Ili Back to Make Instant Impact

Melbourne United’s “best on-ball defender” Shea Ili is back and ready to make an impact on ending the team’s five game losing streak, according to coach Dean Vickerman.

Ili has been out for most of the campaign with concussion, missing the entirety of the pre-season NBL Blitz and only playing three games this season. He will return in Saturday night’s clash against the Brisbane Bullets.

“He’s our best on-ball defender and it’s something that we’ve been missing all season,” Vickerman said.

After recovering from his first concussion earlier in the season, Ili suffered mild concussion symptoms during the FIBA window break which saw him sidelined again.

“It wasn’t a hit directly to the head, so we weren’t too concerned there. It was more my vestibular system, my balance, foggy, dizzy, and I just felt all of those symptoms throughout my time out,” Ili said.

“It was like vertigo but for a longer period of time and every day. It took a while for my symptoms to ease, some days I’d feel really great and the next I’d feel foggy, had no energy. But I got through it and now I’m here today.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Squad update:<br>Shea Ili and Isaac Humphries will both return to the line-up for Round 10.<br><br>Tickets for our home game on Saturday night are available here: <a href="https://t.co/eN2AzSygka">https://t.co/eN2AzSygka</a> <a href="https://t.co/vKzh9B0q9T">pic.twitter.com/vKzh9B0q9T</a></p>&mdash; Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelbUnited/status/1600677371840905216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Vickerman is more than happy to have Ili back, along with Isaac Humphries who has recovered from COVID, as they try to turnaround their 5-10 record.

Vickerman will have Ili on a minutes restriction on Saturday, mentioning he will be used in short hits.

“I don’t think he is going to be 32 minutes, but I think we would certainly like to see him above 20 minutes,” Vickerman said.

“It will be on him; he’s going to put his hand up when he’s gassed and see how long he takes to recover. We don’t see him playing a six-minute burst at one time, it will be shorter hits.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/MelbUnited?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MelbUnited</a> have dropped five games in a row to move to ninth on the ladder ?<a href="https://t.co/6TsQJPnxg4">https://t.co/6TsQJPnxg4</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1599973152276172801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Vickerman added he believes what the Kiwi guard brings to the table are attributes United has been missing.

“Him just putting greater hit on the ball just helps our defence to start with. The pace that he plays at, his ability to get in the paint and find people or finish it himself,” Vickerman said.

“That just allows our bigs to be a little bit different in their stance, and the way that they play the ball screen.”

Ili expressed his excitement about returning, holding faith United has time to recover from a poor start.

“The energy I bring defensively, I feel like that will create our pace going down the other end,” Ili said.

“It’s been a tough few months, we’ve taken some losses that we should’ve won, but if we all buy in and play defence and create easy offence down the other end, I feel like we can win. If everyone buys into what the coaches have for us every week, I feel like we can get some wins and create a winning streak that can lead us onto a path.”

Melbourne plays Brisbane on Saturday at John Cain Arena at 8:00pm AEDT.