STATE PRIDE ON THE LINE IN PREMIERS’ NBL GRAND FINAL CHALLENGE

More than just the National Basketball League title will be on line when the Perth Wildcats play the Wollongong Hawks in the upcoming NBL Grand Final series, with New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally and West Australian Premier Colin Barnett each backing their state’s team in a winner-takes-all challenge.

So confident are the two Premiers that their team will win the NBL title that both have agreed to wear the singlet of the opposition club whenever they exercise for a full week if their team loses.

Given Ms. Keneally is an avid exerciser who rides her bicycle to work each morning, if the Wollongong Hawks lose to the Perth Wildcats she would have to suffer the ignominy of wearing the colours of the West Australian team on numerous occasions during the seven days of the penalty.

Mr. Barnett enjoys a regular game of tennis, so a loss by the Perth Wildcats in the best-of-three series would see the unusual sight of the West Australian Premier wearing the strip of a NSW team for a week.

The competition between Perth and Wollongong is expected to be incredibly close during the series, with just a single game separating them on the ladder at the end of the 28-match regular season. The Wildcats won the minor premiership, just one game ahead of the Hawks, setting up an enthralling one-versus-two match-up

Game One of the best-of-three NBL Grand Final series will be played at Challenge Stadium in Perth tonight (Friday 5 March) with tip-off set for 7:00PM (local time). Game Two will shift to Wollongong with the Hawks hosting at WIN Entertainment Centre on Tuesday 9 March at 7:30PM (local). Game Three will be at Challenge Stadium on Friday 12 March at 7:00PM (local) if required.