NBL’s first indigenous referee, Jacqui Dover, selected to join NBA program
There’s another Australian heading to the USA to pursue their NBA ambitions - but rather than conceding fouls - Jacqui Dover will be calling them.
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The NBA has helped countless Australians achieve their hoops dreams – now you can add Jacqui Dover to the list.
Dover, the NBL’s first Indigenous female referee, is NBA bound, selected as one of six referees to participate in the NBA’s Referee Development Program.
She will be an NBA Trainee Referee based in the NBA’s New York office, working in the Referee Operations Department.
Dover debuted last season in Indigenous Round when the Cairns Taipans took on the Brisbane Bullets on May 26 this year.
She is a proud Yugambeh woman from southeast Queensland and has previously worked in the WNBL, NBL1 and at Basketball NSW as its Indigenous, Cultural and Linguistically Diverse Programs Manager.
Dover will relocate to New York in mid-January where she will work closely with legendary NBA referee Monty McCutchen, who is retired and now the vice-president of referee development and training.
She will officiate NBL games until she relocates to America.
Dover hopes her journey can be used as inspiration for other young, aspiring officials across Australia.
“I have no doubt that the NBL helped me to become a better official,” Dover said.
“The thing I‘m most excited for is just that exposure to the best refs. The idea is to prepare us for the pro-leagues and the opportunity to then go to camps. “Then get signed to the G-League with the aim to get into the NBA at some point in time.
“It‘s a bit of an opportunity for me to be exposed to the system over there and how they work and their rules, and then have access to the likes of Monty McCutchen and all the guys that were NBA referees and now work for the NBA in the ref department. I’m pretty excited about that.”
Dover says her Australian apprenticeship will put her in a strong position to handle the bright lights of the NBA.
She credits her rise through the ranks to the tutelage of the NBL’s head referee Scott Butler.
“I think the NBL program has helped me definitely to be able to step out on the NBL court and then hopefully onto the NBA court one day,” she said.
“Refereeing probably isn’t the choice for a lot of players growing up, but when I did get into the referee space, having Scott run our NBL program, they’re the types of people I have always looked up to.
“It’s great to be in an environment that embraces culture because it means we can go out there and show that anyone can be doing it.
“I wasn‘t quite expecting the coverage that came out of my first game last season, but if that means that there’s going to be some young officials, Indigenous or non-Indigenous, females or males, that now want to make this a pathway, I think it’s worthwhile.”
NUMBERS GAME: OPALS STAR WON’T BE DRAWN INTO THREE OR FIVE
Versatile Keely Froling will keep her fingers in both the Opals and 3x3 pies for as long as possible before being forced to pick a basketball specialty.
Recently returned from helping the Opals to third place in the Asia Cup in Jordan, Froling also played in the Olympic 3x3 qualifiers in Austria earlier this year where they bowed out in the quarter-finals, missing a place at the Tokyo Games.
The 25-year-old loves being involved in both programs.
But with a big 12 months ahead, 3x3 basketball will be played at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, in July and August, while the Opals will play the World Cup in Sydney in September - she may eventually have to choose.
“It’s not really something I’ve thought about yet, it’s something I’m pushing to the back of my mind until I have to make a decision,” Froling said.
“But you always want to play five-on-five and play for the Opals.
“At the end of the day, that would probably come down to my decision but I want to play that 3x3 as much as I can as well and keep both avenues open as long as I can.”
For now though, Froling’s main priority is the WNBL season which tips off in just over a month.
After leaving hotel quarantine on Tuesday, Froling will link with the Sydney Flames after inking a deal with Shane Heal’s side.
It’s a big move for Froling after spending the past five seasons in Canberra with the Capitals, who she helped to the grand final last season.
But the forward is excited by the challenge ahead, believing the WNBL season will provide a great launch pad towards whatever form of international basketball she plays next year.
“I’ve signed on with Sydney now, so a new team and new environment,” Froling said.
“Part of why I wanted to sign there was because Shane is such a great skills coach and coach on the court as well.
“I think the system that he’s put in, and what the whole club is doing, is really exciting and I know my game’s going to get better playing for him.
“I think my game will be more suited to that international game.”
Heal was glowing in praise of his new recruit.
“Keely is an exciting signing for us as we continue to build the franchise, culture and new direction of the Flames,” he said.
“Keely brings the sort of character and mindset to the club that helps build success. She will play a leadership role for us and I’m confident she will take her game to another level this season.”
Leaving Canberra was no easy decision though.
“I’ve loved Canberra, I was there for five seasons and I have a really good relationship with (coach Paul) Goriss as well, but it just felt like the right time to go.”
Froling is set for some tough battles when the teams clash this season, especially against her replacement - twin sister Alicia.
The Froling name is basketball royalty in Australia.
Both her parents played professionally, while younger brothers Sam and Harry will both play for the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL this season.
“So I’m excited to be based in Sydney and we’ll all be super close and able to watch a lot of games,” she said.
While her parents are still in Townsville, “locked away over the Queensland border”, Froling hoped that would ease soon.
“It will be probably the easiest it’s ever been to watch us all play based so close together.”
Cambage set for World Cup ban
- Matt Logue
Liz Cambage is set to be suspended for next year’s World Cup in Sydney for her behaviour during a pre-Olympic exhibition match against Nigeria.
The 30-year-old’s international career for Australia hangs in the balance as she prepares to front an independent panel to discuss her involvement in a heated altercation that unfolded in a closed-door scrimmage against the Nigerians in July prior to the Tokyo Olympics.
It’s understood Basketball Australia has gathered enough evidence from countless witnesses and player interviews, including members of the Opals and Nigerian team, to suspend Cambage from the World Cup.
The evidence suggests the four-time WNBA All-Star was involved in a physical altercation and an ugly verbal exchange with the Nigerian team.
There is also a belief in basketball circles that Cambage’s suspension is a formality and she needs to be held accountable for her actions.
Cambage has previously conceded she came to blows in a heated verbal clash.
“Yeah, things got heated in the Nigeria game. There was a physical altercation and there were words exchanged, but I’m hearing things that aren’t true at all,” Cambage said.
“Everything that happened and everything that was said is on film. I know what happened.”
It’s understood Cambage would be available to play at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but it’s uncertain if a World Cup ban would end her time in, and desire to don, the green and gold again.
She may also make herself unavailable for next year’s World Cup on top of any ban.
Regardless of the hearing’s outcome, Cambage must mend relationships within the Australian squad following her alleged behaviour.
She withdrew from the Opals’ Tokyo Olympic campaign shortly after the incident came to light, citing mental health struggles, including panic attacks.
The Opals dropped out in the quarter-final stages in her absence.
Despite Cambage’s denials, Basketball Australia released a statement on July 19 confirming its integrity unit was investigating a “breach of the integrity framework and code of conduct”.
Now after months of investigation, including multiple interviews with Nigerian players, Cambage will front an independent hearing via Zoom at the completion of the WNBA season later this month.
The Australian star is playing for the Las Vegas Aces, who are locked at 2-all in their semi-final series against the Phoenix Mercury.
Cambage scored nine points to help the Aces beat the Phoenix on Thursday and force a deciding game five.
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