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Sensational Double Swoop for Plymouth University Raiders
Friday 8th May
The Plymouth University Raiders have started the summer, by signing two Australian players with a very rich pedigree. Daryl Corletto, a 6’3” guard and Bennie Lewis, a 6’8” guard/forward will form an important backbone of the team together with Josh Wilcher in 2015/16.
Corletto and Wilcher both have Australian and British dual nationalities, meaning that they will both be registered as British players in the BBL, while Lewis has both Australian and American nationalities.
The 33 year old Corletto has won 4 Australian NBL titles – 2 with Melbourne Tigers and 2 with the New Zealand Breakers. He has played 397 games in the NBL and is well known throughout Australia for his shooting abilities and for being an aggressive scorer. He averages 45% from the 3 point line and Raiders fans will be pleased to know that he is an excellent free throw shooter, at 94%.
“I am extremely excited about playing for the Plymouth University Raiders next season In the BBL,” said Corletto “I have thought about doing this for a number of years now and the timing is right for me to head over and enjoy a new challenge in my career, I have had a great professional career back home in Australia and have enjoyed some success. I am now looking forward to helping the Plymouth University Raiders get back into the play offs next season. I have spoken to Jay a lot, and I like the way he conducts himself and I’m looking forward to helping him create a winning culture and a culture that is hard working and well respected. I have learnt a lot over my time in Australia and New Zealand and a winning team have great culture and values on and off the court. The Plymouth community will love the exciting brand of basketball we will hopefully be playing next season. I can’t wait to get over there and begin the hard work with the other guys. I’m looking forward to becoming a Raider.”
The Australian NBL is a tough league littered with former NBA and other NBA calibre players. In the most recent NBL Grand Finals appearance with the New Zealand Breakers, he averaged over 15 points per game – tough in any league, but very impressive when considering who he was up against.
As a natural shooting guard, he can also double up and handle the ball – and will give Josh Wilcher a break at point guard during the season. ~
“I’m absolutely delighted to tie up a deal for Daryl,” said Raiders’ Head Coach Jay Marriott. “We have been talking about this for a while and he is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’m a big fan of Australian basketball and their development systems there. Daryl has been a well-respected and is a highly experienced player in the NBL and is just short of 400 career appearances – demonstrating longevity and durability. Every coach will say how much easier life is when you have a veteran who not only understands the culture we want to build this season with the Raiders, but someone who also lives and breathes it every day, leading from the front. He has been a mentor to Josh back in Australia, and we feel he is going to play a big part in getting even more out of Josh who is delighted to re-unite with him. As a player, Daryl brings a big 3 point threat and a leadership to the court that has seen him as a vital part to 4 championship winning teams in the NBL. I can’t wait to get him in the locker room and around not just the other professional players, but our Academy and Development players who will benefit and grow immeasurably with him around. For two years we have really missed that kind of presence and hope to build around his winning mentality.”
Daryl is well versed in high level competition – his wife, Julie – is a star with the Australian international Netball team who won the 20111 World Championships and recently won the Commonwealth Gold Medal. She will be representing Australia again this summer in the netball world championships, which will be held in Australia.
Josh and Daryl, will be joined by Bennie Lewis, a 6’8” guard/forward who has some tremendous playing experience as well. The 27 year old’s versatility means he can play anything from shooting guard through to power forward and is a very adept defender. 
Bennie has played in the NBL with Melbourne as well, and played in 2013/14 for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBL Development League, where he averaged over 8 points and 39% from the 3 point line. He comes highly recommended by both Corletto and Josh Wilcher.
"First of all I would like to say that I am very proud to be a part of the 2015-16 season with the Plymouth University Raiders,” said Lewis. “The opportunity to play in a new league and a new country is exciting. I absolutely can not wait to land, get to training, and join my teammates some of which I know already. I would like to thank the Head Coach Jay Marriott and the team’s administration for allowing me this opportunity to join the club. I am ready to work hard with my teammates and get the club back to winning games. Finally, I look forward to bringing excitement to the fans with my intense gameplay."
He is now playing for Geraldton Buccaneers in the SEABL – the same league that Wilcher will be playing in over the summer with Bendigo Braves. He opened up the season with a spectacular 43 points and 13 rebounds!
“Daryl asked me to have a really close look at Bennie and he had read my mind of what I was looking for,” added Marriott. “A versatile and big time athlete that can defend multiple positions, can score, rebound and handle the ball a little. A rare quality with someone his size is his ability and threat from the 3 point line. Usually an athlete of his size and calibre are strictly inside players, but he has other dimensions to his offensive game. At 6’8”, Bennie gives us real height and with his versatility, he gives us lots of options. Having played with Daryl, we know exactly what character we are getting, and having had experience in both the Australian NBL and the NBA D-League, we have someone who understand the pro game and what is expected of him. It’s great to have Bennie on board!”
In 2010, he was voted as the Melbourne Tigers Most Improved Player in the Australian NBL and the 2012 NBL Dunk Champion! The internet has many spectacular highlight videos of Bennie during his time in Australia and the NBA D-League.
