The South Australian Sports Institute (SASI), in partnership with Basketball Australia and Basketball South Australia, has launched a new high-performance Basketball Program to support and develop the state’s most talented players.
The program has been designed to nurture basketballers with the potential to progress into Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence programs, with the long-term goal of producingfuture Olympic, Paralympic and World medallists.
With a strong focus on the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Games, this initiative brings together both the National Performance Program (NPP) and Wheelchair Basketball Program (WBP) under one roof, creating a centralised high-performance environment at SASI’s world-class Mile End facility.
Coaches Sam Adams and Dee Ranford will lead the NPP, while Paralympic gold medallist David Gould will use his extensive experience to take charge of the WBP.
All athletes will be supported by SASI’s expert performance services team, including strength and conditioning, sports science, physiotherapy and athlete wellbeing.
SASI Director Keren Faulkner said the program represents a major step forward for basketball in South Australia.
“We’re proud to be working hand-in-hand with Basketball Australia and Basketball South Australia to deliver this high-performance program,” Faulkner said.
“Our aim is clear - to develop nationally identified athletes who have the potential to become future medallists on the world stage.
“By centralising Olympic and Paralympic disciplines in one environment, we’re giving South Australian basketballers the best chance to succeed at the highest level.”
Basketball South Australia CEO Tim Brenton said this is an exciting partnership which will play a vital role in strengthening pathways for South Australian athletes.
“This has been quite a process, built on a shared vision with SASI, Basketball Australia and Basketball South Australia’s High Performance NPP program,” Brenton said.
“I’m genuinely excited about this partnership, which is driven by people with a passion for our sport and a commitment to excellence.
“The team at SASI are of the highest quality, bringing not only expertise but also values that align perfectly with our goal of developing quality basketball players and quality people.”
The launch builds on SASI’s growing involvement in basketball in South Australia, with the Adelaide 36ers and Adelaide Lightning already accessing the Mile End facility for training, education and athlete services.
