By JARROD POTTER
WHAT a difference a year makes.
At the presentation ceremony in last season’s SEABL championship final, Daequon Montreal, 25, had his arm in a sling, with a runners-up medallion around his neck, feeling worse for wear after a 65-63 loss to Albury-Wodonga.
This year the match was definitely played on Montreal’s terms.
Firing out in the first half – the Boise State alumnus had 25 points by the main break and caused havoc for Mt Gambier’s inside and outside defence alike.
He would hit another 21 in the second half – shooting at a superhuman 71 per cent from the field and 57 per cent beyond the three-point arc.
To finish the match with 46 points, with the Hugh McMenamin Medal draped around his neck for the best on court performance in the grand final was beyond Montreal’s wildest dreams and he couldn’t believe he pulled off a career-defining match when it counted most.
“Never – not only blow apart but just have one of the best games of my career on the floor,” Montreal said.
“You never think as a player going into a game you’re going to have one of those games, but once you start shooting and they start going in the basket just gets bigger and bigger.”
“Hats off to my guys – they saw that I was in the rhythm and kept getting me the ball.”
Winning this year and shaking off the narrow championship loss last season makes the win even better for Montreal.
“Makes it so much sweeter and I’m not injured,” Montreal said.
“I got injured last year and lost so that was a low low, but this year I played one of the best games of my career and won – so it’s the best moment of my career so far as a pro.”
Dandenong coach Darren Perry said that despite the huge tally Montreal accrued, that deciding moment block proved most crucial to the championship victory.
“He shot the ball incredibly well – but of all the points he put up, the one big play was that block,” Perry said.
“If they get that dunk or cut it to three points coming into the last two minutes – that was just huge.”
Montreal was given a free-run at the Robinson block after being caught on a screen – describing that magical moment – when he was suspended metres in the air as ’amazing’.
“They set a screen on me, DC (Dwayne Campbell) got caught on the switch and came over the top – I got left out of it as I was caught on the screen,” Montreal said.
“I had a free run at it – it felt amazing especially at that time of the game when we needed a stop – one of the biggest blocks of my career.”
Montreal wanted to thank the group for the season they had and hopes to return to Australia next season to help Dandenong defend its title.
“Hats off to my guys – great group of guys, I love them and hopefully I can come back next year and we can continue this,” Montreal said.
