WNBA talent Cayla George signs up to boost the Hobart Huskies

The Hobart Huskies women will get an injection of talent to open their 2019 campaign as they strive to start the new Victorian league in style.

Cairns hoops star Cayla George has signed with the Hobart Huskies. Picture: JUSTIN BRIERTY

THE Hobart Huskies women will get an injection of WNBA talent to open their 2019 campaign as they strive to start the new Victorian league in style.

In a huge coup for the side, the Mercury can reveal 2014 Chargers South Conference championship star Cayla George­ has signed for the first month of the season.

George will be available until the club’s American import Jennifer Schlott arrives from her European stint with Wasserburg in Germany.

With the Huskies already locking in local talented trio Sharna Thompson, Ellie Collins and Tayla Roberts, new coach Willie Joseph is armed with an array of firepower as the club enters the Victorian Elite League.

Cayla George in action for the Melbourn Boomers. Picture: LAWRENCE PINDER

George has just completed a WNBL stint with the Melbourne Boomers, where she averaged 12.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocks per match to help the team into second spot on the ladder, before they were knocked out in the semi-finals by Adelaide.

The 29-year-old will use her Huskies stint as preparation for a return to America, after she signed with the Dallas Wings late last week. Having joined the Chargers mid-season five years ago, George became an integral ingredient in helping the side create history by winning a first-ever SEABL conference championship. She will form a formidable front-court duo with Roberts and Collins, before Schlott joins the group to boost the back-court.

Schlott, 27, is a 168cm guard who attended Utah State College and set conference rec­ords for points scored and scoring average en route to being crowned Mountain West Conference Player of the Year in 2014. Her signing comes as tickets for the Southern Huskies’ foray into the NZ NBL go on sale from today.

The club has engaged a former game-night entertainment professional from the Chicago Bulls as it looks to bring the game-night exper­ience seen in the NBA and the Australian NBL to Tasmania.

The Southern Huskies will play four home matches at the DEC — starting on April 27 against the Supercity Rangers — and five at the Silverdome in Launceston. Prices start from $59.95 for a four-game membership, while for fans wanting to get closer to the action “celebrity” and “VIP” row options are available.