BASKETBALL
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With Larry Davidson still on the road to recovery, the Wollongong Hawks landed a huge signing coup by securing towering Boomers centre Luke Nevill.
Nevill trained with the Hawks at the Snakepit on Monday, but the the club was awaiting the final NBL salary cap paperwork to be cleared before making the announcement on Monday night.
The move comes after the Hawks signed US imports Gary Ervin - who won the league MVP in his last stint in Wollongong - and exciting guard Jahii Carson.
In a statement on the Hawks' website, new owner James Spenceley declared Nevill as the final piece in the puzzle for Gordie McLeod to launch a title charge this season.
"The addition of Luke is an incredible boost for our team," Spenceley said.
"The fact that the Hawks were able to secure someone of Luke's calibre and for him to choose to return to the NBL with the Hawks to join our exciting new roster speaks volumes about the momentum we're building in Wollongong this season.
"With his incredible size and length, his presence is going to enhance all of our attacking weapons and also cause headaches for our opposition at both ends of the floor."
Nevill stands at 218 centimetres and he and 31-year-old Larry Davidson, the long-serving 206cm star, will be the Hawks' twin towers.
Davidson has had minor knee surgery in the preseason but is expected back on court early in the season.
Nevill has played in the NBA Summer League and spent the past two years in Taiwan.
He graduated from the University of Utah in 2009 and signed a training contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers before making his NBL debut with the Melbourne Tigers.
In 2012-13, Nevill helped transform the Townsville Crocodiles from a 0-10, leading a stunning turnaround where they won their next five games and finished the year 10-18.
In June, Nevill was part of the Boomers' Sino-Australia Challenge squad against China, averaging 11.5 points in the four-game series.
The 28-year-old averaged a career-best 13.2 points per game with 4.9 rebounds for Townsville, while playing alongside Ervin.
Over his NBL career, Nevill has averaged 11.1 points on 54 per cent shooting with 5.5 rebounds in 70 games.
The Hawks take on Townsville in the season opener on October 10 at WIN Entertainment Centre.