Wildcats to play championship match in Bunbury

15/1/02
Bunbury will host the first ever National Basketball League match outside the metropolitan area, with the help of the State Government's Country Sport Enrichment Scheme.
The Perth Wildcats will play the Cairns Taipans at the Bunbury Recreation Centre on Tuesday, January 22, as a result of a $10,000 grant from the scheme.
Acting Sport and Recreation Minister Bob Kucera said the Wildcats would spend three days in Bunbury conducting development clinics for junior basketballers, as well as visiting local schools and shopping centres.
"All Wildcats and Taipans team members will be involved in the clinics," Mr Kucera said.
"Apart from the spectacle of a top NBL game, the visit is an excellent opportunity to improve the skills of young basketballers in the South-West and encourage participation at the local level.
"Planning for the event involves the local community and will leave a legacy of event management experience, as well as sport development, skills training and promoting physical activity.
"The Country Sport Enrichment Scheme is all about helping country sports fans enjoy top-class sport.

"Many of our major teams receive some of their strongest support from regional Western Australia."
The State Government has increased funding to the Country Sport Enrichment Scheme by $300,000 over four years to bring more elite sporting events to regional WA.
Last year, through the Country Sport Enrichment Scheme - administered by the Department of Sport and Recreation - top-level cricket, WAFL, soccer and tennis players toured regional WA including Esperance, Northam, Merredin, Kalgoorlie, Kununurra, Toodyay, Albany, Collie, Bruce Rock and Geraldton.
Mr Kucera said he hoped the Wildcats' tour to Bunbury so early in the year would be a foretaste of the year ahead, as further opportunities were sought to meet the growing demand for high quality sport in regional WA.
"With back-to-back wins against Wollongong and West Sydney already this year, and a game against the Taipans in Perth on Saturday, I hope the Wildcats can make it four in a row in Bunbury," he said.
Minister's office: 9213 6800