THE SAINT Mary’s Gaels snagged the seventh seed in the upcoming NCAA National Tournament, and will face Vanderbilt in their first clash on Saturday, with a host of Aussies on the roster looking to make an impact under the bright lights.

The Gaels have three players honing from Australia on their roster in Harry Wessels, Joshua Dent and Rory Hawke. The latter is redshirting, which means he will not be seeing any court time this year and will be looking to extend his career into next season.

However, the other two players will be playing a role for Saint Mary’s in the coming weeks, particularly Wessels, who is highly regarded off the bench by Randy Bennet, and is the team’s backup centre. In their most recent game, the Gaels used only eight players, and Wessels was still in the rotation, showing his importance to the team.

On the season, he is currently averaging 5.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, and while his numbers are not exactly lighting the world on fire, his impact has improved as the fixture has rolled on. In fact, Wessels is consistently playing 20 minutes a game since Bennet has shortened his rotation, and his rebounding numbers have gone up.

Standing a towering seven-foot-one, the Western Australia product has found himself playing a crucial role for the Gaels, emerging as a physical presence who is willing to do the dirty work in the low block, allowing his other teammates to play to their strengths on the outside.

As his college career has developed, Wessels’ hands have improved out of sight, and he is a reliable dish-off option who can finish through contact in the paint. He is making the most of his impressive frame, and is not afraid to throw his weight around in the low block.

His timing on the defensive end has also gotten better this season, and is now capable of swatting away the shot of any opposition player attempting to score inside. He has recorded a block in nine out of his last 11 games, including a season-high four swats in the win over the Santa Clara Broncos, so his interior defence will be vital for the Gaels.

The other Saint Mary’s Aussie to potentially see some court time is Dent, although his chances are slimmer based on how the rotation has looked this season. He is averaging just three minutes of court time in his Freshman campaign, and is only just getting his college career started. A career-best eight points on 3/5 shooting in a blowout win back in January showed he has what it takes to excel, but will be likely forced to wait behind his more experienced teammates in the National Tournament.

The Gaels have become a popular landing spot for Aussies in the college system, and with Wessels set to play a key role for Saint Mary’s in the National Tournament, it could continue to put Australian players on the global map in the coming weeks.