{{player3 | pos = G | num = | nat = NZL | first = Francis | last = Mulvihill | m = 1.84 }}
{{player3 | pos = G/F | num = | nat = IND | first = Riyanshu | last = Negi | m = 1.93 }}
{{player3 | pos = G | num = | nat = NZL | first = Stephan | last = Paea | m = }}
{{player3 | pos = G | num = | nat = IND | first = Jaideep | last = Rathore | m = 1.84 }}
{{player3 | pos = G | num = | nat = IND | first = Gurbaz | last = Sandhu | m = 1.82 }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = | nat = IND | first = Arvinder | last = Singh Kahlon | m = 2.05 }}
{{player3 | pos = G | num = | nat = IND | first = Lokendra | last = Singh | dab = basketball | m = 1.94 }}
{{player3 | pos = F/C | num = | nat = IND | first = Princepal | last = Singh | m = 2.08 }}
{{player3 | pos = F | num = | nat = NZL | first = Jimi | last = Sipeli | m = }}
{{Basketball roster footer
| head_coach =
- {{player||AUS|Jonathan Goodman}} (interim)
| asst_coach =
- {{player||NZL|Melanie Bennett}}
- {{player||NZL|Morgan Maskell}}
| DP = y
| I = y
| IN = y
| roster_url = https://fibalivestats.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/u/NZN/2591788/bs.html
| accessdate = 11 April 2025
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{youtube|iDOnwCPcdY0|Indian Panthers to bring 'flavour of India to New Zealand basketball' {{!}} RNZ}}
{{National Basketball League (New Zealand)}}
Category:National Basketball League (New Zealand) teams
Category:Basketball teams in Auckland