Former Supercats import Isma’il Muhammad landed in Australia for what was literally a flying visit. The American spent just two days here before jetting off to Auckland, New Zealand, where he will be playing for the Pirates in the New Zealand National basketball League for the next three months. Supercats media co-ordinator Beth Davis caught up with “Izzy” to get the scoop on the NBA and what’s been happening since leaving Australia last September.

You spent the NBA Pre-season with the Charlotte Bobcats. Tell us how that came about?
Well, probably a bit of luck. Not luck, I shouldn’t say that. I had a try out with them the year before, and things went well, but just from a numbers situation they didn’t have enough room for me. So with the NBA lock out this year, when they resolved that and came to an agreement, everything was moving so fast they were trying to fill bodies for the training camp. So that’s why I said it was a little luck, a little good fortune, but also what I did before helped me out. My agent got a phone call and said they wanted me to come to the [pre-season] camp. So thats how it worked out.

In your first real practice match with the Bobcats you scored a double double and you were the top scorer for the game. How did it feel playing against current NBA players and having a great game like that?
We had been practicing for a while, a couple weeks, and I was playing well…we had a couple scrimmages in practice. So I was going into the game confident. And I didn’t really think, “Oh, I’m playing against NBA guys,” it was more like.. I honestly felt like I was just as good or in some cases better than some of the guys on the team so that’s why I was confident. I was a little nervous before the game just because it was an open scrimmage, they had a lot of fans there that came to the game. So doing it where it’s kinda the first game for real, on a real stage.. to play well was very gratifying.

You met Bobcats owner and NBA legend Michael Jordan while in Cherlotte. What was that like?
Well he was there last time I was there, when I had my first try out with them [the Bobcats]. But this time he was more hands on, more active, you know, I actually talked to him. But it was weird, because you know I kinda guarded myself – anytime he came up to talk to me I didn’t really say anything, because I feel as though if I would have talked to him, the fan in me would’ve come out, you know? Every other basketball fan grew up loving Michael Jordan the player. So honestly, every time he talked to me I just said like one or two words back, because I just feel as though if I said anything more I probably would have said like, you know….it’s JORDAN. [laughs]

You were also invited to the Atlanta Hawks pre-season camp and chose to go to back to Charlotte. As the NBA season approcahed and Charlotte started filling their roster, it looked less and less likely that there would be a spot left for you – do you think you would have had a better chance if you had chosen Atlanta?
No, I’m happy with my decision going to Charlotte camp as opposed to the Atlanta one. The guy in Atlanta told me beforehand…well he told my agent, that it was gonna be pretty difficult – one, coz the coach in Atlanta wasn’t really sold on me, so I would’ve had to fight against that, when I knew the Charlotte people knew me from before. And it kinda played out…you know, I played well, the coaches seemed to like me, but they just signed some other people and the numbers kinda didn’t work out for me this time.

But basically you feel like going to Charlotte, because you’d been there before, and performed well again, it gives you a more solid grounding for another shot with them next year?
Yeah, thats why I’m happy with the decision, because I’m going into this one [2012] putting all my eggs in one basket so to speak – one more year, one last go at it, one chase to try capture my dream to play in the NBA. So I’m putting all my focus towards there and I think going to Charlotte and performing the way I did in pre-season is going to help my chances.

After you were released from Charlotte three days before the start of the NBA season, you signed to come back to the Supercats in SEABL and then a week later decided you would not return after all – tell us what lead to that decision.
After I left Charlotte it was a lot of different places I was thinking about going to play. But I always  felt at home in Geelong, and I love being here, and just how the season finished last year, I didn’t really wanna end on that note. So thats why I committed to come back. It just so happened my agent was contacted again about potential summer league spot for me – it wasn’t a guaranteed spot, but just something that could happen. I sat down and thought about it…….I just figured, you never wanna live life with any regrets, and I’ve come close so many times now, and I mean like legitimate close, not just me in my own little world close. And each time it just comes out of nowhere, where I just get these invites and I’m not expecting it. So this one time I decided I just wanted to put all my focus on making an NBA roster. Talk about it, believe in it, work hard at it, and capture the goal.

So what have you been doing since it was announced that you would not be returning to the Supercats?
I had a few more offers once I told Supercats I wasn’t going to be able to come back, but I was looking at things short term so I could make it back [to the US] for June/July. I went to Venezuela because they had a good offer and my agent thought it would be a good situation for me. But I went down there, and I think I’m probably spoiled by living in Geelong for the last three years, because you know it was just so different…culturally, and everything was just different. I found myself unhappy there so I was able to get myself out of that contract. Now I’ve committed to go to New Zealand, which I’m looking forward to.

