Falkirk Fury: Spanish basketball star Maria Mongomo to help coach youth teams

The 29-year-old, who was once a European Championship winner with her country at under-16 level, is helping out the treble winning SBC champions thanks to being linked to the district via her mum who lives locally.

Maria played top college level basketball in Canada and after turning professional she has played in Europe with stops in Switzerland, Luxembourg. Last season she was with Brunehaut BC in Belgium's top league.

Speaking about the prospect of Mongomo helping to coach Fury’s under-12s through to under-16s, head coach John Bunyan said: “Maria has kindly agreed to help with our player development programme over the next few months while at the same time training with our club in preparation for her 2024-25 season.

"She is clearly a very talented player and having coached with her this week, I can see she will bring a lot to our programme, and that she will be a tremendous mentor and role model to our coaches and players.

"I am also looking at Maria visiting our schools and I am sure her visits will motivate and inspire boys and girls in playing basketball.”

Falkirk Fury will also have former junior ace Danni McNamara working with their summer programmes along with Maria.

Danni has just completed her third season with English Division One side Sheffield Hatters and will not only be working at Fury's club programmes, camps and school outreaches, but will also be learning some valuable basketball playing insights from Maria.

Bunyan continued: “Falkirk Fury will benefit from having two great female role models and players working in their Sport Scotland-funded women’s programme which is specifically targeting the development of girls and women in basketball.

"Fury have also received key funding from the fantastic Falkirk Community Choices programme which will see the talented female duo working in local primary and secondary schools developing basketball and sport in the community.”