Brogan’s unfinished NBL1 business before college

Adelaide 36ers Development Player Che Brogan is looking forward to starting his college basketball career later this year, but before he heads to the United States, he has unfinished business in South Australia.

Brogan has committed to Ohio University for his freshman season, following in the footsteps of fellow Victorian Kiir Kuany who spent last season there as a freshman.

It caps a huge year for Brogan, who was signed as a development player by the Adelaide 36ers, following in the footsteps of his uncle Dean Brogan who was an NBL Championship winner with the club.

As well, the 19-year-old represented Australia at the 2025 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, where he averaged 8.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists as well as 1.7 steals across seven games.

Brogan says Ohio felt like a natural fit as he continues to develop.

“It was mainly just the coaching staff,” he explained, “that's what really connected me with the school, and how consistent they were with recruiting me and how on me they were, about what my role would be, how they would get me better.

“That was the main thing. I want to go somewhere where I can get better and obviously play good basketball and they ticked all the boxes with that.

“I just think it would be a really good start where I can go somewhere and play straight away and have an impact.

“I'm just really, really excited to get over there for sure.”

Ohio Head Coach Jeff Boals lauded Brogan’s basketball pedigree, describing him as tough, talented and competitive.

"He will add playmaking and toughness to our roster,” Boals said.

“He has been productive at every level he has played."

Brogan suited up on multiple occasions for the Sixers in NBL26, hitting the court for four appearances and not looking too out of place.

The teenager says the experience of training and playing alongside some of the NBL’s best players was extremely valuable.

“I came over from the Centre of Excellence because I wanted to train with the best possible players I could train against,” Brogan said.

“Training with Bryce Cotton, obviously DJ (Vasiljevic), Nick Rakocevic and the other guys - I just thought we had a really good team, and practising with them would help me get a lot better.

“I believe it did for sure and just the experience of being around those dudes, what I want to be in the future. I feel like it really did open my eyes to what it takes to be a professional athlete.”

Since the NBL season came to a close, Brogan has been playing for the Southern Tigers in the NBL1 competition, averaging 17.7 points, 7.6 assists, 6.7 rebounds and three steals per game in seven appearances so far.

Playing for the Tigers, where his mother Michelle Brogan made her name before embarking on a hugely successful national and international basketball career, has been extremely special, and the 19-year-old is eager to make the most of his time down south.

“I was thinking of going to other places, maybe going to the NBL1 West,” he explained. “But I wanted to stay here because my nan was here, and then the Tigers reached out, and obviously my mum and my uncle played for them.

“The Tigers gave me some good information on how they could get me better and what role I’d have on the team and I kind of thought that would be the best fit and it kind of made sense with my family going there and carrying on the tradition.”

Brogan will turn 20 in July and has unfinished business with the Tigers before he heads to Ohio.

“I want to get us into a position where we're in the playoffs for sure,” he said.

“I want us as a team to do as best as we can before I leave for sure and for me individually, I just want to grow as a player and get as ready as I can so when I land in college, I'm ready to hit the ground running and take advantage of my opportunity over there.”

Brogan will join fellow Sixers DP Deng Manyang in heading off to college in the United States this year.

***Southern Tigers image: Snapshot Photography