After you left Venzuela, you had a few other offers from other places in South America – why did you choose New Zealand over say, Argentina?
Mainly because I had just left a situation in Venezuela, South America, where I was a little unhappy. And coming from three years playing in Australia, I thought New Zealand would be somewhere I would be comfortable living. And also enjoy playing basketball. So I went for the place where I can get the best of both worlds, where [the quality of] basketball is good and I’m happy just living.

There have been a few skeptics who wonder why anyone would “choose” to play in Australia or New Zealand if they have offers from European or South American countries who are known in the basketball world to pay more money. What is your response to this?
Well…the thing about that is…I’ve never….I’m not someone that’s motivated by money. That’s just…I don’t know…I can’t give you an answer why, thats just me, that’s just who I am. And what you gotta understand is when you’re playing professional basketball, you’re only playing for a small amount of time when you play somewhere like Europe, but you’re THERE for the whole entire time. You’re there six, seven, nine months wherever you are. So you need to go somewhere where you’re happy, somewhere you’re comfortable, somewhere you like the place – because if you’re unhappy you’re just not going to play well, that’s just plain and simple. So with me, I’ve always picked places where I was happiest, where I think, “I could live there.” You know? And on top of that, I do a lot outside of basketball. I don’t play basketball to make a “good” living, I play because I love it.

So after the New Zealand Basketball League season is over, what next?
Still sticking with the same plan. Still focused on getting on a summer league team. Im gonna start right away training, I wont take any time off after the season. I’m actually gonna train here in Geelong for two weeks after it, then I’m gonna head back to Atlanta and continue my training, and just hope that then I’ll get the call…no, not hope, coz this is gonna happen. Everything will work out this time, and I’ll get on a team, and then later I’ll make an NBA roster.

When does the summer league start, when would you expect to get that call?
The first one that starts is that first week of July. But as far as NBA goes I’m not a “high profile player”. So what they’ll do is, they’ll commit to their younger guys on their roster, they’ll do the draft and anyone who’s drafted will be on summer league, then they’ll get those free agents who are just outta college, those younger guys, and people like that….[chuckles] and THEN on to a guy like myself. So I’ll be the last one to find out if they want me. I expect it in June, but it could be as late as July. They have another summer league that starts the second week of July. It runs for two weeks, the actual playing, but obviously you gotta practice first.

You’ve said yourself that this is probably your last shot and you’re putting all your focus into making an NBA roster – if it doesn’t happen this time, do you have a back up plan? Would you play overseas again?
Honestly I have no idea. In my mind, I’m gonna make an NBA roster. There’s a chance that IF I don’t start the NBA season with a team, depending how summer league goes, how pre-season goes, there’s a chance I’ll do the NBA development league. If I feel as though I’m REALLY close again, I’ll go to the development league. If no-one really gives me an opportunity during pre-season or summer league, then I’ll play overseas.

What are your career plans for after your retirement from the game?
Well, I always work when I’m not playing basketball. I work for a company called Barton Executive Services. They’re a recruiting firm, they recruit CEO’s, vice presidents, presidents for big consumer product companies – companies like Coca Cola. I’ve been doing that for years now, and whenever I retire I’ll do that full time.

What advice would you give to any players of any age on what it takes to get an NBA level?
My advice would be what you hear all the time – first of all, you gotta work hard, you know, you have to out work the next guy. Second is, I think you have to believe in yourself. Because if you really think about it, I mean how many people play basketball in the world, and it’s like three hundred and something NBA players. So the numbers say that its very very unlikely that you can make it. So YOU have to believe, you have to work hard. And third, honestly, its just a little luck…I shouldn’t say luck, actually, its timing. Its more timing. Timing is everything. Better players have missed out on the NBA because they’re not in the right situation at the right time, and some people have been fortunate to get on because of right place, right time.

