Matthew Adekponya
{{Short description|Australian-Ghanaian basketball player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Matthew Adekponya
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| position = Guard
| height_cm = 194
| weight_kg =
| league =
| team =
| number =
| nationality = Australian / Ghanaian
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1990|6|9}}
| birth_place =
| high_school =
| college =
| draft_year =
| career_start = 2009
| career_end =
| years1 = 2009–2012
| team1 = Cairns Marlins
| years2 = 2013–2015
| team2 = Mackay Meteors
| years3 = 2013–2014
| team3 = Barcelos Hotel Terco
| years4 = 2014
| team4 = PAVI Depiro
| years5 = 2014–2015
| team5 = Nidaros Jets
| years6 = 2016
| team6 = Geraldton Buccaneers
| years7 = 2017
| team7 = Team FOG Næstved
| years8 = 2017
| team8 = Perry Lakes Hawks
| years9 = 2018
| team9 = Gold Coast Rollers
| years10 = 2021
| team10 = Mackay Meteors
| highlights =
- Danish Cup winner (2017)
- 2× QBL champion (2009, 2015)
- SBL All-Star Five (2016)
- BLNO All-Star (2015)
- BLNO scoring champion (2015)
}}
Matthew Adekponya (born 9 June 1990) is an Australian-born Ghanaian{{cite web|url=https://www.teammillsfoundation.org/latest/meet-the-team-matthew-adekponya|title=Meet the Team: Matthew Adekponya|work=teammillsfoundation.org|access-date=28 January 2023}} basketball player and filmmaker.
He played in the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) every year between 2009 and 2015, winning QBL championships with the Cairns Marlins (2009) and Mackay Meteors (2015). After two years in the State Basketball League (SBL) in Western Australia, he returned to the QBL in 2018 and then had a stint in the NBL1 North in 2021. Elsewhere, he played in Europe between 2013 and 2017.
Early life
Adekponya was born in Australia and grew up in Cairns, Queensland. He attended Lindsey Wilson College in the United States in 2010–11 but did not play for the basketball team.{{cite web|url=https://www.lindseyathletics.com/roster/15/6/3116.php|title=Matthew Adekponya|work=lindseyathletics.com|access-date=28 January 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.lindseyathletics.com/stats/2010-11/mbb/MBBSeasonStats2010-11.htm|title=Lindsey Wilson Athletics – 2010–11 Men's Basketball|work=lindseyathletics.com|access-date=28 January 2023}}
Basketball career
=Australia=
Adekponya made his debut in the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) in 2009 with the Cairns Marlins. The team won the QBL championship in his first season. He played for the Marlins every year until 2012.{{cite web|url=https://basketball.australiabasket.com/player/Matthew-Adekponya/180475|title=Matthew Adekponya|work=australiabasket.com|access-date=20 August 2021|url-access=subscription}} During this time, he was a development player with the Cairns Taipans in the National Basketball League (NBL).{{cite web|url=https://websites.mygameday.app/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-4144-0-0-0&sID=49552&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=17308406|title='Sweet gig' for young Cairns Taipans learning trade|work=QBL|date=26 October 2011|access-date=28 January 2023}} He failed to make his NBL debut during his two-year stint in 2011–12 and 2012–13.{{cite web|url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194020289&client=0-189-88243-193068-11144829|title=Player statistics for Matthew Adekponya|work=NBL|access-date=28 January 2023}}
Between 2013 and 2015, Adekponya played for the Mackay Meteors. He helped the Meteors win the 2015 QBL championship.
Adekponya spent time with the Townsville Crocodiles during the 2014 and 2015 NBL pre-seasons.{{cite web|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/sport/meteors-star-playing-for-townsville-crocs/news-story/b1f32a7510a22d4e5ae18c963ce070f7|title=Meteors star playing for Townsville Crocs|work=couriermail.com.au|date=16 September 2015|access-date=28 January 2023}}
In 2016, Adekponya played for the Geraldton Buccaneers in the State Basketball League (SBL){{cite web|last=Woodley|first=Matthew|url=https://www.geraldtonguardian.com.au/news/wa/new-buccs-guard-looks-to-impose-himself-ng-ya-330711|title=New Buccs guard looks to impose himself|work=geraldtonguardian.com.au|date=16 February 2016|access-date=28 January 2023}}{{cite web |title=Geraldton Buccaneers look to keep up win streak against Slammers |url=https://thewest.com.au/news/mid-west/adekponya-filling-stat-sheet-for-buccs-ng-ya-105846 |website=The West Australian |access-date=23 August 2021 |language=en |date=6 May 2016}} and earned All-Star Five honours.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/WABasketball/posts/1198770366833225|title=MSBL Allstar 5 & Defensive 5 2016|work=facebook.com/WABasketball|date=17 September 2016|access-date=28 January 2023}} He continued in the SBL for the Perry Lakes Hawks in 2017.
