Versatile guard Matthew Gange will return to the McDonalds Meteors for the 2012 Queensland Basketball League season after signing a new one-year deal with the club.

Gange averaged 10.2 points per game for the McDonalds Meteors last season, along with 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He also took out both the clubs' Best Defensive Player & Players' Player awards.

After originally moving to Mackay to begin work on his auto-electrician trade and to play local Australia Rules Football, Gange was snapped up by the Meteors in the QBL pre-season and quickly became an integral piece of the teams championship winning puzzle.

A priority recruiting target of many other QBL teams, Gange said he was excited about returning to McDonalds Meteors.

"The community support behind Basketball in Mackay is second to none and that was a big part of my reason to return," Gange said.

"Being apart of the club's first ever men's QBL championship team was definitely a highlight in my basketball career and I am looking forward to the challenge of repeating last year's historic accomplishment."

"It's not going to be easy though as this year we will be going into the season with a big target on our backs."

"Everybody wants to beat the team at the top so there is no doubt each game this coming season will present extended challenges for us," Gange added.

Mackay Basketball General Manager Joel Khalu said Gange's return to the McDonalds Meteors was a huge bonus for the club.

"After his standout 2011 season, Matt was being chased heavily by a number of other QBL clubs so for him to return to Mackay says positive things about our organisation," Khalu said.

"He's a quality player that has a very high basketball IQ and I thought he was one of the top defensive players in the entire league last season."

"We pride ourselves on defence and he was certainly the catalyst for our group on that end of the floor."

"His versatility and ability to guard players of all sizes definitely contributed to us being the best defensive team in the competition," Khalu added.

Gange is currently in Brisbane with work-study commitments and will join the McDonalds Meteors when official on-court training begins in March.