Hawaiian import Jordyn Perez eager to make his mark for Toowoomba Mountaineers
The Toowoomba Mountaineers men’s side are set for a huge boost ahead of their clash this weekend, with the arrival of Hawaiian import Jordyn Perez. Check out his journey from school basketball, to college, to Toowoomba here.
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The Toowoomba Mountaineers’ love affair with Hawaii is set to continue this season with the arrival of newest men’s import Jordyn Perez.
Long-term Mountaineers fans will recall another point guard with a Hawaii background who joined the team and led them to greatness.
One of Queensland basketball’s greatest ever players - Clarence ‘Pop’ Dickerson - swapped the United States for Toowoomba back in the 1980s after playing at the University of Hawaii.
Dickerson went on to lead the Mountaineers to their only state titles but now with a new face representing Hawaii in the Garden City, Perez is determined to bring Toowoomba’s championship drought to an end once and for all.
“I think it would be pretty special, pretty exciting, that’s why we play - to win championships,” he said.
“I don’t expect anything less than a championship this year.”
Perez believes his workrate and playmaking ability will help Toowoomba reach the holy grail of a state title.
“I will bring a lot of heart to the court, 110 per cent every night,” he said.
“A lot of high basketball IQ, I really love passing and facilitating so that is one of the strengths of mine.”
After spending some time with the squad in pre-season, Perez expects to hit the ground running with his new teammates.
“When I came for my trials I really loved my conversation with coach Sean (Connelly),” he said.
“The time I did get with the players, things just clicked, I gelled with them really, really well and things feel right at home here, it doesn't feel too off from Hawaii.
“I’m just embracing the experience in being here in Australia coming from Hawaii.
“Just being able to learn as much as I can and absorb everything like a sponge.”
Perez is proud of his Hawaiian heritage and is eager to set himself as a trailblazer for the sport in his home state.
“Back home in Hawaii I also coach with my dad … we train and coach kids, we have been doing that for the last four years now,” he said.
“So I got a lot of people back home that I want to make proud.
“I am just tyring to be a motivation for the islands, motivation for the kids just trying to show the next generation that you can be from Hawaii, you can go to play college basketball and you can pursue after that too.
“You don’t gotta be six feet, you don’t gotta be jumping out the gym, you just gotta put in the work.”
The crafty point guard brings a high level of college and high school basketball experience which will be invaluable for the Mountaineers.
“I went to a local private high school, called Maryknoll School, I played mostly basketball there for four years,” he said.
“I was All-State point guard there in my last two years, after high school I went to play junior college in California at Diablo Valley Junior College.
“I spent my first two years of college there, then I transferred to Walla Walla University then I finished my last two years graduating over there.
“Then after that I was trying to pursue more so I entered the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) Draft, did the combine, things didn’t really work out there and then I ended up here.”
Perez cherished the opportunity to play basketball at a collegiate level against some of the best rising stars in America.
“I loved it, I enjoyed it, I learned a lot,” he said.
“I grew a lot as a player seeing different types of styles, different types of coaches, other types of players and the way the game of basketball is played and seen through everybody elses’ eyes, I was able to learn a lot and gain a lot of knowledge.”
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Originally published as Hawaiian import Jordyn Perez eager to make his mark for Toowoomba Mountaineers
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