“I BELIEVE we've got all the pieces – we've just gotta put the puzzle together.”
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Justin Browning has made his intentions clear less than 48 hours after arriving on the Border – the Albury-Wodonga Bandits import is hungry for a championship.
He and fellow U.S. import T.J. Robinson arrived at their new home on Monday, just over a month out from the commencement of the 2017 SEABL season.
The 23-year-old has big shoes to fill, replacing two-time SEABL All-Star Donte Nicholas at small forward.
But if he has any nerves, they aren't showing.
“I'm here to bring energy,” Browning said.
“I've been an energy guy all my life, every team I’ve played with.
“Whether it's off the bench or as a starter, my role has been to bring energy and get my guys pumped.
“Steals, dunks, anything – just winning plays.”
There's an element of yin and yang to Browning and Robinson.
Robinson is the eldest of the pair, a 27-year-old championship winner with the Sheffield Sharks in the British Basketball League.
Melbourne United point guard Casper Ware and Memphis Grizzlies small forward James Ennis are former college teammates of the 202-centimetre power forward, while Robinson himself came close to making an NBA roster when he joined the Santa Cruz Warriors in the D-League after his time at Long Beach State came to a close.
Robinson has the calmer demeanour of the two – not necessarily shy, but perhaps a little more reserved compared to the slightly more outgoing Browning.
Where Browning is looking to bring energy, Robinson is looking to bring experience.
“I've been around, played in a lot of places, so I just want to have fun,” he said.
“I want to bring experience and professionalism to the team.”
With extensive experience playing in Europe, it’s Robinson's intimate knowledge of the NBL and Australian basketball that has impressed coach Brad Chalmers as he gears up for another campaign.
“He's certainly heard a lot about Australia, particularly the NBL,” Chalmers said.
“It fills you with confidence when your guy has a bit of knowledge about what's going on.”
The new-look Bandits squad has taken shape quickly ahead of this season – only point guard Joel Spear is yet to arrive on the Border (he won't arrive until his season with the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL comes to an end).
With the recruitment process over and done with practically before the new year, Chalmers said the team could focus on gelling on and off the court in the weeks to come.
“We're not shying away from the fact we want to be really competitive,” he said.
“We're not talking championships right now, but from the standpoint of (Browning and Robinson) they're here to win games and better their careers.
“I was on public record a lot last year saying that we had the talent, but we just didn't get on the same page.
“That's where these two and some of the others need to make sure the chemistry is strong, that they lead from the front.
“I expect that from particularly from T.J. and Deba (George).
“Further to that it'll be about getting these guys into the x's and o's, how we play defence and how we run offence.”
The Bandits should boast as much offensive weaponry as ever this season.
Robinson averaged 17 points per game with a shooting percentage of 55 in his last season with the Sheffield Sharks, while Browning averaged 10 points and two assists at 51 per cent from the field, as well as 32 per cent from three as a senior at Western Carolina University.
But it's the improved defensive ability of the two imports that has the Bandits coaching staff excited.
Robinson has long had a reputation as an elite rebounder, averaging a league-high 11 boards per game with Sheffield, while Browning boasted six rebounds and two steals in his last full season with the Catamounts.
Browning can also cover both forward positions, and brings a history of being a defensive specialist.
“The recruiting process is hard every year, we try to be really diligent,” Chalmers said.
“We needed to replace some firepower, particularly with Donte (Nicholas) leaving.
“We wanted to upgrade at Greg (Mays') spot, we needed more experience there.
“Greg was a rookie in that position, and although he did quite well statistically he probably didn't provide all the intangibles we needed.
“That was something we really targeted with T.J.
“We immediately saw a similar skill set to Donte in Justin.
“Hopefully he'll be just a younger version of him, he's very hungry to win.”