Phoenix Blitz Traralgon Community

In partnership with Latrobe City Council and Victoria Government.

With no scheduled NBL games due to the FIBA window, last week Phoenix players and staff took the opportunity to road trip out to Latrobe City in Gippsland to connect with the community and build hype towards the upcoming clash with the Sydney Kings at GRISS on December 18.

Phoenix travelled to eight schools across Traralgon where Phoenix players held clinics for over 1,500 students, teaching them basketball skills, teamwork, and some fun games, before ending the session with player signings, photos, and a Q&A. They even got to see a couple of dunks to boot.

The kids at each school were excited to have the Phoenix players come to visit them in rural Victoria.

“It’s really important we get out here because what we have seen, there are some really good players and they’re really passionate about basketball. They don’t get the opportunities that the schools close to the cities do, so it’s great to get out here and hopefully encourage them to keep pursuing basketball,” said Phoenix centre, Dane Pineau.

(Phoenix players travelled to Gippsland to visit eight schools before their game in December.)

“As a kid having access to that (seeing professional athletes at school) being in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, I knew how much that inspired me. So, I think to see today how excited the kids were to see everybody. To see the support and also a chance to inspire that next generation out here is really important,” Phoenix co-captain, Kyle Adnam said.

All the players had a great time connecting to the kids in Traralgon and seeing their smiling faces reminds them why they play basketball.

“To be out here, it means everything to us. This is why we play basketball, to give back to the community and try to bring a little bit of that love and joy we have for the game out to them and hopefully it inspires them to do something, maybe towards basketball,” said Phoenix co-captain, Mitch Creek.

Phoenix had a big turnout last season with their win over the Cairns Taipans in NBL22 and cannot wait to see the amazing regional Phoenix fans again on December 18 against the Sydney Kings.

(The kids were excited to see the players dunk the basketball like Grant Anticevich did.)

“It was amazing, a great turnout, the atmosphere was really loud. I know speaking with the boys, everyone is pretty excited to get back out there and have good game. I think playing against Sydney as well, a really good team at the moment in the NBL. For the regional Victoria fans to come out and see a great clash, is going to be awesome,” said Adnam.

“Anytime you get to come out to a country area, City of Latrobe, Traralgon, for us being at the State Basketball Centre and further beyond; it’s such a special environment. It’s such a different feel and the crowd, they understand basketball, they’re very knowledgeable, they’re very intense with their support and they want us to be there, to make the right plays,” said Creek.

“They’re there every step of the way. For us we know that’s going to be there, the energy is going to be there. I feel bad playing us out here in Traralgon, the home fans are going to give them a lot of grief and hopefully they will be the sixth man we need.”

(All the kids in Traralgon were excited to meet the Phoenix players at their schools.)

Tickets are on sale NOW for the GRISS game on Sunday, December 18 at 2pm. We cannot wait to see the sea of green in Gippsland.

CLICK HERE to secure your ticket

Phoenix Media (14/11/22)