Tara Murray
The Whittlesea Pacers are confident they can match it with the best in the Big V men’s division 1 season.
The Pacers, who lost last season’s division 2 grand final in a thriller, was promoted in the off season into division 1.
Coach Des Radoslovic said they felt that is the division they belong in.
“We were sitting on top of division 2 quite comfortably all year,” he said. “We felt like we would have a great shot in division 1.
“We approached the league straight away to say we wanted to go up. We’re now in the right place.”
Radoslovic said it had been a really smooth off season, with all but one player from last season returning.
League division 2 most valuable player Gabe Evans has headed overseas for work and will miss the season.
Radoslovic said he would re-join the club in the future when he comes back to Australia.
“The core group is back,” he said. “Angus Fisher had an injury interrupted year and was one of our best players when he played.
“Jason Dirkx, Ashely Bryar, Pat Green, Max Stojanovic, Brendan Hughes are all back. Sam Reynolds, who missed last year with a knee injury is back.
“Our two starting guards from youth league finals Chayse and Nick Bartalotta have come up.
“We wanted extra guard strength and rather than look externally, decided to promote our two starting guards, who were ready to step up.”
Radoslovic said continuing to build that relationship with the youth league squad as they continue to rebuild the culture they’ve started working on in the past few years.
While the Pacers have lost Evans, they have added an import, Meekness Payne, to their squad,
Radoslovic said last season they wanted to start building the program up with locals and then add an import from there.
“Every team has one in division 1,” he said. “They are expected to be the best players.
“The calibre of imports coming down here, you’re expecting them to get all-star five.
“Meekness is 24-year=old who has just finished in NCAA division 2.
“Really good guy. He is 6’7, athletic… very valuable skill set.
“Can defend the bigger guys in the key and then switch onto the guards on the perimeter.”
While the Pacers are stepping up a division, Radoslovic has high expectations on what they can achieve this year.
“I think out best challenges every team in the league,” he said. “We back ourselves to be towards the top of the ladder and win the title.
“The goal is to be back in state championship, why not win it this season.”
