It will finally take the court in November, having been training since February.
The National Basketball League confirmed yesterday its women’s league will go ahead from November 19 to December 16.
It will take an "18 in 18" format — 18 games in 18 days, all in one location and televised, similar to the men’s NBL.
The Gold Rush will be joined by the league’s other top division sides — the Auckland Dream, Waikato Wizards, Canterbury Wildcats, Harbour Breeze and Capital Swish.
In the draft draw teams would play two double-headers and a single game across the first 16 days, prior to the semifinals.
That gave them four day breaks in which teams had the option of flying home.
The host city was yet to be confirmed, although Basketball Otago general manager Peter Drew said it would not be Dunedin.
BBO had expressed an interest in hosting the event, but being less accessible for flights would make Dunedin a difficult place for players coming and going.
The Gold Rush would possibly have some players stay the whole time, while others would return, he said.
Basketball Otago general manager Peter Drew said it had been a "strange year" for the Gold Rush players.
The league had originally been scheduled to start in April and was primed to be a breakthrough season for the women’s game, coming under the NBL banner and being televised.
"They’ve been training since February and not knowing if they’d get to play a game this year," Drew said.
"Just the fact they’ve now got a tournament like this is fantastic.
"It’s taken right until the end of the year, but they’ve got something now.
"They’re excited about it."
Players needing to take time off work presented a challenge, something that had occurred in the men’s league.
However, Drew said people were making sacrifices to make it work.
It would work for students — part of the reason for it being so late in the year was to avoid a clash with exams.
Players would not be paid, although funding obtained for the women’s game from Sport New Zealand would cover the majority of the league’s costs.
Drew said that was key, as it would have been a significant barrier otherwise.
A large squad had been training with head coach Gavin Briggs.
Included in that was Tall Fern Zoe Richards, one of many Tall Ferns the NBL said would likely be in action.
The Gold Rush has won the league three times, its most recent championship coming in 2018.
