By JARROD POTTER
HOW quickly the seasons have gone watching Dandenong Rangers’ Daequon Montreal play in Australia.
From Bronco to Ranger in the blink of an eye, the Boise State University star has relished his first four seasons of professional basketball as he reached his 100th SEABL match on Saturday night.
What has happened since for Montreal, 27, in his first hundred is fairly remarkable.
Since arriving in 2012, Montreal has amassed two SEABL East Conference titles, earned two SEABL All Star Men’s Team honours and claimed the greatest prize of all – a SEABL Championship victory over Mt Gambier.
His 46-point haul in the last match of 2013 earned Montreal the Hugh McMenamin Medal as the best player on court, which he describes as “best performance I’ve ever had in my professional career”.
Montreal also earned a spot on the Adelaide 36ers NBL roster last season and could be a potential signing this year as the new season looms closer.
But despite the accolades and Dandenong’s successes throughout the years, the biggest highlight of all for the 201cm forward is how he can continue to professionally play the game he loves week-in, week-out.
“Highlights are definitely just being able to play here – being able to continue my career after college and play professionally,” Montreal said. “Having the opportunity I’m so grateful for that.”
Montreal’s wife Jamie Lee and daughter Keyana were in the stands on Saturday night to celebrate his milestone as Dandenong was able to take an 81-75 win over Frankston.
While the matches have flown by fast, Montreal knows it has been an incredible journey already and was thankful to play with and be coached by such tremendous people at Dandenong.
“To be able to play 100 here, especially with Dandenong, it’s crept up on me but has been great,” Montreal said. “Great group of guys who have come and played here in the past four seasons and it’s been amazing to be able to play for DP (coach Darren Perry) these last four seasons.”
Montreal dropped 13 points and eight rebounds, but saved praise for Dandenong’s younger contingent getting the job done on Saturday night as Michael Wearne, Dieuson Biyendolo and Mason Peatling stepped up emphatically.
“Our young guys really stepped up as we had a bit of foul trouble,” Montreal said. “Guys in foul trouble, guys not making their shots early, so our young guys came off the bench and really played well for us tonight (Saturday).”
Dandenong Rangers coach Darren Perry said Montreal continued to step up in a constantly improving SEABL competition and had earned his status as one of the league’s premier players.
“He’s gotten better and better I’ve thought because the league improves every year,” Perry said. “For him to stay in that top echelon of players in the league, he’s adding more and more to his game and it’s nice to have him on our side.”
DAEQUON MONTREAL – SEABL STATISTICS
GAMES: 100
HONOURS: 2013 SEABL Championship, 2013 McMenamin Medallist, 2012 and 2013 SEABL East Conference titles, 2013 and 2014 SEABL All Star Team
POINTS: 2144 at 21.4 points per game
REBOUNDS: 7.0 per game
