Tutelage by Scott a boost for Tad

HAVING spent the NBL season training alongside the league MVP runner-up, Tad Dufelmeier could emerge as one of the stars of the NBL1 in 2020.

That’s the view of Chargers coach Anthony Stewart, who had no hesitation in luring Dufelmeier back to Hobart.

The former Australian junior representative starred for the Hobart Huskies last year, and didn’t look out of place when called up to the Southern Huskies in the NZNBL.

He has spent the summer in Cairns as a development player, where he trained alongside star import Scott Machado, who finished eight votes behind Bryce Cotton as the NBL’s best player.

Stewart has no doubt the NBL environment will only further elevate Dufelmeier’s game.

“When I bought him across to the Southern Huskies for the trip to New Zealand, straight away I thought he would be an NBL-calibre player,” Stewart said. “He has gone to Cairns and proven that. There is just a backlog of guards up there they have been working with in the last four or five years but from all reports he is making very good inroads and Cairns are definitely wanting him back.

“He makes people better around him, he can score, I think he averaged close to 20 points a game in the NBL1 last season. You would think he has improved over the break training with the Taipans and going up against the runner-up MVP of the league every day.

“I have no doubt Tad will be in for a big year at this level and set himself up for an NBL contract moving forward.”

Joining Dufelmeier as a Charger is another former Cairns project player in Christian Jurlina, a 196cm sweet shooter who can play small forward or guard. He has been training with the Sydney Kings and came recommended to Stewart from his Chargers SEABL championship captain Craig Moller.

Stewart said with Tasmania’s re-entry to the NBL in 2021-22 confirmed last week, his recruitment has centred on providing opportunities to fringe players to take the next step.

“One of the priorities for me is trying to recruit guys who are tapping on the door, if not playing in the NBL, and Christian Jurlina is one of those guys.

“I think we have recruited two guys who could end up playing in a Tasmanian singlet moving forward.”