New league keeps Wildcat in good Nic
EVERY QBL basketballer will be aiming to be the 2020 version of Nic Pozoglou.
The athletic swingman had been around an NBL program for a couple of years with the Illawarra Hawks but following the first ever NBL1 season, the 23-year-old became a sudden household name.
Averaging a double-double, 19.2 points, 10 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while playing for the Melbourne Tigers in the NBL1, the buzz around the previously little-known development player grew and grew, leading to a spot with the Perth Wildcats, featuring in most of this season’s games.
With the QBL becoming
NBL1 North next season and following on with NBL1’s lead with increased streaming and social media hype, Pozoglou feels emerging basketballers in the north will soon get their chance to push their case for a full-time spot.
“I feel like people related NBL1 to the NBL more, they saw it like a G-League in the NBA, like an actual step under, not just like what SEABL was, which was a totally different league,” Pozoglou said. “I know from being around NBL teams, once it got named NBL1, everyone wanted to play in the league, and guys that played in other leagues, they regretted not being in it.
“It helped my game a lot, the level of competition went up a step or two from SEABL.
“When the competition gets better, you get better or fade away, and I was lucky to get noticed.
“Lots of guys sit on the end of an NBL bench but once the off-season comes, you want to have that chip on your shoulder and show you can play.”
Taipans coach Mike Kelly, who promoted three QBL players to his full-time roster this season, has welcomed the NBL1 North changes, declaring he and his coaches will be able to see more emerging players.
“That will be great, we have been able to watch most QBL games, and all NBL1 games recently, but I hope it is more open streaming so we can see everything,” Kelly said.
Pozoglou says Perth must contain the Taipans’ core six, the starters and whoever of Nate Jawai or Majok Deng comes from the bench, tonight.
The 3-6 Snakes belted the reigning champions in their last meeting earlier this season.
“They can be even better in Cairns, we need to lock in our game plan and get that right,” Pozoglou said. “It did not matter who Cairns played that night, they were going to beat most teams by 20 and we need to make sure that does not happen again.”
Cairns reserve guard Mirko Djeric may miss the weekend double-header as he did not appear to train on Thursday.
Star import Terrico White was unable to pass a fitness test at practice on Thursday and won’t travel to Queensland for Saturday’s game against the Taipans. He’ll be replaced in the Perth team by development player, Taylor Britt.