Riak on board “common goal” driving the Supercats

FRESH off representing her home country in the AfroBasket Qualifiers in February, one of Geelong United’s newest recruits is settling in well as a Supercat in 2023.

Geelong United forward Nyidier Riak said it was a surreal experience to represent South Sudan at the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket Qualifiers, helping her country to a third place finish, but her sights were now set on helping the Supercats back to the NBL1 South Finals.

“Across the first four games of the season, you can see how quickly we’re coming together as players and as a unit, which has been super important given we are quite undermanned at the moment,” she said.

“We all have a common goal, which is why we have had a bunch of success to this point, the system we have is working and we are all very focused in getting the job done.”

Riak has enjoyed a modest start to her NBL1 23 campaign, joining the Supercats after a season in Adelaide at the Woodville Warriors, and averaging 3.5 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game, and 14 minutes per game.

The 25-year-old also forms a critical piece in head coach Matt Paton’s frontcourt alongside fellow recruits Ella Tofaeono and Monica Okoye.

The trio has a had a large contribution in Geelong United’s success to start the season, with two wins and two losses through three rounds.

“The physicality and effort you see out of those two women is virtually unmatched, I just think the amount of effort is evident in the numbers both of them put up,” Riak added.

“It was actually Jess Scannell that reached out to me initially encouraging me to try out, which is where I get to meet Matt, and the conversations just built up since then.

“The culture of Geelong was a major selling point of Matt’s and I just needed a positive environment to develop my game further.”

Riak said she didn’t begin taking basketball “seriously” until the age of 18, but said setting a role model example for the junior players of the region was high on her list of priorities.

“It’s a huge priority for us to perform, we play for the younger generations, so they can see us continue to improve and get better and evolve as women.

“The advice I give to younger girls, is to set your own goals and create your own path, just work on that and everything will come together.”

Geelong United host Frankston this Saturday, April 29 at 5pm and 7pm.

For tickets, head to geelongunitedbasketball.com.au