Some nights transcend sport. Saturday, February 28 was one of them.

A host of former Australian hoops stars and celebrities returned to the hardwood for a good cause during the first-ever Legends of Basketball for Bowel Cancer game. Held at the State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South, the inaugural event brought together Hall of Famers, Olympians, NBL champions and the broader Australian basketball community — united not by competition, but by cause.

The night was dedicated to raising awareness, funding vital research and saving lives, whilst fans — young and old — got up close with their idols. Basketball Victoria For many in the crowd, it was a chance to see players they’d idolised from the stands or courtside for decades. For the players themselves, it was something more personal.

The event was headlined by NBL legends Lanard Copeland, Warrick Giddey, Darren Lucas, Andrew Parkinson, Joey Wright, Andrew Gaze, Cal Bruton, Phil Smyth, David Andersen, Ricky Grace and Mark Bradtke, alongside WNBL and Opals legend Michele Timms. Timms, the only Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer in the group, is a five-time WNBA champion and FIBA Hall of Fame inductee — one of only three Australians ever inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame, alongside Lindsay Gaze and Lauren Jackson.

More than 30 individuals took part in the State Basketball Centre event. Participants and fans travelled from Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, the ACT and New South Wales, giving the event a truly national flavour.

The evening opened with a Legends Meet and Greet, followed by a Celebrity Shootout, before the main Legends of Basketball Game really got things buzzing. The starting 5 for the “Trailblazers” team could have been mistaken for a 1990’s Melbourne Tigers team, with Gaze, Copeland, Bradtke, Gordon and Giddey all taking to the court to commence the game.

Old friends and rivals catch up in an iconic moment.

The match itself was an amazing spectacle, with age seemingly not slowing the legends…too much. There were a lot of high quality plays, with David Anderson dominating for the All Stars, showing an impressive mid-range game that could still be effective in today’s NBL.

Two-time NBL champion Copeland captured the emotional weight of the occasion simply. “We’ve lost some dear friends over the years, and so this brings up a lot of memories,” he said. “It’s always great to catch up with friends you haven’t seen for a while, but we’re doing this because it’s meaningful. It’s not just a gathering — it’s meaningful. It’s for a great cause.”

After the All Stars got to a sizeable break in the second half, they were forced to play a man down for a number of minutes, allowing the Trailblazers back ito the game. From there, it was a battle right to the end, with the Trailblazers coming out on top.

The event was the brainchild of former NBL player Nigel Purchase. Purchase initially envisioned a golf day to support his friend Professor Peter Gibbs, Laboratory Head at WEHI. As momentum grew and the organising committee expanded to include Basketball Victoria, Knox Basketball, the NBL’s Kylie Hitchiner and others with diverse skill sets, the concept evolved into a full-scale legends game, with aspirations of becoming an annual tradition.

Two of the greatest point guards ever to play in Australia, Ricky Grace and Phil Smyth, with VBL champion and league leading rebounder Elliot Dean.

“Our aim is to use basketball for good, to encourage people to ‘Take the Screen’, and to make the Legends of Basketball Game an annual event that makes a difference to people’s lives,” Purchase said to BOTINAGY.

Perhaps the highlight of the night was the 3 point shoot out at half time. Pairs of players took it in turn with 5 shots from 4 spots from behind the line. Mr Magic Steve Carfino showed he’s still got it, knocking down a tonne of three-balls, and giving his pair a strong lead. But Gaze and Copeland weren’t going to be outdone. Gaze started in the corner and missed his first shot then hit is next 4 straight. Copes proceeded to then hit a perfect 5 in a row from the 45, with the pair putting on a phenomenal show, ending with 15 from 20.

The only thing missing was a slam dunk show from 3-time NBL dunk champion Brett Rainbow. He now runs Melbourne basketball camps.

All funds raised support the Gibbs Lab at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI). Bowel cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Australia and is rising fast in younger people — but when detected early, it is one of the most treatable cancers.

Professor Gibbs emphasised the stakes. “Every ticket purchased, every donation made and every fundraiser sparked will help power research that saves lives and reinforces the message that early detection matters,” he said.

Teammates at the Melbourne Tigers and teammates for the Legends Games, basketball superstars Andrew Gaze and Marcus Timmons.

By the time the event arrived, organisers had already raised more than $140,000 and sold close to 2,300 tickets – remarkable figures that speak to both the reach of Australian basketball’s legends and the community’s appetite to support a cause that touches so many families.

The target was $200,000. During the night, we pushed past that figure, making one thing certain: the Legends of Basketball Game for Bowel Cancer arrived not just as a fundraiser, but as a movement — one Purchase and his committee fully intend to make an annual fixture on the Australian basketball calendar.

Some games are won or lost on the scoreboard. This one was measured in lives.

For more information or to donate, visit mycause.com.au/events/legendsofbasketballforbowelcancer