Logan Thunder Junior Ashley Taia will return for the Bendigo Bank Logan Thunder Women in the 2022 NBL1 North season. Ash averaged 12.7 points, 1.6 assists , 3.2 points in 2021 and lead the Bendigo Bank Logan Thunder women to the inaugural NBL1 North Championship.
Ash has played 47 senior representative games for Logan Thunder and has won 2 senior representative championships, 2020 (QSL), 2021 (NBL1 North). Previously Ash has played WNBL for the Adelaide Lightning and Canberra Capitals. Ash is also an active member of the New Zealand Tall-Ferns Squad and attended the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers with Thunder teammate Chevannah Paalvast.
Ash had the following to say about returning for Thunder
Describe your feeling as a Thunder junior winning an NBL1 Championship in 2021?
“Winning that Senior Championship with Logan was incredibly special. I started playing basketball 20+ years ago with Mik at Logan and never won a State Championship so to finally achieve that with this club kind of means everything to me. I had some of my first wins and losses at Logan Basketball as a 5 year old playing miniball so to still be competing at a high level with the same team and finally win, that’s all you can ask for.”
What do the Bendigo Bank Logan Thunder Women need to do to go back-to-back in 2022?
“I think we just need to continue with the path we’re on. We have an amazing coaching and support staff as well as an extremely deep and versatile squad who are dedicated to working for another championship season. We go at it in practice and compete against the best everyday, which is each other, so we can only get better and stronger as a team and a family.”
What is your favourite aspect of the Thunder Family?
“That we truly are a family. We have multiple generations of families coming back to Logan because it is a culture and environment people want to be a part of. We’re a family that rides for each other at an NBL1 level as well as a Saturday morning div2 U12 club final. That is what family does. And then we all get together for beers. Epic!”
What aspect of your game have you been working on in Europe that you are looking to bring back to the Bendigo Bank Logan Thunder Women in 2022?
”I think it’s not something I can physically bring back, more so a mental change and growth aspect I’ve had to over come this season. Unfortunately our season started off pretty rough here and we found ourselves at the bottom of the table which is honestly very new to me. So that adversity is something I’ve personally felt challenged by a lot these past few months. As well as taking on a prominent leadership role, which is also new to me, I’ve learnt to be more vocal and lead from the front rather than quietly mixing in the middle of it all. With imports coming back to the league and teams building squads trying to beat us, I know we’ll face some adversity along the way but it’s important for me to help us stay on the right path and continue our success as a team, and a club.”
Logan Basketball is very excited that Ashley Taia is returning for NBL1 2022. More player and partner announcements soon.
