New Giant focuses on the basics of success

New Goldfields Giants import Jacob Holmen has vowed to bring a winning attitude to the struggling club as he embarks on his first professional season.

Holmen, 23, arrived in Kalgoorlie-Boulder on Saturday evening and fronted up to his first pre-season session with his new team less than 24 hours later.

The 202cm power forward played four years of college basketball for his hometown North Texas University before injury cut his final season short.

Holmen, who helped lead his team to the NCAA tournament in his freshman year, said focusing on the basics would bring the Giants on-court success.

“I won a lot in college and in high school, and I haven’t lost much yet, so I definitely plan on bringing this to Kalgoorlie,” he said.

“Communication is the key to any successful relationship, so we have got to be able to talk more on the court, especially at the defensive end.

“But at the end of the day, you have to put the ball in the bucket to be able to win, and I definitely plan on doing a lot of that.”

The big Texan joins his teammates, who are now entering their second month of pre-season under new coach Michael Haney.

The focus of pre-season has been building team chemistry with four new Australian players already joining the squad and former captain Shamus Ballantyne playing on a fly-in, fly-out basis.

Assistant coach Jimmy Bowler said the addition of Holmen more than six weeks out from the team’s first game would only benefit the preparations.

“With so many new guys coming to the club, we had concerns about them not gelling or it taking time, but it has been fantastic so far,” he said.

“Imports always lift the intensity of training, and the addition of Jacob will no doubt have the same effect as the guys see how he goes about his business.”

The Giants’ season tips off on March 14 in Perth against the Willetton Tigers, with the first home game a week later against the Rockingham Flames.

While the club looks to rebuild a once-feared home-court advantage, Holmen said there would be a little extra motivation for his first game at the Brookman Street Stadium.

“March 21st is actually me and my girlfriend’s six-year anniversary and she’ll be out here for the game,” he said.

“So I’m going to be excited to play in front of her and in front of this crowd.

“I hope we can pack out this place and have a rocking start to the season.”