By ADEM SARICAOGLU
NEW Altona coach Des Radoslovic is promising an exciting brand of Gators’ basketball in 2014.
Radoslovic, who took over from Randy Shanklin in October, has geared his off-season training and recruiting strategy toward ensuring his Gators are one of the most potent and prolific scoring teams in Division One Big V men’s basketball.
“You’ll see a bit of a different Altona this year, that’s one thing I’ll guarantee,” Radoslovic said.
“We’ll be high-scoring and outside the box from what Altona teams of the past have been.
“We’re going to be a very aggressive, up-tempo team.”
Radoslovic has put together what will be one of the younger teams in Division One, but said he’ll be implementing a game plan that should hold firm throughout the year.
“Division One is a very experienced, veteran-type league, and we want to be a little bit different,” Radoslovic said.
“I’ve gone out and recruited some young athletes that really go hand in hand with the way I want to play, so we’ll be an undersized team, but we’ll play to our strengths.”
Less than half of last year’s squad will be returning for the 2014 season, but Radoslovic has looked far and wide to fill the void left behind by the likes of Shaun Phelan, Craig Martin and Nathan Wapshott.
A total of eight new faces have so far been confirmed for Altona, with Shanklin set to return to the floor after spending 2013 coaching both of the Gators’ senior men and women.
Radoslovic’s brother, Brent, has come across from the Keilor Thunder and Big V journeyman Peter Zamouzaris will also be suiting up in the purple and gold.
However, four of the new faces in the Gators’ squad have all come from outside Victoria, with Wani Toaishara (New Zealand), Daniel Borbajo (New South Wales), Isaac Deakin (Queensland) and Johnson Chung (NSW) all coming on board over the summer.
Radoslovic said making the finals is a reasonable expectation for Altona this season despite going 7-15 in 2013.
“If you’re in the finals, you’re in the hunt, that’s the way it is,” Radoslovic said.
“So the goal is definitely to make the finals and have an impact from there.”
The new Big V season tips off in mid-March.
