The Frankston Blues Basketball Club has announced that all future SEABL clashes between the 'Aspect Packaging' Lady Blues and the Bendigo Lady Braves will have an added incentive, with the striking of the Brian Blackley Shield.

Commencing with the May 6 game this year, clashes between the traditional rivals will now be contested for the Brian Blackley Shield, in honour of one of the SEABL's most successful coaches. A life member of the Frankston Blues Basketball Club, Coach Blackley lost his battle with cancer late last year after guiding the Lady Blues through one of their most successful eras. F

Following each Frankston/Bendigo clash, the winning team will display the shield at their stadium until the two teams next meet. The perpetual Shield will honour Coach Blackley's contribution to both the SEABL and the Frankston Blues Basketball Club over a period of 15 years.

Blackley served as Assistant Coach for the Blues men's team for eight years before taking the reins of the Lady Blues from 1999-2005. Under his leadership, the Lady Blues established themselves as a league power, with the highlight coming in2004 when he led the team to both the SEABL Women's Conference title and the ABA National Championship.

Former Bendigo juniors Emily McInerney and Andrea Walsh were players on the Blues 2004 Championship team and the two clubs engaged in some classic regular season and play-off battles in recent years. Lady Braves Coach Bernie Harrower and Coach Blackley shared a mutual respect for each other, with many fiercely fought out contests between their teams over the years.