Livingston teenager Callum Mortimer has said it’s a ‘huge relief’ to be back on court after the British Basketball League was given the go ahead.
The 17-year-old is in his second season with the Glasgow Rocks, Scotland’s only professional male basketball team, having become the club’s youngest ever player last term.
The former West Lothian Wolves ace, who has represented Scotland at a number of youth age groups, has seen plenty of minutes as the Rocks sealed back-to-back victories over the Cheshire Phoenix to seal their passage into the next round of the BBL Cup.
And he’s keen to build on that going forward as the Rocks aim for silverware.
Speaking to the Courier, he said: “It’s a huge relief just to be playing to be honest. It was a bit surreal training and preparing for a season when you had no clue when, or even if, it was going to start.
“We trained for two weeks before we found out that the season was going to go ahead and we were given a start date. It was socially distanced training, too, so all we were really doing was fitness and shooting but it helped that everyone was together as a team.
“To get back on court and playing games is brilliant, although obviously it’s very different circumstances than what you’re used to.”
The 6’5’’ guard featured sparingly last season but was on court for over 13 minutes in the season-opening 93-63 win over the Phoenix last week - a career high figure that even he admits took him by surprise as he seeks to continue his basketball education with the Emirates Arena outfit.
He said: “It was a very nice surprise and not something I expected to get at all. Every minute on court is going to help me develop so I was delighted to play for so long in that game. The aim is to get as many minutes as possible this season and continue to develop and improve as a player.
“It’s been a great start to the season and I think we have a very good team. We’re all pulling in the same direction and it’s a great group of guys.
“They all know I’m the young one but they treat me with the respect they’d treat a veteran and that’s a huge positive for me.
“They’re trying to push me hard every day and taking the time to give me advice on improving my game.”
