BASKETBALL
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Hawks management will love hearing that classy import Rotnei Clarke wants to stay with the club for the 2014-15 season.
Clarke was at his captivating best in weekend wins over Townsville and Sydney, averaging 32.5 points (58 per cent accuracy) and 5.5 assists.
Unless the NBA comes calling, he would prefer to play another season in Australia rather than head to Europe.
The Hawks probably will struggle to compete financially if rival NBL clubs throw big dollars at Clarke.
But the 24-year-old has developed a strong affinity with Wollongong. Better still, his American fiancee, Patricia Elliott, was equally smitten when she visited her soon-to-be husband in December.
After destroying the Sydney Kings with 39 points on Saturday, Clarke was asked if he wanted to stay with the Hawks, his first professional club after a storied high school and college career in the US.
"Definitely," he said.
"It's not only me now, I have a fiancee back home. The most important thing is for her to feel comfortable. Australia's a great place and she loved Wollongong when she came down and didn't want to leave, so I could definitely see myself coming back.
"It's comfortable and it kind of feels like America. I think it'd be better if we were in an English-speaking country. It'll make it a little easier."
Speaking of fiancees, Hawks centre Larry Davidson has one now after girlfriend Brooke Maynell accepted his proposal last week.