The veteran Australian coach told Stuff the Southland community and the Sharks organisation had helped him regain the love of the game again, and he was keen at a shot at coaching the Sharks again next year. There is little doubt the Sharks management will want him back given Beveridge has made a positive impression not just on those close to the Sharks but also the wider Southland community. The only sticking point could be the Covid-19 situation. Beveridge works as a consultant in Australia which includes helping universities with basketball programmes. However, given the Covid-19 situation in Australia that work has been halted and is not expected to restart until at least September or October.
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Southland Sharks import Josh Cunningham and Nelson Giants centre Anzac Risetto during the NBL season opener at the Trafalgar Centre.
The Southland Sharks have delivered a hard-fought 84-65 win against the Mike Pero Nelson Giants to start their 2021 Sal s National Basketball League campaign. In a physical encounter, the travelling SIT Zero Fees Sharks used a 43-28 second half to take a season-opening victory, helped largely by a 47 per cent shooting clip compared with the Giants frustrating 31 per cent effort. Played in front of a packed crowd at Nelson’sTrafalgar Centre, the going was tough early as both teams tried to find their feet, leading to lots of opportunities and highlights and very little separating the pair.
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.