Basketball On The Internet.

BEFORE you prepare to lynch me for doing a 180 on the SEABL handing its governance to Basketball Australia, let me say two words to you – Anthony Moore.

When the SEABL met with BA and its charismatic and committed new CEO on Saturday in Melbourne, even the more jaundiced veterans had to concede the future may even be bright under his new stewardship.

“I have to say he sounds like the real deal,” a SEABL club official told me.

“Really hope so. I have already met with my people and told them of his vision.

“Pretty sure we will follow, no matter the sacrifice.

“SEABL is now part of BA so let's hope he can be allowed to run his race, as he spoke of the future and never the past.”

That makes sense.

BA’s record at running regular interstate competitions – the NBL bailed as soon as humanly possible and WNBL clubs have been far from impressed – is not exactly stellar. {More like that three hours of your life you can never reclaim, “Interstellar”.}

When I spoke with Moore late last week ahead of Saturday’s historic meeting, I reminded him of his previous own bemusement when he first took the BA CEO role of the federation’s desire to annex SEABL.

But being able to use the WNBL, SEABL, national teams, national (junior) championship teams as clout, there’s no doubt new deals with airlines, sponsors, corporates become more attractive and potentially lucrative.

“The SEABL organisation is managed by a small but dedicated team and the chance to integrate into the broader operations of Basketball Australia is a great step in the evolution of the League,” SEABL president Simon Brookhouse said.

That said, I am unsure the SEABL has its own history completely correct when it says it started in 1981 because its forerunner – the interstate South Eastern Conference – was active in the 60s bringing teams from various states into weekend battles.

But with the NBL launched in 1979 and switching to summer in 1998-99, no-one can dispute SEABL’s claim as Australia’s premier and longest-running interstate winter basketball competition.

It currently boasts 15 men’s and 14 women’s teams from Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Queensland.

“The SEABL provides a tremendous opportunity for Basketball Australia to work more closely with the SEABL clubs, many of which have significant numbers of domestic basketballers playing on their home courts each week,” Moore said.

“The SEABL provides a wonderful pathway for our young players to aspire to, as well as our coaches and referees to work their way through the system to participate in this great league.

“SEABL basketball operations will be embedded with our business, and our commercial and marketing operations will include the SEABL in our daily work.

“We are genuinely excited about the opportunity to continue the great work of our friends in the SEABL organisation.”

Due to the AIS’s involvement, the SEABL also was part of the journey for some of Australia’s most prominent basketballers such as David Andersen, Patty Mills, Andrew Bogut, Joe Ingles and Matthew Dellavedova.

Opals players such as Kristi Harrower, Penny Taylor and Belinda Snell also have played in the league.

Fingers crossed BA gets this as right as Moore hopes it can. That could only be a good thing.