TOWNSVILLE FOOTBALL UNDER-9S MA OLYMPIC V BROTHERS GREEN
BACK in March concern was rife that Townsville Basketball may not get on the court this year.
The future of the association as a whole was on shaky ground as a result of the pandemic.
But the game is back, the teams are back and the season in full swing with first tip off tonight.
Throughout the COVID-19 break, Townsville Basketball conducted a series of maintenance repairs and touch-ups on the stadium.
The result has been the first fresh coats of paint and seating reconfigurations in a while, which typically could not be performed given the year-round operations of the sport.
Townsville Basketball general manager Mark Wrobel said there were moments when he thought this day would not come.
However now that it had, the focus was purely on getting the best out of the athletes who took the court.
“I’m sure there’s going to be some rust, there’s no doubt some of these people, particularly the better ones, would’ve been involved in NBL1 programs throughout the year,” Wrobel said.
“The scores may be a bit lower in the first couple of weeks, but that might be compensated in lacking defence.
“But the enthusiasm is definitely going to be there.
“Walking around the facility now seeing the clubs in training … is a great feeling for all of us.
“To get the local competition back restarted will be a key thing for the revival of the association.”
In the men’s championship, the Bouncers are predicted to defend their 2019 title with a team that includes NBL1 veterans Keegan Tudehope, Matthew Rees, Peter Crawford and Jarrad Figg.
For the women, Hyats has been nominated as the competition favourites on the back of its victorious campaign last year, and a team featuring Townsville Flames captain Lisa Brennan and fellow state-level stars Chailee Ward, Majella Carey and Jaimee Seebohm.