Geelong United Supercats captain Demarcus Gatlin says he is playing a different role for the team in 2023

Aside from his athletic prowess on the court, with the Geelong Arena rings no stranger to a high-flying Demarcus dunk, Gatlin has won over the basketball community with his dedication to being a role model and mentor for the next generation of local ballers, which he describes as his favourite part of playing here.

“Being a basketball player here and being able to do all the things I do in the community – whether that’s coaching kids, training kids, showing up to schools and having important conversations – I just want to try to be impactful and use my voice as much as I can,” Gatlin said.

One of the golden pieces of advice that Gatlin likes to pass on to the kids is something that he is embodying in this 2023 NBL1 South season.

“Sometimes you have to be a star in your role and let everything else fall into place,” he said. “It’s hard at times for the younger players to accept roles, and I hope people can see that in order to win, you have to sacrifice.

“(This year) I’m not the first option (for scoring), I’m not the second option, but I feel like I’m producing in my role and I’m trying to be the best I can be for my team.”

The role this year for Gatlin includes taking on the title of captain, as well as being an “energy giver” and leading by example on defence.

Despite not being the first or second scoring option, Gatlin is still averaging almost 18 points per game, along with seven rebounds and four assists, showing his efforts across all areas of the court.

“My role changes from game to game, the one thing that doesn’t change is the way I try to bring energy to the line-up and defend at a high level,” he said.

“I try to make sure my team has a heartbeat, and then lead with my energy and hope that it’s contagious.”

The men’s team will head into the break on a three-game losing streak after dropping both games in a double header last weekend, with Gatlin acknowledging that defence needs to be the focus before the next game.

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“One thing I take from the three losses, defensively we just haven’t been good as a group,” he said.

“We gave up 107, 97 and 106 points.

“Although you would like to go out on the break on a win, I think it gives us a chance to actually identify what’s wrong with our defence and how we can improve it.”

Originally published as Geelong United Supercats captain Demarcus Gatlin says he is playing a different role for the team in 2023