Big guy to call time on real roll
SCOTT McGregor, the Gold Coast Rollers’ answer to John Farnham, vows that this weekend will definitely be the last time he steps out on to a basketball court.
Now 41, McGregor is set to bow out in a blaze of glory when the Gold Coast Rollers complete their 2017 QBL season against the Toowoomba Mountaineers at The Southport School on Saturday night.
The veteran former NBL player and Australian Boomers squad member filled in as player-coach of the Rollers when they took a rare road double last weekend – beating Ipswich Force 97-94 on Friday night before a 117-77 win over Toowoomba the next night on the Darling Downs.
McGregor filled in for regular coach Pero Cameron who was overseas with a New Zealand representative team.
Now the opportunity is there to wind up his career with a Rollers treble, backing up from the Ipswich-Toowoomba double.
“This will definitely be it, there’ll be no Johnny Farnham type comebacks,” McGregor declared.
“I retired two years ago but Pero talked me into playing again when he took over as coach – and it’s hard to argue with Pero.”
A significant positive for the Rollers’ weekend run was the performance of Tobias Cameron, US college-bound son of coach Pero, who scored 20 points against Ipswich then backed up with 19 on the Darling Downs.
Representing New Zealand at the World Junior titles has been a positive according to Gold Coast Basketball Association chief Joel McInnes.
“He has improved so much since he came back,” McInnes said.
“He is more aggressive and looks so confident on the court.”
McGregor said a number of the club’s younger players stood up but it was American Devon Sullivan who may have written himself into the Rollers’ record book.
Against Toowoomba Sullivan hauled in 17 rebounds, 16 of them at the defensive end.
No one at the Rollers was sure what the record is for rebounds, particularly at one end of the court.