Finally, can you tell us what a typical day is like when you’re in pre-season camp for the NBA?
It’s pretty much all basketball, all the time. We get up in the morning at say…8. We have to go in and lift weights, you lift weights for an hour, then go up to the court around 9 or so. Practice start around 9.30am so you go about 30 minutes early just to do some casual shooting before the coaches get there. First practice is roughly two hours, so you do that til about 11.30, come down, stretch, do a lot of icing, get in a cold tub afterwards. That’s probably another hour process.
So you do that, then you have lunch which is provided at the arena, so you go in there and eat from like a buffet – they have a couple different meats, some vegies, pasta, rice, fruit, dessert. Good food.
So you get back to the hotel around 2, relax for a little while, get off your feet, coz the next practice is around 6 so you have to be there probably around 4. You get like two hours, it goes by fast, soon as you lay down in the bed it feels like you have to get right back up. Most of the guys would nap in that time.
Then come back for the second practice which is the harder practice, but same kinda gig. It’s around two and a half, maybe three hour practice. So finish around 9, then just go get some dinner either at the hotel or restaurant close by, then just have a quiet night ready for the same thing the next day. It ended up being every day for us, we didn’t have a day off. I think if everything wasn’t so rushed [due to shortened season from lockout] you would normally get maybe one day off a week.
We did some community stuff too, the NBA Cares stuff, that was cool. It was good interacting with the kids and see how they react to hanging out and seeing an NBA player, I really enjoyed that.

Geelong Supercats State Youth Championship Women One
Coach: Grantley Bernard (1st season)
Assistant Coaches: Tash Daffy and Zoe Duggan
Captain: TBA
2011 finish: 4th in Terrill Conference – 10-9 record – lost in semi-finals.
Ins: Emily Koroneos, Ebony Rolph, Caidie Swayn, Maddy Boyd, Mikaela Watson, Zoe Dixon, Georgia Varley.
Outs: Sharon Ford (Div 1), Sophie Templeton (Div 1), Ang McDonagh, Emma Leeds, Kelsey White.
Outlook: Four members of the Under-18 squad have been included on the 14-player roster, essentially as development players, but they will contribute during games. Emily Koroneos and Jess Watson will move between the youth women and the SEABL team, but we have a good core of players who are now experienced at this level of basketball. We will be looking for players like Lauren Bellegante, Emily Dorning, Jess Barnard and Ebony Tannouri to step up and show their leadership qualities this season. We also welcome Ebony Rolph from Portland and look forward to seeing her on the floor once she is fully recovered from knee surgery.
Coach’s Comment: Winning is not the No.1 emphasis for 2012. Our top priority will be developing fundamental skills so they are executed correctly and well under game pressure. We want to get minutes into as many players as we can and develop people to push them towards the SEABL roster. That said, once the ball goes up, we’ll be trying to win every game we play. It’s just that we won’t talk about winning and losing, only the things that help you win: preparation and processes. We also want to make sure we play as a team and imbue everyone on the roster with a strong sense of “we” rather than “me”. Our motto for this year is: Unity, Commitment, Dedication. They are the qualities that will be required along with the fundamentals of the game. If we achieve success in those areas, we will have had a good year.
First month: The run to Easter will be a good gauge for us. We start with Bulleen away, followed by a road-home double against Melbourne and Diamond Valley with Eltham at home to close the first few weeks. We cannot be defined by the scoreboard, only how we play, so we’ll assess and adjust as we go and review where we are during the Easter break.

Geelong Supercats State Youth Championship Men One
Coach: Luke Beauglehall (2nd season)
Assistant Coaches: Glen Dyett
Team Managers: Di Larcombe and Kel Dyett
Captains: Michael Rebula and Emerson Varley
2011 Finish:
Ins: Matthew Vale, Andrew Tonkin, Nathan Lemke and Riley Herbert
Outs:
Coach’s Comments: Looking through the draw this year we will have a tough road into finals which is where we are expecting to finish, we start with 2 away and finish with 4 away including an away double header. The squad has come together really well with a couple of new faces, and a leadership duo of Rebs and Emmo as well as the core group from last year, Glenn and I are looking forward to see what the boys produce.

The team will be known as the Roderick Geelong Lady Supercats for the 2012 SEABL season. Supercats General Manager David Hoey was pleased with the support for the women’s team. 

“The partnership between Roderick Insurance Brokers and the Geelong Lady Supercats came about because Keith Roderick recognised the importance of supporting the development of women in sport, and this team represents Geelong in a national competition.

“The Supercats club appreciates the support that Roderick Insurance Brokers afford the club by taking up a twelve month naming rights partnership with our women’s SEABL team” said David Hoey.

Roderick Insurance Brokers owner and former chairman of the Geelong Supercats, Keith Roderick, said that he wanted to do more for the women’s program after stepping down from the board late last year.

