FORMER Australian Boomers big man Ben Melmeth has suffered a leg injury but is expected to be ready for the start of the Newcastle Hunters’ Waratah Basketball League campaign next month.
After an almost three-year break since he retired from the National Basketball League in 2009, the 36-year-old international has rejoined the Hunters but will be sidelined for up to a month after he tore his calf muscle at training on Sunday.
‘‘It just went on him doing a warm-up lay-up,’’ Hunters coach Darren Nichols said yesterday. ‘‘It’s a little bit of a setback but it’s only a minor tear so he’s looking at three or four weeks.
‘‘He has been really pushing himself at training, and his general attitude and positive approach to everyone and everything we’ve been doing have been very good.’’
Melmeth will miss pre-season trial games against Illawarra, Maitland and Norths in the Hunters Invitational Tournament at Broadmeadow this month.
But Nichols was confident the 208-centimetre centre would suit up when Newcastle host reigning champions Illawarra in the WBL season-opener at Broadmeadow on March 24. The Hawks beat the Hunters 81-71 in the 2011 grand final at the same venue last August.
The Hunters have lured Newcastle junior Adam Stanger back to their squad after the lively guard played last season with Sydney Comets, and he will rotate in the back-court with Josh Morgan and Mat McGovern.
Stanger’s return to the roster has helped the Hunters negotiate with two American players, a point guard and a forward, who were his teammates at University of West Georgia.
Neither Marcus Vanderheide (2011) nor Nick Freer (2010), who were judged WBL Most Valuable Player in the past two seasons respectively, will be back in Newcastle this year.
Vanderheide’s former college teammate Ryan Klein, who played with Vanderheide at the Hunters last season, is not returning either due to other commitments.
“We are currently just finalising negotiations with our imports for the 2012 season, and all things being equal we should have the first player to arrive within the next two weeks,’’ Newcastle Basketball general manager Ivan Spyrdz said.
“It’s been a pretty tough and exhaustive process this year as we are batting two from two league MVPs with our imports, so we’d like to make it three from three if we can. But most importantly, they have to fit in with the playing group and the Hunters club.
“We’ve got Adam Stanger returning to the Hunters this season, and he has certainly helped us in our search for players from the US. When looking at how they fit in the squad, it helps when current players have played with these guys previously.”
The Hunters have added former Central Coast Crusaders forward Nathan Wilson to their squad.
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