Launceston Tornadoes coach Sarah Veale can see the benefits of the earlier start to the NBL1 South 2023 season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The fixture starts three weeks earlier than last season with the Torns opening their campaign against Hobart Chargers on April 1 in Ulverstone.
Launceston will play 11 of their 22 games in Tasmania with seven at their home court, Elphin Sports Centre.
Coach Sarah Veale provided her take on the fixture.
"They've tried to squeeze in the same amount of games in a shorter period," she said.
"We're starting earlier but we're finishing earlier so that's got some benefits for us in terms of our players who are going off to college.
"We should get them for the whole season.
"Last year Makala (Bingley) left before the finals series so we'll have Charli (Kay) until the end of the season which is a positive for us coming out of the new fixture.
"My understanding is the finals structure will be different from this year so we won't have the situation where you have to play back-to-back games which had a detrimental impact to our team where we finished.
"So that's awesome they've taken that feedback on board."
Veale noted the early start could impact player availability in the opening rounds of the season.
"It could impact us with WNBL players if they make finals because they'll also need a rest so we just have to see where our potential players finish up with their WNBL campaigns and when they'll return to the Torns," she said.
The Examiner, in August, reported guard Bingley had taken up a basketball scholarship at Panola College in Texas. Panola is a division one women's team in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
But that plan was flipped and she is now playing with The University of Texas Permian Basin Falcons in NCAA division two.
Veale explained a rule was introduced which meant anybody from Australia who had played in a semi-professional league was ineligible for the NJCAA.
"Apparently it affected about 50 athletes in America from Australia," she said.
"Even though Makala wasn't a contracted player they deemed NBL1 a professional league because we have paid, contracted professional players in it."
Fellow Torns guard Kay will move to play college ball with Southern Utah in August.
She'll join former Tornado Aishah Anis who moved there in recent years.
Launceston Tornadoes NBL1 South fixture 2023
- Saturday, April 1, 4.30pm v Hobart Chargers (ULVERSTONE SPORTS CENTRE, Ulverstone)
- Saturday, April 15, 6pm v Eltham Wildcats (MONTMORENCY SECONDARY COLLEGE, Montmorency)
- Sunday, April 16, 1pm v Bendigo Braves (BENDIGO STADIUM, Bendigo)
- Friday, April 21, 6pm v Knox Raiders (ELPHIN SPORTS CENTRE, Launceston)
- Saturday, April 22, 5.30pm v Ballarat Miners (ULVERSTONE SPORTS CENTRE, Ulverstone)
- Saturday, April 29, 6.30pm v Melbourne Tigers (ELPHIN SPORTS CENTRE, Launceston)
- Saturday, May 6, 5.30pm v Casey Cavaliers (CASEY STADIUM, Cranbourne East)
- Sunday, May 7, 12.30pm v Waverley Falcons (WAVERLEY BASKETBALL CENTRE, Waverley)
- Saturday, May 13, 6.30pm v Geelong Supercats (ELPHIN SPORTS CENTRE, Launceston)
- Saturday, May 20, 6pm v Dandenong Rangers (DANDENONG BASKETBALL STADIUM, Dandenong)
- Sunday, May 21, 12pm v Sandringham Sabres (SOUTHERN BASKETBALL STADIUM, Sandringham)
- Saturday, May 27, 6.30pm v Eltham Wildcats (ELPHIN SPORTS CENTRE, Launceston)
- Friday, June 2, 6pm v Ringwood Hawks (ULVERSTONE SPORTS CENTRE, Ulverstone)
- Saturday, June 3, 6pm v Frankston Blues (ELPHIN SPORTS CENTRE, Launceston)
- Saturday, June 17, 5.30pm v Ballarat Miners (SELKIRK STADIUM, Ballarat)
- Sunday, June 18, 12pm v Kilsyth Cobras (KILSYTH SPORTS CENTRE, Kilsyth)
- Saturday, June 24, 6.30pm v Nunawading Spectres (ELPHIN SPORTS CENTRE, Launceston)
- Saturday, July 1, 6pm v Knox Raiders (STATE BASKETBALL CENTRE, Wantirna South)
- Sunday, July 2, 2pm v Diamond Valley Eagles (DIAMOND VALLEY SPORTS & FITNESS CENTRE, Greensborough)
- Friday, July 7, 6pm v Keilor Thunder (ULVERSTONE SPORTS CENTRE, Ulverstone)
- Saturday, July 8, 6pm v Mt Gambier Pioneers (ELPHIN SPORTS CENTRE, Launceston)
- Friday, July 14, 6pm v Hobart Chargers (HOBART NETBALL AND SPORTS CENTRE, Hobart)
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.examiner.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @examineronline
- Follow us on Instagram: @examineronline
- Follow us on Google News: The Examiner