The young dynamic duo ready to lift Mackay to national glory
With national glory on the line this weekend, Mackay Meteors coach Joel Khalu is ready to put his faith in a pair of young stars at the NBL1 National Finals.
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The Mackay Meteors may have already secured championship glory in the NBL1 North conference, but the ultimate prize still lays before them in the form of this weekend’s National Finals.
The finals brings together the champion from each of the five conferences (North, South, East, West and Central) plus last year’s National Finals winner for a sudden-death tournament.
There are three matches in the first round - with Mackay set to face off against NBL1 West winner Mandurah Magic - with the winner from each game plus the team with the smallest losing margin progressing to the next stage of the competition.
“When we set out at the start of this season, our end goal was to be on this stage and to ultimately take out the National Finals,” Meteors coach Joel Khalu told this masthead.
Despite having won the North conference twice, the first time being in 2021, this is the first time the Meteors have had a chance to compete in the National Finals after the 2021 series was called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We were pretty disappointed when the Nationals got called off in 2021, but of course it was understandable given the circumstances,” Khalu said.
“To be able to go and represent not only Mackay but the entire North conference is something we’re very proud of. Being able to do it in pretty much our own backyard on the Sunshine Coast is a massive bonus as well.”
While the Meteors’ star players such as Isaac White and Todd Blanchfield will undoubtedly need to play a critical role if the Meteors are any chance of taking out the ultimate prize, Khalu identified two youngsters who could provide the key to success this weekend.
Luca Yates
Despite his 208cm, 100-plus kg stature, this 20-year-old big man’s influence has largely flown under the radar this season, his coach recognises his value goes beyond his 12 point and seven rebound per game averages.
“Luca has had a fantastic season and he’s certainly played above our expectations all season long,” Khalu said.
“He’s assimilated into a role where he’s a critical piece every single game, not only during our finals run but throughout the whole season.
“He’s one of our top three or four most consistent guys yet he probably didn’t get the credit he deserves, particularly on the defensive end.
“A lot of our success will be geared around his play and what he brings to the table.”
Amarco Doyle
Speaking of unheralded, 19-year-old Doyle is a player few would have picked to even see key minutes in the finals series, yet his exploits in game two of the North finals demonstrates what his coach has known all season long.
“Amarco is a massive piece for us come the National Finals, we saw what he could do in that North conference final in his 15 minutes of action. To come away with 10 points and four rebounds and help us dictate tempo at both ends of the floor,” Khalu said.
“I thought he was amazing in that championship game, he’s going to be playing an even bigger role for us this weekend, I see him playing a lot more minutes and impacting the game with what he does with his length and athleticism.
“We need him to play well for us to go well, and he’ll get his chances across the weekend.”
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