Geraldton Buccaneers’ new signings ready to impress

As the Geraldton Buccaneers begin their 2022 NBL 1 West campaign on Saturday night against the South West Slammers, who are the new players fans can look forward to seeing in the lineup?

It’s been a big off-season for the Buccs, following the departure of key players such as Brayden Inger and veteran Aaron Ralph, who has a long-term injury.

Their squad has been overhauled, bringing in a number of fresh faces for the 2022 season.

Coach Dayle Joseph said he’s excited for the new signings to show what they can do on the court.

“We signed Cameron Coleman nice and early, who’s a US import, he’s been in Australia now for a couple of years. He’s played in the NBL 1 Central for a year or two. We recruited him nice and early and then sort of built a pretty good team around him I believe,” he said.

They have also signed 2.03 metre forward Ryan Blanchett from the Kalamunda Eastern Suns, who moved up to Geraldton for work as a school teacher.

“Fletcher Klasztorny also, six foot seven, athletic, two-three, player for us. So he’s come via Mandurah, Kalgoorlie and yes, landed here in Geraldton. So we’re excited to have him here as well,” Joseph said.

Klasztorny is a 24-year-old, 201 cm guard, who grew up and played in Mandurah before being recruited to play college basketball at North Dakota for a year.

“Then we have Sean Stewart, the US import who we signed back in 2020. Didn’t get to play a game for us due to COVID shutting everything down and he had to be sent home. So we’re really fortunate enough that we’re able to resign him and get him back for 2022,” Joseph said.

The re-opening of the hard border at the start of March allowed Stewart to meet up with his new teammates and start training without having to quarantine.

“Malik Meunier, he’s come highly recommended as a young guy from Victoria. He represented Vic Metro through junior grades and was looking for a bit of a change and an opportunity. I’m really glad he’s chosen Geraldton as a possibility to help him with his basketball,” Joseph said.

Meunier represented Victoria at the U20 national championships in 2018 and was a part of the Knox Raiders in the past few years playing in the NBL1 South.

With these additions the Buccs will be hoping to compete for the NBL 1 West Championship after a disappointing mid-table finish last season.