Rhustie Adona will be the shortest player in the competition when he takes to the court at the start of the Central men’s under 23 competition in Adelaide this winter.
Adona, who stands 5’6” has a novel way of compensating for his lack of height – training with weight bands around his ankles.
It is something the Port Pirie basketballer has done for several years – to improve on his already impressive jumping abilities.
The pay-off is a contract to play division two basketball in Adelaide, where he started playing in the pre-season competition in November, following a successful try-out for the club in the middle of the year.
“There were about, I think, 65 people there and they only chose two to participate in the youth team,” Adona said.
“I started training for them at the start of October and we have been having pre-season workouts.
“In January we have a training camp that we all have to go to with NBL (National Basketball League) coaches.”
It is six hours on the court a day “to make us better” and “should be fun”.
“I could always jump pretty high,” Adona said.
He competed in South Australian Secondary Schools Athletics at both long jump and high jump, and was also offered the opportunity to compete in the 100m sprint.
Adona, 20, moved to Port Pirie to live at the age of 10, and started playing basketball at 14 for Magpies under 16 team.
“Then I played under 18 for Magpies, C grade and B grade for Magpies,” he said.
“Then I played A grade for Ducks. Every year I kept going up.
“I had to pretty much work my way up each year to get noticed.”
He also used to do tae-kwondo which improved his reflexes and footwork.
Until the season proper starts, Adona continues to work two jobs as well as studying business studies through TAFE.
“I go down to Adelaide twice a week to train and once to play,” he said.
They are two to two-and-a-half hour sessions and he undertakes the remainder of the pre-season training by himself at Port Pirie.
That includes making up for the weight session that the rest of the team carries out in Adelaide each Friday and the Saturday cardio session.
He does that by going to the gym most days and by running 10 to 15km on weekends, “to keep up my fitness”.
Adona is already aiming to play in the National Basketball League, and asked Adelaide Basketball League coach Scott Whitemore about his chances.
“He said that if I keep improving and keep getting better I should have a good chance to be in the draft in a couple of years,” he said.
To do that Adona needs to keep himself healthy and continue giving up many of the things that others of his age enjoy.
“I don’t really drink or smoke,” he said.
“I hardly ever go out – it is just sacrifices, but my mates are always there supporting me.
“They will come out and see me, come down to Adelaide and watch me. They are good mates.”
Adona said working hard did pay off and he needed to continue his campaign.
“I am working on my strength because the guys there are so much bigger. I need to get stronger so that I don’t get hurt,” he said.
“I never thought I was good enough to get into the division one ABL.”
In the hope of being selected, he put in a huge effort in the three months before the Centrals tryout.
“I just went nuts – training twice a day – weight sessions and training sessions with basketball,” he said.
“Working hard definitely does pay off.”
Email a friend