Tara Murray
Local is the key for the Melton Thoroughbreds in this year’s Big V men’s division 2 season.
The Thoroughbreds will be a different looking side under new coach Mick McCallum, but many of the faces are familiar.
McCallum said they needed to go back to focusing on local players to get the club back to where it used to be.
“We wanted to bring together local talent,” he said. “Our youth league will be very different as well with Melton juniors this year.
“It is what we needed. The chatter around the stadium has been really positive saying this is the change that was needed.
“That’s why we all returned, to get the club back to where it was.”
While McCallum’s role as Big V coach started late last year, he was already doing work behind the scenes as the club’s Country Basketball League coach.
Several of those players of that side, which went through undefeated on the way to the title, are part of the Big V team.
“We were able to hold on to those CBL guys to base our side around,” McCallum said.
“Blake and Liam [Allison], Jackson [Jones], Max [Van Berkel] Koby [Skenderis] are all in the team. To keep the three of Blake, Liam and Jackson was really important as it keeps that leadership on court and I can do what is needed on the side lines.
The two Allison return to the club where they played their junior basketball, having played with the Ballarat Miners in recent years.
Last season’s captain Michael Thompson is back for another season, while Aaron Gadsen has come across and joined the club.
While the side is fairly new, McCallum is setting the bar high for the season. He said they had shown some good signs in the off season with the side set to play in a tournament on the weekend.
“If we don’t make finals this season, it’s a fail,” he said. “We’ve had one practice match so far to see where we are at.
“The CBL will help, but it will take a couple of weeks for everyone to see where they are at.”
The Thoroughbreds start their season on March 18 against the Wallan Panthers.
Their youth league men’s side also start the season against the Panthers, in a double header, with the youth league playing first.
