Miners, Rush to launch SEABL season in Friday night blockbuster

BALLARAT will open the South East Australian Basketball League season with a Friday night blockbuster against Bendigo at the Minerdome.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

$0/

(min cost $0)

or signup to continue reading

See subscription options

The Miners and Rush will take on their arch-rival in one of the SEABL's biggest doubleheaders on April 10.

Ballarat Basketball chief executive officer Peter Eddy expects a full house for the opener, which falls in the school holidays as well as the eve of the national under-18 basketball championships in Ballarat.

"It's an exciting way to start a new season."

Facing the Braves first-up will ensure a baptism of fire for new Miners head coach

The SEABL season is starting later than usual.

The competition traditionally begins in March, but owing to fewer teams - powerhouse Knox has withdrawn from the men's and women's competitions - and Easter falling two weeks earlier than last year the fixture has been compacted.

The Ballarat teams play two fewer games in the regular season than 2014.

The Miners' have been trimmed from 26 to 24 and Rush from 24 to 22.

As well as the Friday night home game, Ballarat has again been successfully in getting a school holiday midweek fixture.

Ballarat will play Geelong Supercats on Wednesday, July 8.

This is the fourth year Ballarat Basketball Clubs has programmed a midweek game.

Eddy said the Wednesday night had developed into the biggest fixture of the season with the Miners and Rush.

He said while past games had been against Bendigo, Geelong was another big rival which ensure bumper night.

The short season means not all teams will meet twice.

Rush will play Canberra, the ACT-based -Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence, Launceston and Sandringham once each, saving Ballarat a trip to Canberra.

Ballarat will not have to travel to Mt Gambier, and also play North West Tasmania, Sandringham and BACOE once.

MINERS ROSTER

Friday, April 10: v Bendigo (h)

Saturday, April 11: v Geelong (a)

Saturday, April 18: v Brisbane (a)

Sunday, April 26: v Kilsyth (h)

Saturday, May 2: v Nunawading (a)

Sunday, May 3: v Frankston (h)

Saturday, May 9: v Canberra (h)

Saturday May 16: v Albury-Wodonga (a)

Saturday, May 23: v Dandenong (h)

Friday, May 29: v Hobart (a)

Saturday, May 30: v NW Tassie (a)

Saturday, June 13: v Bendigo (a)

Saturday, June 20: v Sandringham (a)

Sunday, June 21: v Mt Gambier (h)

Saturday, June 27: v Brisbane (h)

Saturday, July 4: v Hobart (h)

Wednesday, July 8: v Geelong (h)

Saturday, July 18: v Canberra (a)

Saturday, July 25: v Albury-Wodonga (h)

Sunday, July 26: v Frankston (a)

Saturday, August 1: v BACOE (h)

Sunday, August 2: v Dandenong (a)

Saturday, August 8: v Nunawading (h)

Saturday, August 15: v Kilsyth (a)

RUSH ROSTER