The Rivalry continues for the Life Members Cup

Round 12 of the NBL1 East will see the Hills Hornets host the Norths Bears, as they battle it out for the Life Members Cup this weekend.

The Life Members Cup is a joint venture between the Hills Hornets and Northern Suburbs Bears that was established in 2012, to acknowledge the collegial relationship between the two associations, commemorate the fierce rivalry between the associations, and most importantly, to recognise and celebrate their respective Life Members, and their contributions to the growth and development of basketball.

The Cup celebrates Life Members, who are individuals who have given a minimum of 10 years of service and contribution to either association.

The Life Members Cup is played for each time the Hornets and Bears clash in senior competition, and the winner is determined by most wins for that round. Any tied result sees the current Cup holder retain their title.

The Life Members Cup is contested twice every year, and there have been over 22 fixtures through the years, honouring the long-standing competition. While the Hornets squeaked ahead on the overall leader board by winning the first fixture on the new courts at Hills Basketball Stadium in 2018, Norths subsequently took back the Cup and are the reigning Cup holders, albeit often by slim margins.

The Cup was previously played for in Round 6 this year, during the ANZAC Round, which added an extra special layer to the already meaningful match-up. The current tally for this year is Norths Bears (3), and Hills Hornets (1).

Round 2 of the 2023 Life Members Cup will be contested this Saturday, unusually over only 3 games; NBL1 East Women, NBL1 East Men and the Spalding Waratah 1 Youth Men – meaning that the deciding game could be the Waratah 1 Youth Men’s game. With a 2-1 advantage enough to take the win, both clubs are well in the fight. It’s a great initiative to celebrate off-court co-operation, on-court rivalry and the people who have contributed so much to the Hills and Northern Suburbs Basketball Associations.

The games will be played this Saturday, the 3^rd of June at Hills Basketball Stadium, and the game times are below:

• NBL1 Women | Norths v Hills - 3:30 pm
• NBL1 Men | Norths v Hills - 5:30 pm
• Waratah 1 Youth Men | Norths v Hills - 7:30 pm

The NBL1 games will be streamed live and free on NBL1.com.au, the NBL1 website and the NBL1 app.

Photo Credit: James O'Donohue Photography.