Bendigo roster an excitement machine

Bendigo Bank Braves fans can expect exciting, fast, and offensive-focused play from their impressive men’s roster this season.

The Braves Men are looking to top their NLB1 South semi-final finish last year, and they may just have the players to do it.

Bendigo has added four new local and international stars to their roster for 2023, and mixed it in with a lot of quality youth, and returning young talent.

Lat Mayen is one star who will get Braves fans out of their seats this season. The 24-year-old 206cm excitement machine comes to Bendigo after a quality NBL season with the Cairns Taipans.

Adam Pechacek is another standout on the Bendigo roster. The Czech Republic 28-year-old left-hander stands at 207cm and comes to the Braves from a season in Germany.

The man mountain will be impossible to keep off the boards, and his outside game is impressive.

Isaac Turner is a name most NBL1 South fans know, and he’ll suit up for Bendigo this season. The 192cm import guard averaged 20 points per game for the Geelong Supercats last season at 45%, proof he is a shooting machine.

Bijan Johnson is another key in for Bendigo for 2023. The 27-year-old has NBL experience and has excelled at the next level down.

Those fab four will join local stars Luke Rosendale, Isaac Murphy, and Dylan McCauley who took massive steps forward in 2022 at both ends of the court.

The remaining roster is filled with either returning or new young Bendigo up-and-comers who are quickly making a name for themselves.

Billy Smythe, Lachlan O’Brien, and Liam O’Brien return for another season, and Ned Hayes, Harry King, Josiah Pattinson, and Lachlan Sommerville have been added to the roster.

“We’re skewering younger again this year in general,” coach Stephen Black said.

“That’s deliberate so we can bring in imports who have a bit more experience, who have been through a lot of battels, and will provide balance to our line-up.

“We’ll play a different way this year, which is exciting. We have added ball handling and offensive power and we want to play with pace.

“It will be exciting to see how it all comes together.”

Photo - Craig Dilks Photography