The Eastern Suns have signed Lexie Bland, Jaymee Firkins, Spencer Alone and Chuatwech Reath for the 2022 Coles Express NBL1 West season.
Bland comes across from the United States, where she spent four years at Western Washington University.
Suns Women's Head Coach Tim Rendulic said he had high hopes for the import guard.
"Lexie is a well-rounded guard that has an ability to stretch the floor, get into the paint, draw defenders and find her teammates for scoring opportunities," he said.
"We feel we’ve also found a fantastic running mate to pair with Georgia Denehey, in that Lexie can more than match 'G'’s tenacity and effort at the defensive end.
"Tied in with her leadership qualities and high standards, Lexie will fit right in with the playing group and no doubt be a fan favourite amongst the Suns community.
"Lexie had a great four years at Western Washington University and we’re really looking forward to her starting her post-college career with us here at the Eastern Suns."
Alone is back on board after a promising 2021 NBL1 West campaign with the Suns.
He also had an impact off the court, designing the club's First Nations Round jersey, which they are set to wear again in this year's First Nations Round.
Suns Men's Head Coach Ben Ettridge said he was delighted to welcome Alone back to the fold.
"We are really excited to see what Spencer can do in our system," Ettridge said.
"He has shown flashes of his amazing shooting ability in the past.
"We believe he is one of the best shooters in all of NBL1, and after a strong pre-season, he will be able to put this on full display.
"It’s been a huge off-season for Spencer with wife Ashley welcoming Spencer III to their family.
"A leader on and off the court, Spencer’s strong family values are a great fit with the Eastern Suns culture."
Firkins is a Suns junior and will look to build her game under the tutelage of Rendulic this season.
"We are excited to have Jaymee as part of the Suns program for the upcoming 2022 season," Rendulic said.
"Since my arrival, Jaymee has shown very early on that she possesses a genuine willingness to learn and gives every training session 110 percent.
"She still has much to learn as she’s only starting out on her NBL1 journey, but I’m excited to help her navigate this time, surround her with the right experience and have no doubt she’ll blossom from a WABL junior into a valuable NBL1 contributor over the coming years for the Eastern Suns."
Reath will look to use his athleticism and energy to have a big year on the floor from the Eastern Suns.
This is a prospect that excites Ettridge, highlighting Reath's potential.
“'Chatty' is an amazing athlete and possesses all the weapons necessary to be a great NBL1 player," Ettridge said.
"With the added leadership we are able to put around him this year, our goal is to turn his potential into reality by creating the best possible environment for him.
"He is a regular on the NBL1 highlights, and we are looking for consistent performances to go along with his highlight-reel plays."
View the 2022 NBL1 roster tracker here.
Feature image taken by Sports Imagery
