Brisbane on NBL Blitz radar
BRISBANE is likely to host the NBL's pre-season "Blitz" tournament.
The likelihood is conditional on the tournament's going ahead before the season tip-off on October 7.
The Blitz previously twice has successfully been staged in Darwin as the Top End Challenge and also in Cairns (twice) and Coffs Harbour.
Basketball Australia is hoping Brisbane will return as an NBL presence in time for the 2012-13 season, suggesting staging of the Blitz - which features all league teams in action under the same roof - would be an excellent early gauge of interest in basketball in the Queensland capital.
Queensland already has three NBL clubs in Cairns, Townsville and Gold Coast.
Cairns' Taipans last season were Australia's best NBL team, the Crocs were losing semi finallists and Gold Coast's season was decimated by injuries.
A foundation NBL club in 1979, the Brisbane Bullets dropped out of the NBL before the 2008-09 season after winning the championship in 2006-07. Since the league reinvented itself two seasons ago, BA has been anxious to have a club back in Brisbane. The 2011-12 pre-season Blitz's proposed dates are September 21-25.
The four-court Auchenflower Stadium, which suffered $800,000 worth of damage during the summer flooding but is functioning normally now, seems the most likely venue to house the nine NBL teams.
Last night no-one from BA or the NBL was available for comment but if the pre-season tournament goes ahead, Brisbane is the destination.
To read the full article please follow the link below.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/brisbane-on-nbl-blitz-radar/story-fn6bqphm-1226097133838
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