New NBL Season Tips Off Tonight...

The National Basketball League (NBL) gets underway this afternoon with the first game of the season tipping off at 5:00pm (AEST) with New Zealand playing hosts to the Cairns Taipans live on Fox Sports.

The NBL has gone through some tough times and is still far from getting it's head above water and finding its new identity, but there are many positive signs around the league that things are heading in the right direction. There isn't much point going on about the past and the problems but focus more on the season that is upon us and the changes to the great game we love.

One of the biggest changes is the move to 10 minute quarters (previously 12 minutes) thus giving us a 40 minute game, moving the NBL in line with FIBA and the way the majority of the rest of the world play by (Excluding the NBA who run their own show and rules to boot).

The reduced game time will affect the game but exactly how probably wont be known until we start seeing some games, one would expect most teams will settle on the 8 main man rotation with the 9th and 10th men getting very little to no court time, barring injuries & foul trouble. This is nothing new to the league as this was very much the norm right up until the mid-late 90's, since the late 90's teams have pushed a more up-tempo style of play which saw the full squads getting used more and more.

The 10 minute quarters will hopefully see the up-tempo style stick around, if the pre-season is anything to go by there is no worries there the game has been fast and the points getting put on the board havn't been that far off last seasons 12 minute quarters.

Fox Sports is backing the season after a some pretty poor coverage last season, offering up 51 games live and introducing some new and hopefully fresh commentary to the team. Gone is John Cassey & Steve Carfino replaced with Brian Taylor and Dwayne Russel who will join former players Andrew Gaze and Shane Heal.

For a good preview of the teams and some predictions check out Shayne Hope's article from The West - Shayne Hope's NBL season Preview


National Basketball League official website - www.nbl.com.au
Fox Sports - Basketball - www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/
Hoops Forum - www.hoops.com.au



The Adelaide 36ers where one team that struggle to survive the off-season, a very real chance to be put to rest before a consortium of local business men saved the day - aptly named SOS.
Since taking charge SOS have made a lot of changes and definitely feels to the fans they are passionate about basketball and making the 36ers a success. Of course a lot of this success from a business perspective will rely on how the team does out on the court and with only a top four making the finals this season I predict it will be a tough fight between six clubs (New Zealand Breakers, Melbourne Tigers, Adelaide 36ers, Perth Wildcats, Townsville Crocodiles and Wollongong Hawks) to make the final four, the two clubs I see being off the mark are the Gold Coast Blaze and Cairns Taipans - n saying that they will still notch wins, I just can't see them seriously pushing for a top four spot, but the season is yet to begin and you never know.

The Sixers hopes will be riding a lot on their new import John Gilchrist who in pre season has shown some glimpses of brilliance, Gilchrist will be hard to stop going to the hoop, but it will be his distribution and his ability to play with those around him that will ultimately decide the Sixers fate. Hopefully not an issue will be the injury concern of the Sixers two important bigs in Adam Ballinger and Matt Burston. Both missed games last season due to injuries and both missed games in the pre-season which is a concern, hopefully they can hold up as they both play a important part in this Sixers squad.

The Sixers will look to honour the greatest player to have graced the Distinctive Homes Dome, so great in fact he has already had the court named after him - The Brett Maher Court in his final game. No doubt Mahers #5 will be retired (hopefully soon) and will take it's place alongside Mark Davis #33.

Check out the three youtube clips of Brett Maher Career Highlights.