Sharks head coach Rob Beveridge secured Cunningham’s signature and Bolger had to then confirm his critical worker exemption from Immigration New Zealand, along with a spot in managed isolation on arrival. The situation was “bitter-sweet” for Beveridge, who was set to fulfil a long-term goal of coaching Daniel Alexander, but he was delighted to attract Cunningham to Invercargill in his place. “He is a 6’8, 110kg power forward and highly credentialed player who most recently played for Westchester Kings in the NBA G-League. Josh has a great pedigree where he played his college career out of Dayton in the very strong Atlantic 10 Conference,” Beveridge said.
Connor Coll will return to the Southland Sharks for the 2021 National Basketball League season.
After a year off NBL basketball in 2020, Invercargill’s Connor Coll is excited for the return of the SIT Zero Fees Southland Sharks next month. That’s not surprising after last year’s COVID-impacted season, but in Coll’s case he also added insult or injury or, more accurately, injury to an already frustrating season. “I picked up an injury breaking my wrist, so I have been rehabbing since early August. I went up for a dunk attempt and landed a bit awkwardly, actually, I didn’t really land at all.
The six-foot eight guard is delighted to be home and couldn’t be happier 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 coach Rob Beveridge) and the Sharks ticked all the boxes,” he said. After playing his high School basketball for Rangitoto College, Inger was signed to play for US Division 1 College Mount St. Mary’s before a late change in coaching staff saw the State-side opportunity close and a new one open up in Western Australia.
Toby Gillooly playing for New Zealand at the under-19 World Cup in Egypt in 2017.
The SIT Zero Fees Southland Sharks continues to build its 2021 National Basketball League playing roster with Canterbury’s Toby Gillooly the latest to put pen to paper. The 22-year-old six foot four guard joins Dom Kelman-Poto and Alonzo Burton as confirmed signings for next year’s Sal’s NBL and is yet another player attracted south by the chance to develop his game under the tutelage of Sharks’ coach Rob Beveridge. “When I talked to Bevo (Beveridge) and heard how he wanted to play, the winning culture that he is known for and how he wanted to develop me as a person and as a player, it just ticked all the boxes,” Gillooly said.