Lauren Jackson says she will take great pride in playing again in Albury.
BASKETBALL superstar Lauren Jackson will again play at the Albury stadium that next week will be named in her honour.
Just days after Jackson signed with the Canberra Capitals for three of the next five seasons, Basketball ACT yesterday said the Capitals would play a home game in Albury in each of the next three seasons.
The first match, against the Australian Institute of Sport, will be played next month.
Jackson won’t be there because she will not play with the Capitals until next year when her her likely return match will be in November.
She last played at the stadium in March 2006 during the Lady Bandits’ first season.
Albury Council’s team leader, leisure facilities, Michael Stanton, said next week would be huge for basketball and Jackson. She will be in town for a ceremony to mark the naming of the Lauren Jackson Sports Stadium on Saturday.
There will be more than 900 children at the stadium on that day, taking part in the NSW Catholic Primary School championships.
“With more than 100 guests we will have more than 1000 people there,” Mr Stanton said.
“We will be hoping for fine weather so we can hold the ceremony outdoors.”
Jackson said yesterday playing a game in her home town would give her something to “really look forward to with great pride”.
“There is nothing like playing in front of your home crowd,” she said.
“I’m delighted I will be able to do that with the Canberra Capitals.” Canberra Capitals operations manager, Jon Pratt said the team was determined to continue developing its relationship with Albury.
“Now, with the exceptional support of Albury Council and the Commercial Club, we can commit to playing home games in Albury for the next three years,” he said.
Mr Pratt said the signing of Jackson for 2012-13, 2014-15 and 2015-16 would provide enormous benefits for everyone associated with the game and was particularly exciting for her thousands of fans in Albury.
Next month’s clash between the Capitals and AIS in Albury on November 18 will pit Australian Opals’ coach Carrie Graff and assistant coach Phil Brown against each other in the first major basketball game played at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre.
Tickets for the game are now on sale.