Sport Otago community sports adviser Alan Nicholls issued a joint Sport Otago and Basketball New Zealand press release on Monday evening stating there was ''a very strong likelihood of Basketball Otago'' avoiding liquidation following a positive meeting with ''a representative of some Dunedin entities'' earlier that day.
BBO ceased trading in October having accumulated a debt of just under $179,000.
Liquidation appeared inevitable but a planned special general meeting called for the purpose of voting on liquidation was cancelled at late notice.
Nicholls did not respond to messages on Monday or interview requests yesterday.
BBNZ chief executive Iain Potter said he was not in a position to add anything further to what he said in yesterday's Otago Daily Times which was there had been a ''coalescing of support and it is looking rather positive''.
However, former BBO board member Karl Andrews was more forthcoming.
He has offered to serve on an interim board so BBO can make decisions and move forward.
''Obviously, the first part of this process is to get the board reconstituted so that decisions can start being made again,'' Andrews said.
''There is nothing that can happen until that board is in place. That really is the key.''
Andrews was at the crucial meeting referenced in the press release but declined to comment on who had come forward.
''All I can say is it is really dependent on this fundraising continuing. It is a solution in conjunction with the good work that the fundraising group [Keep Basketball in Otago] is doing. We have to push on with that.
''There have been some fantastic pledges made by the community and we have to look to build on those.''
Cooke Howlison yesterday made a pledge of $10,000 which delighted the Keep Basketball in Otago group.
That takes the total amount pledged to $40,000.
The online sales promotion, won yesterday by Jenny Alloo, had not garnered the support the group had hoped for but would contribute a further $5000 to the pot.
And the group hopes the Canterbury Rams pre-season game at the Edgar Centre later this month will generate further funds.
''Canterbury are doing us a massive favour, so we need people to turn up and support that game,'' Andrews said.
''We hope to be in a position to offer the creditors a decent settlement, rather than a paltry amount.
''We are working on an offer that hopefully we'll get 75% of them [the creditors] saying yes to.
Asked if the Bendigo Valley Foundation had made a sizeable contribution or grant, Andrews said it had been a tremendous supporter of BBO.
''They have always been a fantastic supporter and I would be surprised if they didn't continue that support, if BBO was to continue.''
