BASKETBALL has shot back to prominence in the Tweed, with more than 20 players turning up for trials following a push by the Murwillumbah Basketball Association to reignite the men’s competition.

The association runs successful women’s and junior competitions, but for the last three years the sport has sadly been missing from men’s competition, which organiser David Devine said was about to change.

“Basketball is back and we’re getting really good support,” he said.

“There’s a resurgence and after three to four years of no men’s competition, we’re pretty ecstatic.”

The town shares a special bond with men’s basketball in bygone eras, and during the men’s competition heyday of the 1970s and 80s, with more than 220 players split across four grades and 40-odd teams, was a major player on Murwillumbah’s sporting calendar.

Since those days, men’s participation has been in decline, with the association’s once grand James St courts long in disrepair and decay.

That’s all about to change, however, with the sport securing a pledge via National Party candidate Matthew Fraser for a $62,000 grant from the re-elected Coalition Government, to have the courts upgraded.

The association currently uses the Seventh Day Adventist Church, which has the only indoor facility available for hire in the town.

Devine put the call out after coming on board with the association in recent months and was blown away by the turnout at Tuesday night’s trial, allowing trials for a possible four teams, with more players set to arrive in coming weeks.

“We had guys from Tweed, Kingscliff and the Gold Coast that are joining our little competition,” Devine said.

“I took the court for the first time in 20 years and we had guys from 19 to 58 playing.

“There’s another six who’ll be coming for the second week of trials. It’s all happening, it’s all exciting and people are talking about basketball.”