Basketball On The Internet.

THIS year's NBL Blitz for the Loggins-Bruton Cup in Townsville should be an absolute ripper, though sadly the WNBL's Spring Shield won't be happening.

A potential date clash with the AFL Grand Final was among reasons the Wattle Valley WNBL season will launch instead with Round 1 of the regular season on Friday, October 9.

Clubs are arranging their own preseason hit-outs with the revamped MAC Adelaide Lightning, for example, facing Melbourne at Nunawading Stadium on September 25 and the Rangers at Dandenong Stadium the next day.

SEQ Stars - Really? "Stars"? That's the best anyone could come up with in a region notable for its sun, waves, breeze? Stars? That was it? Damn! - open the schedule against Bendigo Spirit.

Perth Wildcats will start the NBL Blitz as hot favourites to enhance their preseason trophy cabinet with a sixth title.

Adelaide 36ers, Illawarra/Wollongong/Illawarra Hawks and the defunct Brisbane Bullets and Victoria Titans all have won two preseason titles.

Townsville Crocodiles, Eastside Melbourne Spectres, Gold Coast Rollers, Melbourne United (nee Tigers) and Newcastle Falcons are the remaining teams to win preseason titles, the NBL having run 18 such events. 

The Blitz Draw:

Wednesday, September 23

6pm Cairns Taipans v Perth Wildcats

8.30 Townsville Crocodiles v New Zealand Breakers

Thursday, September 24

6pm Melbourne United v Illawarra Hawks

8.30 Adelaide 36ers v Sydney Kings

Friday, September 25

6pm New Zealand Breakers v Perth Wildcats

8.30 Townsville Crocodiles v Cairns Taipans

Saturday, September 26

11.30am Illawarra Hawks v Sydney Kings

2pm Melbourne united v Adelaide 36ers

5.30 Cairns Taipans v New Zealand Breakers

7.30 Dunk & 3-Point Shooting contests

8.30 Perth Wildcats v Townsville Crocodiles

Sunday, September 27

11am Sydney Kings v Melbourne United

1pm Adelaide 36ers v Illawarra Hawks

3pm Presentation of Loggins-Bruton Cup, Ray Borner MVP Medal

 

Online

The Blitz: http://bit.ly/1Eqrx56

 

NBL ROSTERS

ADELAIDE 36ERS: Daniel Carlin, Mitch Creek, Ebi Ere, Adam Gibson, Matt Hodgson, Daniel Johnson, Kenyon McNeaill, Anthony Petrie, Nathan Sobey, Brendan Teys, Lucas Walker.

CAIRNS TAIPANS: Shaun Bruce, Matt Burston, Torrey Craig, Cameron Gliddon, Damon Heuir, Alex Loughton, Markel Starks, Cameron Tragardh, Stephen Weigh, Mark Worthington.

MELBOURNE UNITED: David Barlow, Todd Blanchfield, Chris Goulding, Igor Hadziomerovic, Steve Holt, Ekene Ibekwe, Daniel Kickert, Majok Majok, Chris Patton, Nate Tomlinson.

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS: Tom Abercrombie, Duane Bailey, Charles Jackson, Cedric Jackson, Shane McDonald, Alex Pledger, Reuben Te Rangi, Mika Vukona, Corey Webster, Tai Wynyard.

PERTH WILDCATS: Jermaine Beal, Greg Hire, Nathan Jawai, Tom Jervis, Jarrod Kenny, Matt Knight, Damian Martin, Casey Prather, Shawn Redhage, Jesse Wagstaff.

SYDNEY KINGS: Angus Brandt, Jason Cadee, Rhys Carter, Josh Childress, Jeromie Hill, Tom Garlepp, Julian Khazzouh, Steve Markovic, Dion Prewster, Marcus Thornton.

TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES: Brian Conklin, Mirko Djeric, Leon Henry, Jordair Jett, Nicholas Kay, Corey Maynard, Mitch Norton, Luke Schenscher, Clint Steindl, Mitch Young.

ILLAWARRA HAWKS: Tim Coenraad, Larry Davidson, Tyson Demos, Cody Ellis, Oscar Forman, Kevin Lisch, Rhys Martin, AJ Ogilvy, Kirk Penney, Kevin White.

 

WNBL ROSTERS

ADELAIDE LIGHTNING: Kelly Bowen, Jess Bygate, Alexandra Ciabattoni, Mikaela Dombkins, Jess Good, Mollie McKendrick, Leilani Mitchell, Ieva Nagy, Taylor Ortlepp, Mikayla Pirini, Tara Robinson, Mikaela Ruef, Morgan Yaeger.

BENDIGO SPIRIT: Joy Burke, Jane Chalmers, Kelsey Griffin, Kerryn Harrington, Molly Matthews, Sarah McCappion, Heather Oliver, Gabe Richards, Belinda Snell, Ashleigh Spencer, Andrea Wilson, Kelly Wilson.

CANBERRA CAPITALS: Jessica Bibby, Alice Coddington, Lauren Jackson, Ellie Junod, Kathleen MacLeod, Stephanie Talbot, Abi Wehrung, Carly Wilson, Hanna Zavecz.

DANDENONG RANGERS: Sara Blicavs, Alex Bunton, Aimee Clydesdale, Stephanie Cumming, Tegan Cunningham, Tenaya Phillips, Annalise Pickrel, Lauren Scherf.

MELBOURNE BOOMERS: Rebecca Cole, Maddie Garrick, Shanae Greaves, Alice Kunek, Tess Madgen, Rosie Moult, Kate Oliver, Elyse Penaluna, Brittany Smart, Olivia Thompson.

PERTH LYNX: Stacey Barr, Natalie Burton, Izzy Chilcott, Betnijah Laney, Tessa Lavey, Carley Mijovic, Louella Tomlinson, Sami Whitcomb, Klara Wischer

SEQ STARS: Rebecca Allen, Stephanie Bairstow, Bree Farley, Ify Ibekwe, Rachel Jarry, Amy Lewis, Lauren Mansfield, Emma McKenzie, Nadeen Payne, Erin Phillips, DeNesha Stallworth.

SYDNEY FLAMES: Carly Boag, Rohanee Cox, Katie-Rae Ebzery, Hayley Moffatt, Kathryn Rendell, Darneka Rowe, Casey Samuels, Carolyn Swords, Joslyn Tinkle, Tahlia Tupaea, Alex Wilson.

TOWNSVILLE FIRE: Suzy Batkovic, Micaela Cocks, Cherie Gallagher, Darcee Garbin, Kate Gaze, Cayla George, Mia Murray, Natalie Novosel, Tamara Tatham, Jacqui Zelenka.