Last hurrah on Saturday night for Giants’ traditional home court as new facilities beckon

A gradual phasing-out of the old for the new continues at Niels Hansen Stadium on Saturday night in a program dubbed The Last Shot when the Goldfields Giants make their final regular-season NBL1 appearance on court one.

The finale on the traditional main court before switching to a brand-new show court next season as part of the stadium’s multimillion-dollar redevelopment comes after 35 seasons and nearly 500 SBL/NBL1 games.

To mark the occasion, the Giants’ women’s and men’s teams will each don the club’s inaugural 1990 uniform design for their respective clashes against the Warwick Senators.

The Giants’ men’s team debuted at home in the old SBL on March 9, 1990, and enjoyed a 76-70 win against Cockburn.

All up, the team has played 452 home games for 288 wins.

Goldfields’ women’s team has played 29 games at home for nine wins, recording their first home victory on April 30, 2022 against Rockingham Flames.

“The final NBL1 qualifying game on court one — it signals a new era in Goldfields basketball with the redevelopment of the stadium and supports the continuing growth of the sport in Kalgoorlie Boulder,” Kalgoorlie-Boulder Basketball Association president Rob Tagliaferri said.

“After 34 years of SBL, D-League and NBL1, including the inclusion of the women’s team, the Goldfields Giants men’s and women’s teams will play the final qualifying game of the 2024 season on court one, which is steeped in Kalgoorlie-Boulder basketball history.

“Although we hope to have a finals home game this season, depending on the standings in the men’s competition, next season court one NBL1 games will be played in the new stadium.

“We would love everyone to get down and watch the games on Saturday night, supporting our teams and remaining (afterwards) to celebrate a significant moment in local basketball history.

“Currently the new stadium is progressing on schedule and is still expected to be completed towards the end of this year.”

Work at the 45-year-old stadium, which is named after local basketball stalwart Niels Hansen, is being carried out at a cost of more than $10 million.

On completion, it will feature two new indoor courts to complement three existing courts, seating for more than 1000 spectators, women’s and men’s home-and-away team change rooms, the KBBA office, a bar, function room and kitchen and first-aid areas.

Niels Hansen sourced the original plans and became the KBBA’s fifth life member in 1980.

Goldfields women’s team heads into their final home game of the qualifying series in 12th position and out of finals contention.

The Giants’ men are sixth but can finish anywhere between third and eighth — depending on overall results.

A top-six finish carries a home final and the top-four will be rewarded with a double-chance.

Warwick are seventh — one win behind the Giants, who close out the qualifiers next Saturday on the road against fourth-placed East Perth.

Saturday’s women’s clash is at 6pm, followed by the men at 8pm.