MELBOURNE Tigers and Adelaide 36ers will play off in September when national league basketball returns to Geelong, according to officials.
The pre-season game will be the first National Basketball League match in Geelong for four years.
Fans will see Supercats star Nathan Herbert in action with the 36ers after he re-signed with the side this year.
Herbert missed last season after rupturing his right ACL in a preseason match with the 36ers last September
In his first Supercats game this year the co-captain shot 20 points and took five rebounds in 20 minutes.
He said the match would be perfect for Geelong basketball fans and his family to see NBL action up close.
“It’s great to have two long-time NBL clubs in the Tigers and the 36ers compete in local communities,” Herbert said.
Geelong last hosted an NBL game when the now-defunct South Dragons played two of its regular season games at the Arena in 2007.
The last NBL game before the Dragons was in 1996 when the Supercats played their final season in the league.
Melbourne Tigers recruited heavily in the off season, with new imports Ronald Dorsey and Ayinde Ubaka as well as young players Bennie Lewis and Daniel Dillon set to play in Geelong.
Adelaide 36ers chief executive officer Leeanne Grantham said his side was looking forward to the preseason play-off.
“We recognise the value of taking an NBL match to such a great regional city and in particular for the local fans to see one of their own in action,” she said.
“We really hope the locals get behind the match”.