By JARROD POTTER
RETURNING to his long-time basketball home for the BIG V pre-season tournament – after making an off-season switch to play with the Casey Cavaliers – proved a little strange for Brent Hobba.
For one, it was in different colours to what the nine-year Rangers’ veteran was accustomed to.
After nine seasons and a SEABL championship in 2013, the relentless Australia-wide SEABL travel was too much for 33-year-old Hobba who lives in Ferntree Gully. He wanted to remain closer to home and wife Amanda – a basketball star in her own right – about to give birth to their second child.
For the 205cm forward/centre it was time to put family first and focus on sinking treys and snaring rebounds locally.
“Really weird… didn’t think I’d ever leave the club, but it’s nice to be playing back here (in Dandenong),” Hobba said on Monday.
“My wife is due in a couple of weeks and I know Stew (coach Stewart Baird) and a few of the guys on the team… really good mates… and having two kids it would have been really hard doing SEABL and road trips.
“I really wanted to keep playing, but I didn’t think SEABL was really an option… it’s nice to have somewhere to play close to work.”
The Cranbourne East Secondary College teacher had plied his craft with the Perth Wildcats and South Dragons before switching to the SEABL to play for Dandenong Rangers and will now add another dimension to the Cavaliers roster in their first year in Division 1.
“It’s been really welcoming and we’ve improved a lot over the weekend and the last couple of weeks, made some huge steps and hope we can keep doing that,” Hobba said.
Hobba’s Cavaliers kick off their BIG V Division 1 campaign against Melbourne University on Saturday.
