Aberdeen could have professional basketball team

GLASGOW Rocks director Ian Reid believes there is scope for a professional basketball team in Aberdeen.

The Rocks – the only professional club in the country – defeated a Grampian select side 87-41 in their first pre-season game at the Aberdeen sports village on Tuesday night.

Aberdonian Reid was impressed with the capacity crowd at the new arena and thinks there is room for development in the sport in the Granite City.

He said: “It was the first time the players had got together and it was quite a useful exercise for us.

“One of the interesting things was that the match was completely sold out so there is a latent appetite I would suggest for basketball.

“The new facility is beautiful and it is something that Aberdeen has been crying out for.

“We have found that in the north-east, particularly in Aberdeen and Inverness, people are receptive to the basketball programmes we run.

“I think there is something there, particularly with Aberdeen’s connection with America through oil.

“There might be the possibility at some stage of having a professional team based there – if there is anything I can do to help develop it that it is something I would be interested in.”

The Rocks begin their British basketball league campaign against the Newcastle Eagles on Sunday, September 27 at the Kelvin Hall, tip-off 5pm.

Reid is optimistic about the new season and said: “It has been really hard work to put our roster together due to the state of the global economy – all over Europe, in the UK and even in the NBA budgets have been trimmed.

“It has taken longer to put together some of the deals than it did in previous seasons but I am very happy with the quality of the players we have recruited.”