Maitland Mustangs set sights on top flight NBL1 competition in 2022

The Mustangs have lodged an application to enter the competition designed to bridge the gap between the BNSW's Spalding Waratah League and the nation's top flight leagues, the WNBL and NBL respectively.

"This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for our club, and we are making every effort to develop a successful and sustainable program that will set the benchmark for NSW," said Maitland Basketball's general manager Trevor Gallacher. "We are hopeful of our application's success."

"By linking together the best basketball minds in the area, with key community and business leaders and our emergingly talented junior program, the Mustangs are eager to be a part of this competition and to help advance the profile of Basketball in the region and to put Maitland on the map nationally."

Gallacher said Maitland emerged from another Covid19 interrupted season with plenty of positives including coach Luke Boyle being named the Waratah League's coach of the year for the second time in three seasons.

"It is great recognition for Luke, who this year marked 25 consecutive years as a player or coach in the Mustangs senior program," Gallacher said.

In other sports news:

Prior to the Covid enforced end to the season, the Mustangs men were in strong form with seven straight wins before a competitive 16-point loss to the highly touted Australian Centre of Excellence.

The following week saw another wave of Covid19 stay at home orders across Greater Sydney bring community sport to a halt and the game against COE was the final game of the Waratah One season.

It was a disappointment for the program, after the lockdown of 2020 saw a that season face a similar fate.

The women's program was very much about development of a richly talented group coming through from the junior ranks,

"We had an extremely youthful women's program, with several players stepping up to the Waratah One level sooner than expected," said 2021 head coach Kristy Bultitude.

"The team performed well and held their own against many more experienced opponents. With the wealth of talent coming through our junior ranks, the future is bright for our women's program."

Gallacher said the Mustangs junior program had also been impacted by Covid with a number of players chance to represent their state dashed by restrictions.

The Mustangs had a club record nine earn selection to represent NSW and NSW Country at the Australian Junior Championships in 2021, including:

Sadly, for the four U/16 players, the ongoing lockdown resulted in NSW, ACT and Victoria not being able to attend the tournament, being held in Darwin this week, after it was moved from Western Australia in July.

Gallacher said there were some great personal achievements and accolades for a couple of junior players as well.

On the back of a strong performance at Australian Junior Championships in April, Will Mortimore was selected in Basketball Australia's National Performance Camp, an event that brings together the best young talent for the age group nationally.

Mila Wawszkowicz was also selected in the NBA Global Academy's Women's virtual program. This program included 40 of the worlds brightest young prospects in online sessions with WNBA players.

MBA basketball manager Rebekah Wallace said the club was eagerly awaiting news on the return to community sport.

"We look forward to once again provide young people with opportunities to socialise with their friends, be active and pursue their sporting goals," Wallace said

"This lockdown has been a challenge that has tested everyone's patience and we are proud of the effort of all of our club members in helping to keep the community safe.

"That said, we are all extremely keen to get back out there on court as soon as it is safe to do so.