Rising talent Brayden Inger had two reasons to celebrate yesterday.
He finished his 14-day managed isolation after returning home to Auckland from Western Australia and he has confirmed he will make his debut in the National Basketball League for the Southland Sharks next year.
Inger is coming off two seasons playing for the Geraldton Buccaneers in the Australian NBL1 West League playing alongside Sharks player James Paringatai, helping the club to its first league title in 2019.
As with most competitions in 2020, his season was heavily impacted by Covid-19, as the West League was postponed and then shortened.
Inger averaged 14 points, on 44% shooting from the field, to go with six rebounds and three assists per game.
The 2m guard is delighted to make Invercargill his new basketball home.
"With all that’s going on, coming home made sense and for any young guy who has the goal of cracking the Australian NBL, playing for Bevo [Sharks head coach Rob Beveridge] and the Sharks ticked all the boxes," he said.
Beveridge was delighted to secure his services for next year.
"Brayden is a high-character person who I believe has the potential to be a full time professional player and a future Tall Black,’’ he said.
Inger becomes the fifth Sharks player to be announced for 2021 along with Dom Kelman-Poto, Alonzo Burton, Toby Gillooly and Alex Pledger.
The Sharks open their season in Nelson on April 26.
