Raiders return to Boronia Stadium

The Knox Raiders will return to their traditional home at Boronia Stadium for the NBL1 South 2024 season. Throughout the various competition names at junior and senior levels; for decades the basketball community has created memories at the well known and loved Park Cres facility; an icon within basketball facilities in Australia. 

With work underway in the original section of the redeveloped State Basketball Centre; Grant Harrison CEO said “It makes perfect sense for us to play this one last season in the venue we have called our home for the past 40 years entrenched with such rich history for our association. It will be a bittersweet homecoming but we are extremely excited at playing at Boronia this one last time and can’t wait to fill the house with our Knox Raiders fans”.

The history at Boronia extends many decades, they have hosted international matches, dozens of US Colleges, ABA finals, SEABL conference finals and national league practice matches. The most recent Raiders highlights in the venue include winning the 2009 men's title, whilst the women's team won the 2013 SEABL Championship.  The Knox Raiders have won 6 other previous Conference titles playing at Boronia over the years, so 2024 does represent a season of reflection, memories and one last opportunity to farewell the venues with some wins! 

In order to get the venue up to NBL1 requirements much work and scrambling has been done with support & investment from the Knox City Council and the Victoria Government to upgrade the Boronia show court with new temporary seating that will boast up to 1,800 seats, new LED lighting, changeroom upgrades and a full court surface repolish (by round 6). The Raiders first home game at Boronia is on Saturday 4^th May  against the Casey Cavaliers with the women tipping off at 6pm & the men at 8pm.

Tickets available via Intix HERE

Sadly once the season is complete, the Knox Basketball Association and the basketball community in general will bid farewell to one of the most decorated facilities in community basketball. It has been a cornerstone for growth in basketball through the south-east of Melbourne and its end will be a sad end for many. However, it should be noted that with its closing, has come the opportunity to the fantastic new facility that is the State Basketball Centre. The memories of the Boronia Stadium will remain, as Knox and the basketball community creates new ones in the years ahead. 

Is the memory filled Boronia stadium a good omen for the Knox Raiders? Can they add to their 2024 success (Men Conference & National Champions) and bring home both the men's & women's Conference Championships in 2024? After Round 4 the women are currently 5-1 and the men 4-2, so the tone has been set for the season ahead.