It is sure to be an exciting year in basketball with fantastic competition on display in our domestic leagues as well as world championships for our Opals, Boomers, Rollers, Gliders and U17 national teams.
Basketball finished 2009 on a high as record crowds showed up to support the National Basketball League’s New Year’s Eve bonanza. With all eight teams playing in four games on the night, each venue recorded their highest crowd of the season and all teams were thrilled with the response they received from their community.
In further NBL news congratulations to referee Ray Hunt who will officiate his 900th NBL game this week.
While the NBL continued throughout Christmas and New Year, the Women’s National Basketball League returns after a two-week break as the Sydney Uni Flames host Bendigo Spirit on Friday night. With the four Beijing Olympians playing in the league I encourage you all to get to a WNBL game and witness some of our finest stars in action including Lauren Jackson, Suzy Batkovic-Brown, Kristi Harrower and Rohanee Cox.
Basketball Australia hosts three Australian Development Camps at the Australian Institute of Sport this month for men, women and wheelchair basketball athletes. The camps also have a referee component where developing referees learn about the elite level of officiating over three days from nutrition and psychology to recovery. The referees then officiate the Canberra Classic where players from the men’s Australian Development Camp will play against local teams. There are more opportunities to get your fill of basketball this summer with more tournaments include the Warrnambool Seaside Classic which is in its 38th year and the Eltham/Dandenong Australia Day tournament.
Lastly congratulations to Boomer Patrick Mills. The second Indigenous Australian to be drafted into the NBA, he made his debut in the prestigious league today for the Portland Trail Blazers. After making a great recovery from a broken foot Patty played two tremendous games in the NBA’s Development League before making the jump to the NBA.
Have a great year.
Yours sincerely,
Larry Sengstock
Chief Executive
