MACKAY, QUEENSLAND – Mackay Basketball are excited to announce the reappointment of Joel Khalu as Head Coach of the McDonald’s Mackay Meteors for the clubs’ 2021 and 2022 NBL1 North campaigns.

Next season will be Khalu’s fifth year at the helm of the Mackay men’s elite representative squad.

A QBL championship winning coach with the Meteors in 2015, Khalu departed Mackay at the beginning of 2016 to pursue overseas opportunities in the sport. Khalu coached the Papua New Guinea men’s national team to a FIBA Melanesia Cup gold medal in 2017, before directing the side to a fourth-place finish at the 2019 FIBA Pacific Games held in Samoa.

Khalu returned to the ‘Sugar City’ as Meteors Head Coach earlier this year and was preparing the side for the 2020 NBL1 North competition, before the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of the season.

“We were all bitterly disappointed when the 2020 season was called off, as we collectively believed we had recruited a group of players that could have done exceptionally well,” Khalu said.

“I’m not somebody who focuses on the past however, so for me, it’s now about moving forward to 2021 and building a roster that will be competing for a NBL1 North championship.”

Success at this level is not uncommon for the 39-year-old. Across a ten-year playing career with the Cairns Marlins, Khalu won two ABA National Championships (1998 & 2007) and four QBL titles (1998, 2001, 2007 & 2009).

He was the assistant coach when the Meteors won back-to-back QBL titles in 2011 & 2012 and in three seasons as Head Coach of the black and red outfit (2013-2015), Khalu lead the team to a QBL grand final berth in 2014, a championship in 2015, while also taking out QBL Coach of the Year honours.

This past November under Khalu’s tutelage the Meteors also won the inaugural Central Queensland Cup.

Khalu was clear in his intentions for the 2021 NBL1 North season.

“It’s no secret, our goal every year is to win the title,” he said.

“We make that very transparent in our expectations as a team, that when we play, we’re playing to win.”

“That’s a massive part of the culture here which players need to buy into when they put on a Meteors singlet. It’s not about any individual, it’s about our team being successful and everybody sacrificing for the greater good.”

“Setting the benchmark that high certainly brings it’s challenges, but I’m a believer that if you want to reach great levels in anything, the first step is aiming there and the second is putting in the work.”

“The other massive incentive under the new NBL1 banner in 2021 is that there’s a NBL1 national championship up for grabs at the end of the season too.”

“To compete for that opportunity is the reason why our players play and coaches coach.”

The Meteors have commenced player recruitment for next season with round one of the 2021 NBL1 North competition commencing in May.