While the idea of NBL1 clubs being part of Basketball Tasmania's state league competition is still very much on the table, the chances of the North-West Thunder being part of it seem very slim.
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Despite formal invitations not yet being issued, North-West Thunder chairman Tony Barker on Monday said from his club's point of view it "didn't make sense" to be part of the competition, which is normally reserved for association clubs to chase state glory.
"What we have been trying to do in this down time is to figure our way through what this new [BTAS] structure will be like, which is happening throughout the state, but that is where our efforts have been,'' Barker said.
"It just doesn't make sense to us as the players that play with Thunder would already be committed to their domestic [NWBU] clubs, and that is where it needs to run from."
The idea of an expanded competition, which would allow for the Thunder, Launceston Tornadoes and Hobart Chargers to get some court time after the NBL1 season was cancelled due to COVID-19, was first floated by Basketball Tasmania chief executive Chris McCoy in May.
Attention will turn to state league this week, with further engagement needed to lock in the format for this year.
"From a state league point of view we are getting good interest as far as clubs saying they want to play, which has been great, as all the Southern clubs are all on board and Launceston also usually at least has a couple of teams and on the Coast we are hoping a lot of clubs will join,'' McCoy said