United re-sign local piece

“I think one of the things that we loved about Kyle this year was that when opportunities presented themselves to him, he stepped up and handled that extra responsibility really well,” Vickerman said.

“He’s proved that he has the potential to be a starter in this league at some point in his career. His work ethic is second to none, the changes he’s made over these past two years have been stark when it comes to strength, agility, mobility; he’s better in all those areas.

“That work has given him the ability to guard multiple positions which is a must in this league, which we saw at different times this season.

“That, and the work that he’s put into his three-point shot which we expect to continue to develop, made him someone we really wanted to bring back."

“I always wanted to return, I feel like I’ve found a new home here in Melbourne,” Bowen said.

“Not only have the club and my teammates been super welcoming but the fans and the city have made me feel like this is where I belong. It was kind of a no-brainer for me to come back if the opportunity was there and hopefully put together another few successful seasons on the court.

“I want to be in a winning environment and United definitely provides that. I want to contribute to winning at this level and I’m really excited to grow into my role and hopefully continue to do that moving forward."