Basketball’s new era in Geelong has arrived with a bang.
Three weeks into the first season of hoops under the Geelong United Basketball (GUB) banner and 772 teams have taken to the court across five venues.
That figure is more than 300 up on the 463 teams that took to the floor in the final winter season with Basketball Geelong, providing further proof that the decision to bring Basketball Geelong and Corio Bay Basketball Association under the one banner will be beneficial for the sport across the region.
From under-10s to social mixed, GUB is providing more basketball opportunities than ever before, with over 5500 men, women, and children taking to the floor each week.
But it’s not just at the grassroots level where GUB has scored some early wins.
37 teams have been entered into the 2019/20 Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) season at under-12, 14, 16 and 18 level.
All of these teams will take to the floor for the first time ahead of the new season when GUB hosts the region’s annual VJBL tournament on the weekend of November 2-3.
As well as preparing for the VJBL season, GUB is also readying itself for the 2020 Big V season.
GUB will field a men’s team in Division 1, with local great Paul Hutchison confirmed as coach.
The women’s roster will play in Division 2, with leading coach Allen McKee taking the reins.
Both squads will play under the Corio Bay Stingrays name in 2020.
Both Youth League teams will compete under the GUB name.
They will be entered in Youth League 1, with Tom Thorn to take charge of the men’s team, with Ainslie Howard overseeing the women.
Trials for those teams will be held in the coming weeks, with rosters to be finalised in the lead up to the Christmas break.
For the latest news and information on basketball across Geelong be sure to bookmark the geelongunitedbasketball.com.au and supercats.com.au homepages.