By ROY WARD
DANDENONG Rangers have found the perfect replacement for starting forward Venky Jois in the next South East Australian Basketball League season.
Former Rangers junior and now Melbourne Tigers development player Owen Odigie has agreed to play with the club in winter, taking the spot of the athletic Jois, who has headed to Eastern Washington University in the US.
Odigie played for the Rangers’ under-18 side before taking a full scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport.
Odigie has also played for Australia in the under-17 FIBA world championships, under-19 world championships and at the adidas Eurocamp.
“I’m really happy to be back at Dandenong and in familiar surroundings,” Odigie said. “I’m excited to be given the opportunity to play with the other guys on this team and for [Rangers coach] Darren [Perry].”
“I’m looking forward to being able to play week in, week out. For three years I have missed that consistent competition. I have spoken with DP about the role he wants me to play and I’m confident that I can help the team, whilst he helps me develop my perimeter game. That will assist my future aspirations.”
The Rangers have also re-signed imports Daequon Montreal and Tony Lewis, point guard Andrew Harms and veteran forward Brent Hobba for next year, keeping the core of their grand final side together.
Odigie will join the Rangers at the end of the NBL season.
■ New Dandenong Rangers import Monica Wright wasted no time immersing herself in the WNBL on the weekend.
Despite arriving in Australia mid-week, Wright joined the Rangers for road wins against Adelaide Lightning and West Coast Waves.
Wright had 13 points on debut as the Rangers beat the Lightning 88-79 on Friday night then had a game-high 21 points in the Rangers’ easy 85-61 win over the Waves on Saturday night.
The Rangers host the Waves at Dandenong Stadium this Saturday night at 7pm.
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