SA basketball fans will have the pleasure of seeing a former 36er in action this year, albeit in an unfamiliar uniform, with the announcement that Dusty Rychart will be playing for North Adelaide in the 2007 Central ABL season.

Rychart, now plying his trade with the Brisbane Bullets, and a recent winner of the NBL Player of the Week award, is happy to be able to return to Adelaide.

"I'm looking forward to coming back and playing in Adelaide where I had formed so many friendships and spent some great years".

Rychart joined the 36ers part way through its 2002/3 campaign and made Adelaide his home for the following 3 seasons. Currently in the first year of a two year contract with Brisbane, he has been instrumental in the Bullets' push for the NBL Philips Championship, and Brisbane's willingness for Dusty to play in the ABA coupled with Rychart's friendship with rookie Rockets coach Justin Schueller, make the move to North a good fit.

"I know a lot of the guys on the team well and being able to play for a good friend is going to be great. I just hope I can help add something to the group and help the team reach its goals".

Schueller sees Rychart's involvement as a plus for his team, the club, and the league.

"Dusty will bring much needed experience and size to our young group and will complement the players we already have. He will also help lift the profile of the club and the league. No one wanted to see him leave Adelaide and it will be great for people to able to see him playing week to week again".

Rychart is likely to be surrounded by players who have come through North Adelaide's junior program, many of whom have also represented SA at National Junior Championships.

"One of the things we are proud of is that we will be fielding a side of North juniors with the exception of Dusty. We have had a lot of successful years in junior ranks and now we are reaping the rewards of that at senior level. It is something that we have wanted to promote and will continue to do so".

Two of those players are Erik Burdon, who saw his first NBL minutes with the 36ers this season, and former 36er Nick Hambour.

"Eze has had valued experience out at the Sixers and has lifted his game to another level. I think he will have a break out year this year and will be one worth keeping an eye on".

"Nick is in great shape and has been putting a lot of extra work in off the court. He is still one of our key guys and is in shape for another solid year".

The North men's team travelled to Melbourne recently to play some trial games against SEABL teams the Bendigo Braves and the Ballarat Miners. The team was joined by Michael Zorich, who recently saw his first NBL minutes with the South Dragons.

"The games we played in Melbourne were fantastic and at a level we needed to compete at. It was also good to get Michael Zorich in the mix with the group. We have tried to give our guys something different this pre-season and the addition of Dylan Hicks as our Strength and Conditioning coach has helped to get our guys in good shape".

North will also be competing in the Pre-Season Blitz at Starplex on March 3 and 4.

"The Blitz will be another important weekend in our preparation as we should have everyone back by then, so we are looking forward to it".

The season-proper for North starts at home on Saturday March 17, with men's and women's games against West Adelaide at Hillcrest.