Former Mustangs women’s basketball team point guard Amanda Anderson and men’s basketball assistant coach and former Mustangs point guard Matt Curtis are heading to Germany to play in professional leagues.
Anderson has signed a professional basketball contract to suit up for the TSVE Bielefeld Dolphins in Germany.
Anderson, the Western Mustangs women’s basketball team’s all-time leading career scorer, signed the contract with the Division 2 Bundesliga squad and will leave for Germany in August to begin training with the team.
“I’m just so happy that I’ve been given this opportunity to continue playing basketball,” Anderson says. “This is something I’ve always dreamed of doing after school, and to see that come true is very exciting.
“I’m very excited to get over there and start playing basketball again, I’m sure it’ll be a big change from Western but whatever my role is on the team I’ll be happy to do that for them.”
The Dolphins are based in the northern region of the 10-team league, which begins on the Sept. 24-25 weekend.
Anderson said she is the only import (non-German) player on her team, although there are some Americans and a few other Canadians in the league.
“The coach informed me we’ll be playing a fast, up-tempo game which was nice to hear, as that was what we did at Western so I’m used to that style of play,” Anderson says. |”I know it’ll be hard to make the friends like I have here at Western, because a team full of girls and parents like that are hard to come by. But I’m looking forward to meeting the new girls and getting to know them.”
The Dolphins team web site is www.tsve-dolphins.de/.
As well, Western Mustangs men’s basketball alumnus Matt Curtis has signed a professional basketball contract in Germany with TV Werne.
Curtis, the all-time assists leader in Mustangs men’s basketball history, will leave for Germany in August. He served as an assistant coach to Western head coach Brad Campbell during the 2009-10 season.
Curtis guided Western to back-to-back national championships as a point guard.
“I am just really excited to still be able to play competitive, organized basketball,” Curtis says. “Playing basketball professionally was a dream of mine ever since I started playing.”
“This is obviously a great start for me, but I would love to take basketball as far as I possibly can and play for as long as my body will allow me.”
Curtis is the second Mustang in recent years to sign a pro contract after forward Brad Smith signed in England with the Kent Crusaders two years ago.
“It is great to see Matt reach his dream of playing pro basketball,” Campbell says. “He has worked very hard to become a better player and congratulations to TV Werne for signing an outstanding point guard.”
“Our program is very proud of Matt and his accomplishments.”
TV Werne won their division (Division 1 Regionaliga) last year going 22-0 and is coached by Ivan Rosic. Werne is located in northwest Germany, with a population of about 32,000.
More information on TV Werne’s team is available at www.bergenthum.com/tvwerne/.
“After I failed to find a team last year, I thought my chances were dire of finding a team,” says Curtis. “But I continued to press on and eventually TV Werne and coach Rosic decided that they liked what they saw and gave me a huge opportunity.”
In his final season as a player in 2008-09, Curtis and the Mustangs qualified for the CIS semifinal, losing on a buzzer beater to the host and eventual champion Carleton Ravens.
That season, Curtis led Western with 30.4 minutes per game, 43 steals and 124 assists.
He is a former Ontario University Athletics West division rookie of the year and he reached the 1,000 career point mark in 2008-09 season.