WHAT seems like the longest offseason of all time is over, and the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) is back for another bumper season of action. Things are set to kick off on Friday night, where four age groups will start their boys’ and girls’ season respectively, in what should be a cracking night of entertainment. Despite some COVID-related chaos in the last few weeks, things look set for a bumper Round one, with most teams hoping to put these interruptions behind them for the upcoming season, as the state’s finest young basketball talent gets the chance.

One of the sides eager to get off to a ripping start for the 2022 season is the Frankston Blues Under 18 Boys, and coach Scott Nicey said the build up has been a bit disruptive to say the least.

“Like most sides our lead-up to this week hasn’t been ideal,” Nicey said. “I’ve been down with COVID this week so I’d say while we’re excited for this week, it’s been interesting.”

The Blues are not alone in this, with a number of sides around the league facing similar interruptions since the grading games a few weeks ago, but Nicey said sides must get used to this way of life.

“You just keep working forward,’ he said. “We haven’t been able to scrimmage that much heading into this week, but it’ll be the same for a lot of sides this year, so you just deal with it.”

Frankston is scheduled to take on Casey at Casey Stadium on Friday night, and the Blues do not have much when it comes to expectations in this match and the season as a whole.

“At the start of the season, anybody can beat anybody,” Nicey said. “Every team has standout players, so it should be a really good, even year.”

Casey is certainly one of the sides threatening for the title this year, so Nicey claimed the Blues will be looking to up their work on the defensive end heading into this clash.

“Man-to-man defence, that’s our thing,” he said. “You’ve got to put in the fundamentals early, and then keep working at it. “We’ll get the defensive intensity up, and then we know we’ll make some mistakes, but if we can keep our aggressiveness up.”

Casey has also put teams in zones in the past, so Nicey flagged that as a point of emphasis for his side heading into what should be an intriguing clash.

The Casey-Frankston match is one of 10 clashes taking place around Metropolitan Melbourne on Friday for the Under 18 Boys, in what should be a cracking night of basketball.

Check out the full schedule below:

VC Ashe

KILSYTH vs. DANDENONG, 8:20pm, KILSYTH BASKETBALL STADIUM
GIPPSLAND UNITED vs. BULLEEN, 9:20pm, GIPPSLAND REGIONAL INDOOR SPORTS STADIUM
McKINNON vs. SANDRINGHAM, 9:40pm, BENTLEIGH SECONDARY COLLEGE
CASEY vs. FRANKSTON, 9:40pm, CASEY BASKETBALL STADIUM
NUNAWADING vs. SOUTHERN PENINSULA, 9:40pm, NUNAWADING BASKETBALL CENTRE

VC Watson

WANGARATTA vs. KEILOR, 9:00pm, BENALLA INDOOR RECREATION CENTRE
BENDIGO vs. KNOX, 9:20pm, BENIDGO STADIUM
GEELONG UNITED vs. DIAMOND VALLEY, 9:40pm, AWA ALLIANCE BANK STADIUM
MELBOURNE vs. CAMBERWELL, 9:40pm, MELBOURNE SPORTS AND AQUATIC CENTRE
ELTHAM vs. BALLARAT, 9:40pm, ELTHAM HIGH SCHOOL