City scores elite women’s basketball

THE Ballarat Sports and Events Centre will host WNBL games during a statewide festival of women’s basketball in January.

Six of the competition’s fifteen matches will take place on the Ballarat Basketball show court, with each team having a chance to play on site.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said the Perth Lynx will be based in Ballarat throughout the festival, utilising BSEC as a training hub.

“Basketball has a huge following in Ballarat, with thousands of locals playing each week. BSEC was designed to host major events like the WNBL,” he said.

“We’re really excited about having WNBL right across the state, but particularly here in Ballarat, with six games and every team cycling through.

“It will be a boon for the local basketball community. We look forward to BSEC being the Victorian home of the Perth Lynx.”

Olympian and Basketball Australia’s head of women in basketball Lauren Jackson was in the city during last week’s announcement.

“I grew up playing basketball in a beautiful centre not unlike Ballarat, and I always say that you can’t be what you can’t see,” she said.

“A lot of girls in Ballarat are going to see a lot of great basketball. The world’s best women will play basketball here which is really, really exciting.”

Southside Flyers’ Rachel Jarry is a former Ballarat Rush and Lady Miners player who said the city “deserves” this opportunity.

“To see how far this city has come is great. Ballarat loves their basketball so I expect them to get fully behind it,” she said.

“It’s a great reward for regional areas to have the WNBL competition come to them.”

Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison, a parent of a basketballer and a player herself, is delighted to welcome the elite athletes and “role models” to the city.

“We have over 3000 players every week engaging in basketball and three levels of government spent $24 million to build this beautiful stadium so we could host events like this,” she said.

“There’s nowhere better in regional Victoria to play basketball than right here in Ballarat and it’s going to be fantastic to see these facilities hosting some of the world’s best players. Bring on January.”

The festival’s competition will also be staged in Bendigo, Traralgon, Dandenong, and Parkville.