BASKETBALL
WNBL
By TOM HAYES
TRARALGON will once again be the home of WNBL and NBL action in the coming month, beginning with women’s action between Melbourne Boomers and University of Canberra Capitals this Sunday (November 26).
The Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium (GRISS) will be going bananas for basketball once again for this weekend’s game, and the NBL fixture between South East Melbourne Phoenix and Illawarra Hawks next month (December 16).
Not only is it expected to be a thrilling encounter between the Boomers and the Capitals this weekend, but what makes it more exciting is the homecoming of Traralgon export Jade Melbourne.
Melbourne is back on Australian shores following her debut season in the WNBA and will hope to display her prowess on the courts of Traralgon once again.
“I’m so excited to be coming home and playing in front of all my friends and family,” she said.
“Traralgon is such a special place for me, it’s where my basketball career started, so to have the opportunity to now play a professional game here is amazing and I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of familiar faces.”
Melbourne will captain the Capitals, the visiting team, which is sure to split the love of the crowd at the GRISS.
Latrobe City Mayor Darren Howe is excited for what the top level of Australian basketball can do for the region.
“Major events like this can attract visitors from across the state, which provides an opportunity for us to showcase the region and sporting facilities to a wider audience, and further solidify our standard as a destination for elite sports events in South East Vicotria,” he said.
“It gives our community an opportunity to see the elite of basketball being played right in their backyard, it also gives our juniors an opportunity to see the players upfront.”
Tip-off for the Boomers and Capitals is 3pm this Sunday (November 26).
Tickets are still available via Ticketek.
