Taipans make cut for seven-team league
THE Cairns Taipans will play in a seven-team national league run by Basketball Australia this season.
Despite fears the league would collapse after the withdrawal of the South Dragons and Melbourne Tigers, Basketball Australia will launch a league involving the seven clubs remaining from last season.
The Taipans will join Adelaide, Perth, Townsville, Wollongong, New Zealand and the Gold Coast in the competition, although the league will be left without teams from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
BA said it was confident it could add teams from those centres from 2010.
Cairns taipans in action last season.
Despite being placed in administration last year, the Taipans were saved after the community rallied behind the team, with more than 150 individuals, businesses and syndicates buying foundation memberships to help raise the capital needed to continue.
The Cairns Regional Council will provide a $1 million guarantee, allowing the Taipans to meet strict new criteria for entry into the competition.
Taipans officials are expected to attend a meeting in Melbourne today with BA chief executive Larry Sengstock and other club representatives to thrash out details of the new league.
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Cairns taipans will play in the national league this season.
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