Callan: Coach is the man to lead us to medal glory

St Mirren basketball star Callan Low insists new Scotland head coach Rob Beveridge can lead the side to a medal at next month’s Commonwealth Games.

Low, currently playing in the down south with Myerscough College, is the youngest member of the 12-man side set to take to the Gold Coast, Australia.

Beveridge has been drafted in as a last minute replacement for head coach Tony Garbeletto, who was abruptly sacked by basketballscotland in February.

But 17-year-old Low admits he can’t wait to work under the experienced Beveridge as preparations now ramp up for the Games getting underway.

Low said:“Being able to work with someone like coach Rob Beveridge will be a great experience during the Commonwealth Games.

“It is a great thing for all of us and it is going to make it more of a great experience personally.

“Someone with his track record, and how successful he is, can help me, as well as the team, to improve all the little things that we need to improve on, “He can help us to get a medal.” Beveridge is currently working with the national team after they arrived in his native Australia at the end of last week.

With basketball set to make only its second appearance in the Commonwealth Games programme, Beveridge is one of a select few to already have a Commonwealth Gold medal after guiding Australia to success in Melbourne at the 2006 Games as an assistant coach.

Beveridge’s accolades also include an U20 World Championship Gold medal where he was Head Coach of the Australian National Team. Beveridge’s side were the only team to beat the USA at the Championships in 2003 and set a record for the biggest winning margin in the finals.

Head of performance at basketballscotland, Barry Lang commented:“This is a really exciting appointment for Scottish basketball.

“To have such an experienced Coach involved with our national team setup puts us in a really strong position to perform well at the Commonwealth Games.”