Even once they have been youngsters, Angus Glover knew Xavier Cooks was a particular basketball expertise.
The Sydney Kings teammates go approach again to Holy Spirit College in Wollongong’s northern suburbs, the place they gained a nationwide championship.
“He would have been 16 or 17, and I would have been 14,” Glover mentioned.
“It was a long time ago.”
Both would go on to forge skilled careers and now have the prospect to win their second NBL title collectively when the Kings meet the New Zealand Breakers within the decisive fifth sport of the championship sequence.
Wednesday’s contest marks solely the fifth time the championship sequence has been taken to a fifth sport, and the primary for the reason that 2017-18 season.
For Cooks, the conflict at Qudos Bank Arena heralds the tip of 1 chapter and the start of the subsequent. The 27-year-old ahead will pack his baggage and transfer to the USA a matter of days after the sport.
There, he’ll be part of the Washington Wizards and turn into the eleventh Australian taking part in within the ongoing NBA season.
Cooks has held the NBA dream near his coronary heart since earlier than he and Glover have been dominating the paint for Holy Spirit. But even by that stage, the younger Cooks’ potential was clear.
“We always saw it,” Glover mentioned.
“Just his athleticism, his size, his length. He was special to watch back then but even more special now.”
After stints taking part in faculty basketball at Winthrop University and professionally in Europe, Cooks returned to Australia, the place his path once more crossed Glover’s.
The pair turned reacquainted on the Kings in late 2020 whereas Glover was recovering from the third ACL damage of his younger profession.
“He had his foot injury and I had my knee injury,” Glover recalled.
“We just played one-on-one for an hour pretty much every day, whilst we were trying to get back to playing.”
The exhausting work paid off – the pair have been essential members of the Kings’ championship defeat of the Tasmania JackJumpers final season.
If they’ll beat the Breakers on Wednesday, the Wollongong teenagers-turned-basketball stars will add one other trophy to the case.
“It’s surreal,” Glover mentioned.
“It’s do or die for both teams. We’re going to have that dog mentality but I’m sure they will too.
“To have the chance to play in sport 5 of an NBL grand last sequence is one thing you develop up eager to do.”
After Wednesday night, Glover and Cooks’ paths will diverge once again but the Kings are determined to send Cooks off to the NBA with a spring in his step.
“It’s going to be unhappy for positive,” Glover mentioned.
“I’ve received loads of reminiscences with Xav, clearly.
“We want to go out there and get the job done and worry about that after the game. We want to send him out on a high.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
