Time out: Amy Denson will be taking a break from basketball. Picture: Gary Sissons
KNOX Raiders women will be looking for a new linchpin after star import Amy Denson confirmed she will take a break during the coming South East Australian Basketball League season.
Denson has led the Raiders to the past two SEABL grand finals and was the only Raiders woman to ever win the SEABL most valuable player award when she claimed the honour in the 2011 season.
Denson informed the Raiders during the Christmas-new year break she would not be coming out to Australia following her current stint in Spain with Caja Rural Zamora.
Instead, she will spend time in the US resting after several years of non-stop basketball including a leading role with WNBL side Sydney University Flames last WNBL season.
"My body and my mind have been on the court for about four years straight now," she told Raiders media.
"Although I had the five-week break early on last year, I am looking forward to a season off to decide what my next step is going to be and, of course, spend some quality time with my family."
In 71 games for the Raiders over three seasons, Denson is ranked sixth in rebounds, seventh in scoring and 10th in assists in the Knox Raiders women's 22-year history.
"I will forever be grateful for my time at Knox," she said. "I will cherish the relationships that I have made along the way, and my time at Knox was my platform that helped me break into the WNBL, which is a highlight of my career."
The Raiders men and women will begin their SEABL season on March 15 when they play in Bendigo.
■ Raiders men's star CJ Massingale looks likely to face a difficult time getting back to the National Basketball League this season after the league refused to reduce his rating as a '10-point player' under the league's salary cap points system.
Despite being in his first season in the NBL, Massingale was rated a full 10 points, equal with players who had Olympic and NBA experience, and after he was cut by Adelaide 36ers Massingale hoped the league would review and reduce his rating to make it easier for other teams to sign him, with Perth and Wollongong both looking for guards to join their roster.
But a league spokesman told the Weekly on Monday Massingale would remain a full 10-point player for the rest of the season.