{{short description|New Zealand cricketer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Tipene Friday | image = | caption = | position = Forward | height_cm = 198 | weight_kg = | league = | team = | number = | nationality = New Zealand | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1990|10|24}} | birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand | high_school = St. Patrick's College<br>(Wellington, New Zealand) | college = | career_start = 2016 | career_end = | years1 = 2016–2018 | team1 = Super City Rangers | highlights = }} '''Sven Eru Tipene Friday''' (born 24 October 1990) is a New Zealand professional basketball player and former first-class cricketer.<ref name=rangers>[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11603036 Basketball: NZ NBL Preview - Wellington Saints v Super City Rangers]</ref>
==Early sporting career== Friday grew up playing rugby and cricket, as well as basketball in high school.<ref name=maddi>[https://maddimolenaarnews.wordpress.com/2016/03/22/supercity-rangers-recruit-domestic-cricket-player-tipene-friday/ Supercity Rangers recruit domestic cricket player Tipene Friday]</ref> He represented Wellington in cricket through the age-groups, and before he started playing basketball, he was named to the U17 national tournament team in 2007. Friday began playing basketball in early 2007, and by June 2009, he had been a part of three national championship teams, won back-to-back AA secondary schools titles with St. Patrick's College, and won another with Porirua at the BBNZ U21 Championships in 2008. He later played for the Junior Tall Blacks in July 2009 at the FIBA Under-19 World Championship<ref>[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/2514060/Thank-God-its-Friday Thank God it's Friday]</ref> and spent the 2009 New Zealand NBL season on the Wellington Saints training squad list.<ref>[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/2260517/Saints-poised-to-start-in-style Saints poised to start in style]</ref> He also played for a Porirua squad that finished runners-up in the 2009 Open National Championships. He subsequently earned all-tournament team honours.<ref>[http://basketballnz.imgstgdev.com/Portals/26/Results%20Archive/2009%20Results%20Annual%20incomplete%203Mar2010%20FINAL.pdf 2009 Results Annual]</ref>
Friday took up cricket again in 2010 and went on to play first-class cricket for Wellington, Auckland and Otago.<ref name="Bio">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/486182.html |title=Tipene Friday |accessdate=10 May 2016 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}</ref><ref name="CA">{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/921/921052/921052.html |title=Tipene Friday |accessdate=10 May 2016 |work=Cricket Archive}}</ref><ref>[http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/cricket/309085/cricket-move-south-new-day-friday Cricket: Move south a new day for Friday]</ref>
==Professional basketball career== In March 2016, Friday joined the Super City Rangers for the 2016 New Zealand NBL season.<ref name="rangers" /><ref>[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/77667529/Rangers-coach-Jeff-Green-Our-doors-open-for-Corey-Webster Rangers coach Jeff Green: Our door's open for Corey Webster]</ref> After recovering from a back injury, Friday was meant to return to cricket in the English domestic league. To maintain his fitness, he began attending practice sessions with the Rangers and coach Jeff Green brought him on board.<ref name="maddi" /> He appeared in 14 games for the Rangers in 2016.<ref>[http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=201430176&client=11-8336-139540-402361-25074092 Player statistics for Tipene Friday]</ref> In October of that year, Friday joined Mexicali Fresh Summer Jam team "The Birdmen".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://laceylowdown.com/2016/10/28/2016-mexicali-fresh-summer-jam-underway-on-saturday/ | title=2016 MEXICALI FRESH SUMMER JAM UNDERWAY ON SATURDAY | work=LacyLowDown.com | date=28 October 2016 | accessdate=5 March 2017}}</ref> Friday continued on with the Super City Rangers in 2017 and 2018.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/NZN/582288/bs.html | title=Rangers vs Rams | work=FIBALiveStats.com | date=18 March 2017 | accessdate=18 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/NZN/843303/bs.html | title=Rangers vs Saints | work=FIBALiveStats.com | date=6 May 2018 | accessdate=6 May 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=201430176&client=11-8336-139540-402361-25074092 Tipene Friday] at foxsportspulse.com
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Friday, Tipene}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Auckland cricketers Category:Forwards (basketball) Category:New Zealand men's basketball players Category:New Zealand cricketers Category:Otago cricketers Category:Cricketers from Wellington City Category:Basketball players from Wellington City Category:Super City Rangers players Category:Wellington cricketers Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen