Year of the snake
Draw delivers Taipans an early Christmas present
The Taipans will create history in December and play in the first ever NBL game on Christmas Eve away at Adelaide. The NBL will today release the schedule for the 2017-18 season with the Snakes to play in the inaugural Christmas Eve game against the 36ers on December 24. Games on New Year’s Eve and Christmas Eve and a special heritage month are among the highlights of the schedule for the 40th anniversary season of the NBL which will start on October 5.
BASKETBALL THE Taipans will create history in December and play in the first ever NBL game on Christmas Eve away at Adelaide.
The NBL will today release the schedule for the 2017-18 season with the Snakes to play in the inaugural Christmas Eve game against the 36ers on December 24.
Games on New Year’s Eve and Christmas Eve and a special heritage month are among the highlights of the schedule for the 40th anniversary season of the NBL which will start on October 5.
The Snakes’ New Year’s Eve game, as revealed by the Cairns Post yesterday, will also return to Cairns for the 2017-18 season, hosting the Perth Wildcats.
The FNQ club will host six Saturday home games, three Thursday and three Friday night games as well as two Sunday fixtures.
The Taipans host their first game of the season on October 6 with Illawarra coming to town in round 1 before they travel across the ditch for a clash with New Zealand three days later.
NBL chief executive Jeremy Loeliger said more games would be played across Saturday and Sunday in 2017-18 to maximise attendances with only two Monday night games.
“We’ve listened to the fans who’ve told us they want to attend and watch games on TV on weekends and this is a way of ensuring we showcase our biggest games in front of the biggest audiences,” Loeliger said
“This promises to be one of the biggest and most exciting seasons we’ve seen in the 40 seasons of the NBL.
“Last year all but one team was in contention for the finals up until the end of the season and I’m sure fans are in for another highly competitive and entertaining season.”
There will be two bye rounds in November and February so players can be available for FIBA World Cup qualifying matches.