Live stream: Josie Agnew launches MVP bid at BA Under-18 Club Championships
She is the Tigers long-range sniper who caught the attention of the nation at the Under-18 Club Championships. But is there more than meets the eye to basketball gun Josie Agnew?
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National selectors might need to sit up and take notice of young sharpshooter Josie Agnew after she helped lead Melbourne Tigers to the inaugural Basketball Australia Under-18 National Club Championship.
The slightly-built firecracker led the entire tournament in three-point makes as part of the undefeated Tigers’ squad that romped to victory on Sunday morning in a 68-56 triumph over WA side Perry Lakes Hawks.
Agnew, 17, said she was just waiting for a chance to wear the green and gold but had a firm focus on building a professional basketball future.
“Well, I’d love to play professionally when I’m older,” Agnew said.
“WNBA is the big, big goal, but I want to go to college first.
“I feel like that whole experience would be surreal.
“So that’s, yeah, definitely the next step for me, going to college and then hopefully play pro from there.”
Agnew drilled a trio of threes in the final on her way to a game-high 17 points, giving her a remarkable 21 makes from down town at the tournament, held at Joondalup’s HBF Arena in WA.
Teammate Isobelle Wightman provided great support with 15, Alice Magnanini added three triples of her own on the way to 14 and Krystal Arnason rounded out a spread of four double digit scorers with 12.
For the Hawks, WA rep star Emma Clark led the way with 16 and Nicola Moore had 12.
The win marked an incredible 49-straight for the Tigers side this year, which includes four trophies. The Tigers have lifted the Eltham-Dandenong Shield, the National Junior Classic, the VJBL Under-18 VC title and now the National Club Championship.
The Tigers raised almost $40,000 to get the group to Perth, through club sponsors, family, friends and local businesses and community groups the players hail from.
Anyone who did dig deep for the Tigers can do so safe in the knowledge Agnew has an ingrained spirit of giving back.
As part of a school project at Caulfield Grammar, she created a scholarship that provided funding to support underprivileged children in covering their basketball playing fees.
“My whole family is very much about giving back to people, treating people how you want to be treated, so it kind of came from our family values,” Agnew said.
“One of the ways we raised money was I held a student’s v teachers game at my school, which was a great turnout, and I think we raised over $500.
“That helped us cover the fees of three kids at my old primary school, Toorak, which has a lot of domestic teams and that’s how I got into the game.”
Statistically, she’s the No.1 deep markswoman at the tournament and she had a laugh when asked if she was the best at Joondalup.
“I mean, you ask me, I’ll say yes, but I guess It depends on who you’re asking,” Agnew said.
Originally published as Live stream: Josie Agnew launches MVP bid at BA Under-18 Club Championships
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