Palmerston North to host NBL 2009 Season opener:

 

McDonalds Manawatu Jets will welcome in the 2009 National Basketball League, when they host southern rivals Century City Wellington Saints in the season opener on Saturday, March 14.

In the draw released by the NBL board, Harbour Heat will cross the bridge for their crosstown showdown with Auckland Stars later that same night.

The next day, defending champions Waikato Pistons, now under the coaching of Tall Blacks assistant Dean Vickerman, will give newcomers Christchurch Cougars a baptism of fire at the Westpac Stadium.

The regular season will consist of 14 rounds, ending on June 13, with the playoffs scheduled to begin three days later.

2009 NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE

NBL Blitz

February 27-March 1
Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua

Round One

Saturday, March 14
Manawatu Jets v Wellington Saints, Arena Manawatu, 6pm
Auckland Stars v Harbour Heat, ASB Stadium, 7.30pm

Sunday, March 15
Christchurch Cougars v Waikato Pistons, Westpac Stadium, 2pm

Round Two

Thursday, March 19
Bay Hawks v Harbour Heat, Pettigrew Green Arena, 7pm
Wellington Saints v Nelson Giants, TSB Bank Arena, 7pm

Friday, March 20
Waikato Pistons v Taranaki Dynamos, Hamilton YMCA, 7.30pm

Saturday, March 21
Manawatu Jets v Harbour Heat, Arena Manawatu, 5pm
Christchurch Cougars v Nelson Giants, Westpac Stadium, 7pm
Auckland Stars v Taranaki Dynamos, ASB Stadium, 7.30pm

Sunday, March 22
Bay Hawks v Manawatu Jets, Pettigrew Green Arena, 5pm

Round Three

Thursday, March 26
Harbour Heat v Wellington Saints, North Shore Events Centre, 7pm

Friday, March 27
Auckland Stars v Wellington Saints, ASB Stadium, 7.30pm
Taranaki Dynamos v Manawatu Jets, TSB Stadium, 7pm

Saturday, March 28
Nelson Giants v Bay Hawks, Trafalgar Centre, 7pm
Waikato Pistons v Manawatu Jets, Hamilton YMCA, 7.30pm

Round Four

Thursday, April 2
Waikato Pistons v Nelson Giants, Hamilton YMCA, 7.30pm

Friday, April 3
Taranaki Dynamos v Nelson Giants, TSB Stadium, 7pm
Bay Hawks v Auckland Stars, Pettigrew Green Arena, 7pm

Saturday, April 4
Wellington Saint v Christchurch Cougars, Te Rauparaha Arena (Porirua), 7pm

Sunday, April 5
Manawatu Jets v Christchurch Cougars, Arena Manawatu, 2pm

Round Five (Easter)

Thursday, April 9
Harbour Heat v Taranaki Dynamos, North Shore Events Centre, 7pm
Bay Hawks v Nelson Giants, Pettigrew Green Arena, 7pm
Wellington Saints v Auckland Stars, TSB Bank Arena, 7pm

Friday, April 10
Manawatu Jets v Auckland Stars, Arena Manawatu, 6pm
Christchurch Cougars v Harbour Heat, Westpac Stadium, 7pm

Saturday, April 11
Taranaki Dynamos v Bay Hawks, TSB Stadium, 7pm

Round Six

Thursday, April 16
Waikato Pistons v Harbour Heat, Te Awamutu Events Centre, 7.30pm

Friday, April 17
Christchurch Cougars v Taranaki Dynamos, Westpac Stadium, 7.00pm
Nelson Giants v Manawatu Jets, Trafalgar Centre, 7pm

Sunday, April 19
Wellington Saints v Manawatu Jets, TSB Bank Arena, 3pm

Round Seven

Thursday, April 23
Auckland Stars v Nelson Giants, ASB Stadium, 7.30pm

Friday, April 24
Taranaki Dynamos v Christchurch Cougars, TSB Stadium, 7pm
Bay Hawks v Wellington Saints, Pettigrew Green Arena, 7pm
Harbour Heat v Nelson Giants, North Shore Events Centre, 7pm

