Basketball: New Hunters coach excited at potential of young group

But the seasoned mentor has no doubts that the Hunters will improve on whatever they dish up against the Panthers.

Nottage, one of the most respected coaches in Australia, has a predominantly fresh-faced group.

Guards Jaidyn Goodwin and Jakob Dorricott and post-player Trace Evans are eligible for youth league, while Lachy Reid and William Howell are in their first full season in the men's team.

Long-time Sydney Comets big man Tom Dawson provides experience in the paint.

The x-factor is American import, Jordan Riewer - a 1.88m shooting guard who graduated from the Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2015 and has played in Europe and South Australia.

There will be more additions to the squad when the likes of Jacob Foy and Alex Clinton return from college in the US.

"We are going to be pretty young," Nottage said. "The import will add to the mix and getting Tom Dawson is a bonus for us. I think we have a pretty good platform from which to build. I would expect the first third [of the season] will be fairly messy as we feel our way. The middle third we will try and consolidate and the final third go for a position."

Penrith finished three places and four wins ahead of the 11th-placed Hunters last season.

They began their 2020 campaign with a 125-79 capitulation to a red hot Centre Of Excellence.

"We will definitely go after the first eight seconds and see if we can get something," Nottage said. "Get people up and down the floor. Defensively we will get into it. Penrith are pretty big and lumbering, and I don't think we want to be walking up and down the court. We want to be pushing at them."

Dawson averaged 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Comets last season.

Riewer played for the Central District Lions in the 2019 South Australian Premier League, averaging 16 points per game, five rebounds and five assists.

The 28-year-old touched down from the US on Friday, is yet to meet his new teammates and is not expected to play significant minutes against Penrith

"Jordan is a decent shooter of the basketball and has a high basketball IQ," Nottage said. "We are going to need that with a young group.

"He will figure it out pretty quick and pick his spots and will be hard for teams to hone in on him. He is also a smart enough kid to pass the ball. He is not going to try and jack it up for the hell of it.

"There will be times when he has to carry us, there will be times where we ask him to get everyone more involved. He will have all encompassing role."

Nottage has coached the Central Coast previously in the Waratah League but has spent the last few years working mainly with juniors. He is head of basketball at Newington College in Sydney has Goodwin and Reid in his school program.

"I'm comfortable with them and they are comfortable with me," Nottage said. "I'm really happy with all the young guys. Their intent has been very good. They are having a crack and trying to implement the systems and patterns of play we are trying to put in.

"The league is not new to me. The adjustment I will have is that I have been coaching kids for a while. Going back to men is slightly different but I'm confident I will adapt pretty quick."

Hunters: Hayden Howell, Jaidyn Goodwin, Jakob Dorricott, Lachlan Reid, Lonnie Funderburke, Trace Evans, William Howell, Tom Dawson, Jordan Riewer

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