by FilmInk Staff
The South Australian-produced documentary Loxton Basketball: 70 Years will be available to stream on SBS On Demand from 14 May, giving Australian audiences the chance to discover the remarkable story of one of regional South Australia’s most unique sporting communities.
Directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker John deCaux of Six Foot Four Productions, the documentary tells the story of how, in 1949, a single image in an American sports magazine sparked the curiosity of a group of Loxton locals and led them to bring basketball to the Riverland.
With no rulebook and little knowledge of the game, the early players made it up as they went along, laying the foundation for what would become one of South Australia’s great country basketball stories.
From those humble beginnings, the Loxton Basketball Association grew into a proud and passionate sporting community. The documentary captures the association’s 70th anniversary celebrations, the unveiling of a new sports facility, and a thrilling grand final victory that marked a fitting tribute to the club’s legacy.
Producer and Director John deCaux said the SBS On Demand release was an exciting opportunity for the story to reach Australian viewers.
“This is such a uniquely Australian story,” said deCaux.“Two blokes saw a picture of basketball in a magazine and thought, ‘Why don’t we give that a go?’ They didn’t know the rules, so they made them up until a proper rulebook arrived from West Adelaide the following year.”
deCaux said the documentary is ultimately about more than basketball.
“It’s about community, volunteers, country sport, and the way regional towns build something from nothing. For the film to now be available on SBS On Demand means more Australians can connect with a story that really belongs to regional South Australia.”
Loxton Basketball: 70 Years was proudly supported and funded by Regional Arts, Country Arts SA, and The District Council of Loxton Waikerie.
The documentary will be available to stream on SBS On Demand from 14 May.
