Travers to run point

Luke Travers will be trialled at point guard in his first official appearance for Melbourne United, head coach Dean Vickerman has revealed. 

New Zealand-born pair Flynn Cameron and Shea Ili are currently in Europe with the Tall Blacks, as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup, while Matthew Dellavedova has been locked in with the Boomers camp.

Sharpshooting wing Chris Goulding, who played some point guard minutes during Melbourne’s injury crisis last season, is also on national team duty.

It provides the perfect opportunity for Travers to show his versatility. 

Travers has shown his ability as a ball-handling forward with Perth in recent years, and Vickerman believes the 21-year-old is ready for the challenge.

“It’s an interesting one to say we signed Luke Travers as a power forward and he’s going to play point guard for the whole game,” Vickerman said. “For him, he’s one of those guys you can slot into different places and different times in the game.

“I’m excited to see him play point guard and find his advantages there in what he can do with his length defensively and how he can guard quicker guards. There are some great challenges there.”

“We’ve got a lot of guys out with international duty, so it’s a unique position,” Travers added.

“To be able to be thrown into it, it’s going to be good for me just to be able to learn the plays a little bit quicker, know where guys have to be a little bit more. It’s going to be good for me, so I’m looking forward to it.”

While Saturday’s pre-season game against California Baptist will represent Travers’ first game in his new colours, it was also see a return to the court for Next Star centre Ariel Hukporti.

Hukporti missed the entirety of Melbourne’s NBL23 campaign with a ruptured Achilles, but has impressed upon his return in recent scrimmages.

Vickerman says the return of the German centre is just one of a number of performances he’s looking forward to on Saturday.

“Ariel is going to play his first game for a long time and we’re going to limit his minutes as well,” he said.

“It’ll be great to see him back on the floor.

“Then the new guys to our club. Kyle Bowen’s been outstanding all pre-season, Tanner Krebs has been outstanding and there are some good opportunities to get some minutes.”

The 21-year-old centre is reportedly jumping higher and lifting heavier than before last season’s serious injury.

Travers says he’s never played with a player who shares the aerial traits of Hukporti. 

“I haven’t really played with such a lob threat,” he said.

“You throw it up there and he takes care of the rest. It’s been good and I’ve been able to work on those lobs but not only that, just throw it in the post and let him go to work. It’s been good and I’m looking forward to building that.

“Matthew Hodgson was the closest thing to it so to be able to play with another guy like that, to be able to throw it up there and let him go to work is exciting and it’s definitely prepared me pretty well.”

Melbourne takes on California Baptist University on Saturday, August 12 at 7:30pm AEST.

Fans can stream the game live and free on the NBL app.