AS Bendigo Stadium Limited prepares to cap a busy past month and half with international and NBL games next week, focus is tightening on the city’s domestic competition.
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Entries are now open for Bendigo Basketball’s popular summer competition, with organisers targeting more than 460 existing and new senior and junior teams.
The season starts on October 8, with grand finals to be played in March.
BSL general manager of sport Ben Harvey said he expected more than 4000 players to be involved, with the door well and truly open for newcomers.
“It all starts at grassroots,” Harvey said.
“We often talk about high performance, Bendigo Spirit, Braves and championships, but it all starts with our domestic competition.
“It’s about developing pathways – starting from our Aussie Hoops program and Biddy Ball with kids four or five years old.
“I guess the big catch is, those four or five-year-olds could one day have the chance to play the highest level in Bendigo in the WNBL, or a boy can play the second highest level in Australia.
“A lot of regional towns don’t get that opportunity – but domestic is where it starts.”
Harvey, who last month stepped down as the coach of the Braves SEABL men’s team after nine seasons, said the domestic competition catered for all levels of basketballer, from serious to social.
The call for entries follows the conclusion of a successful winter season in some divisions earlier this week.
In A-grade men, Generals defeated Bandits 76-51, with Tanner Rayner the top scorer with 23 points for the victors.
Aidan Brohm, who was the Ken Day Award winner as the season’s MVP, scored 13 points, while Bandits’ Jake Willcocks led all players on the court with 33 points.
In the A-grade, women, a game-high 17 points from season MVP Sharna Appleby led Celtic to a 58-41 win against Strathfieldsaye.
Elisa Pica and Madeline Condron each contributed 16 points for Celtic, while
Milly Wicks led Strathfieldsaye with 15.
Entries for the summer season close on Monday, September 24 and can be done online at www.bendigobasketball.com.au
Team entries will be open to any new or pre-existing club or independent senior teams.
All new junior independent teams will have to enter as a club team as per the BBA by-laws.
For more details, contact competitions coordinator Rebecca Smith on 5440 6221.
