July 13, 2013
Dan Boyce
Aussies Abroad
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2811 Views

Daniel Kickert will remain in the Ukraine this season after inking a one year deal with Azovmash Mariupol.

The Melbourne born big man who also holds a Dutch passport, will be playing for his third Ukrainian team in two seasons.

In 2012-13 he initially played 28 games for Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine-Superleague) and averaged 17.6 ppg and 5.7 rpg. In March 2013 he moved to Budivelnyk Kyiv, also playing in the Superleague and there he averaged 9.2 ppg and 3.9 rpg in 17 games.

Last season he was able to help Budivelnyk Kyiv defeat Azovmash Mariupol in a gruelling seven games series to win the Ukrainian Superleague championship. In that series he averaged 9.2 points per game against Azovmash, now Azovmash fans have the chance to see that scoring power in a home jersey.

Azovmash Mariupol was founded in 1991 and now takes part in 4 competitions during the year, the Ukrainian SuperLeague, Ukrainian Cup, VTB United League and the ULEB Eurocup. It has always been one of the strongest teams in Ukraine along with BC Kyiv, BC Khimik and BC Cherkasy.

At Azovmash he will reunite with former Dnipro teammate Derrick Low, who also spent 2009 playing for the Sydney Spirit in the NBL. Low was the starting PG for Dnipro in 2012-13 and averaged 15.3 ppg and 6.9 apg in 39 games in his second year in the Superleague with Dnipro. Low and Kickert were part of a great one-two punch at Dnipro and will be looking to recreate that in Mariupol.

Although he has played little on Australian soil since graduation from the AIS in 2002 Daniel Kickert is very highly regarded overseas. Kickert played college basketball at St Mary’s from 2002-2006 where he finished as the school’s all time leading scorer (he was surpassed this year by fellow Australian Matthew Dellavedova).

Daniel Kickert has been a member of the Australian National Basketball team since representing Australia in the 2006 World Championships in Japan. Recently he was part of the Boomers teams who finished third in the 2011 London Invitational Tournament prior to the Olympics and the YouYi games in 2012.

Daniel Kickert has stated on the Aussie Hoopla podcast that he would like the chance to return and play in Australia as soon as the time is right.

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Daniel Kickert signs with Ukrainian team Azovmash for 2013/14