WERRIBEE Devils have been crying out for an influx of experienced players in the Victorian Basketball League Big V women’s division 2.
New coach Lloyd Klaman delivered during summer by recruiting some battle-hardened, top-line starters.
The Devils opted to blood home-grown youngsters in recent seasons, the benefits of which will eventually come to fruition.
But they suffered in the short term because they lacked the right blend of youth and experience. Klaman has addressed the imbalance.
“We’ve got a good mixture,” he told the Weekly. “We’ve got what I’d call seven older heads and eight juniors of 17 or under.”
Klaman had the Devils working up a sweat back in November.
The former Canberra Cannons (NBL) coach wanted to find out who was serious about making the 15-player roster. He was surprised by some of the pre-season results.
“We had 18 or 19 players when we first started and I thought I’ll weed them out quick,” he said.
“The girls hung in like grim death and I actually had to cut some people in the end to get down to our group of 15.
“They’ve been fantastic. It’s a great group.”
Most of the Devils’ pick-ups are former players who have returned home. The best of the lot could be Alicia Burnette, one of the highest rated players to come out of the Devils women’s section.
She’ll be unavailable for the start of the season after giving birth, but expect her to make the small forward slot her own when she returns.
“I haven’t seen her play live, but everyone has told me that, other than Stacey Barr, she’s probably the best player out of Werribee in 10 to 12 years,” Klaman said. “It’s a really big rap and I can’t wait to see when she’s ready to go.”
The Devils co-captains will be new recruits Emma Coyne and Lisa Troyhan.
Coyne arrives from the Altona Gators where she skippered a championship-winning team.
The point guard was also captain when the Devils won their last title.
Troyhan has top-flight VBL experience with the Hume City Broncos. The forward-centre is expected to post big numbers in the paint.
The Devils first game will be a tough one against Keilor Thunder at the Keilor Basketball Stadium on Sunday.
Werribee will make the step up to the men’s championship under coach Paul Jones this season.
The youth-driven Devils hit the road on Sunday for their season opener against the Bulleen Boomers.
