Day: July 9, 2024

Matthew Gouder makes Hibernians switch after Athleta stint

Athleta forward Matthew Gouder is set for a move to Hibernians, the Paolite club has confirmed.

Gouder, who was one of Athleta’s key players last season, now follows coach Christos Kousidis who was also announced as Hibs coach earlier this month. Sources confirmed earlier this month that the move was imminent with an official announcement made on Tuesday.

“We are excited to announce the signing of Matthew Gouder from Athleta!” a club statement read.

“Matthew, known for his exceptional skills and dedication on the court, is a fantastic addition to our team. We are thrilled to have him join us and look forward to an incredible season ahead!”

Last season, Gouder averaged 11.8 points a game across all competitions, with 5.9 boards a game in 21 fixtures, in which he started 19. He was also one of the key contributors to Athleta’s return to the playoffs after the team led by Kousidis finished the regular season in third place.

Now he moves to a Hibernians side who have revamped their administration as well as their team structures. Last season, Athleta and Hibs were neck and neck for most of the campaign, with both sides seemingly focusing on the BOV Division One League rather than the other competitions. 

While it was a fight for the third seed between the two sides, Hibs’ off-the-court struggles late in the season saw Depiro take away Hibs’s spot in the postseason.

Earlier this month, Hibernians announced they had re-signed stalwart Ivan Demcesen to another two years, and are currently in negotiations with another two players to bolster their squad even further ahead of the new season. 

Valletta secure Vasovic signing

In a bid to strengthen their squad ahead of their second season in the BOV Division One, Valletta Fighters have signed Serbian guard Nikola Vasovic, Malta basketball has learnt.

Vasovic, who was on the books of Hibernians last season, will be returning to the basketball court after a ‘disappearance’ midway through the season which is said to be due to an internal suspension by the Paolite club after an altercation during team practice.

Now he moves to the capital club with hopes of revival as the Citizens have made their intentions clear this summer with the signing of Polish big man Piotr Stelmach and now, Vasovic. 

The Serbian, who now plays as a local-foreigner brings with him a wealth of experience as the 31-year-old has played for various local sides throughout his basketball career.

Last season, Vasovic was a key player for Hibs in the John Tabone Shield, starting all four games. He averaged 8.3 points a game on a 38.1% field goal percentage. He was once more a starter for the Paolites in all eight league games he partook in. Here, he averaged 12.1 points per game. However, tensions arose and Vasovic was no longer included in then coach Mario Tabone’s game-day squad.

Now he joins a Valletta side in search of a better second season after a shaky debut last season. The Citizens failed to register any wins in the league, taking a W only in the John Tabone Shield in a game against Luxol.