26 Jun Wheelchair Basketball International
The national league is set to have a distinctly international flavour when it tips off this weekend with six of the seven NWBL teams fielding imports, doubling the number from 2024.
A name familiar to many is Agustin Alejos Alonso who returns to Queensland to take the court with the Southern Districts Spartans, a decade after being a regular for the Spinning Bullets.
“I have a lot of memories about my experience in the Australian league. I remember my first season, in 2010, I got to see the Sydney Opera House, which was very cool,” said Alejos Alonso.
“Being able to play with legends like Matthew Le-Busque, Tige Simmons and Adrian King was great. To be able to see how all the players in Queensland developed through the years with hard work is amazing.”
The two time Paralympian counts making the Grand Final in 2015, his last season in the NWBL, as a major highlight of his previous Australian stint.
“Tom Kyle has wanted me back for a couple of years but due to my commitments with the Spanish national team I wasn’t able to come back, but as I have retired from the national team I could come back.”
Fellow Rio silver medalist Jordi Ruiz will also ply his trade in Australia this season, signing with the Wollongong Roller Hawks.
Ruiz says coming to Australia was always a dream of his and is ready to soak up everything the country has to offer both on and off the court.
“Intensity was really high, everyone welcomed me so good, so just really happy to be here,” said Ruiz following his first training sessions with the Roller Hawks.
“I feel good, I feel rested. I think I can bring work, speed, and a little bit of shooting.”
“I just want to play a high level of basketball, give my best to the team and then just to get to know the country, Australia, the other side of the world.”
Italy’s Sabri Bedzeti returns to the Red Dust Heelers while Emmanuel Fuentes Cervantes will once again suit up for the Manly Wheel Eagles.
The Southern District Titans are set to welcome US mid-pointer Peter Berry.
Ready to have an impact for the Darwin Salties is Luis Eduardo Jasso. The Salties won the NWBL title last season with a line up that included Reo Fujimoto. This season the Salties have lured the Mexican big man after Jasso and Tom O’Neill-Thorne teamed up in Spain.
“Tom and Jannik have been my friends since the three of us played in Bilbao. We’ve had a good friendship, and it’s true that right now I spend more time with Tom since we’re on the same team in Spain. We talked for several years about going to play for Darwin, but we couldn’t make it happen. But this year we talked about it again, and I made the decision to play with Darwin,” said Jasso.
“I’m a player who loves competing against the best and works hard to help the team win. I’m a big player who can contribute to the inside game. I also have the advantage of having played with some of them before.”
“My expectations are that I want to win with Darwin and help the team win the title again.”
The Women’s National Wheelchair Basketball League is also awaiting the arrival of some import impact with Japan’s Mari Amimoto still to arrive for the Sydney Blues while Rose Hollermann touches down next week ahead of the Sydney Uni Lions’ next round of games.
“I heard through the grapevine that Rose was interested in coming over for the season so reached out and started talking to see if it was possible and it worked out well with her availability and our team rotations,” said Lions captain Hannah Dodd.
Hollermann has a 3.5 classification and made her Paralympic debut for the USA at just 16 years of age in London, going on to win gold in Rio, bronze in Tokyo and silver in Paris.
“Obviously we’ve played each other internationally over the years and the last two seasons in Germany. Rose is a very versatile player. She’s a great shooter and ball handler. And has great chair skills as a defender.”
Round 1 of the NWBL tips off tonight with the Spartans hosting the Red Dust Heelers, Manly playing host to Wollongong and newcomers the Southern Districts Titans hosting Perth from Saturday.
Full Fixtures: Wheelchair Basketball Australia | Fixtures