BENDIGO Braves will boast one of the most dynamic backcourts in the SEABL heading into the 2018 season following the signing of Illawarra Hawks guard Indiana Faithfull.
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The 27-year-old was confirmed by the club on Wednesday as the player who will partner 2016 season league MVP Jeremy Kendle in the Braves’ backcourt.
Originally from Castlecrag, New South Wales, Faithfull was signed by the Hawks in December as an injury replacement for Mitch Norton.
He previously spent time with Sydney Kings in the 2015-16 season.
Faithfull is the second NBL Hawks’ player to land with the Braves, following in the footsteps of 2016 championship player Kevin White, who is now captain at Illawarra.
Braves coach Ben Harvey said he was looking forward to seeing what Faithfull could add to his team and how his pairing with Kendle would impact the Braves’ championship hopes.
“Indiana is a really exciting athlete with a high basketball IQ and very efficient at both ends of the floor which is exactly what I was looking for when I started the process of putting the team together,” he said.
“You add his skill set as a point guard to what Jeremy brings and I think we could have one of the strongest guard combinations in the league this year.
I think we could have one of the strongest guard combinations in the league this year.
- Ben Harvey
“We can’t wait for Indiana and his fiancé Alex to arrive in Bendigo ”
Faithfull scored five points and had two assists in 12:41 minutes of court time in the Hawks’ January 19 loss to Adelaide 36ers.
It won’t be the former United States college and high school basketballer’s first foray into the SEABL.
He spent the 2016 season with Canberra Gunners.
Faithfull averaged 19.7 points per game, at an impressive 47 per cent from the field, four rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for the Sydney Comets in the 2017 NSW Waratah league before he earned a call-up from the Hawks.
His signing continues the link between the NBL Hawks and SEABL powerhouse, underscored by White’s sole season in Bendigo and Braves young gun Jake Lloyd spending part of the 2017-18 NBL pre-season in Illawarra.
Coaches Harvey and the Hawks Rob Beveridge have also spent in each other camps in recent seasons.
Faithfull adds to an already strong Braves core led by Kendle, new import Ray Turner, championship centre Matt Andronicos and championship co-captain Chris Hogan.
The Braves open their season on the road against league newcomers Diamond Valley on April 6.