ALBURY-WODONGA Lady Bandits imports Toccara Ross and Adijat Adams have been impressed by the work ethic of their young teammates after arriving in Australia last weekend.
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The American duo have only been through a couple of practices with the squad, but Ross said they had made an immediate impression.
“They’re a great group, they work really hard and I think that matters,” she said.
“You can have all the skill in the world but if you don’t go out and work hard every day you’re going to have some issues.
“I could tell straightaway in practice that they want to win and they want to work hard.”
The high praise from the two experienced imports is welcome for coach Jim Wilson’s side, which is likely to give young guns Steph Gorman and Mel Kirby plenty of minutes throughout the season.
Ross and Adams, listed at 181 and 188 centimetres respectively, will start at power forward and centre but both possess the ability to play multiple positions.
I could tell straightaway in practice that they want to win and they want to work hard.
- Toccara Ross
Adams, who spent last season with the Mandurah Magic in the West Australian Basketball League, said it would be important for her to play a leading role.
“My first impression was like whoa, there are some young girls here,” she said.
“I think they’re really good, they don’t hold back.
“They’re going after it, they’re not letting their age hold them back.
“Hopefully that intensity carries them through the season.
“It’s good to see young players that are prepared to attack older players who have been in the game longer than they have.
“That’s what I want to see as a teammate.”
The Lady Bandits have also welcomed former local Emma Mahady back into the fold after the 180-centimetre guard completed four years at California University of Pennsylvania.
Coach Jim Wilson said having in the frontcourt was crucial.
“With these two, we;re still not going to be big enough to compete with some teams who have players that are 6’5, 6’6,” he said.
“But with the determination and grit the girls showed last year, I think we’re going to be able to cover some of those size deficiencies.
“Both girls can play at the three, four or five spots so hopefully they’ll be able to score consistently.
“Part of that though is making sure we get four or five players scoring in double figures.
“We’re happy with what they’ve shown in practice so far.”
The 2017 SEABL season gets underway on March 24.
