Auckland's Super City Rangers will create New Zealand National Basketball League (NBL) history in April.
The Rangers will be the first NBL team to travel to Australia to play new entity, the Tasmania based Southern Huskies, on April 27.
In December, the Huskies were confirmed as the first Australian team to play in the New Zealand NBL, joining on a five-year deal.
The Huskies will play their first game against the Manawatū Jets in Palmerston North on April 18, before playing perennial title favourites, the Wellington Saints, a day later in Wellington on April 19. They will complete their first away trip in Napier against the Bay Hawks on April 21 before flying back to host the Rangers six days later.
On May 12, the Huskies host reigning Kiwi NBL champions, the Southland Sharks.
The Kiwi teams will visit Tasmania to play the Huskies at least once, while the Huskies will play each of the New Zealand teams away, playing doubleheaders each time they cross the ditch.
They will play home games in Hobart and Launceston.
As part of agreement for entry into the NBL, the Huskies will assist with the cost for New Zealand teams to travel to Tasmania to play. NBL board chair Iain Potter said that was essential as they did not want to increase the New Zealand teams' expenses through the move.
The eligibility rules have been adjusted.
All the teams in the league are allowed three imports. All teams in the league, including the Huskies, can have a New Zealander as a non-restricted player. The Huskies can have any Kiwi or Australian as an unrestricted player, unless they have played more than 7.5 minutes in the Australian NBL in the proceeding season.
Former Hobart Chargers coach Anthony Stewart will guide the Huskies for their inaugural season.
They have assembled a strong initial squad, containing Adelaide 36ers big man Harry Froling, the ANBL rookie of the year and a member of the Australian Boomers, as well as American imports Tre Nichols, Jalen Billups, and Mason Bragg.
The Kiwi sides in the 2019 NBL will again be the Jets, Saints, Sharks, Hawks, Rangers, Nelson Giants, Taranaki Mountain Airs, and Canterbury Rams.
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