Lightning’s April Rummery Lamb can look forward to a big few months after a scholarship offer from Newberry College in South Carolina, and her team improving

THERE are a few big months coming up for star Lightning tall April Rummery Lamb.She has fully recovered from an ankle injury which sidelined her for eight weeks from mid-June to mid-August.And next year she could be playing and studying at Newberry College in South Carolina, which has an impressive Division II basketball program.

Lightning’s April Rummery Lamb – fully fit again – can look forward to a big few months, particularly if her two-time reigning champion outfit continues to show improvement. Picture: Supplied

THERE are a few big months coming up for star Lightning tall April Rummery Lamb.

She has fully recovered from an ankle injury which sidelined her for eight weeks from mid-June to mid-August.

And it is fair to say the 18-year-old is hitting peak form with the Darwin Basketball Women’s Championship playoffs approaching next month.

Rummery Lamb also has plenty to look forward to regarding where she will study next year.

She has been offered a scholarship at Newberry College in South Carolina where she is keen to study forensic psychology and develop her game at Division II level.

There are plenty of other options closer to home if the COVID-19 crisis in the US doesn’t get any better next year.

“I’ve always really wanted to go to America, and I still want to go now,” Rummery Lamb told the NT News.

“So I’m thinking ‘is it safe over there?’ But I’ve also applied for some universities in Australia.”

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Darwin Basketball Association star April Rummery Lamb to train alongside best young talents in the world at US training camp

Rummery Lamb has already experienced playing and training at a high level in the US.

She improved her game alongside some of the best juniors from around the world at the Global Squad camp in Pennsylvania from June 29 to July 30 last year.

“She’s come back a better player. She’s got height, but we’ve been working on her outside shooting skills – she’s got ability in all facets of the game,” Lightning coach Jason Ivinson said after the post player’s return to Darwin last year.

And that improvement has continued following Rummery Lamb’s ankle injury, after she rolled it in just the fifth minute in Lightning’s 88-38 win over Razzle in Round 1 of the 2020 Championship.

“It’s been really good. I’ve been getting back into it and the girls have been really supportive of me. We’ve got a really good family environment at Lightning,” she said.

“And my teammate Lauren (Barnes) is a physiotherapist which has also helped.”

Rummery Lamb has finished with points hauls of 26, 12, 20 and 22 against Essington, Tracy Village, Ansett and Uni Rebels over the past four weeks, while shooting at an impressive 52 per cent from the field.

“My scoring and timing has been getting better since my injury,” she said.

And despite an upset 63-59 loss to Uni Rebels last Friday night, Rummery Lamb also believes her team is set to improve over the next month leading into the playoffs.

Lightning – the two-time reigning champion outfit – has no need to panic despite not beating undefeated arch rivals Tracy Village so far this season.

Ivinson’s team is second on the ladder with a good 9-6 record.

But his troops will want to make a strong statement against the last-placed Razzle in Round 16 action on Friday night.

“We had a few tough weeks with a few people injured or not playing, but we’re getting better,” Rummery Lamb said.

“Playing post with Peta (Bailey) with her experience has been really good for me.”