Adekponya returned to the QBL in 2018 to play for the Gold Coast Rollers.{{cite web |title=Future's looking reel bright for Adekponya |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/the-futures-looking-reel-bright-for-adekponya-on-the-gold-coast/news-story/1916eca70c0350c2e56463186d972695 |website=heraldsun |access-date=20 August 2021 |language=en |date=21 December 2017}}
In May 2021, Adekponya had a two-game stint with the Mackay Meteors in the NBL1 North as a short-term replacement for an injured player.{{cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/meteors-premiership-hero-matthew-adekponya-returns-to-mackay-lineup-as-injury-replacement/news-story/592511ffb329c4af83fffb7aecd9b89d|title=Matthew Adekponya returns to Mackay Meteors team|work=goldcoastbulletin.com.au|date=20 May 2021|access-date=28 January 2023|url-access=subscription|quote=A former club MVP and premiership hero will return to the Meteors' line-up on Friday night as a short-term replacement for an injured player.}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mackaybasketball.com/news/meteor-matt-returns-to-help-out-mates|title=Meteor Matt Returns To Help Out Mates|work=mackaybasketball.com|date=20 May 2021|access-date=28 January 2023}}
=Europe=
Adekponya's first stint in Europe came in the 2013–14 season. After nearly two months trialling in Spain, he joined Barcelos Hotel Terco in Portugal in October 2013.{{cite web |title=Meteor's European dream comes true in Portugal |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/sport/meteors-european-dream-comes-true-in-portugal/news-story/bf3ff9897ae90e0ddd2b9131907cf0ed |website=couriermail |access-date=20 August 2021 |language=en |date=24 October 2013}} He moved to Malta in January 2014 and helped PAVI Depiro win the regular season.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-03-08/basketball/depiro-finish-at-the-top-4189978624/|title=Depiro finish at the top|work=independent.com.mt|date=8 March 2014|access-date=28 January 2023}}
For the 2014–15 season, Adekponya played for Nidaros Jets in Norway,{{cite web |title=Matt Adekponya packing winter woollies ready for Norway |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/sport/matt-adekponya-packing-winter-woollies-ready-for-norway/news-story/15b23e9656f43e4b91cafdca0574d324 |website=couriermail |access-date=20 August 2021 |language=en |date=26 August 2014}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/sport/norway-trip-a-lifechanger-for-adekponya/news-story/29f5bc8818c728cafa03aa132aff44b6|title=Norway trip a life-changer for Adekponya|work=couriermail.com.au|date=16 May 2015|access-date=28 January 2023}} where he earned BLNO All-Star honours and was the league's top scorer with 30.2 points per game.{{cite web |title=Historikk BLNO M |url=https://www.basket.no/blno/blno-menn/historikk-blnomenn/ |website=basket.no |access-date=20 August 2021 |language=nb}}
After attempting to crack the NBA D-League in 2016,{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/drive/2016/10/meet_grand_rapids_drives_six_s.html|title=Meet Grand Rapids Drive's six selections from NBA D-League draft|work=mlive.com|date=31 October 2016|access-date=28 January 2023}} Adekponya joined Team FOG Næstved in Denmark in January 2017 for the rest of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.cairnspost.com.au/extaipan-shifts-to-denmark/news-story/15742e815a83d0051cd31d00b861c415|title=Ex-Taipan shifts to Denmark|work=cairnspost.com.au|date=19 January 2017|access-date=28 January 2023|url-access=subscription}}
Digital career
Off the court, Adekponya is a filmmaker.{{cite web |last1=Wenzel |first1=Murray |title=Deep-dive sports docos here to stay: Watt |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7250114/deep-dive-sports-docos-here-to-stay-watt/ |website=The Canberra Times |access-date=20 August 2021 |language=en-AU |date=12 May 2021}} In 2017, he released his first documentary.{{cite web |title=Cairns basketballer Matthew Adekponya releases first documentary |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/cairns-basketballer-matthew-adekponya-releases-first-documentary/news-story/cff738778703ef04b5a52d8705f5bd87 |website=heraldsun |access-date=20 August 2021 |language=en |date=27 October 2017}}
During the 2019–20 NBL season, Adekponya worked with the Illawarra Hawks as digital content creator. The Hawks subsequently won the NBL's Best Digital/Social Media award.{{cite web |title=Hawks Win NBL Media Award |url=https://www.hawks.com.au/news/hawks-win-nbl-media-award |website=hawks.com.au |access-date=28 January 2023 |language=en}}
Adekponya was the director of Building Titans, a film based on rugby league club the Gold Coast Titans.
As of March 2022, Adekponya was working on a documentary highlighting the bronze medal won by the Australian Boomers at the Tokyo Olympics.{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Samuel|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-26/pro-basketballer-matthew-adekponya-making-film-about-boomers/100934394|title=Pro basketballer Matthew Adekponya courts new career as filmmaker with Boomers doco|work=abc.net.au|date=26 March 2022|access-date=28 January 2023}} He is close with Australian Boomer Patty Mills.
Personal life
Adekponya's sister Rachel is married to former NBA player Aron Baynes.{{cite web|url=https://www.cairnspost.com.au/family-a-blessing-for-mareebas-aron-baynes-outstanding-nba-playoffs-form/news-story/3302d06f8d1ee7164c71f6aa550b42c9|title=Family a blessing for Mareeba's Aron Baynes' outstanding NBA playoffs form|work=cairnspost.com.au|date=11 May 2018|access-date=28 January 2023|url-access=subscription|quote=The 31-year-old has one son, Mason, with wife Rachel, younger sister of Gold Coast Rollers guard Matthew Adekponya...}}