Article courtesy Colac Herald

Colac players courtside for national clash

PLAYERS in Colac’s All Abilities Basketball program will experience elite Australian basketball.

Basketball Victoria and Leisure Networks Association provided the budding basketballers with an opportunity to see Melbourne Tigers take on the Perth Wildcats in the National Basketball League at Melbourne’s State Netball and Hockey Centre.

Colac Basketball Association vice president Shane Howard said the players were “excited to see some of the elite players in the country”, including Tigers’ NBA star Patty Mills, import Ayinde Ubaka and Wildcats Shawn Redhage and Damian Martin.

“I mentioned to Patrick Brown from Leisure Networks, who organised all of the all-abilities programs, that it’d be good to take the players to a Tigers game,” Mr Howard said.

“Most of them haven’t seen an NBL game live so it’s a first-time experience for them to see some of the top basketballers in Australia,” he said.

The Tigers-Wildcats match will also provide a taste of history, with the NBL hosting a Heritage Round.

Mr Howard said the trip was a good way to cap off another successful program in its fourth year at Colac’s Bluewater Fitness Centre.

“We wrapped up just before the season started and it’s been just as popular as ever,” he said.

“We’d always like more to come along and play but we’ve certainly had enough to have a couple of teams each week.”

Mr Howard said officials were also in talks to organise an All Abilities representative match against a Geelong-based team.