BASKETBALL is the perfect summer sport for Mojwok Akoch.
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The multi-sport athlete will ply his trade as a shooting guard-small forward in the Warrnambool Seahawks' looming Country Basketball League campaign.
The Seahawks will hit the road on Saturday, travelling east to face Bellarine Storm in their first match in the league's coronavirus-affected fixture.
Akoch, a first year Country Basketball League prospect who also plays football for Hampden league club South Warrnambool, is relishing the chance to step into adult sport.
I thought I'd give (Country Basketball League) a go and it's kind of perfect because we play through the summer and you can get back for a footy pre-season in time.
- Mojwok Akoch
"It's pretty good to have it back. There's not been much sport on at all so it's been good to get back into training," he told The Standard.
"I played squad all through my juniors and I'm too old for that now so the next level up on a representative level was CBL.
"I thought I'd give it a go and it's kind of perfect because we play through the summer and you can get back for a footy pre-season in time."
Akoch said playing against adults meant the league would be physically testing.
"It's definitely going to be a challenge, but it's one we're looking forward to," he said.
"We've been working at training against some of the bigger bodies we have so I think it'll be fine."
Male teams from Terang, Portland, Geelong and Ararat will also contest the south-west division. The female division, meanwhile, won't go ahead due to a lack of teams.
Akoch said coach James Mitchell was emphasising the importance of defence and wanted each player to improve the individual aspect of their game.
"Mitch has been pretty big on that and that's across the whole team," he said.
"We want to bring that energy and get some stops."
He said the Seahawks' squad was brimming with enthusiasm at pre-season training and couldn't wait to take the floor.
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"The energy has been pretty good at training," Akoch said.
"There are a lot of good players and a good mix of younger and older guys.
"You've got experienced guys like Adam Lawson, Tim Gainey and Mitch so it's a good balance."
Akoch, 17, said he was preparing for a winter of junior football at the powerhouse South Warrnambool.
Terang Tornadoes, meanwhile, will travel to play Colac Kookas at Bluewater Leisure Centre.
Portland Coasters will host Ararat Redbacks.
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