GPS First V basketball’s round 3 latest as BGS make statement
Who were the top performing schoolboys from Rd 3 of the GPS First V basketball competition? The list includes an awesome foursome from Churchie and elite Brisbane Grammar hoopers.
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A GPS newcomer who has added a sprinkle of magic dust to Brisbane Grammar School’s First V basketball campaign was among the top performers in round three of the season.
Queensland South Under-16s select Angus Kearney, who is enjoying his first school basketball with BGS, has made a tremendous impact in his first two games in a team which can threaten for the premiership.
GPS FIRST XV ROUND 3 RUGBY THRILLERS
BGS almost outlasted Churchie in the first round before Nash Harding and Kai Summerfield took over in the second half to ensure a 108-91 victory.
After sitting out with a bye in round two, BGS responded by posting a 111-74 win over Gregory Terrace with Kearney a key player in that affair.
The streaky Northside Wizards young gun plays with a huge heart and big engine and is one of the biggest threats from behind the arc this season.
On Saturday, his wizardry alongside a pocket picking Max Balthes, rim rocking Lennon Bann and a selfless Lebron Brooks engineered a cocktail for success as the home side raced away to a 37 point win, their biggest win under coach Dan George.
“We are fortunate to have him in our program,” George concluded.
In other matches, pace setters Churchie dealt with Nudgee 118-82, Brisbane Boys’ College notched their second successive win, 113-77 over Ipswich Grammar and Toowoomba Grammar defeated 89-70 down the coast.
At Churchie, the home side’s athleticism and rebounding paved the way for a 36 point win where Kurt Siwek, Oskar Olechnowicz, Connor Davidson and the Slovakian Slayer Max Ure all came away with eight rebounds.
ROUND THREE TOP PERFORMERS
Max Balthes (Brisbane Grammar)
The crafty fifth year First V guard was his pesky self, picking pockets and storming down court.
If he wasn’t generating turnovers, he was throwing dimes left, right and centre and using his subtle change of pace to blow by his defender and get to the cup.
Lebron Brooks (Brisbane Grammar)
An elite scorer, Brooks proved a great facilitator in Brisbane Grammar’s first win of the season.
The trusted young veteran was poised under pressure and made the right plays, finding his open men and pulling out an array of dribble moves to get free and get himself a look.
Angus Kearney (Brisbane Grammar)
Green Light Shooter Kearney had the Licence to Kill in a stirring win at home, with the Northside Wizard a sorcerer from behind the arc and from the mid-range.
A prolific scoring threat, Kearney has burst onto the GPS First V basketball season with two meaningful performances against two quality outfits.
Kurt Siwek (Churchie)
From the opening tip-off, the home side set a high standard on defence and on the glass.
Leading the way with his dominance in the paint was big man Kurt Siwek, who was all effort on the boards, regularly out muscling his rivals and securing second chance points for his teammates to cash in.
The ever-present Siwek put up 19 points and eight rebounds in just 17 minutes.
Oskar Olechnowicz (Churchie)
Olechnowicz was usual self again, pouring in 17 points and snaring four steals in a determined performance from the point guard.
It will be scary hours for opposition defences when they catch him at his best.
Andrew Watene (Churchie)
Who says Year 9 students can’t mix it with the big boys?
The 15-year-old prodigy Watene continued to make a winning impact coming off the bench, the Rockhampton product stepping up and contributing 16 points, five assists and a steal after Jake Miles-Wrency had come off in the second quarter with an ankle injury.
Nash Harding (Churchie)
The form player of the competition, Harding again had the hot hand in Churchie’s third straight win.
Harding led all scorers with 23 points and sank six threes on an efficient clip (54 per cent).
Keahn Tuakura (Toowoomba Grammar)
He is big. He is strong. He has a soft touch around the rim and more often than not makes the right play.
He is man mountain, Keahn Tuakura, a polished big man whose offensive rebounding, screen setting and extra passes were to the fore of Toowoomba Grammar’s away victory at The Southport School.
Sam Geu (Toowoomba Grammar)
It has been a long time coming seeing towering athlete Sam Geu really stamp his mark on a game in TGS colours.
The Toowoomba Basketball League All-Star Five select is always a big presence, for his school team and club team the Mountaineers, but on Saturday he was more than that.
The Geu Show was in full effect, the 200cm+ centre showing his class with an array of mid-range jump shots and slam dunks.
Lee Van Der Westhuizen (BBC)
Above the rim forward Westhuizen produced a handful of highlight reel worthy slam dunks in BBC’s dominant win, their second in a row.
Westhuizen did not overplay his hand, and was rewarded with some pinpoint ally oops when he ran the floor and slammed it home.
He is some player.
Cooper Wilson (BBC)
Again lefty Wilson made a positive impact in a classy cameo off the BBC bench.
Wearing jersey No. 7 Wilson was flying everywhere grappling for rebounds.
His smooth stroke delivered a couple of treys and some floaters as well, pushing his team’s tally out past the century mark.
Justin Ventic (IGS)
It wasn’t the ideal second half performance from the home side but the work of Just Ventic has to be recognised.
The kid is lethal and when IGS are in need of a bucket he is always lurking for a combination of dribble moves and a pull up jump shot - his bread and butter.
Peja Ahwang (IGS)
At times in Saturday’s contest, Ahwang had to give himself a heat check because he was simply on fire.
The athletic, rim-running boarder was all effort on the glass and after boxing out like his life depended on it, Ahwang came to life behind the three point line where he laced a handful of timely threes.
He was at the forefront of IGS’s charge late in the second quarter where they made a big run.
Jack Tweedy (TSS)
Young gun Tweedy earnt all 20 of his prized points in a hard-fought clash against Toowoomba Grammar.
Tweedy notched 40 minutes of action again on Saturday, his third time this season playing hard all game without a substitution.
Baxter Ellis (Terrace)
If the Brisbane Grammar players had to nominate someone, it would have to be Year 12 student Baxter Ellis, a second year First V guard whose relentless pressure is to be admired.
An energetic backup guard, the fearless Ellis defends well above his size and more often than not comes up with contested possessions.
It’s easy to tell Ellis has an Australian football background because there aren’t many that bring the pressure and niggling that he does to the floor.
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