Heat have found gold with Mines

THE Townsville Heat are feeling a need for speed in their chase for three consecutive Queensland Basketball championships.

American forward Justin Baker will not return for the Heat this year, adding to the losses of big men Harry Froling (Adelaide 36ers) and Jordair Jett (Illawarra Hawks), but have welcomed Brisbane Bullets trialist and experienced NCAA shooting guard Jonathon Mines.

“He’s been training with the Bullets and hopefully he (Mines) will get an NBL contract,” Heat coach Rodney Anderson said.

“His dad used to play NBL and he’s just a baller and a tremendous athlete.

“Jono will be a huge addition to the team and this will help him go a long way towards getting into the NBL.”

Two-time championship winning Heat guard Justin Wilcher has already re-signed for his shot at a three-peat, while local talents including Keegan Tudehope, Matthew Rees, Ethan Betts and Jackson Todd will return for the 2019 campaign.

The Heat are set to announce two imports in coming days and are also confident of retaining former Townsville Crocodiles star and Australian Boomers player Peter Crawford, who was yesterday named in Australia’s 3x3 World Cup qualifier selection camp.

“We should have a couple of big announcements in the near future, and hopefully ‘PC’ comes back,” Anderson said.

“We just need his signature, so fingers crossed he signs on that dotted line pretty soon.”

Baker, who played in both of the Heat’s grand final wins, is plying his trade for CS Dinamo Bucuresti in Romania’s Liga Nationala, and will return home to the US instead of playing another QBL season with the Heat.

The Heat and Townsville Flames, who have re-signed point guard Micaela Cocks, will start their respective QBL seasons on May 4 against the South West Metro Pirates.