BULLETS LOAD UP WITH STAR
Bozeman shoots for NBL
BASKETBALL: Damon Bozeman came to Toowoomba with a reputation for possessing a killer instinct, and that drive has landed him an opportunity to make it into the NBL.
This week the combo guard has been trialling with the Brisbane Bullets in the hope of securing one of the club’s three vacant import spots.
He is no stranger to the top flight of basketball in Australia after he was invited to play with Melbourne United during the 2017 pre-season after dominating in the Big V.
Coach Danny Morseu said the Mountaineers captain would be a perfect fit for the rebuilding club.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for Damon and Toowoomba Basketball to get someone to be picked to try out with the Bullets and coach Andrej Lemanis,” Morseu said.
“They’ve recruited well and the role they want for Damon is to come off the bench to give them a lift. I think he’s the right fit for the program and I’m certainly going to push for him to get the opportunity to play with the Bullets.
“He’s a real tough player. He’ll step up to anything and he won’t take a backward step. Damon can match it with anybody in the NBL.
“I think he can post up inside strong. There’s going to be some mismatches inside the paint for him which he can take advantage of.
“He’s loving the training and he’s really excited. During our training I’ve had to rest him a little bit, but he’s ready to go this weekend.”
The Mountaineers face their first of two road doubles for the season, taking on Mackay tonight and Gladstone tomorrow.
Morseu said the club was aiming to split the series and pick up their first win for the year.
“Its going to be a challenge for us, especially up against Mackay,” he said.
“They’re going to be tough to beat at home after they beat the QBL champions Townsville on the weekend.”
A change on the offensive end is expected to yield positive results for the team, with a focal point on getting big men Josh Derksen, Harold Ridgeway and Manylok Mayek.
“This week we’ve restructured how we run our offence. Harold will be involved in the offence in terms of attacking, so he’s going to be getting the ball more,” he said.
“We’ll be playing a triangle, so it’s going to give us a good lift, and the players have adjusted really well to the change.”