“I am delighted to be taking on the naming rights of the Geelong Lady Supercats. I think it is tremendous that we have ladies playing at this level, to give all the aspiring young girls the same as we have the boys is fantastic. Plus they put on a great show!” said Mr Roderick.

Now to be known as the Roderick Geelong Lady Supercats, the team is looking to improve on their impressive 2011 debut season in the South East Australian Basketball League.

With just a few minor changes, the team is feeling ready for the start of the SEABL season in just over four weeks. Having already announced the return of players Candice Rogers, Anna Teague, Cortney Williamson, Clare Ralph, Caitlin Shadbolt and Jess Watson as well as captain Kylie Morrissy and WNBL player Deanna Smith, the core group who finished the season with 11 wins and 13 losses retains a good level stability. Added to this are star young players Grace Parker and Madeline White, as well as the currently injured Emily Koroneos, who replace Alex Sheedy and Ellie Stevens from the 2011 roster.

A few weeks ago it was announced that Canadian import Chelsea Aubry would not be re-signing with the Lady Supercats as she will return home after her WNBL season in preparation for the 2012 London Olympics with Canada.

Head Coach Paul O’Brien has been working feverishly to sign a replacement for Aubry, and the Roderick Geelong Lady Supercats are pleased to announce that American Abby Schrader will join the club for the 2012 SEABL season.

The 191cm centre last played in SEABL for the Kilsyth Cobras in 2007, where she averaged 23ppg and 11.5ppg.

In 2011 Abby played in the NSW Waratah league for Manly, and was signed to the Sydney University Flames in the WNBL as an injury replacement player for Eva Afeaki.

Since graduating from the University of Maine in 2006 where she averaged 11.3ppg and 7.9rpg in her senior year, the 27 year old Scrader has played in Denmark, Sweden and Australia, as well as spending time coaching and even receiving a Coaching Staff Sportsmen of the Year award.

Abby is looking forward to joining the Lady Supercats at the conclusion of the WNBL season.

“I’m really excited to have this opportunity and to be in Victoria, playing SEABL again. I’m very much looking forward to getting on the court with the girls and the coaches and being part of the sporting community in Geelong.”

Paul O’Brien had this to say about his newest recruit, “I’ve known Abby for a number of years, and I think what Abby will bring to the program is that she has a very clear idea of where she wants her career to go. She’s a very talented inside/outside power forward/centre and by adding Abby to the mix we will have a very good front line alongside Caitlin Shadbolt, Candice Rogers, Clare Ralph and young Grace Parker.

“I think Abby will come in and make an immediate impact, she is very strong rebounder and potential scorer and one of her greatest strengths is that she is very team focused. She will fit in really well with the girls we have here, and the people of Geelong are really going to warm to her. We’re hopeful that this won’t be just a one year type situation, the Geelong program is one where we like to retain players and build on that relationship.”

Abby will join the Geelong Lady Supercats at the conclusion of the WNBL season, which all depends on whether the Sydney University Flames make the finals and how far their finals campaign goes.

Both George and Taylor have participated in the Aspiring Supercats Program (ASP) for the last two years and over the last 3 months they have been training with the SEABL Men’s team under the direction of Head Coach Jamie O’Loughlin.

“Both boys were strong performers in the ASP and due to that we invited them to join our off season practice sessions with the Men. They performed well and we have kept them with us for the pre-season now as well. I feel they have adjusted really well to playing against the bigger bodies in our sessions and this has no doubt helped them to progress quickly and prepare for the state trials. The reports I have had back about the boys at Country Cup and the trials have been glowing, I really happy for them to be selected, it’s going to be a big year for them both.”

Blagojevic and Dow also play in the Supercats U18 team in the VJBL and in the Basketball Geelong U18A competition where they play for Christian College Eagles.

A third ASP member Ashish Motiani has also been selected to the squad as an emergency after just missing out on a place in the team. Motiani plays in the same Supercats U18 team as Blagojevic and Dow and plays in the Basketball Geelong U18A competition for YMCA.

New SEABL Lady Supercats recruit Grace Parker has also been named to the Under 18 women’s side. Grace is a participant in the Under 19 Basketball Australia high performance program and represented Australia in the Under 17 Youth Basketball Tournament in 2010. As well as being a member of the senior SEABL Lady Supercats squad, Grace also plays in the Supercats  U18 representative team in VJBL.

