New CQBL season to start next month
A GRAND final replay from last year's Central Queensland Basketball League will start the new season later this month.
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BASKETBALL: A grand final replay from last year's Central Queensland Basketball League will start the new season later this month.
The draw for the competition has been released with Bundaberg to host Hervey Bay in the first round of the competition at the Bundaberg Basketball Stadium on May 4.
It will be the only game held in the first round with Gladstone to face Hervey Bay and Maryborough to face Bundy in round two on May 18.
Only those four teams are playing this season.
Gladstone replaces Gympie in the competition with the Gold City unable to field men's and women's teams because of a lack of players.
Each side will face each other twice, home and away, before all four qualify for semi-finals, which will be held in August.
The number of games before the finals this season is down to six from nine.
"We wanted to get the other teams to play 12 matches this season, two home and two away,” Bundy Bulls coach and CQBL organiser Mick Catlin said.
"But they weren't keen.
"We understand as some struggle from commitment from players to play for a full season.”
Bundaberg will play Maryborough on May 18 away and July 27 at home, Gladstone on June 1 in Bundy and in Gladdy on July 20 and Hervey Bay away on June 22.
Catlin said both Bears and Bulls players try to play more matches during the breaks in the competition with inquiries to be made with Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Rockhampton teams in the next few weeks.
The side will now start preparing for the season start after Easter.
"We're keen to get going,” Catlin said.
"Keen to see how we stack up to the other teams.
"We hope we can now get lots of crowd support to cheer both the Bulls and the Bears on throughout the season.”
The full draw is below.
May 4 - Bundaberg v Hervey Bay
May 18 - Hervey Bay v Gladstone, Maryborough v Bundaberg
June 1 - Bundaberg v Gladstone, Hervey Bay v Maryborough
June 8 - Gladstone v Maryborough
June 22 - Hervey Bay v Bundaberg
July 6 - Maryborough v Gladstone
July 20 - Gladstone v Bundaberg, Maryborough v Hervey Bay
July 27 - Gladstone v Hervey Bay, Bundaberg v Maryborough
Finals start in August.
Originally published as New CQBL season to start next month
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