Australian Southern Huskies sign contract to play in NZ NBL

DUNEDIN, Hamilton and Tauranga may not be destinations for the national basketball league, but Tasmania is set to be.

The Australianbased Southern Huskies have signed a five year deal to play in the New Zealand NBL.

NBL chairman Iain Potter called the move groundbreaking, and it is believed to be the first time an overseas team has joined a New Zealandowned league.

The team is likely to be based in Hobart and will split its home games between there and Launceston.

It makes the NBL a nineteam league, the second consecutive year it has added a team after dropping to seven in 2016.

The team will play doubleheaders every time it travels to New Zealand.

It will also assist with the costs for New Zealand teams travelling to Australia.

Potter said that was essential to the side’s entry, as the NBL board did not want it increasing costs for the New Zealand teams.

Just like the other teams, the side will be allowed three imports and an unlimited number of New Zealanders.

However, it will also be able to sign Australians who averaged less than 7.5 minutes per game in the Australian NBL as unrestricted players.

Signings announced yesterday include highly touted Adelaide 36ers youngster Harry Froling and Perth Wildcat Mason Bragg.

The team will be coached by Anthony Stewart, who coached the Hobart Chargers to the South East Australia Basketball League title this year.

The Huskies confirmed they continued to aspire to entering the Australian NBL.

Should that happen within the next five years, they will enter teams in both competitions.