By Tara Murray
The Sunbury Jets are hoping to get a bit of consistency with their group to set them up for the Big V men’s championship season.
Both the Jets imports have already arrived, giving them vital time on the court with the rest of the playing group before the season starts.
Coach Nathan Heywood said it would be good to have the whole group together.
“We can get that continuity banked with a six to seven week block and hopefully put that together and see some positive results,” he said.
“We want to keep that continuity. We’re starting to build into the practice match series through March and February.
“We’ll look to put some training into practice.”
Heywood said there had been a little bit of change to the squad but they’d been able to keep the core group together.
Import guard Josh Yorke-Frazer returns for a second season. He battled through injuries last season, but still averages 24 points per game been he got on the co
Byron Gladden is the second import. He is a versatile power forward who has played professionally for six years.
The rest of the group has a local Sunbury feel to it.
Captain Nathan Marshall returns again and will play a key role.
Jeremy Wragg, Koby Skenderis, Sonny Maxwell and Dylan Cheyne also return from last season’s team.
Jack Betson, who was the Jets youth league most valuable player last season, has been promoted.
Cooper Kirkman is the other new signing announced by the Jets. Kirkman comes from the Keilor Thunder having been part of its National Basketball League 1 South side.
The Jets newest signing is Joe Dali who is set to add size and athleticism to the roster. He has played with Dandenong Rangers.
Heywood had a tough first season in charge at the Jets, with the side finishing ninth with a 9-13 record.
Injuries played havoc with the team struggling to get their best side on the court, week in, week out.
Heywood said they were hoping they could get back into the top four and compete for the title.
“That is the aim,” he said. “I feel like we will be competitive this year.
“We’ve put a few things in place to manage the loads around injuries the best we can.”
The Jets kick off their season on March 29 at home against the Hume City Broncos.
Meanwhile the Jets youth league men’s side earned promotion into youth league 1 following the qualifying games.
