JACINTA ALLAN has called for Basketball Australia to force the Sydney Spirit to change their moniker as the furore surrounding the naming of the new National Basketball League team continues.The state member for Bendigo East launched the Bendigo Spirit Women's National Basketball League side amid much fanfare little more than a year ago.But Basketball Australia ignored the Bendigo club when it recently approved the Sydney club's request to use the nickname.The West Sydney Razorbacks decided to rebrand themselves to create a more holistic basketball following in the harbour city, after the collapse of the debt-stricken Sydney Kings this year.But their attempts to rebuild basketball's support and fan base have had the opposite effect in Bendigo, with local Spirit officials mystified.They believe it has left the embattled NBL open to scorn.Ms Allan has written to BA chief executive officer Scott Derwin regarding the Spirit debacle, which was first reported in The Advertiser last Tuesday.The State Government agreed to a $100,000 sponsorship of the Bendigo Spirit over two years when the side was launched in May last year."Basketball Australia must reject this move as it has serious ramifications for the ability of Bendigo Spirit to market and position itself on the national basketball scene," Ms Allan said."Since its launch, the Bendigo Spirit has been a great success. It performed strongly in its first season and is shaping up to do better when the second season starts."As the only regionally based Victorian team in the WNBL, the Bendigo Spirit has to fight hard for sponsorship and profile, and I have told Basketball Australia that their decision will make that task even harder."