Basketball news: The young stars set to become future Opals, WNBA draft 2024, 2025
Three of the best young basketball prospects in the country have been awarded key scholarships - cementing their status among the country’s best and brightest. See Australia’s 15 best talents inside.
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Regional Australia’s proven basketball breeding ground has come to the fore this week, with three country girls awarded scholarships to join Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Canberra.
Jade Crook (New South Wales Country), Sophie Taylor (Victoria Country), and Sienna Lehmann (South Australia Country) will train daily supported by sports science and high-performance experts.
All three girls were selected in Code Sports’ list of 15 rising females tipped to play for the Opals and reach the WNBA stage.
Crook, an Albury native, is an imposing forward standing at 6’3 who represented Australia with success at both the recent Oceania and Asian Championships.
Taylor, a standout player from Warragul in regional Victoria, received international attention as part of the FIBA U15 Oceania Championship Women’s All-Star Five.
Lehmann, the niece of Opals legend Rachael Sporn and a rising star from Waikerie, a regional town with fewer than 3,000 people, has already made waves in international basketball when she was crowned MVP at the FIBA Under 16 Asian Championships in Jordan earlier this month.
AUSTRALIA'S BEST EMERGING BASKETBALL STARS
Two sets of sisters, a gifted guard out to emulate Michele Timms, a centre with Lauren Jackson potential and daughters of Boomers and NBL legends.
Australian basketball is blessed when it comes to rising female talent who possess the ability, skills and work ethic to succeed at the highest level.
The Opals have set the benchmark on the international stage with multiple Olympic silver medals and a covenanted gold at the 2006 World Championships.
Now there is a cast of rising female stars determined to continue the country’s proud global success, which has also seen 40 women play in the WNBA since 1997.
Code Sports has identified 15 players destined to excel in the WNBL, WNBA or for the Opals in the coming years.
Sienna Lehmann: Forward
Lehmann has special vision and an ability to create open shots for teammates.
She is extremely fit, which helps her run the floor and take over games. The niece of Opals legend Rachael Sporn.
Lehmann was recently crowned MVP of the Under 16s Asia Cup tournament, averaging 11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds 4.8 assists and 2.8 steals to guide the Australians to a gold medal.
The 16-year-old forward from South Australia’s Immanuel College has the all-round game to star at the highest level.
Jessie-May Hall: Guard
Jessie-May Hall is one of NSW Metro’s brightest stars, but it’s the guard’s country roots that’s helping her keep grounded as she aims to fulfil her WNBA and Opals dreams.
Hall was born in Sydney, but her father, Steve, and his family hail from Dubbo in NSW’s central west. Her late grandfather – Steve ‘Bear’ Hall – was also a respected sporting figure in rugby league.
The 16-year-old has enjoyed success at all levels, including a gold medal for Australia at the Under-15s Oceania Championships in Guam last year.
Hall recently starred to help the Australian Sapphires claim a third consecutive Asia Cup gold medal, including 14 points in a five-minute stretch in the final to finish with 21.
Isla Juffermans: Centre
The gun centre from Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast is lucky to have room left in her trophy cabinet given the medals she has won in the past two years alone.
Juffermans collected three gold medals in 2022 via the Under 18s Oceania Championships in India, the 17s World Cup in Jordan and the National Schools with Lake Ginninderra College.
The 18-year-old led NSW to gold at the Under 20 National Championships in Geelong in January while she also took home the tournament MVP honours.
Juffermans recently played for Australia at the Under 19s World Cup, where the Gems finished in ninth position after winning their final three games.
She stood tall in the middle for Australia, highlighted by an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double in an 85-45 hammering of Argentina.
Sophie Taylor: Forward
She’s a gun shooter from Country Victoria who has the hoops world at her feet, according to a gold medal winning Opal.
Australian representative forward Sophie Taylor has excelled for her state and country in recent times. Taylor helped the Australian Sapphires claim a third straight Asia Cup gold medal last week while she excelled for Country Victoria at the Australian Under-18s Championships in Brisbane in May.
Meet the “flat-out shooter†from Country Victoria who has the hoops world at her feet, according to gold medal winning Opal @JenniScreen.
— Matt Logue (@mattlogue7) April 12, 2023
Sophie Taylor has excelled for Country Victoria at the Australian Under-18s Championships in Brisbane.
READ:https://t.co/H5ZmYmqoaEpic.twitter.com/yjKKn2KNpE
Her stellar performances caught the eye of former Opal Jenni Screen, who was watching from the sideline.
“Sophie has got a skill set that Australian basketball is looking for,” declared Screen, who won a gold medal for Australia at the 2006 World Championships in Brazil.
“She is a flat-out shooter, man, and we don’t have a lot of them coming through the ranks. “We haven’t had those knock down shooters for a very long time, so it is nice to see. “And adding to that Sophie is an athlete, which is a pretty special combo.”
Jess Petrie: Forward
The daughter of former NBL power forward Anthony Petrie and WNBL championship winner Sarah (nee Berry) has the basketball pedigree to achieve at the highest level.
In fact, there’s nothing this girl doesn’t do well. So elite. Will be better than her gun basketball parents one day if she keeps going.
Petrie recently committed to play US College ball for Nebraska while she represented the Gems at the Under 19s World Cup.
While his own career provided joy, Anthony Petrie said there was nothing better than watching his daughter play.
