Ringwood: How Glover fits people-first philosophy

“We’re not looking for the best players, we’re looking for the best people.”

That’s the mantra NBL1 club Ringwood Hawks General Manager Ken Harrington has lived by for over two decades. For Harrington, it has been the starting point for every roster decision, every signing, and every executive move he has made.

So, when Angus Glover — two-time NBL champion, NBL1 Finals MVP, and a 20-point-per-game scorer a year ago — announced to Hawks fans at quarter time of their Round 2 clash with Frankston that he would be signing a one-year contract with the team they didn’t believe they were just getting a star.

They were getting the right person.

Character as Currency

Glover, 26, will provide invaluable on-court experience for a Ringwood side looking to climb the ladder. His addition also reinforces a club mantra that believes can translate into on-court success and off-court prosperity.

"For those guys to be able to come down to their own club, watch the other guys play, have them attend some of their junior training sessions, attend some of their camps … it has a massive impact on not just their ability to improve, but also their love of the game," Harrington said.

"Getting to see up close what you can achieve and how good you can get to us — that’s probably as valuable."

Harrington said this club culture, founded on signing "good people" was impactful for basketball in the area. With 43 junior VJBL teams in their program, the Hawks rely on their senior players to inspire the next generation.

"For example, last night after the game, we played Frankston, and Tanner Krebs was on the court for 45 minutes after the game, just chatting to kids and signing autographs," he said.

"He’s putting back into the people at the club and helping people develop a love for the sport, and that’s an impact that will hopefully last for many, many years."

The Journey Home

Glover’s journey back to the NBL1 South wasn’t straightforward. An irresistible offer from Germany derailed his plans to hoop in New Zealand. But the overseas environment that Glover found himself in wasn’t what he had hoped for.

Home called. And so did Ringwood captain Jonathan Lawton, who was a key player in orchestrating the move. While Harrington said a mixture of coaching staff and players sold Glover with the vision, a tight knit bond with the third-year Hawk was the tipping point.

"Angus is getting married soon (he married last week) and John’s in his bridal party," he revealed.

"So, John was directly in the ear of Angus telling him — 'come play with me, come play with me' — and a couple of days later, he was in.”

Learning from the Past

Recruiting, Harrington said, was quite thorough and collaborative. Coaches identify talent, and management evaluates the fit — on and off the court.

"The coach has an idea of who we’d like to get, and he’ll go out and try touch base with them and talk to a player," he said.

"If he can find out what it would take to get the guy here, he’ll come back to us and see what we can do and that’s when we’ll get involved and try and get a deal done."

This vetting process can be time-consuming, especially with imports. Harrington reflected on one instance that has shaped his approach to acquiring talent.

"Very early on, when I started coaching, we brought out an import who wasn’t a good person, and that was six months of hell," he revealed.

"Not knowing what they’re up to, they’re causing trouble in the team, they’re supposed to turn up and run a clinic or a camp and they don’t show up … so after that experience, I said to myself, the first thing I want is a reliable good person that I can put in front of a team of under 12 kids, and they can also deal with an angry parent, and they can also run clinics and camps … and get a club car and not smash it, or treat it like crap, but look after it."

With imports based halfway across the world, understanding the athletes as people first is prioritised before contracts are signed. Regular communication is essential, and a failure to be transparent would be a deal breaker.

That said, Harrington recalled one chat with Glover before an agreed-upon deal sealed the move.

"It’s easier when you can sit down in an office with Angus Glover and have a chat about life for two hours, which is what we did," he said.

"It was two hours and it felt like 10 minutes and you think, 'holy smokes it’s 4 o’clock, I need to let you go'.

"This is a good guy; honest and up front, who tells you his life story. These are the people you want to spend time with."

Bucking the Trend

Last season, the Hawks won four of their first five matches before dropping away dramatically.

As they repeat a similar start to the year, Harrington was optimistic about what Glover can do to prevent history from repeating itself, holding a large stake in an improved team talent-wise.

"I think comparing last year’s team to this team, there’s a really large difference in ability,” he said.

"Last year we had little depth on the bench, and they started off well, but teams start to work out what you do."

Third-year guard Jonathan Lawton put up strong numbers along with 20 points per game last season and has continued that trend into this year with multiple 20-point performances contributing to wins.

Harrington wasn’t concerned Ringwood captain Lawton and Glover’s games would clash, rather envisioning more versatility and balance that would optimise the team’s play, especially in crunch time.

"This year’s team has two or three options that when the game’s on the line, you can throw the ball to Angus, or you can throw the ball to Tanner or John, and they can make a play," he said.

“Last year, a lot of it was just on John, so he would see a lot of double teams, which made life pretty hard for him. The happiest person in this situation is John Lawton because he’s now got some help."

While Harrington believes Glover remains grateful for his success as a Wildcat in the last two seasons, he hoped the strong bond between Lawton and Glover would pay dividends on the court.

"I think in his mind, without talking on his behalf, I would say that he sort of achieved over there what he wanted to achieve, and now he wants to play with his mates," he said.

"After heading over to Germany and seeing what it was like over there, he’s just really happy to come back and play with some people that he’s really comfortable with."

The New Reality of Team Building

While Glover’s signing should improve Ringwood’s sub-par 6-16 record in 2024, Harrington wasn't taking Glover’s services for granted. A modern NBL1 environment can present instability with players moving more frequently, presenting new challenges for team management.

"When I was coaching, we’d have a core of local players that would play year after year and a lot of them would play for nothing because they come up through the club. That just doesn’t happen now,” Harrington said.

"We’re not a big budget team, I think everybody thinks that we’ve opened up the cheque book, but I can assure you we haven’t. There is every chance that next year big fat offers are going to come in for some of those guys who’re going to obviously have good years, and we might not be able to get anywhere near it. And you’re relying on their generosity to say, ‘I’ll stay and play at Ringwood for less’."

This reality influences contract negotiations.

While long-term deals are an option, it carries a component of risk.

"It’s dangerous for both parties … the NBL is in its offseason, and sometimes those players want to have holidays," he explains.

"There have been times where I’ve seen NBL players who are playing NBL1 just not try as hard, ‘I don’t want to get injured playing NBL1’, so you have to be careful with who you sign and their intentions."

Eyes on the Climb

Harrington anticipates Glover will suit up in "probably about two weeks", to get married. The club expects the marquee signing to play about 16-18 games of NBL1 this season.

However, Glover’s eagerness to play was evident.

"It’s funny, I spoke to him last night at the game and the first thing he said is, 'gees I want to play right now'. He’s a gamer,” Harrington said.

“And I’m like mate, you got a wedding in two days, if you got your eye cut open, I think your fiancée would absolutely kill you!”

As Glover joins the lineup, Ringwood hopes this will enable things to click into gear.

While Harrington’s primary goal as GM was to steer clear of relegation, a solidified foundation with Tanner Krebs, Jonathan Lawton and new addition Glover meanty internal expectations have grown for 2025.

"To win a championship, you need one thing. You need talent and this year they’ve finally got some serious talent,” he said.

"The most important thing in recruiting is to ensure we get serious talent who are good people.

"Talented people don’t usually win. Smart, talented people win… they’re therefore the right reasons, and hopefully, they have some success.”