Posted on 12 June, 2019

Australia’s greatest local basketball rivalry is back on as your NBL1 Cobras play host to the Knox Raiders on Saturday night. The Cobras take on the Raiders on Hugh McMenamin Court for the first time in five years, playing off for ‘The Ashes’ trophy.

The Ashes trophy will be awarded at the conclusion of the Men’s game to the club who wins the regular season series, with the series currently tied at 1-1 after the Raider Women and Cobra Men took out the first two games in the opening night of the season.

With decades of epic battles and history to be rekindled, Saturday night will be one to remember as this fierce rivalry resumes under the banner of the NBL.

All the action starts at 3.00pm, when our NWBL Men take on Wollongong in national wheelchair league play, with the NBL1 Women to follow at 5.30pm and the Men at 7.30pm.

Secure your seats for Saturday’s showdown by purchasing online through Trybooking

 

 
The Cobras/Raiders rivalry runs deep in the foundations of both Associations, with fierce battles not only in the NBL1 but at the VJBL and Big-V VYC levels as well as for various State and National awards. Kilsyth and Knox stand as the two largest Associations in Australia, each boasting over 1000 teams competing weekly in their respective competitions.

The Ashes Trophy was formed back in 2006 to commemorate the intense rivalry and signify all that was left when the Kilsyth & Mountain District Basketball Associations licensed club venue, Club Kilsyth, tragically burnt to the ground.  From the ashes of the fire, the Ashes trophy was made, and Australia’s greatest local basketball rivalry grew even bigger.