Southeast Qld’s top young basketballers: Scorers ranked across u14 competitions

More than 700 young athletes have hit the court in Basketball Queensland’s Under-14s SQJBC competitions this season, and we’ve sorted the stats across every division. SEE WHERE THEY RANK

More than 700 young stars have taken to the court for the start of the Basketball Queensland Under-14 South Queensland Junior Basketball Championships (SQJBC) season and The Courier-Mail has revealed the top offensive weapons across all divisions.

Almost halfway through the regular season, there is a common theme in the boys and girls division one competitions with the Gold Coast Rollers and Southern Districts Spartans filling out the top two in each competition.

But we have compiled a list ranking every player across the age group from premier league to development cup.

The list is ranked from the player with the most total points from the SQJBC season but also features each player’s points average, field goals made, free throws made and games played.

Taking out top spot is North Gold Coast Seahawks young gun Kobe Cross, who has scored 182 points across six games for his team, who sit at the top of the boys southern cup (division two) ladder with an undefeated record.

Kobe is scoring at an average of 30.33 points per game with a season high of 41 points against the Brisbane Capitals on May 7.

Kobe Cross from the North Gold Coast Seahawks.

“Kobe lives and breaths basketball,” his mum, Virginia May, said.

“He trains every day and also is committed to a basketball academy at his school Coomera Anglican College and is up training with them two mornings a week from 6.30am.

“When he is not training he is always down at the courts practising his shooting.”

Kobe’s coach at the Seahawks, Francis Moala, said he was an exceptional talent.

“He is motivated by his drive to win every drill competition or game,” Moala said.

“He has a unique skill set at under-14 level, he can drive, score or assist better than most players at his age.

“He also has length in size to play or guard one to three positions, which is very versatile. This kid is to be one to watch going forward.”

Coming in at second is Southern Districts Spartans forward Olivia Olechnowicz, who has led her team also to an undefeated start in the girls premier league (division one) competition, with 162 points in six games.

Olivia Olechnowicz from the Southern Districts Spartans.

Olivia is averaging 27 points per game and scored a season-high of 44 points against the Logan Thunder on April 23.

She said she loved the game and it was more than just a sport to her.

Her dad, Ollie Olechnowicz, said she has put in a lot of hard work to develop her game to where it is now and some fiery family battles also helped her along the way.

“She does individual sessions with me in the backyard and at local courts both working on skills and playing one-on-one with me,” he said.

“She also plays her brother one-on-one in some epic family battles, where I has to be the ref or the world ends.”

He also said Olivia loved watching past and present legends of the game, including Memphis Grizzlies star, Ja Morant.

Filling out the top three is Logan Thunder big man Trae Dombroski at 152 points from just five games at an average of 30.4 points per game.

Trae is yet to score below 20 points and had a season-high 48 against the South West Metro Pirates.

Benjamin Sehic from the Southern Districts Titans (boys southern cup) takes out fourth place with 130 points at an average of 21.67 points per game followed by Declan Krenske from the Gold Coast Breakers (boys challenge cup) in fifth with 124 points at an average of 17.71.

The next round for the under-14s competition tips-off on Saturday.