BASKETBALL
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Home-grown Wollongong Hawks guard Tyson Demos is heading north for a season in the Queensland Basketball League.
The former Illawarra junior rep is looking forward to linking with the Mackay Meteors after a lean NBL season with Wollongong, both from an individual and team standpoint.
"I'm just going to concentrate on going away in the off-season and getting my confidence back at the offensive end, and work on the things I need to work on," Demos said.
"I haven't played that much the whole year. It's just been a bit of training and stuff, so it'll be good to get some actual game time and try and improve as much as I can over the off-season. I'm keen to get back to just playing basketball and having some fun again."
Demos, who will become a first-time father in July, had already lined up his gig with the Meteors before the Hawks were placed into voluntary administration earlier this month.
While the search continues for new sponsors to save the Hawks from extinction, Demos doesn't expect to be asked to return if the club survives.
"I haven't had any talks with anyone at the club really. I'll leave that up to my agent," the 26-year-old said.
"Hopefully I get an opportunity somewhere to get in a roster and get an opportunity to show I can play, and earn some consistent minutes as an NBL player."
Demos had been one of Wollongong coach Gordie McLeod's main bench weapons in previous years before falling out of favour last season.
The Hawks won six of 28 games and finished last for just the second time in the club's 36-year history.
Demos believes he could've made a difference and wished he'd received more chances.
"Obviously I was pretty frustrated with the whole situation but that's basketball," he said.
"I was playing behind two imports and then Rhys [Martin] came back, so it was tough to get into the rotation. In saying that, it was pretty frustrating because it wasn't like we were winning games. I felt like maybe I could've changed something or brought something to the team, but that's just how it goes."
Countless Hawks fans who rank the feisty Demos as their favourite player will be sad and angry to hear he might have played his last game for the club.
Asked if he wanted to stay, Demos said: "A hundred per cent. Why would I want to go anywhere else? I grew up here watching the club and I love the club and the fans and everything about it. But at the end of the day it's a business. I'm not going to play in the NBL forever and I have to make the decision for me and my family.
"I'll give it a crack somewhere. I just try and stay positive and not stress about it because everything works out in the end."