State League proposal postponed

The Great Southern Raiders have amended their proposal to the State Basketball League to field a team in the 2013 season, earmarking 2014 as their bid for re-entry.

Great Southern Raiders chairman Scott Leary said the move was completely their own decision, but was aimed at ensuring they were better prepared for their first full season of SBL competition since 1999.

Albany has not had a team in WA’s premier basketball competition for more than 10 years, but a local boom in the sport and successive men’s championship division Country Week titles have an SBL team firmly back on the agenda.

The GSR committee submitted a draft proposal following the Australia and China YouYi Games match here in June, seeking inclusion into the SBL for 2013.

The local committee have since sent the SBL a letter outlining their decision for the new re-entry date of 2014.

Leary said they could have gone ahead with the aim to play next year but an extra year would better prepare them for the big step.

“We could have done it, but there is still so much to do,” Leary said.

“We are going to head for 2014, even 2014 is going to be a push.”

However, Leary was adamant this was not a setback for the Raiders, rather strengthening their chances of securing an SBL team once again.

“The SBL haven’t knocked it back,” he said.

“We did an interim (submission), they gave us advice and we realise how much more we have got to do.”

Leary said the playing group was ready to go but highlighted the need for more finances and better structured junior and coaching programs as high priorities.

The SBL is expecting a complete submission by the end of May next year from the Raiders in their bid to join the SBL.

cameron.newbold@albanyadvertiser.com