Former Cheshire Phoenix forward Kinu Rochford will be plying his trade in France’s second tier next season after signing a deal with Saint Chamond Basket.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, 25-year-old Rochford will be playing for the Pro-B side next season, who also have another former Phoenix player in their ranks in the shape of Dustin Salisbery.
Rochford had an excellent campaign for Cheshire last season, averaging 19.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game in his debut season in the BBL and endeared himself to the Phoenix faithful at the Cheshire Oaks Arena with his all-action displays and ability to dominate the paint.
Rochford, a graduate of NCAA Division One school Fairleigh Dickinson University, arrived at the Nix in October following a successful stint in France with ESSM Le Portel and was named BBL Player of the Month in January and helped his side, who ended the regular season in seventh place, reach the semi-finals of the BBL Play-Offs.
New Cheshire head coach Colin O’Reilly, who coached the Irish national side to a fourth-placed finish at the FIBA Small Countries tournament in Moldova, will now be turning his attention to building his own squad ahead of the BBL season tip-off in September.
Former Cheshire player O’Reilly, who was confirmed as John Lavery’s replacement last month, has been tasked with building the Nix into a competitive force in the BBL in the coming seasons as well as developing a brand of basketball to give the club an identity on the court.
Wholesale changes to the roster are expected but the club and O’Reilly were keen to retain the services of three of last season’s squad; Akeem Ellis, Danny Huffor and Jeff Dirkin.
