The Deniliquin Basketball Association was formed on July 15, 1926.
The Deniliquin Basket Ball Association had two grades and they were A and B.
The association run competition started on Wednesday August 14, 1926, with two courts being used by the teams District School, Girl Guides, Catholic Church, Convent School, Methodists and Presbyterians teams with the Church of England having a bye.
The first round of matches had the following results.
District School 12 defeated Girl Guides 3
Catholic Church 13 defeated Convent School 5
Presbyterians 17 defeated Methodists 7
The Semi Finals were played on November 8, 1926, at 8pm down at the District School with the Finals played on November 10 at 3:30pm down at the Cricket Ground.
Plans were put in place for two courts to be erected at the Recreation Ground (now Deniliquin High School) with plans for a netting fence and a gate that opens to Harfleur Street, plans were soon altered for the aim of three courts.
The courts at the recreation ground were not fenced in by the time the 1927 season got underway on June 1, 1927.
The Presbyterians and Methodists teams combined in the 1927 season as golf and tennis had taken players away from the sport.
Joyce Marshall broke two bones in her arm after she tripped and fell during a game in 1930, she was playing for the Warriors at the time against Church of England.
By the time World War 2 ended the days of the Sunbeams, Boomerangs, Checkers and the other teams were gone and replaced by colours, but Basketball has remained strong in town to this day.
DBBA Trophies
The Allison Shield was inaugurated in 1926 with a team able to claim ownership of the shield if they won it three consecutive times, this was done by the Catholics who won in 1926, 1927 and 1928.
The winning team of seven were presented with the Allison Shield with each player receiving a silver star tie pin with 1926 engraved.
A premiership cup was next awarded by Mr. Probert in 1929 replacing the Allison Shield and that cup was claimed by the Church of England team by winning in 1929, 1930 and 1931.
A Trophy was presented by Mr. Perc Depagny in 1936.
DBBA Dynasties
The Catholic team lost only one game in their hat trick of titles with Miss Olive Edwards the captain of the team in their 1929 victory.
Checkers went through the 1932 season undefeated in Grade A competition with Convent B also going undefeated in B Grade competition.
Catholics, Church of England and Checkers all won three A Grade titles each based on what’s available on Trove while Sunbeams and Boomerangs won one title each.
Deniliquin Basketball Association Teams
A Grade
Sunbeams
Robins
Boomerangs
Checkers
Wanderers (joined in 1936)
Rovers
West End
Girl Guides
Varsity 7
Convent
District School
Rangers
Presbyterians
Methodists
B Grade
Intermediate A
Intermediate B
Convent A
Convent B
Convent Primary
District School Primary
District School B
District School C
District Primary
Warriors
Unknown or No Grade
Red
Green
Yellow
Royal
Blue
DBBA A Grade Grand Finals
Checkers 27 defeated Sunbeams 9 in 1937
Sunbeams 23 defeated Checkers 19 in 1936
Boomerangs defeated Checkers 21 to 17 in 1935
Boomerangs 19 defeated Checkers 18 in 1934
Checkers 30 defeated West End 27 in 1933
Checkers 23 defeated Girl Guides 17 in 1932
Church of England 18 defeated Checkers 15 in 1931
Church of England defeated Catholics 14 to 12 in 1930 (Keeps Probert Cup)
Church of England 14 defeated Catholics 12 in 1929
Catholics won in 1928 (Keeps Allison Shield)
Catholics won in 1927
Catholics won in 1926
DBBA B Grade Grand Finals
Intermediate A 24 defeated Convent A 19 in 1937
Convent A defeated Intermediate A in 1936
Convent A defeated Primary 28 to 13 in 1935
Intermediate A 15 defeated Convent A 13 in 1934
Intermediate A 25 defeated Convent B 9 in 1933
Convent B 22 defeated Intermediate A 18 in 1932
Convent B won in 1929
Best and Fairest winners for A Grade
1937 – Rose Holschler (Boomerangs) and Francis Hackett (Checkers)
1936 – Joyce Hynes (Checkers)
Best and Fairest winners for B Grade
1937 – Joyce Tait (Intermediate A)
1936 – F. Hackett
Deni History 