The Manawatu Jets are a New Zealand professional men's
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
team based in
Palmerston North
Palmerston North (; , colloquially known as Palmerston or Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatū Plains, the city is near the north bank of the Manaw ...
. The Jets compete in the
National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at
Central Energy Trust Arena. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Property Brokers Manawatu Jets.
Team history
The Palmerston North Jets were a foundation member of the
National Basketball League (NBL) in 1982. After finishing eighth in the eight-team competition, the Jets were relegated to the second-tiered
Conference Basketball League (CBL) in 1983. After finishing as CBL runners-up in 1984, they were promoted back into the NBL in 1985. They finished fifth in both 1985 and 1986, but after finishing tenth in the ten-team competition in 1987, the Jets were relegated to the CBL in 1988. The 1988 season saw the Jets win the CBL championship, which saw them promoted back into the NBL in 1989. The Jets were regular season winners in 1989, but despite being the top seed at the finals weekend, they were defeated 92–84 in the semifinal by the
Canterbury Rams.
In 1992, the Jets reached the NBL final, where they were defeated 79–71 by the Rams.
In 2002, the team became known as the Manawatu Jets.
In November 2015, the Jets withdrew from the NBL due to reduced funding and an unsustainable business model.
[Manawatu Jets out of 2016 basketball league]
/ref> In April 2017, the Jets lodged their application to Basketball New Zealand to compete in the 2018 NBL season. Their application was successful, and on 29 August 2017, the Jets were readmitted into the league.
In 2020, the Jets reached the NBL final for the second time in their history, where they lost 79–77 to the Otago Nuggets.
In 2022, the Jets retired the number 12 jersey of Jake McKinlay following his death the previous year.
Players
Current roster
Notable past players
* / Ed Book
* / Willie Burton
* David Cooper
* Chris Hagan
* / Nick Horvath
* / James Hunter
* / Marcel Jones
* / Luke Martin
* Josh Pace
* Jeremiah Trueman
Jeremiah Kloeten Trueman (born 19 May 1987) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player.
Early life
Trueman was born in New Plymouth and originally grew up in nearby Stratford, New Zealand, Stratford. He joined his parents, first in ...
* Mika Vukona
Retired numbers
References
External links
Official team website
Manawatu Jets could return to NBL in 2018
{{National Basketball League (New Zealand)
Basketball teams established in 1982
Basketball teams in New Zealand
National Basketball League (New Zealand) teams
Sport in Palmerston North
1982 establishments in New Zealand