The Australian NBL has denied NZ Breakers' request to have their season-opening match against South East Melbourne Phoenix delayed due to their recent COVID-19 outbreak.
The Breakers wanted Saturday's game rescheduled until December 10, after nine positive cases within the touring party, including head coach Dan Shamir and two starting players, but the league says its coronavirus protocols mean the game must proceed as planned.
"The NBL has a policy regarding the rescheduling, postponement or cancellation of games specific to COVID-19 related scenarios," the league says.
"Under the policy, the New Zealand versus South East Melbourne Phoenix game will continue as planned."
The Breakers were forced to cancel their final pre-season game against Illawarra Hawks and immediately enter health protocols at their Melbourne base, where they'll remain until Friday.
On Sunday, owner Matt Walsh - one of the Breakers' staff to contract the virus - says coach Shamir and the two affected players were unlikely to play on Saturday.
Walsh hoped to have the game pushed back until December 10, when they'll play the Phoenix in their second game of the season.
"It's a scary thing, because with COVID, you don't know what direction it's going to go," Walsh told Newshub. "You think you are out of the woods and then it hits you again.
"Our 100 percent focus is with everyone who has had it to get them healthy. We have a great group this year and the overwhelming feeling around the group is of positivity to get back on the court.
"We haven't begun to think what it looks like for Dan to come back - we just want to focus on getting him 100 percent healthy."
