Tornadoes add talent with US import for 2021

The Launceston Tornadoes have announced another important signing for the 2021 NBL1 South season.

Experienced American guard D’Asia Chambers has committed to the Tornadoes' NBL1 program after spending the past season playing in Tasmania.

Tornadoes Head Coach Sarah Veale is excited to see what Chambers can do in the upcoming season, beginning on Saturday 17 April.

"We are thrilled to have secured D’Asia Chambers for the Launceston Tornadoes this season," she said.

"D’Asia brings a lot of experience to our team, with the ability to play a number of positions and score freely.

"She is a strong player that is comfortable mixing it with much larger opponents in the key and can shoot the ball from beyond the three-point line.

"She will add some grunt to our game and has been training well with the other players in the squad."

Chambers, 28, graduated from Slippery Rock University (Division 2) in 2015 and has played in Germany, Finland, Luxemburg and Egypt before heading to Tasmania in early 2020 to play for Smithton in the NWBU.

Chambers played in the 2020 NWBU season before COVID-19 shut down the season in March.

In the nine games she played before the season was cancelled, she averaged 31 points, 15 rebounds and three assists per game.

She stayed in Tasmania during the COVID-19 shutdown and played for Wynyard in the State League competition.

She won the State League MVP, averaging 28 points and 11 rebounds per game and leading Wynyard to State League Champions.

She has remained in Tasmania and has been training with the Tornadoes for the entire preseason and is ready for the opportunity.

Chambers has ambitions of playing at a higher level and sees the opportunity to play with the Launceston Tornadoes as an audition for a potential offer in the WNBL later this year.

"I am excited about the opportunity to play with the Launceston Tornadoes this season," she said.

"With everything that has happened in the last year, I am grateful to be able to do what I love.

"I have enjoyed my experience here in Tasmania playing in the NWBU.

"This is a chance for me to play in a higher standard league and improve all elements of my game.

"I am excited for the NBL1 season to start."

The Launceston Tornadoes have secured four contracted players this season with Chambers joining Keely Froling, Teyla Evans and Mariah Payne on the NBL1 Women's roster.

The club will announce its squad of local players over the next week in the lead-up to the first game on Saturday 17 April against the Hobart Chargers.

The Tornadoes' first home game is in Round 2 on Saturday 24 April against the Ballarat Rush.