Willis named MVP as top performers from Basketball Qld u14 Boys State Champs are named
The future of basketball in Queensland is bright after the state’s under-14 boys put on a show and now the MVP and all-stars have been named. SEE WHO MADE IT
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It almost didn’t happen but finally Queensland’s best under-14 boys basketball talents were able to showcase their skills on the big stage.
And they didn’t disappoint as the tournament, held at the Northside Indoor Sports Centre from September 20-23, allowed hoops fans to see the next generation of stars put in some performances to remember.
While the Southern Districts Spartans claimed the gold medal, we at The Courier-Mail have decided to name our top performers, including a most valuable player and 10 all-stars from the tournament.
See the list below.
BASKETBALL QLD UNDER-14 BOYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS ALL-STARS
Mitch Honeyman – Guard – Southern Districts Spartans
A point guard with maturity beyond his years, Mitch Honeyman controlled the game on the offensive end for the entire tournament for the eventual champions, the Southern Districts Spartans. Knowing when to slow it down and when to push the ball is a rare quality at this young age and with an average of almost nine points per game to go along with it, Honeyman was easily one of the top performers at the state championships.
Noah Kirk – Guard – Cairns Marlins
A dynamic scoring guard who can do damage from the perimeter as well as attacking the basket, Noah Kirk almost led the Cairns Marlins to a fairytale state championship run. Averaging 13.4 points per game, Kirk helped the Marlins to an upset victory over Gold Coast in the pool stages and then to a grand final appearance, where they fell to the Spartans.
Jett Wilson – Forward – Gold Coast Waves
An impressive athlete with great length, Jett Wilson was one of the best talents to watch all week. With his ability to push the ball in transition, get out in the open court and create scoring opportunities helped the Waves capture a bronze medal at the tournament. Wilson averaged 16.14 points per game for the championships.
Jeremiah Willis – Forward – Southern Districts Spartans
Jeremiah Willis was one of the difference makers for the Southern Districts Spartans in their championship run. As coach Katie Broom said, the difference for her team was how their bigs dominated the rebounds and could score from the post, and the leader of that was Willis, who also shined in the grand final win over Cairns. Willis averaged 15.7 points per game for the tournament.
Mitchell Chen – Forward – North Gold Coast Seahawks
The leading scorer and arguably the most dominant force at the tournament came from the North Gold Coast Seahawks in big man Mitchell Chen. But don’t let his size fool you, Chen cannot only cause issues inside the keyway but has impressive touch from the three-point line as well on his way to a tournament average of 23.8 points per game.
Saxon Toyne – Forward – Cairns Marlins
Another one of the tournament’s talented young big men, Saxon Toyne was a key piece in the Marlins taking home a silver medal. He may have only averaged nine points per game but Toyne impacted the game in so many other ways with his athleticism, activity and work ethic.
Patrick Ford – Guard – Sunshine Coast Phoenix
An exciting young guard to watch, Patrick Ford proved a tough challenge for most defences to stop throughout the week. With his ability to create off the dribble and hit the perimeter shot, Ford had a tournament to remember, averaging 13 points per game and leading the Sunshine Coast Phoenix to seventh spot.
Braith Turner – Guard – Townsville Heat
The youngster who almost pushed his Townsville team all the way to a medal at the state championships was Braith Turner. Turner, along with his Heat team, were impressive all week and made a memorable comeback in the fourth quarter to almost beat Gold Coast to win bronze but they just fell short. Turner averaged 16.14 points per game for the week.
Elijah Girdler – Forward – Rockhampton Rockets
There was a plethora of young big men on show at the state championships and Rockhampton’s Elijah Girdler was one of them. Girdler was hailed as one of the talents to watch coming into the tournament and he showed why, leading the Rockets to fifth spot with an average of 14.7 points per game.
Lennon Bann – Forward – South West Metro Pirates
Another talented forward who featured prominently at the tournament was South West Metro’s Lennon Bann. Bann was a dominant figure for the Pirates all week, finishing with an average of 17.86 points per game, including a 33-point performance against Rockhampton in the final game of the week for his team.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – Jeremiah Willis
Willis was impressive all tournament but put his best performances together when it mattered most, scoring 20 points in their important pool stage victory over Townsville, 17 in the overtime victory against Gold Coast in the semi-final and 20 against the Marlins to claim the gold medal.
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