An old rival comes to town as the Hoop City Geelong United Supercats honours three of its greats to commence the 2023 NBL1 South season at home.
Between the women’s and men’s matches against the Bendigo Braves, Alex Duck, Jamie Medved and Nick Owusu will be inducted as Geelong United life members.
Duck, who started her career with the Albury-Wodonga Bandits, was a member of the Supercats’ first SEABL Championship
Medved and Owusu featured in the teams that won SEABL conference titles between 2005-07, the 2006 ABA National Championship and the 2010 All-SEABL Championship.
Both women’s and men’s teams are keen to make it a memorable night by opening their 2023 accounts.
The Braves’ women started their season with a one-point victory over Frankston before doing a number on Ballarat on Holy Thursday on the back of a 31-16 double-double from Megan McKay and 15 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds from veteran guard Kelly Wilson.
“The team is really looking forward to running out in front of the best fans in the NBL1 this weekend for our first home game of the season,” coach Matthew Paton said.
“Our group has come a long way since Round 1 thanks to spending more time together as a unit, but we know we will have to be at our best when we play a very talented Bendigo roster this weekend.
“The Braves boast a number of WNBL players and NBL1 veterans that will present a significant challenge for us.
“But it will be a great measuring stick for us to face a quality opponent like Bendigo so early in the season.”
The match-up with the Braves will be the first time several of Paton’s roster will pull on a Geelong United Supercats singlet at home.
New faces to keep an eye out for include Japanese National Team member Monica Okoye, former Texas Tech big Ella Tofaeono, South Sudan representative Nyidier Riak, and youngsters Georgia Cox and Macey Bowie.
The Hoop City Geelong United Supercats men will also have some first timers take to the floor when they meet the winless Braves.
Fans will get their first glimpse of late signing Nick Velasquez and former Australian under-17 representative Liam Herbert.
Big men Ma’alo Hicks will make his first appearance since 2021 after missing all of last year through injury.
While George Blagojevic’s incredible comeback from a serious knee injury will also take place against the Braves.
However, Owen Odigie’s season is over after undergoing quadricep surgery last week, while captain DeMarcus Gatlin will serve the first game of a three-match suspension.
The meeting with Bendigo will also mark Grant Wallace’s first game in charge of Geelong United at Geelong Arena.
“The boys are all looking forward to our first home game for season 2023 and reacquainting themselves with our home fans,” Wallace said.
“After dropping the opener, this becomes a big game ahead for us without Owen and Demarcus, but we welcome back Ma’alo and George to provide some frontcourt strength for us.
“We really look forward to our passionate home crowd being that vital sixth man and supporting loudly to get us over the line against Bendigo.”
Bendigo, which features former Geelong United guard Isaac Turner, fell short of Frankston on opening night and Ballarat on Holy Thursday to start the season 0-2.
