Jerrabomberra's Ketels signed as a guard with the North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) in the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletics Association) last August and returned, but said she has loved lining up for the Yowies again since returning to Australia in May.

"It's great to be back- it's good to be away and it was an amazing experience, but it's never home," she said.

Being 36 hours away from family and friends was difficult, but Ketels said playing with two South Australians made it feel more homely.

"It's always hard to leave your family, the first half of the year was really hard, but my parents came to visit over Christmas," she said.

There were many differences between playing for the Trojans in the NJACC and in the local Waratah League Ketels said, training five days a week and weights sessions three days a week to keep up with the faster paced and more physical two games a week.

"I definitely learnt a lot while I was over there and I think my passing and awareness of the game has improved," she said.

"We had a new team so we were all new to each other and it was like starting again... But we made it to the conference championship game and lost by 12 points, if we won that we would've gone to nationals.

During her time with the Trojans Ketels scored 91 points with 52 rebounds, 31 assists and 18 steals.

Ketels balanced her busy basketball-based schedule with her schoolwork, she is studying exercise science and plans to get into physiotherapy or personal training, but with a year left on her contract her future will be up in the air once she finishes her second year.

"At the moment I'm just going with it," Ketels said when asked about her basketball career.

"It would be cool to go to another school, but we'll see what happens."

After missing the finals with the Yowies last season Ketels said she is glad her later return to the states will allow her to play finals basketball with the Yowies.

"We're going really well this season, I think we're a chance to win the whole thing," she said.