The Harvey Norman Ballarat Rush have continued to re-sign players from their 2015 South East Australia Basketball League (SEABL) side for 2016 with Bendigo Spirit player Molly Mathews and the Youth League Rush MVP Eliza Roughead both signing on and continuing their SEABL careers with the Rush.
Mathews 20, is enjoying her first season in the Women’s National Basketball League with the Bendigo Spirit although not gaining a lot of court time. She has been working hard on her game, “Training at this higher level has been great,” Mathews said. “Being involved at the professional level and training everyday sometimes twice, has opened my eyes to what it will take to make it at the WNBL level.”
Harvey Norman Rush Head Coach, David Flint who works with Mathews in his role as Bendigo Spirit Assistant Coach said “Molly has continued to improve her game whilst in Bendigo and we expect her to bring this back to the Rush.”
Mathews hopes that when the team needs her she will be able to step up when required, saying “I have improved so much in the short time I have spent at Bendigo and I hope that when the team needs someone to make the big play, I can deliver it.”
Roughead 20, had a standout year with the Youth League Rush, being awarded the team’s Most Valuable Player. Roughead was also recognised at the Big V awards night earlier in 2015, where she was announced as a member of the All Star 5 in the Victorian Youth Championship division, as well as being voted the defensive player of the year and the leading rebounder pulling down on average 13.5 rebounds per game.
Roughead who is going into her second year of studying Physiotherapy at Latrobe in Bundoora will continue to commute to Ballarat for trainings and games. “I just love the girls, I couldn’t see myself moving to another team for Youth League or SEABL”.
Rush Elite Teams Chair Kym Cassells is pleased to have more locals sign “It’s great to have another two of our local players come back to the program having transitioned through our junior programs to the senior program”. Cassells continued “It’s great to have Molly back, having gained experience in a WNBL program she will be able to bring that back into our program and push the other girls to higher levels”.
Flint is pleased to now have six players signed saying “The team is coming along nicely, we are looking at our import options as well as talented Australian girls to fill those final few spots on our roster.”
While the Rush’s off season has been very productive getting pens to paper, Basketball Ballarat’s Elite Teams Administrator Melissa Thomas said “The Miners are not far away from announcing another big signing. We are in the final stages of contract talks with an American player which we hope to announce before the end of the week”.
For more information about on Molly and Eliza’s signing or any other signings for the Harvey Norman Ballarat Rush or GMHBA Ballarat Miners please contact Basketball Ballarat Elite Teams Administrator Melissa Thomas via 5330 7604 or Melissa.Thomas@ballaratbasketball.com