Local basketball talent James Toohey becomes the latest Territorian to sign with Central Maine Community College

DARWIN basketball’s connection with Central Maine Community College continues to grow with young Ansett star James Toohey being the most recent in a line of Top End talent to sign for the American college.

Fellow Central Maine representative Freddy Webb looks on as James Toohey signs a contract with the Mustangs. Picture: Supplied

DARWIN basketball’s connection with Central Maine Community College continues to grow with young Ansett star James Toohey being the most recent in a line of Top End talent to sign for the American college.

Maine Mustangs coach Dave Gonyea was immediately impressed with the now 18-year-old, after holding a camp in Darwin in 2018 and has since kept tabs on his development.

Toohey had always dreamt of going through the American college system, and after a stint in the starting five for Eltham basketball club in Melbourne he now has that chance while studying architecture.

Despite not getting to play any regular season games due to COVID-19, the young star earned a wealth of experience in Melbourne which included a game against a tough NBL1 Ballarat minors side.

The swingman plans to head over in early August but understands that due to the global pandemic that date may come a little later.

“It’s pretty exciting. I’ve always had a dream to play in the US college system and now the Mustangs have given me the chance of a lifetime to play in a more competitive competition,” Toohey told the NT News.

“A couple of years ago a few of the Mustangs came to Australia with a camp where I ended up impressing coach Gonyea and now I have the chance to go to them.

“I probably had another 25-30 offers from other colleges but Maine won out.

“I now speak to coach Gonyea every day and he’s always wanting to know what I’m up to.

“Eltham was a great opportunity for me to develop my game at a higher level.

“A stepping stone to get closer to my dream, and it pushed me to get better and improve myself as a more rounded player.”

By attending the college in northeast America, Toohey will follow in the footsteps of fellow DBA stars Freddy Webb, Cam Duncan and Lachlan Shipway, who have given him plenty of pointers on what to expect in the home country of basketball.

Imports Elijah Barbour and Rob Skinner have carried the connection in the other direction, studying at the college and now playing in the Darwin competition.

“They’ve told me that the game over there is a quite physical and I will be up against bigger bodies,” Toohey said.

“I’ve been working with Freddy in the gym recently to help get myself bigger and stronger ahead of the move.

“This will be a whole new experience for me going to the home of basketball and playing in a different space. Though I’ve always been quite an individual person so I don’t expect I will get homesick.

“I plan to continue playing basketball for as long as I can and just go as far as I can in the sport, and see where that gets me.”