Basketball Victoria identifies potential re-start date after coronavirus break

Warrnambool Basketball Incorporated president Jacob Sobey is cautiously optimistic players could hit the court in some capacity in mid-July.

It comes after Basketball Victoria chief executive officer Nick Honey told The Age it "would like to see anything from July 13 to July 20 as a resumption-of-play date".

Honey said it needed permission from the state government to re-open stadiums and operate courts.

There are restrictions on indoor sports stadiums with Premier Dan Andrews indicating a June 22 easing with strict protocols, such as limited numbers, if community transmission remains low.

Sobey said Warrnambool Basketball would have to be adaptable if and when it was given the green light.

It has two domestic seasons - winter and summer - and caters for more than 100 teams.

"We had a board meeting last week and the consensus was to continue to prepare to come back and look at options - shorter game times, less players on each team, whether it is a five-on-five competition or whether for the short-term it goes three-on-three until further restrictions lift," he told The Standard.

"They are all options that junior and senior basketball are considering.

"I think any return is dependent on what the government plan to do with indoor gatherings.

"Basketball Victoria, Warrnambool Basketball, all associations will be relying on that advice."

There will be number limitations when indoor stadiums do re-open.

Sobey said his association was "planning for variable options".

"A winter season goes from (school) term two to term three," he said.

"Even if we did come back, we're only looking at half a season anyway.

"(We could) hold off until the summer season around term four but everyone wants to get back to it and get back to playing as soon as possible.

"We'll take what the information is and make a decision from there."

Sobey said the association must get approval from Warrnambool City Council which owns Warrnambool Stadium.

Honey indicated there was hope for Big V seasons but they would resume after local competitions got the tick of approval.

Sobey said the club's Big V sides - the Seahawks and Mermaids - had hurdles to overcome.

"We find it hard to be going to sponsors at this time of hardship and putting that expectation on them to help us out," he said.

"Logistically it might not be a viable option for us either, trying to minimise the risk with guys travelling to and from Melbourne.

"We're in talks about it at the moment and we're relying on information from Basketball Vic but the further it draws out the less likely it's looking for a Big V season this year."

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