Name for new league announced

IT’S official, the Hotondo Homes Ballarat Miners and Selkirk Ballarat Rush finally know the name of the league they’ll be playing in this coming season, it’ll be called NBL1.

The move came out of a move to revamp the South East Australian Basketball League, or SEABL, at the end of last season.

“NBL1 will be the premier league in Australia after the NBL and WNBL, showcasing Australia’s best emerging talent and many other professional players,” NBL Chief Executive Jeremy Loeliger said.

“NBL1 will strengthen the pathway from the junior levels all the way through to the NBL, WNBL and ultimately the Boomers and Opals helping develop the next generation of stars.

“Importantly it will feature both women’s and men’s teams, and be a league all females and males coming through junior ranks can aspire to play in.”

Cities with teams in the inaugural season of NBL1 will be Albury-Wodonga, Ballarat, Bendigo, Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (ACT), Dandenong, Diamond Valley, Eltham, Frankston, Geelong, Hobart, Kilsyth, Knox, Melbourne, North West Tasmania / Launceston (co-licensees), Nunawading, Ringwood, Sandringham and Waverley.

Ballarat will be represented by the Miners in the men’s comp and the Rush in the women’s.

The first round of games is set for 29 March.