GPS basketball Players of the Week revealed here after round 6
GPS basketball’s best round 6 players revealed here as The Southport School closes in on back-to-back premierships.
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An outright GPS First V premiership awaits The Southport School provided they do not lose both of their last two games against Toowoomba Grammar and Nudgee College.
TSS, who are six-from-six this season, can still lose one game and come away outright winners, which would be an improvement on last years shared premiership with Brisbane State High school and Toowoomba Grammar.
GPS FIRST XV RUGBY ROUND 6: HOW IT ALL UNFOLDED
The Gold Coast school all but secured the their third premiership banner with an enthralling 127-112 victory over Churchie in a high-scoring round 6 spectacle which will go down as one of the highest quality games in GPS basketball history.
Nudgee College beat BBC 76-70 and at Gregory Terrace, the visiting BSHS side won a close encounter 94-89,
A street over, Brisbane Grammar enjoyed back to-back wins with a comprehensive 91-61 victory over Ipswich Grammar in their final home game of the season.
But at Churchie, the stars came out to play. Namely Indy Cotton (TSS) who had 33 points and Oskar Olechnowicz, who recorded 34 points and 17 rebounds in a losing effort.
Would you believe Australian Under 16s representative Cotton comes off the bench? That’s how powerful this TSS side is.
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“He came off the bench. It’s the perfect role and he’s the perfect guy to fill it in our team,” described TSS coach Anthony Petrie.
Petrie said he had been privileged enough to witness some incredible games, but noted this was top three if not the best.
It was a round which, without jinxing TSS, decided the premiership. So which players caught the eye? See below our Players of the Week.
THE SOUTHPORT SCHOOL 127 BEAT CHURCHIE 112
In this thriller, Churchie came out flying and after their loss to Toowoomba, that was to be expected.
“They have a great squad with great players … To their credit they started well,” Petrie praised.
After the first quarter the home side held a commanding 36-19 lead.
“It looked worse on the scoreboard than it felt so I said to the boys to hang tough and believe in what we thought would work.”
“To their credit they (Churchie) were just making shots.
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“I didn’t want to over emphasise that while it looked bad on the scoreboard it wasn’t that bad in real life.
“We just had to dig in and buy into our scout.
“They hung in and we started to make shots in the second quarter. They kept competing,” Petrie said as his boys fastened the tempo and tightened the defensive screws.
“I’ve seen some terrific games and this is up there. It was a spectacle. What was on show was pretty cool.
“I said to the boys it was a long way removed from my high school basketball experience.”
TSS, who had strong contributions from every player, were spearheaded by seniors Jaylen Pitman and Indy Cotton.
“They are always business as usual young boys. And they’ve led that space a lot,” Petrie said about the pair who are working hard to ensure they finish the season without a blemish.
“I love the way they go about it. They care for each other and the competition. That’s all them.
“They’ve created that within their group, that’s why I am proud of them.
“They don’t want to share it that’s for sure they want to try win it outright … They are very competitive. ”
It would be the school’s first time going back-to-back, following premierships in 2009, 2012 and their most recent in 2022.
“The more I think about it’s very difficult to win if outright and that’s their soul focus,” Petrie said about the strength of the competition.
“The level of play this year, anyone could go in and win against anyone.”
Indy Cotton (TSS)
TSS’ MVP on the day had 33 points but it was his physicality on defence that impressed Petrie most.
Ben Tweedy (TSS)
Tweedy was a brave leader, elite scorer and played a pivotal role in the win.
Jaylen Pitman (TSS)
Pitman was huge on both ends of the floor.
“His ability this year has improved … He can sustain effort on both ends … I am really proud of him because he has put in extra work,” Petrie said about two-way-whiz Pitman.
Gus Wilkie
Wilkie is the definition of staying ready.
After playing sporadic minutes all year, Wilkie was thrust into playing 25 minutes where he ignited the TSS comeback with timely threes.
The Year 12 was terrific, as was year 10 student Ash McGrath who had his best game of the season thus far.
Oskar Olechnowicz (Churchie)
There was an electric atmosphere at Churchie and feeding off it was this guy.
Churchie scored an impressive 39 in the first quarter alone, with a Nash Harding three-pointer extending the home side’s first quarter lead to 17.
However, TSS was not going to be outdone easily.
The second quarter saw a shift in momentum as TSS displayed their speed in transition, pulling it back to 70-65 in their favour.
Yes, that is correct. 70 to 65 in the first half. No we are not talking about an NBA game.
Olechnowicz delivered a performance and a half with 34 points and 17 rebounds.
Kurt Siwek (Churchie)
The Churchie centre also made his presence felt with 18 points and five rebounds, including two crucial long-range bombs.
Jake Miles-Wrency and Caleb Cronn provided a lift with 18 points, nine rebounds and 15 points and six assists respectively but in the end it was not enough defeat a TSS team stacked with State and Australian representative players.
BRISBANE STATE HIGH SCHOOL 94 BT GREGORY TERRACE 89
Paul Papacostas and Hunter Trego (Gregory Terrace)
Big man Papacostas and fierce guard Trego led the way for Terrace who led for much of the game.
On any other day the effort of Terrace would have been enough but the overwhelming size and strong rebounding of BSHS proved the difference.
Roman Siulepa and Kailan Sales (BSHS)
Sieulepa and his accomplice sales were giant-killers again in a short handed BSHS lineout missing CJ Amos, Raj Gill and Carter Waldon.
Senior big man Makai Green was a force defensively and on the glass while Year 10 Geoffrey Peterson stepped into starting line-up and was impressive.
Year 8 gun Elijah Tuupo also had a highlight hitting a go-ahead three in the fourth quarter off a Siulepa dime.
BRISBANE GRAMMAR 91 BT IPSWICH GRAMMAR 61
Brisbane Grammar basketball was on the crest of a wave with their First V recording their second win in a row. Leading the way was College prospect Lachlan Curtin who had a game to remember.
Lachlan Curtin (Brisbane Grammar)
Curtin played his best game of the year, slamming home four dunks on his way to 28 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block.
May we add he shot 12-from-18 in one of the best performances of the season.
Lebron Brooks (Brisbane Grammar)
Brooks shot an efficient 50 per cent from the field in a classy 21 point showing.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his performance was his ability to control possession, highlighted by the fact he had no turnovers.
He handles the ball the most for Brisbane Grammar.
Luka Tripkovic (Ipswich Grammar)
It wasn’t Ipswich Grammar’s day. It was the opposite because it was Brisbane Grammar’s final home game of the year.
In a hostile environment, Luka Tripkovic led the way for Ipswich on both ends of the floor.
NUDGEE COLLEGE 76 BEAT BBC 70
Tyson Warren (Nudgee)
Warren returned from injury in style after finding his feet as the game progressed.
With Warren finding form, The Nudgee team grew in confidence and as such BBC struggled to score.
The dogfight ensued and with a tough of luck and some great plays from the Nudgee boys, BBC’s thoughts of a victory were crushed.
Rylan Carlisle (Nudgee)
Nudgee’s first option was outstanding. A cut above the rest.
He was tough as teak driving to the cup, drawing contact, and finishing three-point-plays.
Zeke Byrne (BBC)
Zeke Byrne was a beast to start the game off and Nudgee were reeling trying to deal with his inside force early.
That was until fouls took their toll.
Emerson Juhasz (BBC)
Emerson Juhasz was a strong performer with a ton of rebounds and plenty of scoring but not quite the finishing touch he is capable of which frustrated his desire to push BBC over the line. Charlie Hinson continued to search out his sniper scoring opportunities but ultimately a long list of injuries hurt the visitors most.
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