The stats behind Brisbane Grammar School’s dramatic basketball transformation
Just a few short years ago they were the pushovers of GPS First V basketball. Now, Brisbane Grammar School are one of the most revered squads in the competition. See the stats behind the school’s resurgence.
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Just a few short years ago they were the pushovers of GPS First V basketball.
Now, Brisbane Grammar School are one of the most revered squads in the competition.
From losing all eight games in the 2020 season to closing in on a seventh win in the final round on Saturday, Brisbane Grammar’s Firsts basketball program has gone from zero to hero in four years.
So profound was the about face, Brisbane Grammar were on the cusp of the First V premiership this season.
Their only First V loss this season came at the hands of undefeated premiers Churchie in round one.
When weighing up how the First V is fairing now compared to in the past there is no need for a trophy to celebrate such success.
“The best part about this season has been the collaboration on campus to make the program built from the inside out,” said Brisbane Grammar basketball director Dan George, also a former student.
“I came in here going this is a really special place. I love basketball. What a great opportunity to try and build something.”
In 2020, Brisbane Grammar went 0-8 with the average margin of defeat 72 points.
They weren’t just losing. They were getting blown out.
Fast forward to this now, where a 12 player rotation has swung the squad’s successful season.
They had elite guards like Lebron Brooks and Max Balthes, ferocious big men Lennon Bann, Rohan Barlow and Otto Dwyer, sharp shooters in Angus Kearney and depth in George Mercer, Orlando Geary, Henry Hyde, Marcus Forbes, Sam Chappell and Brendan Cheng, resulting in Brisbane Grammar’s average margin of results becoming a positive 16 points.
That is an 88 point turnaround. Impressive, don’t you think?
In 2020, young veteran Max Balthes’ first year in the team, the First V averaged 47 points a game.
If Brisbane Grammar notch 103 points on Saturday against visitors The Southport School, their average points per game will be 100.
Balthes, a student of the school since year five, has been a fixture in Brisbane Grammar’s improvement with the home grown hero set to play in his 36th First V game on Saturday.
“To watch him come along and be arguably a top three guard in the whole GPS has been awesome,” coach George smiled.
Obviously this year’s team has had no trouble getting buckets - but between 2013 and 2022 Brisbane Grammar’s First V won just four games with a record of 4-78.
The school’s resurgent Firsts basketball team have completed this impressive rebuild without Queensland’s top basketballer, NBA draft prospect and NBL Next Star Rocco Zikarsky (Brisbane Bullets centre).
The 222cm big man would have been in Year 12.
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