The Big V state championship’s most valuable player, Mike Rose, has signed with the ORENA Hume City Broncos.
The Broncos announced the signings of Rose and fellow American import Trevor Clayton on Sunday, with a return to state championship finals in mind.
Rose played with Knox last season, and previously played with Bulleen in 2013.
He averaged 22.4 points per game this year and showed his range from beyond the three-point arc, shooting at 37.9 per cent from that distance.
Overall, he shot at 41 per cent. He also averaged six rebounds and three assists per game, and had the third most steals for the season.
As well as winning the MVP, he was named in the all-star five team. He was previously with former National Basketball League side Melbourne Tigers, where he played eight games in the 2009-10 season.
Broncos’ coach Kelvin Bowers said he is looking forward to seeing Rose and fellow all-star five-team member Lee Jeka in action together.
Jeka, who topped the points average this season with 25.6 points per game, is just as dangerous from the three-point line as Rose.
“Mike Rose will bring a work ethic that will be contagious and force the team to follow,” Bowers said. “We are blessed to have the services of the league’s current MVP.
“Mike is a phenomenal offensive player, but puts in work on the defensive end. He is a quiet leader that lets his play do the talking.”
Clayton joins the Broncos from Corio. He averaged 14.9 points per game, but it’s at the defensive end that he stands out. He led the state championship division this season in average rebounds per game and had 81 more rebounds than the next best.
“Trevor will be a force when he puts on a Hume City Broncos’ uniform. His energy and passion on both ends of floor will be a tremendous asset this season. His ability to play multiple positions, along with his athleticism, will make him a force to be reckoned with.”
The two will help lead a new-look Broncos under the guidance of Bowers. It will be his first full season as head coach, after replacing Lanard Copeland mid-season.
As well as the two imports, the club has re-signed players from this year, including Jeka, Luke Egan, Nick Jones, Nicholas Valenta, Shaun Prasad and Shaun Prendergast.
The Broncos finished seventh this year after being hit by injuries late in the season.
