By JARROD POTTER
OLYMPIAN Liz Cambage is intent on making her time in the green and gold this year – both with the Opals and her new WNBL team Dandenong – work out for the best.
The Dandenong Rangers have made the signing coup of the upcoming Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) season by signing the 22-year-old former Rangers junior basketballer.
Returning to where her basketball journey started, Cambage’s professional career has taken her to Canberra, USA and China but with her family on the Mornington Peninsula and the upcoming FIBA World Championships her main focus, Cambage preferred to spend 2014/15 back in Australia with the Opals and in the WNBL.
“Just a bit of a break from international play and back to where it all started at Dandenong,” Cambage said.
“I’ve been overseas for three years now and I think it’s time for me to come back and settle down a little bit and give back to where it all started.”
Despite numerous offers from Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) teams, Cambage wanted to base herself locally this year to prepare for international duties.
Instead of cashing in with the Chinese clubs this year, Cambage has taken it upon herself to stand as a leader for the Australian Opals with big name players Lauren Jackson, Suzy Batkovic, Abby Bishop and Jenna O’Hea not featuring in this year’s championships.
“With it being the World Championships this year, it really helped my decision to stay at home,” Cambage said.
“I feel with Lauren 50/50 at the moment and Suzy, Abby and Jenna all sitting out, it was a big decision for me to stay back and take on a bit of a leadership role and try to mentor the younger girls coming through the system with the Opals.”
It will be the first time Cambage has played for Dandenong since her rookie season in 2007/08 before switching to the now defunct Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) team and Bulleen, now known as the Melbourne Boomers.
“It’s going to be a really exciting season and I’ve already been home for four months now, so getting back to home I really needed a whole year at home this season,” she said.
Dandenong coach Mark Wright was thrilled to get Cambage to sign with the Rangers and picking up a player of her calibre immediately makes his side a threat for the championship.
“We’ve hit the jackpot, I think,” Wright said.
“We’re very excited – obviously we had our eye on her and were trying to get her.
“It’s been a bit of a nervous wait for us at Dandenong but now that we’ve got her we’re excited.
“No matter who Liz played for they’d always be in the finals, so thank God she’s with us and we’d better be able to follow that through.”
The Rangers will also feature the return of All Star 5 point guard Kathleen Macleod and WNBA American import Monica Wright to fill the gap left by the off-season departure of Australian Opal and WNBA player Jenna O’Hea.
