South East Melbourne's newest hometown hero

When there’s emerging talent popping up from all corners of the nation, there’s something special about signing a local, hometown hero.

Adelaide head coach Scott Ninnis has long been adamant in his desire to add South Australian talent to his roster. John Rillie embarked on West Australian recruiting spree by bringing Keanu Pinder, David Okwera and Ben Henshall home last season, and South East Melbourne are always bullish in their attempts to secure talent that’s been born and raised in the Heartland.

There’s something special about cheering on a local hero. The fans have immense pride in their home grown, and they represent something bigger than just the jersey on their back. It’s a true representation of community that pays homage to grassroots programs across the nation.

Luke Fennell is the latest local to have signed on with South East Melbourne. The Centre of Excellence guard, although currently based in Canberra, grew up just 20 minutes from the Phoenix’s training base, and has joined the likes of Austin Rapp, Luke Rosendale and Owen Foxwell in working his way through the program all the way to a roster spot.

Fennell is a known quantity to the club. He started training there under Simon Mitchell when he was just 14 years old, and now the former Phoenix head coach and recently named General Manager of Basketball has continued his immense respect of Fennell’s talents.

He’s signed a one-year deal with the club in order to leave his options open as he targets significant growth in his game this season, but Fennell told NBL Media it was an easy decision to sign on with his local side.

“I started training with the team when I was about 14, so around that time I was coming back from an injury and trying to make state teams,” Fennell said.

“Being a really young guy I wasn’t timid, but I didn’t feel like I fit in at the time, but I know it really helped, because in that time I started training I knew I wanted to be a pro straight away from that point on. 

“It’s a really good way how they get young kids to come in and train.

“Seeing Owen Foxwell and Aussie Rapp come through, two guys that really exploded during their time with the Phoenix, that gave me some confidence, but also the signing of Derrick (Walton Jr), Nathan (Sobey), while also having Ben Ayre and ‘Creeky’ (Mitch Creek) there, that gave me a lot of hope to know I will learn a lot from those guys, people who are the best in the league.

“Knowing I can just be around them, train every day and just learn, that’s something that really made me come to my decision, and also being 20 minutes away from home where my parents live was a big factor.

“I was training with the team during the summertime and talking to a couple of other teams trying to figure out what I wanted to do this year, and the Phoenix were really helpful which is how I came to my decision.”

Fennell is currently starring for the Centre of Excellence in NBL1 East. He’s averaging over 14 points per game across six appearances, but a 20-point explosion from the bench against the Sydney Comets in Round 5 and 24 points against Central Coast in Round 4 have already showcased his ability to be a hot-handed scorer.

He was recently highlighted on Heat Check, where he was compared to fellow CoE graduates Dyson Daniels, Josh Giddey and Taran Armstrong for his development as a lead guard within the program.

Outside of his CoE duties, Fennell is already experiencing a success filled, career-defining season in representative basketball.

He teamed up with NBL24 Phoenix DP Rapp, Melbourne United train-on player Joel Foxwell, Adelaide 36ers DP Fraser Roxburgh and Brisbane Bullets DP Tristan Devers to take home the U20 State Championships title with Vic Metro, before heading to Germany to participate in the Albert Schweitzer Tournament.

Fennell, by his own admission, found court-time hard to come by in the international showpiece, where he featured alongside the likes NBL24 Next Star Rocco Zikarsky, reported JackJumpers target Roman Siulepa, and highly touted talent Jacob Furphy.

The tournament win was Australia’s first in 14 years, and was the first since Fennell’s new South East Melbourne teammate Mitch Creek was named MVP in a tournament that featured the likes of future NBA mainstays Evan Fournier, Dario Saric and Enes Kanter.

The Albert Schweitzer Tournament is seen as the unofficial U18 World Cup, and Fennell says being crowned champion is a feeling he will never forget.

Australia celebrates winning the Albert Schweitzer Tournament (DBB/Felix Steiner)

“It was absolutely crazy going to Germany,” he said.

“Playing Germany in pool games in their home stadium was insane and an experience I will never forget. Winning the whole thing was insane and there are honestly no words to describe the feeling I had when we won.

“Even though I wasn’t on the court much – I was in foul trouble a lot – just being there, staying in the game and seeing my team succeed even when I wasn’t out there was a great feeling.

“Coming through at the CoE and training with the best players in the country and international players form all around the world, it’s something that if they got an opportunity to do they should take it.

“Even when we just have Australian camps and these other things, just getting the recognition they really help push you out there and put you on a stage through all the tours they go on every year, they do a good job at exposing you and really helping you develop.”

While an incredible injury crisis at the back end of NBL24 saw South East Melbourne development players Luke Rosendale, Anzac Rissetto, Austin Rapp and Kody Stattmann earn extensive time on court, the likelihood of such a crisis happening for the second season in a row is – hopefully – slim to nil, and Fennell understands this.

Countless NBL talents have taken their first steps in the competition as a development player though. From Chris Goulding at the Brisbane Bullets in 2008 to Sean Macdonald’s rise to stardom with the JackJumpers over the past three years, it’s a pathway been the commencement of dozens of Australian basketball journeys.

Fennell says while any extended time on court would be a privilege for him this season, he’s focused on laying the foundations of what looms as a strong and exciting career and helping his side be the best they can be.

“Obviously, I would love to play, I would love to be able to get on the court and make an impact that way. I would definitely love to be able to hit the floor and make an impact like Sean Macdonald,” he said.

“But my main goal is to go there, get in the gym, try to put on some size, and be the best guy I can in training and do whatever I can to help the team get to a championship.

“To see everyone else succeed is something that’s really big for me. I know as the whole team gets better and starts succeeding, I’ll grow with them so if they get better, I get better.”