Geraldton Buccaneers re-sign international star Mathiang Muo, US guard Shaun Stewart to deep roster

Geraldton’s NBL1 West basketball side have added two more key signings to an already bursting roster in a signal they plan to challenge at the top of the national competition this season.

The Buccaneers have signed US guard Shaun Stewart and re-signed South Sudan international Mathiang Muo, who played a key role last season.

Buccs coach Dayle Joseph was optimistic the players would be in Geraldton before the start of the season and that the club could challenge for silverware.

“I like to think that’s a team we can blend together and maybe challenge for some big things at the end of the season,” Joseph said.

“We’ve got high expectation but that’s the idea, to get these guys together and compete against the teams we believe will be up there like Perry Lakes, the Rockingham Flames, and the (Warwick) Senators.”

“We feel the group we’ve got should be able to do that — with some of the local talent we have think we could do quite well.”

The Buccs won the final State Basketball League premiership in 2019 but almost all of that winning squad has departed.

A depleted squad finished mid-table in the West Coast Classic development tournament in 2020 and the first NBL1 West conference last season, with imports locked out and underage players stepping up from the local league.

Muo made a key contribution last season before departing to play for South Sudan at Afrobasket.

He averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals across four games at the international tournament.

The Buccs originally signed Stewart from Mandurah Magic in 2020 with high expectations but, along with several other imports, he had to leave the State without playing a game when borders closed.

Stewart has earned two player of the week awards in the SBL, one coming in an away game against Geraldton in 2018, and played in SBL All-Star games in 2018 and 2019.

The Buccs are also waiting on defensive star Cameron Coleman and guard Malik Meunier to arrive from the Eastern States.

Several new signings from Perth-based teams are already in Geraldton.