ABA 2024-25: Bolstered Barking Owls eyeing A-grade premiership tilt according to player-coach Justin Benson

A strengthened Barking Owls are ready to go one better in their upcoming Albany Basketball Association men’s A-grade campaign, after narrowly missing out on a premiership last season. The Owls went down to a clinical Sonics by 10 points in last season’s decider but have have recalled some big guns from previous years. Forward Hamish McMorran and former league most valuable player John Santia are among their huge inclusions for the 2024-25 season, that begins on Tuesday night. Owls boast some of the competition’s most exciting talents including State under-18 pair and sharpshooters Evan Delbene and Harry Watters and slashing guard James Watters. Owls player-coach Justin Benson said his side will be buoyed by the big-name inclusions but is under no illusions about the strength of the entire competition. “I think we’re a lot stronger this year. . . and we’ve picked up Hamish McMorran, John Santia playing for us and Aiden Pollete, so we’ve got really good players coming in,” he said. “Hamish has played for us for a long time, and he’s just missed the last couple of years. “He is kind of the kind of player we do miss. A bigger, younger, athletic guy who helps us under the basket, but he’s more versatile than that. “But the whole competition is a lot stronger this year and I think all the teams have picked up some really quality players.” While possessing some of the league’s best perimeter shooters, Benson insisted fast ball movement holds the key to their title tilt. “Some of the good things that worked for us last year were we’ve got a lot of good players who can play inside and out and just move the ball,” Benson said. “Letting the ball do the work, rather than anyone in particular trying to do too much. “We look really good when we play like that. “We will probably (use the grand final loss as motivation) but I think every year you try to win a grand final, it doesn’t matter too much what happened last year.” There will only be six A-grade men’s teams this season as opposed to last season’s eight, with Griffins Crusaders and Railways Tigers the two sides who will not feature. Sonics kick off their title defence against Ambassadors, Owls clash with Denmark Magpies while North Albany and Albany Raiders are the final round one fixture.