“I enjoy watching my kids do their thing, I think more than I did it myself — and I loved doing it myself,” Anthony said.
“Just seeing them enjoy something as much as I enjoyed it just makes you happy that sport’s giving them the same thing that it gave my wife and I.”
Lara Somfai: Centre
Lara Somfai is only 16, but the South Australia Metro and Australian Sapphires centre is destined for higher honours, according to championship winning NBL coach Joey Wright.
Somfai’s class was on show in the girl’s gold medal game at the Under-18 National Championships in May as she led her state to a thrilling 78-72 victory over NSW Metro.
The 192cm big dominated at both ends of the floor to finish with 25 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.
The brilliant performance on the big stage didn’t surprise Wright – who has recently been working alongside the rising talent.
“Lara is different, I have the opportunity to coach some of the greatest players in NBL history and she has the same star quality as they did,” said Wright, the former Adelaide 36ers coach who won an NBL championship with the Brisbane Bullets in 2007.
“She still has development to go but she could be special: Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor level.”
Ruby Perkins: Guard
The Norths junior from Sydney is a key player at club, state and national level with her pinpoint shooting and passing.
Perkins is coming off a gold medal winning campaign with Australia at the U16 Asian Championship.
She was selected in the tournament’s All-Star Five after averaging 14.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 3.2 steals for an efficiency rating of 20.2 - third-best in the tournament. The 15-year-old turned in her best outing of the meet versus Chinese Taipei, dropping 25 to lead her side to the semi-finals.
Coco Hodges: Guard
Hodges knows how to find a basket and is one of the best emerging players in Australia.
The 16-year-old has enjoyed a successful 2023 to date after steering South Australia Metro to the Under 18s National Championship in May.
Hodges was recently a member of the triumphant Australian Sapphires side that won gold at the Under 16s women’s Asian Championship in Jordan.
The South Australian guard finished the tournament averaging 10.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Jade Crook: Centre
The girl from Albury is one of NSW Country’s best players, and fittingly officials can see a young Lauren Jackson in the way she plays.
Crook has long arms, an ability to rebound and put the ball on floor just like Albury’s finest ever basketballer in Jackson.
The 16-year-old starred for NSW Country at the Under 18s National Championships in Brisbane in May, averaging 12 rebounds a game.
Emma Petrie: Forward
NBL legend Anthony Petrie’s second youngest daughter – Emma – is hoping to continue the family’s proud basketball tradition of excellence.
Anthony couldn’t help but get emotional watching his daughter don Queensland’s maroon and white on Tuesday as she finished with an impressive 16 points and 13 rebounds in a close loss to NSW Metro.
“Something in the waterâ€
— Matt Logue (@mattlogue7) April 12, 2023
Petrie family breeding basketball success.
As Emma Petrie makes her U18 National Championships debut for Queensland South, her former NBL and WNBL parents are watching on with pride.
READ: https://t.co/YxxmnHrLtYpic.twitter.com/yPnHz67A5T
“You don’t want them to play just because Sarah and I did, but Emma is second in line and just another one in the family who has fallen in love with the game,” said Petrie, who played 34 games for the Brisbane Bullets.
“So, it’s cool for us to just sit and watch our second daughter love the game like we do.”
Keira Gardiner: Forward
Gardner dominated at this year’s Under 16s nationals to lead South Australia Metro to the gold medal.
She finished the tournament as the best scorer in the paint, culminating with a 29-point, 11-rebound performance in the gold medal game.
My colleague Michael Randall was told Gardiner is one of the best junior prospects in the country.
Gardner finished fifth in scoring as Forestville Eagles claimed the U16 girls NJC title and has long been a huge prospect in Adelaide basketball circles. The Scotch College product was named 2020 WABL U12 MVP and has enjoyed steady improvement as she’s come up through the age groups.
Madison Ryan: Forward
Ryan starred for Victoria Metro at the recent Under 16s National Championships in Perth. The Sandringham Sabres junior is built for basketball success given she is long, lean, can shoot and possess a strong inside game.
Ryan led the Victorians in scoring at 13.9 per game while adding 9.3 rebounds, 3.4 steals, 2.4 assists. She was also under 2.4 turnovers per game.
Ruby Vlahov: Forward
As the daughter of Boomers and NBL legend Andrew Vlahov, toughness runs through the veins of Ruby Vlahov.
Ruby’s star is on the rise after recovering from a year of rehab on an ACL knee injury.
She is coming off a WNBL season with the Perth Lynx as a development player, played for Australia at the Under 19s World Cup and has committed to play US College for proven Aussie production line Saint Mary’s College.
Kira Juffermans: Centre
The younger sister of Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence and Australian Gems star Isla Juffermans, Kira possesses great mobility at her height and will be a handful for the opposition to handle in the key.
Already 185cm at 15, the Coffs Harbour Suns tall is chasing her 194cm sister.
Kaila Proctor: Guard
Sister of young Aussie gun Tyrese Proctor, Kaila is a gun point guard in her own right. While her brother is making headlines at Duke University, Kaila is developing into a crafty and smart player at Sutherland Sharks, and according to my colleague Michael Randall, runs the NSW Metro offence like a well-oiled machine.
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Originally published as Basketball news: The young stars set to become future Opals, WNBA draft 2024, 2025
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