By Tara Murray
New Whittlesea Pacers import Francis Kiapway made an instant impact on the Big V division 2 club.
Looking for an import for the upcoming season, Pacers coaching director Damon Lowery said that Kiapway stood out.
“He is an explosive combo guard,” he said.
“He plays with an intensity and it made him hard to pass up. We’ll be looking to him to be extremely agressieve and tick the scoreboard over.”
Kiapway will be one of the key pieces as the Pacers look to return to some winning form and turn their fortunes around.
The Pacers have been relegated from division 1 after finishing bottom with just four wins last year.
It’s been a tough few years for the Pacers that were in the state championship division just three years ago.
Lowery said they were determined to rise back through the ranks. He said looking back they probably didn’t have the team to play in the top division.
“When you drop down a division the goal is to win it and go back up,” he said.
“We had the talent of a division 1 team, but for a variety of reasons it didn’t go well.
“We’re desperate to get out of division 2.”
Lowery said the nucleus of this year’s team had returned and would again form the core of the side.
Dean Van Lunenburg, Rory Smith, Nathan Freeman, Hakeem Simon and Judson Seumanu were among those returning.
Lowery said they had some exciting youngsters coming through the youth league team that could get opportunities.
“We’ve had an influx of kids in the youth league side. I think they have some senior games in them this season.
Lowery said they had almost completed their squad for this season. He said they were hoping to add another power forward to compliment what they have.
Whittlesea Pacers are expected to announce their men’s coach in the coming days.
