pic to come
By Ben Turner
WNBL star Ellie Manou is the latest weapon in the Kilsyth Lady Cobras arsenal this year.
The 190cm forward is the latest to be signed for the 2010 home-and-away season
Manou is currently playing for the Sydney Flames, averaging five points and four rebounds per game.
Originally from Sydney, the star forward was a scholarship holder at the Australian Institute of Sport and played in the WNBL during the 2006/07 Season.
She then took up a scholarship at Oregon University in the US playing for the Ducks before returning to Australia to play for the Flames.
Manou has also been a key representative for the Gems (the Australian Junior Women’s team), which she has represented 37 times.
She was a member of the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championship team in the Czech Republic that finished a respectable 5th.
2010 will be Manou’s first year in the SEABL and she is looking forward to the experience.
“I’m very excited about playing with Kilsyth. The league is really strong and Cheryl is a great coach, so I’m looking forward to playing under her,” she said.
“I’ve also heard a lot of great things about the Kilsyth basketball community so I’m looking forward to experiencing this.”
With the SEABL expected to be as tough as ever in 2010, every team will need a player of Manou’s ability to dominate on the boards and she knows what she can bring to the club,
Head coach Cheryl Chambers said Manou would offer the Cobras an advantage in the rebounding stakes.
“She’s a monster on the boards and has the ability to be the best rebounder in the league,” Chambers said.
“She knocked it right on the head, with her comment about her athleticism. Her ability to get up and down the floor will be an advantage for our team. I will be challenging her to do these things and be a scorer for our group.”
The signing of Manou is another step in the right direction for the Lady Cobras program as they add to their roster in anticipation of the 2010 season.
Manou is currently playing in Sydney with recently signed Lady Cobras point guard Dee Butler.
The pair are expected to complement the local talent on the roster as the club begins its 2010 campaign and looks to return to the post season.
The Lady Cobras tip off the season against the Knox Raiders on Saturday 20 March, at 6pm.
