MONCTON – The Moncton Miracles NBL basketball team is holding its training camp this week. Athletes from across Canada and the United States are trying out for the team, but there’s only one New Brunswick athlete hoping to make the cut.
Alex Desroches of Dieppe never dreamed he’d get a shot at playing pro basketball in Moncton.
“I didn’t have the opportunity when I was growing up to have a goal to one day play for a professional team at home.” he said.
The 25-year-old started playing basketball in Grade 7, and for the first few years, he didn’t think he had a future in the sport.
“I was definitely one of the shorter guys on the team even into high school I was a little bit shorter,” he said.
Until Desroches made it to Grade 11 and sprouted up to 6’4. Suddenly, playing in the pros was in his sights, but he had to leave home to realize his dream.
“I could not even stay around town, and you had to go somewhere else to play university ball, and that brought me to Fredericton,” he said. “I never thought I could ever come back to Moncton playing professionally, so I went to Australia.”
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Desroches played in Australia for a year and a half. Then, two years ago, Moncton launched its own professional NBL basketball team: the Miracles. It was a change for Desroches to get back home.
“When I became aware that I could come back home and play, I decided to jump on that train right away.” he said.
So far, Desroches is turning heads at the Miracles’ tryouts according to coach Dennis Truax.
“Alex is a sneaky athlete. They look at him and there is not much meat on him, but he gets to the basket and can knock down the jumper.”
But the pressure is on for this only New Brunswick hopeful to make the team, and the competition is stiff. Stanley Robinson, a seasoned athlete from Alabama who played for a period of time in the NBA, is also trying out.
Robinson says Desroches’ play is impressive,
“Alex he is a great player. He takes his time and he’s fundamental, and he can shoot the ball pretty well.”
Desroches also has hometown pride on his side.
The Moncton Miracles are hosting their first exhibition game on Saturday, Oct. 26. The training camp will continue through to next week. That’s when Desroches will find out once and for all if he will get to play professional basketball on his hometown court.
“It will mean the world,” he said. “It is a great opportunity to play in my hometown and in from of my friends.”
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