Basketball Victoria’s Big V Championship Men season to get underway

An exciting season of Big V Championship Men’s basketball is only days away from getting started. Here’s how each club is shaping up for 2022.

The Big V Championship men’s season is only days away. Photos: Facebook.

A huge season of Big V Championship men’s basketball is just days away from getting started.

The division has been reduced from 10 teams to eight for 2022 with Casey, Keilor and Hawthorn all departing.

Camberwell has risen from Division 1 as they seek the challenge of tougher competition.

Here’s how each club is shaping up ahead of the season.

Blackburn

Dmonte Evans will suit up for Blackburn. Source: Facebook.

Last season: 14th (One win, 12 losses)

Blackburn will be keen to make big improvements in 2022 after finishing the Covid impacted 2021 season at the foot of the ladder. The team‘s two new imports in Denzel Brito and Dmonte Evans look set to make a big difference on the court as the Vikings look to surprise a few teams throughout the course of the season.

What the club said: “We always set ourselves an aim of playing the finals and I feel we’re ready for tip-off after an extended pre-season. I think the league is going to be extremely close and playing consistent basketball is going to be really important. Our two imports, Denzel Brito and Dmonte Evans, are both really exciting players and I can’t wait to see what they’ll add to our team.” – Coach Matt Brooks

Roster includes: Denzel Brito, Dmonte Evans.

Camberwell

Jack Trewella will play alongside his brother Brendan at Camberwell. Photo: Facebook.

Last season (Division 1): 4th

The new boys on the block in the highest tier. Mark Jeffers enters his fifth season as head coach having been involved with the club for more than a decade. In their bid to remain competitive and push the top teams in the division, Camberwell has welcomed some fresh faces to the club including Luke Shelley, Brendan Trewella, Jack Trewalla, Josh West and Jack Thornton.

Roster: Luke Bett, Sam Cass, Sean Clarke, Carson Crowe, James Guley, Ben Hanley, Mark Fernandez, Jay Mackenzie, Orlando Mein, Luke Shelley, Jack Thornton, Brendan Trewalla, Jack Trewalla, Josh West, Matt Zappala.

Chelsea

Brayden Laurie has returned to Chelsea basketball. Photo: Facebook.

Last season: 8th (five wins, nine losses)

The Gulls have been a little quieter than some of their rivals this off-season, refusing to not give too much away on social media in the lead up to the season. At this point, the club has only listed Brayden Laurie, who has returned from Frankston Blues in the Youth League, as the only signing of the off season on its Facebook page. If they are to improve on performances in 2021, there is no reason they can’t give the playoffs a shake later in the season.

Hume City

Jake Martin is expected to have a huge season for Hume City. Photo: Facebook.

Last season: 3rd (Nine wins, five losses)

American imports Chris Elder and Jake Martin are set to play an important role in the Broncos’ hopes this season as they again look to impose themselves as one of the best teams in the competition. Matt Foster has again been given the keys to lead this team towards a championship and has a terrific reputation. In June last year, he was recognised as the coach of the month.

Roster includes: Jah Soloai, Jake Martin, Chris Elder, Anthony Dell’orso.

McKinnon

Sharif Black has stepped up into the Championship division with McKinnon. Photo: Facebook.

Last season: 2nd (10 wins, four losses)

With Keilor, who was on top of the ladder before play was stopped in 2021, now featuring in the NBL1 South competition, McKinnon might just be the team to beat. That’s despite a turnover of players in the squad although the Cougars are again confident of being one of the top teams in the competition.

What the club said: “We’ve put together a group of players which is pretty much new compared to last season. I tell my guys I want them to make my job as difficult as possible. I want everyone pushing for more minutes and showing me why they should be on the court to start or finish the big games. There’s plenty to like about the roster and I think everyone should be excited about the season ahead.” – Coach Adam Walsh

Roster: Anthony Kimble, Jason Malvaso, Luke Peynenborg, Matt Tolnai, Mitch Barry, Nic Laycock, Sharif Black, Tom Carrol, Yani Staedel-Arnould, Jordan Vandenberg, Josh McQueen.

Sunbury

Ish Sanders is an import for the Sunbury Jets. Photo: Facebook.

Last season: 7th (six wins, eight losses)

Coach John White heads the team after crossing over from the club’s women’s side. The Jets haven’t had quite the full run at Championship level basketball after winning the Division 1 title in 2019 and will be keen to make their mark in the competition.

What the club said: “We’re happy with the quality of our playing group we’ve put together and I think it gives us quite a balanced line-up. Playoffs are an expectation we’re setting ourselves and we think we’re built for a pretty deep run. Our import Ish Sanders is an outstanding player who has been with the group before and we’re excited to see what he can add in a new style of play we’ve introduced to the ground. It’s also been great to bring back Nathan Baker and Nathan Marshall who are stalwarts of the Sunbury program” – Coach John White

Western Port

Naaman Hightower is one of the must watch players in the competition. Photo: Facebook.

Last season: 9th (three wins, 10 losses)

Despite former NBL man Daryl Corletto stepping down from the senior coaching role, holding onto him as coach is a big boost for the Steelers. There’s plenty of excitement around the club’s two net imports as well who could take the league by storm. Mark Gaze has been appointed as the club’s new coach and has plenty of experience at varying levels across Australia.

What the club said: “Our goal is to continue developing a core group of players who we can build around. Having two imports in Troyce Manassa and Samantha Keltos who have played in the Big V competition is certainly an advantage. We don’t want to be a once off team who struggles to stay in the division. We want to be pushing for finals basketball.” – Tyler Molloy, Western Port Basketball Association general manager

Roster: Jack Gaze, Daryl Corletto, Luke Helbig, Jake Macauley, Sam Burch, Naaman Hightower, Mitch Ross, Matt McAuliffe, Ted Hood, Matt Theobald, Brodie Eaton, Troyce Manassa, Tim Gilmour, Matt Turner.

Wyndham

Wyndham and their imports have been warming up for the season. Photo: Facebook.

Last season: 6th (Eight wins, six losses)

When the 2021 season was called off, Wyndham was just outside of the playoff positions on percentage which gave homage to the fact they could compete with the elite teams. There is a strong local flavour among the squad for the new season but it’s the imports which are sure to have caught the eye. They include Kavione Green out of Bloomfield University in the USA. Lucas Allen is also the new men’s coach for 2022.

Roster: Kavione Green, Maurice Howard, Manyel Ayol, Keenan Gorski, Josh Norling, Abram Tong, Tomi Ayilara, Aaron Dolny, Kane Hynes, Emmanwiel Deng, Makur Jongkuch.