Antonio Browne, Jai Fa’ale lead Basketball Australia U18 Nationals boys teams of the tournament
Two exciting, playmaking prospects headline the top performers from a U18 Nationals packed with emerging hoops talent. See the five all-tournament teams and stats stars here.
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The 2025 Basketball Australia Under-18 National Championships are won and done.
After a week in Queensland packed with the country’s top emerging talent, Michael Randall takes a look at the best of the best, with his all-tournament boys teams.
Plus, all the stats leaders at the championships.
WATCH REPLAYS OF EVERY NATIONALS MATCH
U18 BOYS ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Antonio Browne, G, NSW Metro
15.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 steals, 1.25 blocks
Jai Fa’ale, G, Vic Metro
15.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.25 steals
Lucas Byrne, F, Vic Country
15.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1 block
Will Hamilton, F, Vic Country
13.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals
Alexander Edwards, C, WA Metro
9.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1 steal
The two most exciting prospects in the age group in tall playmakers Antonio Browne and Jai Fa’ale headline our first team for obvious reasons – each caught the eye and both were extremely productive. Browne had 11 straight points in the final on his way to 26 in a losing effort. Dominant Vic Country forward pairing Lucas Byrne and Will Hamilton were 1a and 1b for best player on the tournament’s best team and each produced 17-point double-doubles in the gold medal game to take the spoils. Alex Edwards was the standout big on a surprise packet WA Metro, grabbing 14 or more rebounds in six of eight games on his way to leading the tournament on the glass.
SECOND TEAM
Luke Paul, G, WA Metro
14 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2 steals
Marley Sam, G, WA Metro
13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 3.8 steals
Austin Prosser, F, NSW Metro
11.8, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Kale Matthews-Hampton, F, SA Country
27.3 points, 3.1 assists, 3.3 steals
Isaac Weldon, C, Qld North
7.2, 9.9, 2.1 blocks
WA Metro guard pairing Luke Paul and Marley Sam could have easily been in the first team, Paul as a fast-rising future NBA prospect and Sam as a well-known name in Nationals circles, winner of the 2023 U16 best defensive player. The latter led the tournament in assists and steals as one of the best performers in Brisbane. Austin Prosser helped spearhead NSW Metro’s run to the grand final, while Kale Matthews-Hampton made headlines with his scoring exploits all tournament with explosions of 38, 36 (twice) and 35. Isaac Weldon showed why he looms as an intriguing future prospect, particularly with his defensive efforts on the glass and in rejecting and changing shots.
THIRD TEAM
Bailey Hanson, G, NSW Metro
14.4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.8 steals
Koby Moir, G, SA Metro
13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.3 steals
Isaiah Jorgenson, F, Qld South
16.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals
Jack Smith, F, Tasmania
17.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.8 steals
Harry Cook, C, Qld South
7.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.125 blocks
A really fun third team is anchored by the tournament’s best defensive player, Queensland South wall Harry Cook. He led the championships in blocks at over three per game, while bouncy Tassie forward Jack Smith emerged on the nationals stage. Baby-faced Bailey Hanson might be the most polished guard in the tournament. Kid is tough as nails, shoots the lights out and rarely makes mistakes — all the hallmarks of a future winner. SA Metro guard Koby Moir’s choice between following his brother Ashton into an AFL pathway or sticking with hoops appears an easy one after his standout nationals, while Queensland South’s Isaiah Jorgenson played with a fluidity, control and killer instinct few could match at the tournament. A genuine wing prospect of the future.
FOURTH TEAM
Ethan MacDermot, G, SA Country
19.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals
Billy McRae, G WA Country
16.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.3 steals
Mason Ling, F, Tasmania
18.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 steals
Aki Langford, F, NSW Country
16.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals
Isaac Riddle, C, SA Metro
14.3 points, 8 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Do-it-all Tassie tyro Mason Ling stuffed the stat sheet and NSW Country’s Aki Langford stood out, while undersized centre Isaac Riddle partnered with second-teamer Koby Moir to form one of the tournament’s best big-guard duos. The fourth team sports a brilliant back court in the overall second-leading scorer Ethan MacDermot out of SA Country and WA Country’s Billy ‘The Beast’ McRae, who put up one of the best lines of the entire championships with a 30-point, 15-rebound, 6-steal, 3-assist masterpiece against SA Metro.
FIFTH TEAM
Andrew Watene, G, Qld South
9.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.8 steals
Aidan Anstess, G, NT
16 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.8 steals
Jayden Tawake, F, NSW Country
11.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.1 steals
Zachary Brown, F, ACT
10.6 points, 10.1 rebounds
Lowell Jude Christopher, C, WA Country
14.3 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.75 blocks
Young Queensland South point guard Andrew Watene’s game is very easy on the eye and his willingness and ability to put his teammates in positions to score was among the best at this year’s championships. Aidan Anstess led the way for NT and showed the continued development that has him on a path to a potential future NBL prospect. The fifth team sports a brutal frontline of WA Country’s shotblocking machine Lowell Jude Christopher, ACT glass eater Zach Brown and emerging NSW Country strong man Jayden Tawake. Unlikely to lose the rebounding count.
U18 BOYS STAT LEADERS
POINTS
K Matthews-Hampton, SA Country, 27.25
E MacDermot, SA Country, 19.38
M Ling, Tasmania, 18.38
J Smith, Tasmania, 17.38
I Jorgenson, QLD South, 16.75
REBOUNDS
A Edwards, WA Metro, 12.88
Z Brown, ACT, 10.12
I Weldon, QLD North, 9.89
J Smith, Tasmania, 9.75
B Mcrae, WA Country, 8.75
ASSISTS
M Sam, WA Metro, 5.25
A Watene, QLD South, 4.75
M Ling, Tasmania, 4.75
J Gillett, WA Country, 4.5
B Mcrae, WA Country, 4.38
STEALS
M Sam, WA Metro, 3.75
K Matthews-Hampton, SA Country, 3.25
A Gray, Vic Country, 3.12
A Anstess, NT, 2.75
H Watters, WA Country, 2.38
3PM
L Pfitzner, SA Metro, 19
R Blachford, QLD North, 19
B Hanson, NSW Metro, 18
H Watters, WA Country, 17
M Ling, Tasmania, 17
Originally published as Antonio Browne, Jai Fa’ale lead Basketball Australia U18 Nationals boys teams of the tournament
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