Injury forces Chargers to seek more tall talent
HOBART’S hunt for a bona fide big man is continuing with the club’s second import ruled out for the 2018 SEABL season after rupturing his ACL.
The Mercury understands the Chargers were on the verge of announcing the signing of American Jacob Holmen, until the 26-year-old injured his knee earlier this week.
At 203cm and 102kg, the athletic forward was the perfect fit for the Chargers, who last week revealed zippy point guard Tre Nichols as their first signing.
Like Nichols, Holmen has spent the past three years plying his trade in the SBL in Western Australia.
In September he was crowned the league MVP after a dominant campaign with Goldfields Giants, where despite missing the first three games with a hamstring injury he polled 130 votes to win by three.
Holmen finished the season third in the league in scoring and sixth in rebounding on his way to averaging 25.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and one block while shooting 47.6 per cent from the field and 75.7 per cent from the free throw line.
With Tom Garlepp, Dwayne Radcliffe and Rob Heyer all not returning from 2017 and Lewis Thomas unlikely Holmen, who hails from North Texas, was the solution to the Chargers’ critical height shortage inside the paint.
However now they have been forced back to the drawing board for a player to fill the forward-centre role.
The search for a replacement is already under way, with Adelaide 36ers forward Majok Deng — who like Mathiang Muo is from a Sudanese background — believed to have been contacted, while former import Zac White could also be in the mix.
Hobart is also close to locking Muo in for 2018, with a multi-year contract on offer.