Elizabeth Iseyemi is off to a solid start in a new country.
The former Acadia University Axewomen and Maritime Women’s Basketball Association star signed a two-year contract to play professionally with Germany’s USC BasCats Heidelberg.
Iseyemi played with the MWBA’s Lake City 56ers of Dartmouth/Cole Harbour last season, helping lead the squad to an appearance in the Pro*Line Stadium Legacy Cup final.
She was a dominant player with the 56ers in the MWBA, coming off a star-studded Atlantic University Sport career in Wolfville with Acadia.
Iseyemi’s first appearance with the BasCats was a successful one as the squad downed Dutch first division team ZZ Leiden, 82-50.
She spoke to team marketing representative Michael Rappe.
‘As a team, we should have had fewer turnovers, but we played well together,’ said Iseyemi, who is from Dartmouth, NS. ‘I want to give the team everything it needs. We have a lot of good and young players. All of them are very good athletically. The team chemistry is very good.’
Heidelberg head coach Rene Spandauw was impressed with the Canadian.
‘Elizabeth is a fantastic team player and has a great attitude,’ he told Rappe. ‘We were looking for just such a player. We need her points.’
Iseyemi knocked down 22 points in the pre-season outing.
She ranks 11th all-time in leading scoring numbers in the MWBA, split between the 56ers and Halifax Thunder, with 238 career points.
Iseyemi scored 174 points this past season with Lake City and was named a first-team MWBA all-star.
She joins former AUS rival Alaina McMillan of the Thunder as pro players this season. McMillan is playing in France.
Iseyemi’s Lake City teammate Courtney Donaldson was anticipating turning pro overseas, but a nagging foot injury has those plans on hold.
Sophia Widmeyer of the MWBA’s Halifax Hornets played professionally in Ireland last season, but is recovering from a knee injury.
– Elizabeth Iseyemi in action with her German pro team (Andreas Gieser Photo)
