Another final, but this time it’s footy

JACK Madgen does not have a single regret about a lifetime chasing a basketball dream for just 72 magical seconds as an NBL player.

For the Collingwood key position defender, the toil was more than worth it given the reward. Those precious seconds on court came in junk time, his final moments as a Cairns Taipan as the Perth Wildcats blew out his team and his coach cleared the bench.

But the chase for them put him on a journey that gave him a US college education, found him an American partner he loves, and ultimately set up a new sporting dream.

Barring a sudden selection twist this week, it will mean the 25-year-old will be playing another Perth-based team in a final, this time West Coast in only his fifth game of AFL football.

“To be honest growing up I was a better footy player but I really wanted to pursue the college route and get an education and then I came back and had two good years in the SEABL,’’ he said this week.

“I went to Cairns to be a development player but it probably didn’t work out the way I wanted to.

“I was really thankful for the opportunity. It was 72 seconds of game time and I have got the video on my phone.

“I went out there and touched the ball a few times and had a couple of bounces and it was a cool experience to have. We were down by 20 in a final and it was still something I will never forget.”

Remarkably, 18 months later Madgen was making his AFL debut against Sydney as Lance Franklin sledged him about going back to basketball.

Aware his career as a shooting guard wasn’t about to take off, he wondered if he could follow the journey of basketball converts Hugh Greenwood of Tasmania and Corey Maynard, brother of current teammate Brayden.