Sunbury Jets have added more depth to their squad as they look to remain at the top of Big V state championship division.
Coming off successive championships, first in division 1 and last season in the state championship, the Jets have been a standout team the last couple of years.
Managing to keep most of the key players of last year’s squad, the Jets have added strength to the team.
Jets coach Kennedy Kereama said he was ready for the season to start and was happy with where they were recruitment-wise.
Chelsea Burns, Orla O’Reilly, Josie Stockill and Monique Stevens, who were all starters last season, have returned.
Genevieve Mccorkell and Rebecca Van Kuyk have also returned.
Sharon Plichta, who played in the division 1 championship before having last season off, will be a playing assistant coach.
The one major out for the Jets is last year’s state championship Most Valuable Player Courtney Duever.
Duever injured her knee while playing in the Women’s National Basketball League, ruling her out for the season.
The American will still play an important role with the Jets this season.
“Not having Courtney is an inconvenience and we will miss her,” Kereama said.
“We’ve kept her on board and she’s important around the club.
“We’ll help her with her rehab. We’ve signed her for next season, depending on her being medically cleared.”
Jessica Scannell will fill the import spot, left vacant by Duever.
Scannell, who played with Whittlesea Pacers last season, was the main reason behind her best friend and fellow Irish women O’Reilly coming to Australia to play basketball.
Joining Scannell at the Jets are Courtenay Wragg and Chloe Tidswell, who both come across from Diamond Valley, along with Molly Greetham.
Tidswell previously played for the Jets for a number of years, while Wragg, who represented Victoria on a number of occasions, is a Sunbury local.
Greetham, who is coming off a knee injury, played for Kyneton Tigers in the recent Country Basketball League.
Kereama said it was good to get local players wanting to come into the program.
“We’ve always got the intent to have a blend of as many local players as possible,” he said.
“They have to earn their stripes and are coming into a fairly established side.
“They fit into out culture of what we want to continue to build and we’re happy with the additions.
“We’re a completely different team and we’re not considering going back-to-back.
“We’ve got the same goals, same motivation and similar processes.
“We’ll invest 100 per cent effort on the court and try and vie for the championship.”
The Jets start their season at home on Saturday night, hosting Hume City Broncos.
