A file picture of Liz Cambage in action for the newley named Melbourne Boomers back in 2011.
WNBL stalwart Bulleen has changed its named to Melbourne Boomers to capture support of the broader basketball community and will play out of the State Basketball Centre at Knox this season.
sThe club, which has been in the league since 1984, also has changed its colours to purple and gold and is anxious to be seen as embracing the city, moving away from its suburban identity and previous playing venue at the Veneto Club.
Bulleen has been battling similar issues to the NBL's Melbourne Tigers where the club exists at junior and senior levels, making it difficult for players and supporters of rival Victorian teams to jump aboard at national level.
"Unlike other sports such as AFL and despite basketball being the second-highest team-based participation sport in Australia, we have been unable to harness the passion the wider basketball community has for the sport and actively support this national league team," Bulleen Templestowe Basketball Club president Derek
Pangbourne said.
"We understand we have not actively engaged with the Melbourne basketball community to encourage this support, nor played in a venue suitable for a large crowd.
"But we also recognise that the healthy rivalry at the VJBL level between clubs makes it challenging to fiercely compete against Bulleen junior teams on a Friday night, and then cheer for the WNBL Bulleen Boomers on a Sunday."
Pangbourne said it was the club's priority to ensure the long-term sustainability of the WNBL so it could continue to provide a pathway for Victorian talent to compete at the national level.
"For this to happen, we know we must provide the Melbourne basketball community with the ability to support a team they feel they belong to and have made substantial changes to our existing program," he said.
The new Melbourne Boomers committee includes representatives of other associations, including Diamond Valley, Eltham and Ringwood.
The club's decision to switch to the colours of the famous Los Angeles Lakers' NBA franchise, also is a step to grab wider support.
Guy Molloy, with assistance from Cheryl Chambers, will coach the Melbourne team, which already enjoys a broad spectrum of playing personnel who started at various clubs.
London Olympian Rachel Jarry (Altona), Tess Madgen (Eastern), Rebecca Cole (Nunawading), Rebecca Allen (Nunawading), Hayley Munro (Eltham), Nicole Romeo (Norwood), Amelia Todhunter (Albury-
Wodonga/Dandenong), Amber Heggie (US import at Ringwood), Stephanie Collins (Sandringham, Melbourne, Bulleen) and import Chelsea Poppins make up the main rotation.
Alex Sharp (Diamond Valley), Olivia Bontompelli (Eltham), Funda Nagasoglu (Bulleen) and Brodie Theodore (Bulleen, Sunbury, Knox) comprise the squad's development players.
In the past five years, Bulleen has enjoyed a spectacular period, with one championship and three WNBL grand final appearances.
Centre Elizabeth "Lizzie" Cambage has been a league MVP, last year became the first woman to dunk at an Olympic Games when she threw one down for the Opals against Russia, and currently is starring for Tulsa Shock in the WNBA.
She was today named the WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week after averaging 16.3 points, 2.0 assists and conference-leading 13.3 rebounds to guide the Shock to a 3-0 week.
It was Cambage's first PotW accolade while in the Eastern Conference, Indiana's Tamika Catchings won her 19th, tying the record held by Opals captain Lauren Jackson.
The Boomers have been famous for producing WNBA players.
The club spawned the magnificent Michele Timms, a future Opals captain who paved the way for Australian women to play in Europe and was the nation's trail blazer into the WNBA.
Phoenix Mercury retired her No.7 playing uniform.
Yet Bulleen still has been unable to capture the wider community's support, which should change now with the club stepping away from its suburban identity.
Victoria also boasts reigning champion Bendigo Spirit and 2012 champion Dandenong Rangers in the league.
The 2013-14 WNBL season launches in October.
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