North hosts top sides Opals in Games action

WORLD- CLASS b a s ket b a l l action will come to Townsville during next year’s Commonwealth Games with three blockbuster pool matches featuring the defending champion Australian Opals.

The Townsville Bulletin can reveal the official match schedule for the basketball competition which will be released today, with Townsville and Cairns to host the opening matches on Thursday, April 5.

England and Scotland will feature in the first game of the men’s competition at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre on Day 1 before India takes on debutants Cameroon.

The top- seeded Opals will open their account in the women’s tournament the following day against fourth seeds Mozambique while Canada also comes up against England. The Opals will call Townsville home during the pool stages including exciting match- ups against Canada ( April 8) and the “old enemy” England ( April 9) as they look to defend their gold medal.

Basketball has only been played once before at the Commonwealth Games when Melbourne hosted the event in 2006 and Australia was victorious in both the men’s and women’s events.

The Opals are fourth in the FIBA World Rankings and look the team to beat, but Canada ( 6th) is also a strong basketball nation and will make their debut in the basketball competitions.

Commonwealth Games Federation president Louise Martin said Townsville basketball fans would be in for a treat with the top- four seeded women’s teams competing in their own backyard.

“We are delighted that the GC2018 Basketball competition features a diverse range of competing nations from Ocea- nia, Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa,” Martin said. “And it’s fantastic that the event cities of Townsville and Cairns are going to witness world- class basketballers in action, ensuring the benefits of the Games spread far beyond the Gold Coast.”

There will be 12 preliminary matches held in Townsville from April 5- 9 across the men’s and women’s competitions, with two matches included in each ticketed session.

The top two teams from Pool A will proceed to the semi- finals, while the bottom two teams will play the top two teams from Pool B in the qualifying finals, with the women’s events to be held in Townsville on April 10.

The winners of the qualifying finals will then advance to the semi- final and medal matches to be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from April 13- 15.

Tickets can be bought gc2018. com/ tickets. at