History in the Making: SPBA’s Bianca Vernon Officiates Her First NBL Game
A massive moment for the Southern Peninsula Basketball Association and for women in elite officiating.
As this article is published, Bianca Vernon, Southern Peninsula Basketball Association’s Head of Referees, is on court right now officiating her first ever NBL game on Christmas Eve.
Bianca begun officiating at SPBA as a teenager and has been appointed to the Christmas Eve clash between the Adelaide 36ers and Cairns Taipans in Adelaide, marking a major personal milestone and a historic moment for the Southern Peninsula Basketball Association.
Tonight’s game cements Bianca’s place in SPBA's and Australian basketball's history. By stepping onto the floor in an NBL fixture, Bianca becomes:
- The first ever female referee from SPBA to officiate in the NBL
- The third NBL referee to come through SPBA, joining former NBL officials John Holden and Chris Reid
- One of very few women to ever referee in the NBL
This achievement reflects years of dedication, resilience and professionalism in a high-performance environment.
Bianca has been part of the NBL referee panel for several years as an emergency referee, consistently doing the unseen work required at the elite level. Today, that commitment has been rewarded in the best possible way: with an NBL appointment on one of the marquee days of the basketball calendar.
Everyone at SPBA is immensely proud of Bianca, not only for what she has achieved personally, but for what it represents for our community.
As our Head of Referees, Bianca has played a pivotal role in:
- Setting high standards for officiating at SPBA
- Mentoring and developing our junior and senior referees
- Creating a supportive, aspirational pathway for officials who want to reach higher levels
Her journey shows our referees, especially our young girls and women coming through the program, that it is possible to progress from local courts on the Peninsula to the national stage.
"Bianca’s NBL debut will resonate far beyond the game in Adelaide. It sends a powerful message about:
Representation - seeing women in visible, high-performance leadership roles on court
Pathways - demonstrating a clear line from grassroots to elite officiating
Possibility - showing that hard work, patience and professionalism can open doors at the highest level
For our referee group and broader SPBA community, tonight is a moment of genuine inspiration."
- Ben White, SPBA General Manager
Congratulations, Bianca - the entire SPBA community is behind you.