Saturday, April 25
Waikato Pistons v Christchurch Cougars, Hamilton YMCA, 7.30pm

Week Eight

Wednesday, April 29
Taranaki Dynamos v Wellington Saints, TSB Stadium, 7pm

Thursday, April 30
Auckland Stars v Waikato Pistons, ASB Stadium, 7.30pm

Friday, May 1
Manawatu Jets v Bay Hawks, Arena Manawatu, 6pm

Saturday, May 2
Nelson Giants v Christchurch Cougars, Trafalgar Centre, 7pm

Round Nine

Thursday, May 7
Wellington Saints v Taranaki Dynamos, TSB Bank Arena, 7pm

Friday, May 8
Auckland Stars v Christchurch Cougars, ASB Stadium, 7.30pm
Bay Hawks v Waikato Pistons, Pettigrew Green Arena, 7pm
Nelson Giants v Taranaki Dynamos, Trafalgar Centre, 7pm

Saturday, May 9
Harbour Heat v Christchurch Cougars, North Shore Events Centre, 7pm

Sunday, May 10
Manawatu Jets v Waikato Pistons, Arena Manawatu, 2pm

Week 10

Thursday, May 14
Auckland Stars v Manawatu Jets, ASB Stadium, 7.30pm

Friday, May 15
Harbour Heat v Manawatu Jets, North Shore Events Centre, 7pm
Christchurch Cougars v Wellington Saints, Westpac Stadium, 7pm

Saturday, May 16
Nelson Giants v Auckland Stars, Trafalgar Centre, 7pm
Waikato Pistons v Bay Hawks, Hamilton YMCA, 7.30pm

Sunday, May 17
Taranaki Dynamos v Harbour Heat, TSB Stadium, 7pm

Round 11

Thursday, May 21
Harbour Heat v Auckland Stars, North Shore Events Centre, 7pm

Friday, May 22
Taranaki Dynamos v Waikato Pistons, TSB Stadium, 7pm
Bay Hawks v Christchurch Cougars, Pettigrew Green Arena, 7pm

Saturday, May 23
Nelson Giants v Wellington Saints, Trafalgar Centre, 7pm

Week 12

Thursday, May 28
Auckland Stars v Bay Hawks, ASB Stadium, 7.30pm

Friday, May 29
Wellington Saints v Waikato Pistons, TSB Bank Arena, 7pm

Saturday, May 30
Nelson Giants v Waikato Pistons, Trafalgar Centre, 7pm
Harbour Heat v Bay Hawks, North Shore Events Centre, 7pm
Christchurch Cougars v Manawatu Jets, Westpac Stadium, 7pm

Round 13

Thursday, June 4
Harbour Heat v Waikato Pistons, North Shore Events Centre, 7pm

Friday, June 5
Wellington Saints v Bay Hawks, Te Reuparaha Arena, 7pm
Taranaki Dynamos v Auckland Stars, TSB Stadium, 7pm

Saturday, June 6
Christchurch Cougars v Bay Hawks, Westpac Stadium, 7pm
Waikato Pistons v Wellington Saints, Hamilton YMCA, 7.30pm
Manawatu Jets v Nelson Giants, Arena Manawatu, 6pm

Round 14

Thursday, June 11
Waikato Pistons v Auckland Stars, Te Awamutu Events Centre, 7.30pm

Friday, June 12
Nelson Giants v Harbour Heat, Trafalgar Centre, 7pm
Bay Hawks v Taranaki Dynamos, Pettigrew Green Arena, 7pm
Christchurch Cougars v Auckland Stars, TBC, 7pm

Saturday, June 13
Wellington Saints v Harbour Heat, TSB Bank Arena, 5pm
Manawatu Jets v Taranaki Dynamos, Arena Manawatu, 5pm

NBL Playoffs

Quarterfinals
Tuesday, June 16
Game One - Third (Home) v Sixth

Wednesday, June 17
Game Two - Fourth (Home) v Fifth

Semifinals
Thursday, June 18
Winner Game One v Second

Friday, June 19
Winner Game Two v First

NBL Finals

TBC