New Tracy Village Jets signing Jamie-Lee Peris to bring old-school style in Darwin Basketball League
SHE is arguably one of the best-credentialed Darwin Basketball Women’s League signings in recent years, so expect Jamie-Lee Peris to show no signs of rust in about a month’s time.
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SHE is arguably one of the best-credentialed Darwin Basketball Women’s League signings in recent years, so expect Jamie-Lee Peris to show no signs of rust in about a month’s time.
That is when the South Australian Premier League winner with North Adelaide will step out for her new club Tracy Village.
She is set to bolster an already-strong Jets line-up which can now legitimately hold the title as competition favourite.
Peris has promised to bring an “old school” tough style of playing in the vital centre position and, with Tania Dhu and Michelle Ellis also excelling in that role, her team will take some stopping this year.
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She won’t step out against her former club Uni Rebels in Round 2 action on Friday night.
But Peris is looking forward to the night when she will finally get the opportunity to face them.
“Rebels was my first club. We won a championship there in 2011 and then I moved away. That was the last time I played for them,” she told the NT News.
“I’ve still got so many close ties there.
“I’ve grown up with (Rebels captain) Chantelle Lee.
“Every time I played she was always there since juniors, and she’s a good family friend.”
After leaving the Top End, Peris then stood out for the Rockets in the highest division of South Australian basketball.
“Tania (Dhu) was there, and I loved every minute there,” she said.
“We won a championship in 2014.
“But I decided I missed family and friends back home. I won’t play for another month so I can get my fitness up.”
That might provide temporary relief for Peris’s future opponents, with the star big promising to bring a physical game.
“I love my old-school post moves and to block around the elbows, get my boards and screens,” she said.
“I’ve always got my rebounds and putbacks.”
Tracy Village is a club which Peris believes will allow her to play her best basketball, as she looks to add to her 2011 DBA title with Rebels.
“Jets have got a few flags up here, but it was more the people and their family culture (that appealed to me),” she said.
“They’ve got a roster with experienced players.
“I lived in Alice Springs for two years and I played basketball with Michelle’s older sister Jaslyn.
“I’ve never played with Michelle before but I’m keen to.
“Jets are loyal, they like to play hard and they love to win.
“I don’t want to feel like I’m taking over, but I’m happy to give tips out.
“But these girls know what they’re doing.”
The Jets club is super proud of local junior Abby Cubillo – the first female born and raised in the Northern Territory to play in the WNBL.
Peris went close to playing at the professional level, too.
“I was in Adelaide Lightning development teams, but I probably missed my opportunities,” she said.
“Being a young girl from Darwin it’s really hard with the transition from Darwin basketball to Adelaide.
“But if you want to go far with basketball you need to move out of Darwin and play in those better leagues.
“But I’ve learned so much from that.”
Peris will enjoy every minute of her time at the Jets.
And that is the advice she wants to pass on to other star youngsters looking to follow in the footsteps of Cubillo, who also won an under-17 world championship with the Australian girls’ team in 2016.
“Follow your dreams, give 110 per cent. You’ve got to love the sport to play it,” Peris said.
“Don’t be pressured to play a sport you don’t like and just have fun.
“There’s always something new to learn, and you’ve got to have the passion for it.”
Ansett v Lightning is the other women’s Round 2 clash on Friday night, while Lightning has the bye.
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