EARLIER today, the National Basketball League (NBL) announced its upcoming Blitz preseason campaign, following years of success.
The NBL Blitz will take place on the Gold Coast during September in the first taste of NBL action since the Sydney Kings won the 2022/23 title.
The tournament allows every side in the competition to get their first hit out before the regular season kicks off shortly after. The Blitz tournament has been taking place for the last few years, and has seen most teams enter the opening round fresh and ready to bring their best.
Given the Blitz is taking place on the Gold Coast, it raises questions as to whether the league is looking at potentially moving further into the region. There have been rumours of the addition of another expansion side after the success of the Tasmania JackJumpers over the past two seasons, and this move looks like it could be a bit of a test for the NBL.
NBL CEO David Stevenson added fuel to the fire when asked about the potential expansion.
“The Gold Coast is one of many cities in our expansion considerations. Gold Coast fans now have the chance to vote with their feet and turn up to the games, and show us why they deserve a team,” he said.
It will also provide the opportunity for NBL Next Stars AJ Johnson, Alexandre Sarr, Bobi Klintman and Mantas Rubstavicius to see their first minutes in Australia, which is an exciting prospect. The competition has delivered an immense amount of success, with the likes of Lamelo Ball, Joshua Giddey and Ousmane Dieng all being selected early in the first round of the NBA draft after graduating from the program.
The Brisbane Bullets will likely gather the biggest crowd given their home advantage, and one player is already generating a fair bit of buzz ahead of the season. 17-year-old Rocco Zikarsky joined the team over the off-season, and already stands a mighty seven feet. Given his size and potential, fans will be eager to see how his game translates in the NBL after a period of dominance at local and national championships.
The games will take place from Saturday, September 16 to Friday, September 22, with all matches being held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. The 2023/24 NBL season kicks off just six days later on September 28.
NBL25 Next Star Watch – Round 9
IN A drama-filled round of the National Basketball League (NBL), the Next Stars were as solid as ever across the span of the weekend. The next generation of basketballers are making a name for themselves at NBL level, and as the season has progressed, a more even spread of young guns are producing consistent performances. […]
Wildcats break even in ninth round
THE PERTH Wildcats entered Round 9 with a battle against a rolling SEM Phoenix side, but welcomed back star guard Bryce Cotton who wasted absolutely no time getting back into his rhythm dropping 33 points, five rebounds and four assists. They overcame a relatively slow start by posting 40 second quarter points and didn’t look […]
NBL25 Wrapped – Round 9
THE NINTH round of the National Basketball League (NBL)’s 2024/25 season had it all, leaving plenty to unpack as the competition enters a week off for the FIBA qualifying window. Although there were only six games that took place over the weekend, there was plenty of action throughout the span of Friday and Sunday, with […]
Wildcats and Lynx looking for crucial wins
REIGNING MVP Bryce Cotton is set to return on Friday night as the Perth Wildcats tackle the SEM Phoenix at RAC Arena. Perth’s superstar has missed the last five games after suffering a fractured rib in the Round 5 loss to New Zealand. Cotton said that the injury changed the way he was living day-to-day, […]
NBL25 Next Star Watch – Round 8
ROUND 8 of the 2024/25 National Basketball League (NBL) season saw some Next Stars get some increased responsibility for their respective sides over the course of the weekend. With seven games taking place over the span of Thursday and Sunday, the teams were back in action with some cracking upsets produced over the weekend. The […]
Split results for WA sides on Saturday
WESTERN Australia watched its two basketball sides split results on Saturday night, with the Perth Wildcats falling to Melbourne United and a vintage Chris Goulding performance on Saturday night, while the Perth Lynx took care of business in Adelaide, comfortably handling the Lightning 92-78. The Cats have won five games from 11 appearances this season, […]
A Chris classic as Goulding gears United
ROUND 8 of the National Basketball League (NBL) saw one of the best scoring performances in competition history, with Chris Goulding erupting to help Melbourne United pull off a comeback win over the Perth Wildcats. United hosted the Wildcats at John Cain Arena on Saturday night, fresh off a high-scoring win over the Brisbane Bullets. […]
NBL25 Wrapped – Round 8
IT WAS a great weekend to be a home side in the National Basketball League (NBL), with Round 8 seeing most hosting teams secure a win in front of their adoring fans. There were seven games that took place from Thursday to Sunday, as the action continued to be extremely unpredictable in nature. Whether it […]
Mixed results for Western teams
WEDNESDAY night brought Fire to Bendat as the Perth Lynx hosted Townsville in the opening WNBL game of Round 2. Both teams entered after strong victories in the first round of the season, Perth hosting their second straight home game and Townsville travelling for the second consecutive week. Much of the opening quarter of basketball […]
