Deba Earns National League Trial
McDonalds Meteors star guard Deba George has earned a trial with National Basketball League club, the Wollongong Hawks. George flew out for the 'Gong' on Sunday night and will spend four days under the watchful eye of the Hawks coaching staff as they begin NBL pre-season training.
It's a huge reward for the 25-year old guard who is currently having a standout season with the McDonalds Meteors in the Queensland Basketball League. George is currently averaging a team best 21.8 points per game, which ranks him 7th overall in the league. George is the only Australian born player in the top ten scorers of the QBL that did not play in the NBL last season.
Along with his outstanding scoring output, George is also averaging close to four rebounds a game, along with three assists and one steal.
This is not Deba's first opportunity to play with an NBL club. The Thursday Island born George spent a number of years with the Cairns Taipans as a development and training player but never received a call-up to the teams active playing roster.
The opportunity to trial with the Hawks comes after George impressed McDonalds Meteors teammates Rhys Martin & Tim Coenraad, both of whom are signed on to play with the Hawks next NBL season.
"When I heard that Deba had signed with our Mackay QBL team I knew he would be the X-factor for our group," Martin said.
"So far this season he has shown he is just that and I think he definitely deserves an opportunity to trial at that next level."
Mackay Basketball General Manager Joel Khalu also praised the current form of George.
"I've played with and against Deba for a long time and I have never seen him play this consistently well," Khalu said.
"He's in career-best form right now and is showing people that he deserves an opportunity at the NBL level."
"He has matured in the way he now reads the game which makes him so much more of a threat at both ends of the floor."
"I am glad he decided to make the move to Mackay for the current QBL season cause he's been one of the standout players in the league," Khalu added.
George will return from Wollongong with both Martin and Coenraad on Thursday afternoon and will join McDonalds Meteors teammates in practice that night as they prepare to take on ladder leaders, the Townsville Heat on Saturday.
Last Modified on 12/07/2011 12:56
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