Outgoing Basketball ACT chief executive officer Tony Jackson believes it is staggering that the country's top women's and men's leagues cannot sustain a south-east Queensland team after Logan Thunder's withdrawal from the 2014-15 WNBL season.
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But he admitted the Canberra Capitals and rival clubs ''would be silly'' not to negotiate with Thunder players who might be on the lookout for a new club next season.
Serious financial issues nearly forced Logan to withdraw from the 2013-14 campaign.Only assistance from the community, Basketball Australia and Basketball Queensland saved them at the eleventh hour.
However, Basketball Australia issued a release on Monday confirming the Thunder would not take part in the 2014-15 season after the club failed to meet financial requirements.
The Thunder are the third south-east Queensland team to fold in recent years after the demise of NBL clubs Brisbane Bullets and Gold Coast Blaze.
"I can't really explain how there's no support in Brisbane for a top-level team,'' Jackson said.
"It's disappointing the team couldn't continue, there's been quite a lot of work done to try and get some financial backing, but they've had to walk away.
"Maybe the signs were there when the Blaze folded [that] basketball wouldn't be supported commercially in the south Queensland corridor.''
Asked if the Capitals could look at Logan players searching for a new club, Jackson said: "I think so, they beat us twice last year and there's some good players in the group.
"It'd be silly not to look at some of their players.''
Jackson said the priority was to lock up some of the club's talent, led by off-contact post players Carley Mijovic and Alex Bunton, who are both at an Australian Opals camp on the Gold Coast this week.
"A lot of time and money has been invested in those players, they're players we've prioritised we'd like to see continue in a Capitals uniform,'' Jackson said.
Basketball Australia's statement on Logan confirmed it was keen to restore its south-east Queensland presence as soon as possible.
"Basketball Australia (BA) can confirm the Logan Thunder will not be competing in the 2014-15 Women’s National Basketball League season,'' it said.
"The committee working on the proposal for a new WNBL team in south-east Queensland, to take over the WNBL Licence of Logan Thunder, have decided to withdraw their application.
"BA will continue discussions with Basketball Queensland and interested people to ensure south-east Queensland’s absence from the WNBL is only temporary."
