Uni Rebels will lift for Chantelle Lee’s 700th Darwin Basketball game in prelim final v Ansett
She’s played through all nine of her pregnancies. Which is why Rebels will lift for their inspirational skipper Chantelle Lee’s 700th DBL game in the preliminary final.
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YOU wouldn’t think the pressure-cooker atmosphere of playing in the Darwin Basketball League would be a form of relaxation.
But this is the case for inspirational Uni Rebels captain Chantelle Lee.
The veteran will play her 700th DBL game in the preliminary final against Ansett on Thursday night.
It’s a phenomenal achievement for someone who has played through all nine of her pregnancies.
And it is why her team cannot wait to redeem itself in this week’s grand-final qualifier after its disappointing 82-53 loss to the undefeated Tracy Village in the qualifying semi-final last Thursday night.
Lee’s career has been a long one full of ups and downs, and family tragedy.
Despite this, she is still inspiring her younger teammates with her willingness to play all positions, and they will all lift for her milestone occasion.
“It is (a massive game for me),” Lee said. “It would have been nice to bring up the milestone in the grand final, but the girls have played some good basketball this year.
“Against Jets we were just lacking the motivation required to beat them.
“We were down 17-3 after the first quarter and I was trying to lift the girls up. After the game I told them, ‘let’s pick it up next game for my 700th’.”
Basketball has been Lee’s life, and that of her family’s.
Her father Derek is the club president and brother Brendan has coached her women’s team previously.
“I started out playing with some legends like Karmi Dunn, Sharron Ah Chee, Bianca McDowell and the Clarke sisters – Vanessa and Letticha,” Lee said.
“You’d sit on the bench and wait your turn to play back then, but they were all so supportive.
“Trish Graham was another one. And now I’m so happy to be in a team that we have all watched or grown up playing alongside each other.
“Other highlights were when my nieces Shavayah and Keneesha played to honour my late son (Matteo), as well as my daughter Aaliyah.”
Lee has played through all nine of her pregnancies – an incredible show of commitment to her very own family club.
“I love being a mother, but playing on the court is like my own ‘me time’. I love that, too,” she said. “It would have been great to have all of my children here to see my milestone, but having my three boys Brayden, Tashaun and Malakai stuck in quarantine (at Howard Springs) is really hard.
“Once you step out on the court while pregnant, you know the risks, so you know what you can and can’t do.
“My daughter Takiyah is nine and she’s the top-ranked player at under-10 level.
“I’d love to keep playing so I can play alongside her, and to hopefully break the record of 745 games.
“What’s another couple of years?”
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DON’T be fooled by the smile you always see on Palmerston big man Steven Sing’s face.
There is also a burning desire from the Power talent to win a Darwin Basketball League title.
He made a well-publicised move from Essington to Lance Godwin’s team last year and it didn’t go to plan, the Power finishing sixth.
Sing has a chance to rectify that disappointment when Palmerston takes on Tracy Village in the preliminary final on Thursday night.
And his side is still smarting from the last time the teams clashed.
On that occasion the Jets prevailed 71-64 in round 15.
Sing, as always, put his body on the line with 12 rebounds, two steals and 13 points.
“Our overall effort was not quite there on that night,” Sing said of the July 23 fixture.
“Alex Weetra always plays really well for them, and now they’ve got Will Burton back it makes them even more dangerous.
“I’m really keen for this game, especially after the disappointment of last year when we didn’t make the finals.
“But this year we’ve got a real opportunity to play in the grand final.”
Sing has had an impressive season, averaging almost 13 points and nine rebounds a game.
“I’m pretty happy overall, especially seeing I had to manage a knee injury last year,” he said.
“It happened a few months into last season and I had to rehab it, so it was a bit frustrating.
“But I couldn’t push it.
“I’m still only 22, though, and I feel like my best basketball is still in front of me.
“If I can play interstate, that’d be awesome.
“But I never try to look too far ahead.
“I’m always setting myself little goals, like last year it was improving my shot from a little further back.”
Sing has relished playing alongside fellow skilled big man Shaquille Hohipa-Wilson at the Power.
“I always wanted to play with Shaq and I’ve learnt a lot from him,” Sing said.
“He’s played more of a guard role this year and adapted really well.
“The great thing about this team is we can adapt to the styles of different teams.
“We feel like we can run with the smaller teams, or get into the wrestle if we have to play that way.”
Thursday’s game is at 8.30pm.
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