The 193cm forward has been in pre-season training with the Lady Supercats under head coach Paul O’Brien since October.

The Geelong Supercats congratulate these players on their selection in the Victoria Country Under 18 representative sides and wish them the best of luck at the Australian U18 Basketball Championships in April!

Friend has had a decorated basketball career representing Geelong and Victoria from U12 through to U18 before enjoying a 4 year career in NCAA Division 1 at Nicholls State University. Friend then returned to Geelong and played a key reserve role in the Supercats 2010 championship team.Following the 2010 SEABL season Friend decided he needed a break from the game.

“I had been playing basketball non-stop since I was 10 and I just felt a little burnt out. I needed to step away from the game to regenerate and see how much I really love the game”.

Friend decided to spend 2011 playing football with Newtown in the Geelong Football League. “Newtown were great to me, they welcomed me and helped me in every way. The guys there were terrific to me. I really want to thank everyone down there for the year and I will follow them closely.”

The year playing football has turned out to be ideal for Friend who feels excited to get back to basketball now that he has realized his love for the game is stronger than ever. 

“I did enjoy playing footy but towards the end of the season I started to really miss basketball. In the end I realised that as much I enjoy footy, I miss basketball more. I am really excited about getting back onto the Arena floor with the Supercats”.

The Supercats roster is now taking shape and Friend looks set for a key role in the frontcourt rotation that already boasts local players Sebastian Loader and Lachlan Headlam, along with exciting new imports Theron Wilson and Kimmani Barrett.

Head Coach Jamie O’Loughlin feels Friend makes a huge difference to the team.

“Dom is a very smart player with a big strong body, he can defend very very well, is a good rebounder and has a range of offensive moves on the perimeter and in the post. We anticipate a big year from him. The added bonus is that he allows our imports to play in their best positions, this will help them to be even more effective”.

Friend is expected to join the Supercats at their pre-season tournament in Millicent 17-19 February where the teams local content will play against Mt Gambier, Central Districts and Forrestville.

2011 Co-Captain Jamie Medved has been named as sole captain while Nick Owusu and Sebastian Loader are new additions to the leadership group and are vice captains.

The local trio boast over 500 SEABL games experience and were teamates in the 2006 ABA championships and 2010 All SEABL championship teams.

“It’s an increadable honor and I’m thankful for the opportunity. I am determined to help lead this team back to the top” said Medved.

Owusu has had a strong apprenticeship as a point guard under the likes of Jarrod Leonard and Braith Cox and has learnt much from his predecessors.

“The last few years I have been working on my leadership within the group, being a senior player brings that responsibility. This new role as vice captain is an honor and a wonderful challenge that I’m looking forward to”.

Veteran Sebastian Loader brings over 15 years experience to the role.

“After playing so many games at the club I am confident that I can add to the leadership group. It’s a great honor and I can’t wait to help build the next great Supercats team”.

Basketball Geelong is one of Australia’s leading country basketball organisations, tracking five years of excellent growth and management, and with much more to do.
The Geelong Supercats are recognised as one of the leading second tier elite programs in Australia, with an extraordinary product both on and off the floor.
These two organisations are reunifying, and need a driven, independent CEO to lead that process, which is already well underway.

Our CEO will provide leadership to the Board on:
* Organisational Structure
* Revenue/Income Growth
* Community and Commercial Engagement
* Venue Strategy and Planning
* Pathway Development
* Stakeholder Management
* Relationships with other Basketball Organisations

This is a significant opportunity, and we expect the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate excellence in the above areas. Remuneration will include bonuses for target based achievement, and will be comparable with some of Australia’s largest basketball associations.
To obtain a copy of the CEO position description and/or apply for this position, please contact recruitment@basketballgeelong.com.au or call Amy Hawthorne on 03 5277 1388.

Applications for this position close on Friday, 24 February 2012.

Headlam becomes the second player to achieve such an honour after fellow rookie Nathan Freind was promoted before Christmas. The 21 year old, 198cm forward/centre has been a member of the Supercats Rookie List Program for two seasons, playing in the Big V Youth League Men’s competition with Basketball Geelong, appearing on 16 occasions for the Supercats and also being part of the 2010 All SEABL Championship team.

In 2011 while playing in the Big V Youth League Championship Division, Headlam averaged 11.4ppg and 11.2rpg (4th in the league) over 11 games and appeared in 13 games for the Supercats in the SEABL Men’s Competition. Headlam also plays in the Basketball Geelong Division 1 Men’s domestic competition with Vytis, where he is one of the best big men in the league. 

