The New Zealand Māori basketball team will be going head-to-head with the Apunipima Australian Indigenous Basketball team in Tauranga tonight.

It'll be the third and deciding match of the three game trans-Tasman series, and is taking place at Tauranga's Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre and Memorial Hall Park, with tip-off at 6pm.

The New Zealand Māori basketball team takes on the the Apunipima Australian Indigenous Basketball team at Tauranga's Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre and Memorial Hall Park tonight. Photo: Emz Riri/GBA

Game 1 saw the Māori team fall to the visitors 82-87 in Gisborne, but the home-side came back in Game 2, winning 99-93 in Te Awamutu. When it comes to points for and against, the Māori team are up by one point.

Coach Jeff Green says last year's series played in Australia was also tied going into the third and final game, with the Aussies ultimately winning the 2015 series.

'It's always a close contest between these two teams. We won the inaugural year of the series, they won the second, and hopefully we'll win this year's series,” he says.

'It's a series the boys really look forward to each year, both teams are very competitive and both teams have a ton of experience.”

The Māori team boasts two recently retired Tall Blacks, nine NZ NBL current players, and eight former NZ Junior Tall Blacks.

Head of Māori Basketball Willie Taurima says there is a great rivalry building between the two teams. The last two events were highly competitive, with both nations holding a title each.

'This is the third year in the event's history. The first year was in 2014 when it was a two game series. It resulted in a draw at one win each, but New Zealand Māori won the title on point differential.

'The second year, in 2015, we lost two games to one. All three of those games went down to the wire, with about five points in it.”

This year the event is being taken on the road to towns that Taurima says has a proud Māori representation in their communities.

'We wanted to widen the opportunity for people to see international basketball. And these will be great games with that good old Australian/New Zealand rivalry,” says Taurima.

The New Zealand Māori basketball team taking on the Apunipima Australian Indigenous Basketball team at Tauranga's Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre and Memorial Hall Park, tip-off at 6pm.

The New Zealand Māori:

• Ross Taurima – Forward
• Randall Bishop – Guard
• Hyrum Hippolite – Guard
• Darryl Jones – Forward
• Lindsay Tait (Captain) – Guard
• Tipene Friday – Forward
• Brook Ruscoe – Guard
• Hyrum Harris – Forward
• Daniel Green – Guard
• Te Rerenga Wetere – Forward
• Aaron Bailey-Nowell – Forward
• Jaylen Gerrand – Guard
• Josh Bloxham – Guard

• Head Coach – Jeff Green
• Assistant Coaches – Kazlo Evans and Anthony Keung

Apunipima Australian Indigenous All Stars:

• Kerry Williams – Guard
• Tyson Demos – Forward
• Deba George – Guard
• Aaron Bin Tahal – Guard
• Marshall Ware – Forward
• Verle Williams Jnr. – Guard
• Daniel David – Guard
• Jacob Davis – Forward
• Andrew Taylor – Forward
• Tidjane Diop – Forward
• Simon Taylor – Guard

• Head Coach Joel Khalu
• Assistant Coach Jason Borg
• Assistant Coach Travis Thorne
• Team Manager Brent Khalu
• Head of Delegation Danny Morseu

Photo: Emz Riri/GBA