The ‘FIBA Break’ explained

Following Melbourne United’s big win over the Sydney Kings on Sunday afternoon, the team will enjoy a full two weeks off before their next outing for what has become known as the ‘FIBA Break’.

This exists in each NBL season as a period where players, if necessary, can depart their clubs  to join with their national teams for FIBA games, whether that be for Olympic or World Cup Qualifiers.

During this current stretch however, due to the compacted schedule between the most recent FIBA World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics, there are no international games during this FIBA Break.

United will instead use this period to get their group healthy while continuing to gel as a group for the final two third of the season.

“We want to take the weekend off in the middle, we want to just have that little break,” Dean Vickerman explained.

“Delly (Matthew Dellavedova) got a great workout today, played some one-on-one so he’ll be straight into full-contact… We’ll just keep trying to incorporate these guys back. 

“I think that second week of the FIBA window we’ve got to really get after it. Everybody’s in sync about the plays that have been effective for us with the group that we’ve just had and now we add these people and what are their skill sets that can drive our offence a little bit more.

“We know the defence will be outstanding with Delly and Ian (Clark) has been outstanding, maybe some of our guys can get a little rest in the fourth quarter when they come back.”

United’s next game will come on 3 December against the Cairns Taipans at John Cain Arena from 2pm.

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