TAMWORTH Thunderbolts welcomed new US import Jonny Miller with a blow-out 47-point win over Lismore Storm in their opening game of the new State League season on the Tamworth Sports Dome Show Court on Saturday night.
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Miller reciprocated by shooting a game-high 20 points despite sitting out most of the final quarter of the 105-58 win.
The just-turned 24-year-old thrilled the good opening- night crowd with some impressive long-range shooting as well as a couple of big dunks.
“It was good,” the Florida-born point guard said although he admitted to being tired.
He had just flown in on Friday and had one training session to “acclimatise” with his new teammates.
Thunderbolt coach John Ireland was more than happy with what he saw from Miller and his young team.
“Jonny did some real good things despite only having the one session with the boys,” Ireland said.
“Luke Krug was outstanding, shot the ball really well. And Darren Manoharan, the Gunnedah dentist, had one of his best games for us.
“Darren set the defensive tone in the second quarter that led to the blow-out.”
The Thunderbolts started slowly but blew the game wide open in the second quarter to lead 57-29 at the major break.
“We were pretty good all round tonight,” Ireland said.
“Everyone got a run and we did rotate well.
“Lismore are a young group and showed a lot of spirit – they fought hard and made us earn it.”
Any thoughts of a storm comeback in the final quarter were wiped out in the opening seconds when Krug struck with a three-point bomb and then Ben Monckton, who scored 19, capitalised on some good defence to race in three quick breakaways, one of them coming from a big reject by Laurence York.
Phil Sobieszuk then finished the game with three successive three-point bombs in the final minute.
North West CHS basketball trials were held at the Tamworth Sports Dome last Friday.
Jayden Pryer has been one of the young guns in training with the Thunderbolts and will head to the State Carnival next month with the North West boys’ side.
The Oxley High student was one of around 30 trialling on Friday for a place in the zone side to play in Minto from April 28-30.
Louise Taylor will coach them and was pretty happy with what she saw.
It made finalising the side tough.
The NW girls’ trials were also held on Friday.
They will travel to Penrith in the first week of May under the guidance of Thunderbolts coach John Ireland.
TAMWORTH THUNDERBOLTS 105 (Jonny Miller 20, Matt Monckton 19, Luke Krug 18, Phil Sobieszuk 12, Rhys Chillingworth 12, Justin Leehy 11, Joe Hassan 7, Laurence York 2, Ben Eather 2) d LISMORE STORM 58 (Toby Jeffrey 16, Callum Bennie 14, Brody Reidy 8, Ben Wilton 8, Adrian Van Eck 7, Reece Fensom 2, Daniel Moses 2, Michael Baggaley 1).
