Legends of Australian basketball to lead GPS teams in quest for premiership
As the GPS basketball season tips-off, we reveal what the teams will look like and how coaches believe their teams have progressed. SEE THE FULL LISTS HERE.
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SOME of the legends of Australian basketball are set to lead GPS schools as their quest for a premiership banner tips-off tomorrow.
Before round one starts with several rivalry clashes, see how each team is shaping up as we release who will be suiting up for each respective school as well as who will be leading the teams from the sidelines.
And it doesn’t get any bigger as far as Australian basketball names than two-time Olympian and six-time NBL championship winner, CJ Bruton, who will coach Churchie.
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Churchie and St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace – are two of the favourites to take the title out again this year, along with Brisbane State High School and TSS closing in.
TSS will have another legend leading them this season with NBL veteran and former Australian Boomer Anthony Petrie coaching the team for a second season.
Add that in with some other names in former NBL player Dan George coaching Brisbane Grammar and also in the assistant coach ranks, including 10-year NBL veteran Rodger Smith and Andrew Latimer for Gregory Terrace as well as former NBL player CJ Massingale for St Joseph’s Nudgee College.
SEE HOW THE TEAMS ARE SHAPING UP:
St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace (Round 1: Home v Ipswich Grammar School)
Coach: Matthew Hamilton-Smith
Assistant Coaches: Rodger Smith, Andrew Latimer
Nazar Angallo
David Eltima (Captain)
Dom Hayes
Max Mackinnon
Cooper Marshall
Geordan Papacostas
Tallis Ram
Samuel Schmidt
Jasper See
Justin Sullivan
Tama Tuhi
Henry Tunney
Ose Motuga
Maliq Jackson
Ben Venus
Jacob Clifton
Jack McCabe
COACH’S COMMENT:
“The team is looking good with a nice blend of youth and experience. We are a deep squad with a number of representative players unable to make our game day 12. Obviously a disrupted pre-season compared to previous years but nothing that is unique to Terrace. It has been difficult to get a real understanding of where we are at with only two pre-season games under our belt. In these games I had to get playing time into 17 squad members so rotations were disrupted. We will have a better idea of where we are at after the game against IGS on Saturday. We lost 3 squad members this week with injuries including co-captain, Ose Motuga (Hamstring – 2/3 weeks). Thankfully our depth allows opportunities for other players who have all played at a high level. Looking forward to what will be a very competitive season with a number of very strong teams in the competition,” Hamilton-Smith said.
Ipswich Grammar School (Round 1: Away v St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace)
Coach: Michael Wellings
Assistant Coach: Jason Ralph
Harrison Arch
Xaviah Bricknell-Lehmann
Walter Brockhurst
Jeremy Brown
Jackson Crocker-Garlepp
Moses Deng
Sidney Keith
Joel McDonagh
Deshawn Ross-Paiwan
Lachlan Salvador
Damon Stevens
William Willis
Anglican Church Grammar School (Round 1: Home v St Joseph’s Nudgee College)
Coach: CJ Bruton
Assistant Coach: Darren Marchant
Will Bruhn
Patrick Foster
Tristan Lacy
Jacob Marchant
Cole Ross
Aidan Summerfield
Ethan Taafe
Caden Bardell
Harrison Pennisi
Kobe McDowell-White
COACH’S COMMENT:
“We are fortunate that we have retained our core from last season GPS title. To add to our depth chart we were able to add Future Australian basketball talents Harrison Pennisi and Kobe McDowell-White which will allow us to hopefully defend our title. With such a small preparation due to COVID-19 I’m looking use our depth to our advantage and do our best to contain Mason Davis this weekend who is one of the top talents in the GPS,” Bruton said.
St Joseph’s Nudgee College (Round 1: Away v Anglican Church Grammar School)
Coach: Mik Scott
Assistant Coach: CJ Massingale
Jaisson Angalo
Jack Birch
Nicholas Cardiff
Thasindu Chandrasekara
Heath Lillicrap
Kaushi Srihari
Josh Clark
Mason Davis
Jed Richardson
Matt Smith
Will Smith
Nate Scott
Cody Colette
Maurece Jackson
COACH’S COMMENT:
“We have a good mix of senior players and younger ones who are coming up, we will rely a lot on our seniors including Thasindu Chandrasekara and Jaisson Angalo as well as nationally identified Mason Davis to lead the way. Preparation has obviously been disrupted and a bit rushed due to COVID-19, however we’ve still been able to prepare well and have some trial games to get ready for the start of the season,” Massingale said.
