Belconnen Stadium gets a makeover as Basketball ACT look to open outdoor courts

Basketball ACT chief executive David Simpson is aiming to open Belconnen's outdoor three-on-three courts on Thursday as sports creep closer towards normality.

The coronavirus pandemic means officials have built strict protocols for a return to play with Basketball ACT targeting a return to indoor competitions in July.

Outdoor, non-compulsory, non-contact activities have been given the all clear with Basketball ACT and the ACT government agreeing to allow 10 people per half-court.

Scrimmages and official training sessions are yet to receive the green light, with stadium doors remaining closed until government restrictions are eased.

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Basketball ACT has capitalised on the time to resurface courts, fix leaks in the roof and rebuild the grandstand on the main court.

"The stadium is going to be like brand new when people come back, so it has been good for us in that sense because we have had time to do things that were otherwise put off," Simpson said.

"We are working through our protocols now with the intention of opening the three-on-three courts on Thursday. There will be strict protocols in place.

"That's our plan at this point in time, we're not opening until we're ready to go. I'll make sure absolutely everything is in place before we consider recommencing.

"Indoor courts are still closed. ACT government restrictions are still in place, so we're unable to open the indoor courts yet.

"We're hoping we could have them opened in June, hopefully in the next phase of the ACT government's restrictions. The reality is everything is reliant on ACT government restrictions.

"We're still targeting a July to return to competition. Everything is based around restarting competitions in late July, after the school holidays, and I think that is realistic."

Meanwhile, NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger has moved to allay fears over the Illawarra Hawks future, saying the liquidation of the former company behind the club does not amount to the death of the franchise.

Administrators recommended that Illawarra Hawks Proprietary Limited - established in 2015 - be wound up after it was to found to be more than $2.4 million in debt.

It included more than $750,000 owed to former players and staff and more $500,000 owed to the ATO after the club ran at a loss of more than $1.8 million over the past three years.

Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger confirmed the liquidation of the former company will not affect the granting of a new Hawks license, with the league "well progressed" in its search for new owners.

"The Administrator's decision to liquidate the company that previously held the licence to operate the Illawarra Hawks does not affect the future of the Illawarra Hawks' participation in the NBL, nor does it affect the current process being conducted by the NBL to grant the licence to operate the club to new owners," Loeliger said.

"As we announced when the club was put into voluntary administration, the NBL is in discussions with a number of interested parties and we are well progressed towards finding the next owners of the franchise.

"The Hawks are one of the NBL's foundation clubs and we are committed to the club remaining in the league and continuing their unbroken participation in the competition since the NBL's inception in 1979."

Despite some recent hiccups in negotiations, a bid involving NBA Draft aspirant LaMelo Ball and Illawarra businessman Tory Lavalle remains the front-runner, though the league insists multiple parties are in the mix.

The Hawks ran at a loss of more than $1 million the following year and lost in excess of $600,000 in 2019.