ALTHOUGH the Swan Hill Flyers did not make it through to the CBL North West grand final last Saturday, there were still two reasons to celebrate, with Matthew Gardner and Lachlan Somerville named in the league’s All-Star Five for this season.
It was the first time both Gardner and Somerville were selected among the CBL North West’s best players, with Somerville also earning the title of leading scorer for the league after posting 222 points from the 10 match home and away season.
The recognition was the perfect reward for the talented pair, who are widely regarded as the future of men’s basketball in Swan Hill given their relatively young age.
Both Gardner and Somerville have stepped up to higher honours in recent seasons, with Gardner also playing for RMIT in the University Basketball League and Somerville in the middle of preparing for next years NBL1 season with the Bendigo Braves.
After being regularly among Swan Hill’s leading scorers, for Gardner, who is only 21 years old and has come through the ranks at the Flyers, Saturday night’s award wasn’t just about him – or necessarily for him.
“I thought I started the season off a bit slow to be honest, but I found my feet and by the end I thought I had a pretty good season,” Gardner told The Guardian this week.
“It helps to have teammates that know how I play and are able to get to positions to help me look good.
“It’s not just an individual award in my opinion, things like this don’t happen without your teammates and they make me look good, so it’s as much their achievement as it is mine.
“I think I control the game well, I’m a pass first player and I think that’s my strength, I can find gaps that not many people can, but again it’s my teammates that need to get to the spots for me to throw it.
“With that said, it does mean a lot (to be named All Star Five), especially coming from a small town that plays for less than half the year and competes against the big sides that play all year round.
“To be competitive, not just individually but as a team is so important and it means the world to represent my home town and play good basketball. That’s where it all stems from for me.”
The team first mantra is one that also rubbed off on Gardner’s fellow All Star Five representative Somerville, with the 19-year old happy with the Flyers’ season despite missing out on the top four.
“I thought we fought the season out pretty well, I love playing with the Swan Hill boys and we had a pretty good year all things considered,” Somerville said.
“We had a few injuries with Hugh (Broad) and Steve (Bowden) missing a few games and if a few things had of gone our way it might have been different, but you can’t do much about that.
“The younger boys really stepped up and played some really good games and we had the smallest roster of any team I think.
“I love coming back to Swan Hill to play, I feel like I get to display my game more with the Flyers and I just really enjoy playing with those boys, especially the Gardner’s, playing with them is a lot of fun and I’ve become pretty good mates with them now.
“He (Matt Gardner) didn’t even let me know he was coming on Saturday night, he turned up a couple of minutes into the game and we were both a bit shocked, but it was really good to see him there.
“Matty is an unreal player as well and to share it with him on Saturday was fantastic, it was so well deserved and I’m just so happy for him.”
After growing up in Kerang, Somerville has had a major impact on Swan Hill basketball in his three seasons at the Flyers.
But if he gets his way – and his form and talent would indicate that he should – he may not be in Flyers colours for long.
“I definitely want to go pro, that’s the overall dream of mine, whether that’s in the NBL or overseas, that’s the dream,” Somerville said.
“I think I can get to the NBL through the NBL1 program if I keep doing the hard work, but to play basketball professionally is definitely the aim.
“My speed is one of my strengths and I feel like I’m one of the fastest on the court most games, using my speed allows me to open up the game for everyone else as well and hopefully that continues to be the case.
“It’s been a big off-season training for the upcoming Braves season and I feel like I’m ready to take the next step in the NBL1 competition, but time will tell.”
