Darwin basketball makes its big return tonight with the 2020 season promising to be a showcase of Top End talent

DARWIN’s basketball clubs are ready to finally take to the courts to compete in the 2020 Darwin Basketball Championship.

The 2020 Darwin Basketball Championship starts tonight. Pictured are Kirra Hill-Carter (Lightning), Fred Williams (Ansett), Lauren Flanegan (Tracy Village) and Lachlan Shipway (Essington). Picture: CHE CHORLEY

DARWIN’s basketball clubs are ready to finally take to the courts to compete in the 2020 Darwin Basketball Championship.

While the arrival of imports across the women’s and men’s league teams has been limited due to COVID-19, this season is expected to be a highly competitive showcase of Darwin talent.

Starting the men’s side of the draw will be Essington and Ansett from 7pm tonight, with both teams adding plenty of firepower to their ranks.

2019 Championship MVP Fred Williams is among Ansett’s newest additions, with his previous club reigning champions Razzle not fielding a men’s league side this year.

“It’s been really weird as we’ve had such a condensed time to get in shape, but I’m excited to get out there with a new group and to be able to play basketball,” Williams told the NT News.

“It’s funny because when you think of a competitive season you expect quite a few imports but here it’s the opposite where we’re seeing a lot of old faces making a return to add to that depth.

Essington captain Lachlan Shipway expects his Cannons to be right in the mix this season.

“We’re really keen to get back out there and have had some extra interest from some senior players coming back to the game this season,” Shipway said.

“It’s really cool to see our addition of Raymond Jarrett in training. He’s starting to gel well with the rest of us like our other import Elijah Barbour.

“Our game with Ansett will be one of those games that will really come down to our bench and juniors if both starting fives go well.”

On the women’s side of the draw, eyes will be on the continuing saga of Tracy Village versus Lightning.

Jets were indomitable, winning title after title until Lightning swept in to take the Challenge season and the Championship in 2019.

Lightning’s Kirra Hill-Carter expects to be at the pointy end of the competition once again, with the ever-present competition from Jets pushing them all the way.

“It should be a pretty competitive season especially with Jets,” she said. “When they’re competitive they push us to be as well and we’re really hungry to get a second championship on our belt.”

But Jets’s Lauren Flanegan said her side was as eager as ever to return to the top of Darwin basketball.

“We’ve been looking good in training and will be looking to a few of our junior players to come in as well Michelle Ellis from Alice Springs,” she said.

“It will be a good competition with the teams looking quite even this year but we’re obviously quite keen to get that Championship back and will do whatever we can to take it.”

Neither Eagles or Palmerston Power have entered a women’s league side this season due to the effects of COVID-19.