State league changes | Rockhampton Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rockhampton

BASKETBALL: The Rockhampton Stadium Nightclub Rockets and Hog's Breath Cafe Cyclones will have one less opposition in 2009.

Basketball Queensland yesterdayfri announced the Logan Thunder had withdrawn from next year's competition, to be renamed the QBL (Queensland Basketball League).

"BQ supports this decision as we believe it is the right choice for Logan Basketball at this point in time," Basketball Queensland chief executive Graham Burns said in a statement.

"In speaking with Logan Basketball their hope is that they will be back in 2010."

Logan's withdrawal reduces the number of teams in the QBL to 14, which means changes will be made to the format of next year's competition.

"We can no longer use the three pools of five teams concept that has been in place for the past two years," Burns said.

"Changes to the format will be done in consultation with the QBL Clubs."

Burns said the South Australian Central League had also advised it does not wish to compete in the Australian Club Championship (formerly the ABA) in 2009 in its current format.

This means the ACC would be left with only the Eastern States competing in the competition. In addition, the Basketball Australia High Performance Review has recommended that a development league be introduced to underpin the NBL and WNBL.