As a newcomer to the city nine months ago I can attest it's on the money. Used to rugby league being king in my native Queensland and daylight second, the relatively even split between NRL and AFL devotees has been refreshing.

When covering school sport, the same names invariably pop up across a wide range of sports. Young people here tend to have a crack at everything.

It's why basketball must ensure it's not left eating everyone else's dust after the (hopefully brief) demise of the Wagga Heat this season.

For years the men's outfit have played in the Waratah League division one, but a referee shortage has been blamed, on the record at least, for being forced to take this year off.

Basketball Wagga Wagga's plan is for the team to return in 2021, but it has been proven many times in many sports it can be easier said than done.

The Heat travel more than any other Wagga-based team. Destinations like Dubbo, Lithgow, Orange and Canberra are on the schedule and the bus trips there and back are probably just as draining, if not more so, than the game itself.

It's not uncommon for the team to arrive home in the early hours of Sunday morning after a Saturday night clash.

Not only do you need a strong love of the game to make that sacrifice to your social life, but when a group spends that much time together it needs to be fun.

After the Daily Advertiser reported the team wouldn't play this this coming season, the story posted on our Facebook channels prompted a spirited debate among incumbent and past players, largely expressing their disappointment at the development.

Those comments have since been deleted.

One player who suited up in 2019 said there was "a fair bit more to it" than a lack of referees, describing it as a "cop out", and claiming there was "too many chiefs and not enough Indians."

Another person closely involved in the sport in Wagga suggested only a handful of players had committed to playing again, with the majority of those the younger players.

Perhaps the most apt comment highlighted the fact that not all Basketball Wagga board positions were filled when there was a turnover at the end of last year, including president, insinuating there should be less talk and more action.

Clearly there's more to the situation than simply a referee shortage, but regardless of where fault lies playing the blame game is pointless.

Wagga is a massive regional centre. It deserves, and needs, a men's team playing at state level so the best local talent can keep developing and have an outlet toward achieving their goals.

Let's hope everyone in the local basketball community can come together and put a plan in place to revive the Heat, as they play an essential role in the Riverina's sporting landscape.

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