Isaac
Years ago
Advertiser: new Lightning owner loves basketball
As part of Boti Nagy's basketball fiesta today, he's added a bit of a profile of new Lightning owner Vince Marino.
"Vince loves basketball - it's in his blood," she said.Vince's wife, Caterina, commented on the issue of their daughter being a WNBL player:
"He still coaches in Whyalla - juniors, seniors, he just loves it. He wanted to have the opportunity to lift the profile of women's basketball in South Australia.
"And he wanted to keep the franchise in Adelaide."
Marino ruled out any relocation of the team to the Eyre Peninsula, though an annual promotional visit there by the Lightning might be on the cards.
Mrs Marino ruled out the whispered concern her husband had purchased the team in some way to get their daughter Angela a WNBL game in Adelaide.
A junior with Sturt, New Zealand-born Angela, 20, played for the Kiwis at the Athens Olympics, then played WNBL with Canberra. She will spend the forthcoming WNBL season with Perth Lynx.
"It's a business and for the benefit of South Australia - not for one kid," Mrs Marino said. "If it happens (that Angela plays here) it happens." But she ruled out any pressure being applied to Lightning coaching staff to achieve that end.