VBL: Keilor Thunder aims to make big noise

KEILOR Thunder is blessed with its deepest playing roster since Peter Jukes took over as coach of the Victorian Basketball League Big V men’s division 1 team five years ago.

The Thunder have reached the finals in every season of Jukes’ tenure without landing the holy grail.

After a positive start to the season, Jukes told the Weekly of his belief that his team can snap its frustrating run of finals exits and take the next step.

“Oh yeah,” he said when asked if his side was ready to fulfil its title ambitions. This is our best chance.”

The Thunder have assembled an exciting group of home-grown players.

They have managed to acquire what they did not have in recent season, depth on the bench and genuine competition for spots on the starting five.

“We’ve brought in some young guys and their enthusiasm has given us a new lease of life,” Jukes said.

“It’s created a bit more depth and more defence because we struggled a bit defensively in the finals last season.”

The biggest acquisition of the off-season was shooting guard Brent Radoslovic.

The former junior had spent recent seasons with Whittlesea Pacers but opted to come home to aid Thunder’s premiership quest.

Radoslovic has been “on fire” in the words of Jukes, averaging 21 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game to go with a hard-nosed approach to defence.

“At 26, he’s one of our older players,” Jukes said.

“He’s always been a good three-point shooter, but this year he’s had good dribble penetration and defence.

“He’s come back a more rounded player and is fitting in really well.”

The improvement has come from the evolution of youngsters such as small forward Joel Leebody, shooting guard Brodie Sharpe, centre Dusan Skenderovic and 16-year-old shooter Joel Smith.

Jukes is confident in players one to 14 on the roster and not afraid to call upon them at crucial times within a game.

“We’ve got a lot more diversity this year,” he said. “We’ve also got good coverage if we get injuries. They fit in really well in our structure.”

The Thunder have brought power forward Brad Courts into the starting group.

The top-four Thunder have a bye this weekend to freshen up for their trip to Keysborough on April 28.