State Basketball League (Western Australia)

Infobox sports league

pixels = 150px
caption =
sport = Basketball
founded = 1989
motto =
teams = 14
country = AUS
mens champions = Goldfields Giants
womens champions = Stirling Senators
website = [http://www.basketballwa.asn.au/ www.basketballwa.asn.au]

The State Basketball League (SBL) is Western Australia's second-tiered, semi-professional basketball competition. There are two competitions in the SBL. One for the mens (MSBL) and on for the women's (WSBL). The SBL also acts as a development league for players attempting to enter the first-tier basketball leagues in Australia with players traditionally being trialled or signed with the Perth Wildcats of the NBL or the Perth Lynx of the WNBL.

Current teams

"*Goldfields do not have a team competing in the WSBL"

"** Buccanneers compete in the MSBL and the Lady Buccs compete in the WSBL (are the same club)"

Game day

MSBL games are played with 4x12 minute quarters and WSBL play with 4x10 minute quarters. With the switch of ends made at half time. 1/4 time and 3/4 time breaks are two minutes long and the 1/2 time interval lasts 10 minutes. If games are tied at the end of regulation time then an additional 5 minutes (overtime) shall be played. This will keep happening until an overall winner is decided. There can not be any draws.

All games are played under the FIBA guidelines of rules.

Regular season

The regular season starts early April and finishes at the end of July. Each team plays 26 games (play each team twice, one at home and one away. Games are played on a Friday or Saturday night and Sunday afternoons. Games are also played on ANZAC Day and Foundation Day.

Standings/Ladders

The teams are ranked according to their win/loss ratio. If at the end of the regular season and 2 or more teams have an identical record then positions are decided on a head to head basis. If they can not be split after that than the FOR/AGT percentage is taking into account.

Finals

The finals start in early August and finishes in early September. It is competed among the top 8 teams. The finals are contested in an elimination format. The quarter and semi finals are played using a best of 3 game series. The higher ranked team gets the 1st and 3rd game at home and the 2nd away. The grand finals are played at Perry Lakes Stadium with the women's game commencing first and the mens game after that.

Quarter Finals

1 v 8 2 v 7 3 v 6 4 v 5

Semi Finals

The winner of 1 v 8 vs The winner of 4 v 5

The winner of 2 v 7 vs The winner of 3 v 6

2007 season

Ladders

"'Men's"

The 2007 SBL season saw 13 teams compete in the MSBL and 12 teams compete in the WSBL.

The Goldfields Giants took out the Men's competition by beating minor premiers the Lakeside Lightning, 96-94. While the Perry Lakes Hawks took out the WSBL championship defeating the Stiriling Senators 66-40.

External links

* [http://www.basketballwa.asn.au/ Basketball Western Australia website]
* [http://forum.sblonline.net/ SBL Forum]