SEABL Men’s Head Coach Jamie O’Loughlin has been impressed with Headlam’s development.

“Headers has made huge strides over the past two years, he has really developed his body to a point where he can go against the bigger bodies in men’s basketball, his skill set has improved greatly and his understanding of the game at this level has reached a point where we are confident he is ready for the next step”.

Headlam is excited about the opportunity. “To be honest, I didn’t really expect it but when Jamie told me he was promoting me I was rapt. Ive been working really hard at practice and with my trainer Jess Kemp, I just can’t wait for the season to start”.

Headlam now becomes part of a new look front court rotation for the Supercats. The big man in the middle, Sebastian Loader, will be supported by Headlam while high flying new imports Theron Wilson and Kimmani Barrett will play major roles in that part of the court.

“Seb, Theron and Kimmani will no doubt be great for us and now with Headers we have four players in the rotation. We are also still looking for another Australian player to round out the rotation” said O’Loughlin.

Herbert has been a key member of the Supercats success since he joined the team in 2002. In his 10 seasons with the club he has played over 200 games, won the SEABL Youth Player award in 2005, won ABA championship in 2006, SEABL championship in 2010 and won four conference titles 2005-07 and 2010. In 2011 Herbert led the team in scoring with 21.8ppg which was 3^rd in the league as well as ranking 1st in both 3 point and free throw percentage for the league. 

“Nathan has had an amazing career as a Supercat so far, his performance last season coming off a knee reconstraction was outstanding” said Supercats Men’s Coach Jamie O’Loughlin.

In 2007 Herbert became a full time basketball player when he joined the South Dragons in the NBL, he has since played all year round combining the NBL in the Summer with the SEABL for his beloved Supercats in the Winter. The last five years for Herbert has been a roller coaster ride to say the least. In 2007 he won a conference title with the Supercats but his Dragons finished on the bottom of the NBL ladder, the following year he won an NBL Title with the Dragons but suffered a heart breaking loss with the Supercats in the Conference Final. In 2009 following the demise of the Dragons he joined the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL but the team struggled for success while the Supercats lost in the Conference Finals again. In 2010 Herbert tasted ultimate success for the second time with the Supercats as they won the SEABL title but not long after that he suffered a knee injury in the NBL pre-season that meant a knee re-construction. After spending the NBL season recovering from surgery, Herbert returned to the Supercats mid season and quickly proved the knee injury was a thing of the past. This season with Adelaide Herbert is averaging 4.9ppg and 2.8rpg in around 17mpg.

“The last five years have been great fun but it’s also taken a toll on my body, I think the best thing for my career is to take a short break at the end of this NBL season. My wife and I are looking forward to an overseas trip, something we have wanted to do for a long, long time. Unfortunatley it means I will have to miss the 2012 SEABL season but I will be watching the boys and cheering them on” said Herbert.

Herbert does intend on returning to the Supercats “It’s not over, I’m not retired, I love playing for the Supercats, I intend to keep playing for the Supercats until my body tells me I can’t play any more and hopefully that’s a long time from now”.

The Geelong Lady Supercats will also be without Canadian import Chelsea Aubry for the 2012 SEABL season. Aubry, who is a member of the Canadian national team, played seven games for the Lady Supercats in their 2011 inaugral SEABL season before heading back to Canada to prepare for Olympic trials. Although only suiting up for seven games, Aubry made an immediate impact, averaging 18ppg and 11.1rpg.

Lady Supercats head coach Paul O’Brien was hopeful of being able to re-sign Chelsea, who is currently playing alongside Lady Supercats MVP Deanna Smith in the WNBL with the Bendigo Spirit, for a second season. However, the Canadian national team  are still in contention to book a spot at the London 2012 Olympics. The FIBA world qualifiers will be held in Turkey in June, but Aubry will be required to report to training camp for the National team in early May.

“We talked extensively with Chelsea about coming back to Geelong, and if it wasn’t for the Olympic qualifiers she would definitely be here. Obviously the Olympics is a top priority, and for us we didn’t feel it was right for the team to have Chels come in and play just a couple of games again” said coach O’Brien.

“We definitely hope to see Chelsea back in the Lady Supercats red jersey in the future, but for right now we wish her all the best in the Olympic qualifiers. We have been in talks with another import and we hope to finalise some details and make that announcement very soon.”