Brisbane State High School (Round 1: Home v Brisbane Boys’ College)
Coach: Kris Robinson
Assistant coaches: Narelle Fletcher and Brett Sue See
Tane Kirisome (Captain)
Haizyn Mellars
Dash Farraway
Mason Dulieu-Amos
Tibah O’Brien
James Lewis
Shareef Mwechiwa
Jaco Huang
Sio Teofilo
Liam Hude
Jaspa Fletcher
COACH’S COMMENT:
“We’re a young team, but have a good chance of success if we can play to our strengths and gel quickly as a group despite the disrupted preseason. As always, State High Basketball is about consistent effort and improvement and we will be looking to rise above any perceived adversity that 2020 has presented,” Robinson said.
Brisbane Boys’ College (Round 1: Away v Brisbane State High School)
Coach: Mike Ayanbadejo
Assistant coach: Oliver Kulbe
Raf Morris
Tom Hinson
Max Edwards
Tom Bunzli
Luke Code
James Cartwright
Chandler Halliday
Isaac Jennings
Lachlan Alner
Cooper Hughes
Bayley Judson
Alex Jeffries
Toowoomba Grammar School (Round 1: Away v Brisbane Grammar School)
Coach: Kabe Cicolini
Assistant Coaches: Cameron Weber, Vanessa Weber
Greg Spurgin (Captain)
Josh Allen
Sam Benbow
Jett Bennett
Bailey Biggar
Peter Deng
Samuel Harmsworth
Ngaa Ngorima
James Nugent
Nick Nugent
Angus Scott
Tom Stonestreet
Mutsa Zimbwa
COACH’S COMMENT:
“We have a well balanced squad that is looking to capitalise on momentum from the previous two years. Those years include a 3-5 record in GPS and ninth (5-2) at CBSQ in 2019 and returning all rotation except for one. Our preparation has been solid, we had a pretty comprehensive online program for the boys during ‘lockdown’ and practice scrimmages against Toowoomba QSL 2 once restrictions lifted. Obviously not ideal scheduling games with our proximity,” Cicolini said.
Brisbane Grammar School (Round 1: Home v Toowoomba Grammar School)
Coach: Daniel George
Captain: Louis Quin
Vice-captain: Liam Parnell
– Rest of team N/A
The Southport School (Round 1: Bye)
Coach: Anthony Petrie
Assistant Coach: Brendan Le Gassick
Maika Shortland (Captain)
Preston Le Gassick (Vice Captain)
Nick Cross
Harry Blair
Lachlan Hale
Lloyd McVeigh
Joshua Wolff
Liam Claverie
Billy Rigby
Amarco Doyle
COACH’S COMMENT:
“TSS in 2020 will look to build on consecutive fifth places for the past two years. The roster has some consistency as eight of last year’s players return and we believe we have a playing group to match the top teams in GPS. Former Boomers and NBL star, Anthony Petrie will again coach the First V team in his second year of the role as head coach. Even with limited build-up due to COVID-19, Mr Petrie has been able to further implement his playing style with the group. The team this year will be lead by captain, Maika Shortland in his third and final year in the program. He will be supported by long term Year 12 squad members, sharp shooter Nick Cross, power forward Harry Blair and athletic Lachlan Hale. Year 11 squad members consist of Lloyd McVeigh, who is the younger brother of current NBL star and Adelaide 36er, Jack McVeigh. Lloyd has represented Queensland South at under-16 and under-18 levels and in addition was part of the Australia under-17 squad in 2019. Starting point guard and vice-captain, last year’s MVP Preston Le Gassick made his first Queensland South under-18 state team this year, however Nationals were cancelled (Lloyd was also in this team). Newcomers to the school are Liam Claverie, Josh Wolff, Billy Rigby and Amarco Doyle will round out the team. We have a talented squad on paper and are looking forward to our first game in Round 2 against Nudgee College,” Le Gassick said.