NEWCASTLE Falcons coach Kristy Bultitude has no doubts that Isla Juffermans will go on to forge a successful professional career and become a regular for the Australian Opals.
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Juffermans heads to blue-chip US college Louisville in August and hopes to graduate to the WNBA.
The 194cm 19-year-old post player has had a taste of international basketball, touring with the Opals to China last September.
"I coached Isla in the NSW Country 16s and have watched her grow as a junior from Coffs Harbour and make the Australian [under-17 and 19s] teams and programs," Bultitude said. "When I found out she was leaving the Centre of Excellence, I thought: 'we need to get her here before she goes to college'.
"The Opals should definitely be her goal. Obviously she has a lot of work to do for that to happen. She has to learn the international game, get a bit quicker and fitter off her feet. She will definitely get there. She has the right attitude and is a great person."
Juffermans will depart for Louisville in August.
"It was something I have always wanted to do," Juffermans said. "Especially the way that women's college basketball is headed. Louisville is a great school. The program is really established. Geoff Walz has been there 17 years and is a really good coach. The school is known for developing players for the pros."
For now, Jufferman's focus is solely on the Falcons and winning an NBL1 East women's championship.
"I love Newcastle. We have a really good bunch of girls, good coaches and good people at the stadium," Juffermans said. "Newcastle haven't made it past the quarter-final in NBL1 yet. It would be great to win a championship. We definitely have some more stuff to work on, but by finals time, we should be pretty good."
The Falcons women and men are home to Hills Hornets on Saturday.
The women sit in third spot with a 12-4 win-loss record and are coming off a 75-74 win over fellow title contender Manly.
Juffermans was dominant in the paint, scoring 20 points to go with 20 rebounds and two blocked shots.
Sidelined for the opening seven games with a knee injury, Juffermans has found her groove, averaging 19 points, at 50 per cent, and 10 rebounds per game.
"My rebounding game came back against Manly," Juffermans said. "I didn't have a lot of confidence at the start of the season to rebound because of my knee."
Bultitude said the Falcons would not be taking the 11th-placed Hills (6-9) lightly.
"Any team can beat any team," Bultiude said. "You have to stick to you game plan and keep the effort up across the four quarters."
The Falcons men (5-11) welcome back captain Jaidyn Goodwin (knee) and shooter Francis Wineera-Mulvihill (knee) from injury for the clash against the ninth-place Hornets (8-7)
It is also import Leo O'Boyle's first game at home.
