After stints playing basketball across the globe, all the way from his native Canada to Romania and the Netherlands, 28-year-old Meshack Lufile will be joining the Rockets for the 2021\/22 season. Standing at 6\u20198\u201d and listed at 109kg, Meshack cuts an imposing figure on the court and will use all of his size to control the paint as center for the Rockets next season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meshack is one of four basketball-playing brothers whose journeys have taken them to 18 teams across eight countries collectively \u2013 even with the youngest still at college and yet to start his professional career. All the healthy competition within the family set Meshack up for success, and his four years at Cape Breton University in Canada earned him a Defensive Player of the Year award in the AUS conference during his final year. He proved to be a productive big man on the offensive end too during the 2015\/16 season, leading the Canadian leagues in field goal % and achieving AUS 2nd<\/sup> Team All-Star honours for his all-around game. Meshack\u2019s time at CBU led to a professional contract with Dutch side Aris Leeuwarden. His professional career was a success from the off, and he provided the team with a useful 27 minutes a night with solid efficiency and rebounding during his first season there. A move back to Canada saw him join The Island Storm in Canada\u2019s top division for most of the 2017\/18 season before moving to the Halifax Hurricanes in the same league the following year, where he carved out a useful role off the bench with solid contributions at the center position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A brief spell in Romania\u2019s first division during 2019-20 allowed Meshack to shine and got the Rockets\u2019 attention, as he put up over 11 points and 7 rebounds a game on the best field goal % of his pro career. Meshack\u2019s varied career has given him plenty of confidence in his ability to help the Rockets. Looking forward to next season, he said he plans \u201con bringing a winning culture and experienced veteran leadership\u201d to the squad, adding that he \u201ccouldn\u2019t be happier\u201d with the player-coach relationship he has formed with new coach Dan Pearson. Coach Pearson clearly feels similarly, and he praised Meshack as a \u201cbruiser with touch and incredible feel for the game\u201d who could contribute \u201con the court and for the community of Reading\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meshack will prove to be a major force both on the court and in the locker room this year, and we can\u2019t wait to see him suit up in the number 13 jersey for the Rockets next season!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After stints playing basketball across the globe, all the way from his native Canada to Romania and the Netherlands, 28-year-old Meshack Lufile will be joining the Rockets for the 2021\/22 season. Standing at 6\u20198\u201d and listed at 109kg, Meshack cuts an imposing figure on the court and will use all of his size to control […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":9761,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":[],"_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"spay_email":""},"categories":[3,2,4],"tags":[265,264,263],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MG_0766-X3-1.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pdDaI5-2xp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9841,"url":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/match-report-kestrels-vs-rockets\/","url_meta":{"origin":9759,"position":0},"title":"Match Report: Kestrels vs Rockets","date":"02\/10\/2021","format":false,"excerpt":"By Jamie King Team Solent Kestrels 69\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Reading Rockets 64\u00a0 The Rockets tipped off the league season with a matchup against the defending champion Team Solent Kestrels. 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