The club has been actively sourcing a replacement player for towering American Kodi Augustus since mid-last week.

The Courier understands the club has made an offer to a preferred new player and hopes to finalise this later in the week, with the aim of having the recruit at the Minerdome on the long weekend.

Coincidentally, the GMHBA Miners have a mid-season break in the South East Australian Basketball League. Their next assignment is a road-trip to Bendigo on June 13.

Augustus flew home to the United States early Monday after the Ballarat Basketball board deemed he was not the right fit for the Miners’ extensive community engagement work they demand of players in their elite teams program.

Ballarat Basketball chief executive officer Peter Eddy said it was a tough decision but, despite intensive work to develop Augustus, he did not meet standards nor fit the culture for a regional basketball club.

“Kodi’s a nice guy and that makes it harder. He just struggled to do the off-court stuff in community engagement and mentoring juniors,” Eddy said. 

“We need athletes who are willing to step out of their comfort zone in schools and clinics. That is part and parcel of a regional club.

“... Try as he may, Kodi couldn’t quite do that for us.”

Eddy said the import standard off the court had been set high by past legends such as Eric Cooks and now-coach Eric Hayes, 2013 co-captain Matt Hanson and this season’s co-captain Roy Booker in inspiring a new generation of basketballers.

The club has emphasised this when shortlisting potential recruit candidates.

On court, Augustus has been averaging good statistics: 18.5 points a  game and 8.4 rebounds, including 21 points he made against NW Tasmania in the second leg of the Miners’ Tasmanian road trip on Saturday night.

Augustus was told of the club’s final decision when the team returned on Sunday.

His teammates were briefed on Sunday night.

Hayes is yet to meet with his playing group, which is on a break, but was confident Augustus’ departure would not disrupt their game too much.

“It certainly will change things. If we get the right person in, that helps a lot to get us back to that point,” Hayes said.

“On court, Kodi was a talented player, had good stats and did some good things. We’ve got to find a way to replace that some.”

The Miners are fifth on a tight east conference ladder going into the mid-season break, with 13 games left in the regular season.

melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au