TOP-CLASS basketball action will alley-oop into Ballarat this weekend with the NBL\u2019s pre-season Blitz event set for the Miner Dome.<\/p>\n
Eight games over two days will see teams from across the country\u2019s premier basketball comp tipoff, including Melbourne United who feature local product Sam Short.<\/p>\n
Short said he was looking forward to hitting the boards in front of his home crowd.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be fantastic,\u201d he said. \u201cTo have the opportunity to play with an NBL team in front of a home crowd, where I played SEABL (South-East Australian Basketball League), and in front of family and friends is going to be a great experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust to bring the level of basketball to Ballarat is going to be great for the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 195cm guard who grew up in Ballarat East and Alfredton takes the role of inspiring the next
\ngeneration of local players seriously and he knows what having access to elite talent can do.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the first pre-season games for Melbourne United as a new club was in Ballarat and I was one of the young kids, sort of early teenage years, watching them play and just thinking how good would this be to play for them,\u201d Short said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo if a couple of boys and girls come down and get that same feeling from seeing myself and the other superstars that\u2019ll be playing in Ballarat, it\u2019s a great honour and hopefully you can be that inspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n
On his own development, Short said his preseason was on track.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m travelling really well,\u201d he said. \u201cTraining\u2019s been pretty tough but going well. I\u2019m playing well when I\u2019m in getting some minutes. I\u2019m really enjoying it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not just top-flight basketball on show during the NBL Blitz. There\u2019s also a range of activities set for the weekend including basketball clinics along with 3×3, wheelchair and Aboriginal and Torres Strait games planned.<\/p>\n
Tickets start at $15 for kids and $20 for adults.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TOP-CLASS basketball action will alley-oop into Ballarat this weekend with the NBL\u2019s pre-season Blitz event set for the Miner Dome. Eight games over two days will see teams from across the country\u2019s premier basketball comp tipoff, including Melbourne United who feature local product Sam Short. Short said he was looking forward to hitting the boards […]<\/p>\n