Kilsyth Basketball Joins Victorian Senior Elite League

Posted on 31 October, 2018

The Kilsyth and Mountain District Basketball Association (K&MDBA) has officially joined the newly-formed Victorian Senior Elite League (official league name to be announced) for its inaugural season in 2019. The K&MDBA – represented by the Kilsyth Cobras – will join 13 former-SEABL teams in the Victorian Senior Elite League, in addition to four Big-V Championship teams.

The new competition, which replaces the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL), will be operated by Basketball Victoria (BV) and we have great trust that BV will set high standards for the new league and build on the same principles that have made the SEABL a high quality competition for over 30 years. While the name may have changed, the new league is positioned take the SEABL’s place as Australia’s premier winter basketball competition, so Cobra fans can expect to see the same, high-quality basketball on display at the Kilsyth Sports Centre on a regular basis.

This change of league is sure to create mixed emotions for many of our former players, coaches and administrators, but rest assured that Kilsyth Basketball has been working with Basketball Victoria to ensure that our great history with the SEABL is maintained through the new league. We are excited about the future, but recognise and respect our past, and will ensure that we will continue to honour past players, coaches, administrators and volunteers that have helped shape the Kilsyth program into what it is today.

While the season length is yet to be finalised, we anticipate that the new league’s schedule will closely resemble that of the SEABL in past years, featuring Saturday night and Sunday afternoon games across the league. Cobra fans rest assured — we will continue to provide the entertaining weekend basketball experience that we have in recent years, including corporate box opportunities, in-game activations, and much more. Cobra coach and player signings for the new league’s inaugural 2019 season are expected to be announced in the upcoming weeks, and we will continue to provide updates on the league as information becomes available.

Kilsyth Basketball CEO, Will van Poppel, is elated with the competition’s structure and its competing teams, and believes that the league will serve as a vital link in the Kilsyth Basketball development pathway for players, coaches and officials.

“The new league provides a long term sustainable competition which will ensure the future development of our players, coaches, officials and administrators,” Kilsyth Basketball CEO Will van Poppel said.

“We are looking forward to reigniting some old rivalries – and possibly creating new ones – thus helping us pack out the ‘Snake Pit’ during the season.”

Finally, Kilsyth Basketball would like to thank Basketball Australia for their management of to the SEABL in recent years, and congratulate both Basketball Australia and Basketball Victoria for their work in delivering the new league in such a short time frame.

Thank you to our families, sponsors and fans for your continued support – Go Cobras!

See below for the full list of foundation teams and Basketball Victoria release:

VICTORIAN MANAGED – SENIOR ELITE LEAGUE – 2019 FOUNDATION TEAMS