Talented New Trio Joins Wildcats

The Eltham Wildcats are excited to welcome the young talented trio of Georgia Koopmans, Kayla Salmons & Eleanor Trout for the 2024 NBL1 South Season.

Koopmans, a 20-year-old forward from Warragul in regional Victoria represented Vic Country in the Australian National Championships as a junior and last year played for the Knox Raiders in NBL1 South.

Head Coach Matt Bongetti is excited to welcome Koopmans to the team.

“Georgia is going to be a great addition to our program. I am really looking forward to seeing her develop throughout the season. She shoots the ball at a high level and is able to impact the game at both ends of the floor.”

Koopmans has high praise for her new team.

“I am really excited to play for the Wildcats this season, the culture that our club has already established has become like family before the seasons even begun. I’m looking forward to competing alongside some really talented girls and developing further as a player throughout the season.” 

Kayla Salmons, the Altona Gators junior is a 6’3 Centre who played college basketball in USA for the University of Buffalo last year and joins the Eltham Wildcats for her debut NBL1 season.

Salmons will play key role in the paint for the team this year according to coach Matt Bongetti.

“We are excited to have Kayla play with us this season. She is already a great presence defensively and has shown a willingness throughout the pre-season to get better. She is very unselfish and has fitted in really well with our group.”

The new addition expressed her thoughts about playing her first NBL1 season with the Wildcats.

“When Matt reached out to me about playing for Eltham, I was excited and nervous, this will be my first season in NBL1 so I wasn’t sure what to expect but everyone has been amazing.”

“I have felt so supported and loved in my short time being here and the community and culture that has been built up here is truly different than anywhere I’ve been before.

“I’m super excited for the season and what we can bring to this league, we are such a well-rounded team, and we are 11 deep, anyone can sub on at any time and the tempo never changes and I think that is the edge that we will have against other teams. I can’t wait to get out on the court and not only show everyone I can do but what our team can do, I think we have a great chance of going all the way!”

Eleanor Trout is a 6’3 versatile wing player who played her junior basketball at Manly Warringah (NSW). Trout will play both (u23) Youth League and NBL1 for the Eltham Wildcats in 2024 and Coach Bongetti couldn’t be more excited to have her on the roster.

“It is great to have Eleanor at Eltham this season at both Youth League and NBL1 level. She is a high-level junior who can shoot the ball well and is disruptive on the defensive end with her length. I am really looking forward to seeing her development over the course of the season.”

You can see all three girls in action this Saturday night when the season tips off at Montmorency Secondary College against local rivals the Diamond Valley Eagles. Tickets and season memberships are on sale now.