GPS First V basketball: Award winners revealed following a spectacular season
A magnificent GPS First V season finished in a three-way tie. Now, we honour players from all nine schools in NBA styled awards. See the basketballers from your school that had a 2022 campaign to remember.
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Toowoomba Grammar School, Brisbane State High and The Southport School are still basking in the glory of the GPS First V basketball premiership, with the three schools claiming wins on Saturday to finish their season 7-1.
There were a ridiculous amount of youngsters who stood out this year which has us waiting eagerly for the 2023 season.
To conclude the season that was, let’s take a look at some award winners from all nine teams.
GREGORY TERRACE
MVP: Paul Papacostas
Papacostas is Gregory Terrace’s player of the year and isn’t it fitting. Much like his older brother Geordan, Papacostas is a coach’s dream player.
He toils away under the rim and earns second chance points with the will to out compete his rival.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Ethan Sun
Sun is a shifty guard, and he moves well on and off the ball. He has all the tools to be a force in the competition and when coming off the bench, he puts the team first.
He doesn’t force shots, makes the extra pass and is a team player. His time will come.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Phoenix Trego
Trego is all about the hustle and both the mental and physical battles in a basketball game. He has hyper focus and you can see it in his eyes. He wants to make that effort play.
He will strip the ball off you, make it a nightmare advancing the ball upcourt and stays in front of you like his life depends on it. A tone setter.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Jacob Shaw
Don’t be fooled by the stats on the sheet. Jacob Shaw is all heart and when he comes on he gives it 110%. Plenty of times coach Mathew Hamilton-Smith could call upon Shaw to come in and shift the momentum.
BRISBANE STATE HIGH
MVP: Jimmy Ellis, Kailan Sales and Caleb Isaac
Brisbane State High had such a disjointed roster with key players missing for large parts of the season. Mason Amos and Abass Bodija played two, Xavier Chio and Liam Hude three, Roman Siulepa 0 and Jalen Blanchard left in round 1 to the Illawarra Hawks.
But, thanks to the consistency of Ellis, Sales and Isaac, Brisbane State High still managed to get over the line. They kept the team together and it’s no surprise they went 7-1. They are incredible basketballers.
Ellis can do everything, Isaac is a masterful ball handler and three point shooter and Sales is a mid range sniper.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Kailan Sales
Coach Kris Robinson could rely on Sales every week to deliver. He brought a winning mentality, and got things done on both ends.
He’s a fine player. He will block a shot and then run the floor. If he slams down a dunk, he is straight back on defence. You have to admire his humility.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Elijah Kamu
With his height, big frame and mobility, this athletic big man had all other centres wishing they stayed at home. He plays bully ball and forces his rivals to steer clear of the paint. He owns it.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Caleb Isaac
Anyone who watched Caleb Isaac this year knows exactly why the knockdown shooter and ankle taker is the Sixth Man of the Year.
From the beginning to the end, when Isaac shot it went in.
TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR
MVP: Samuel Geu
The Toowoomba First V got themselves in a position to fight for a premiership and towering centre Samuel Geu delivered a game winner in round 9 to top off that fairytale season.
With an unbelievable jump shot, Geu crowned Toowoomba First V premiers for the first time in history.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Samuel Geu
Geu takes this one out too. He swatted countless attempts against the backboard and gave it his all on the defensive end.
With the length and athleticism of Geu, it’s no surprise he takes this out.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Rahul Captain
Captain went from strength to strength, with his sharp shooting an integral part of Toowoomba’s premiership winning team.
He’s the unsung hero—he puts his head down and plays hard.
MOST PROMISING: Tawana Ngorima
Coach Kabe Cicolini said Ngorima was named the most promising at the Toowoomba awards night. His attitude, fight and ability to change the game as a Year 10 is special.
BEST TEAM MAN: Rufaro Zimbwa
Year 12 Rufaro Zimbwa did a fantastic job leading a young team. He was patient and empathetic, and coach Kabe Cicolini said it was incredible to see his leadership transformation.
He was the fitting recipient of Toowoomba’s Graham Copeland award, which is given to the best team man in the First V.
IPSWICH GRAMMAR
MVP: James Pearson
Pearson was great this year. He was Ipswich’s bucket getter, with a mix of speed and strength which often proved too much for his defenders.
His ability to carve to the cup was second to none.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Tristan Afamasaga
Afamasaga had a solid rookie year in the First V, coming on and showing the craftiness of his game. He isn’t the tallest but that doesn’t stop him from surging to the basket and making tough layups. Most of the time he would draw contact, which gave the sharp shooter freebies. There is no doubt he is going to step it up a level next year.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Mikel Tokiyawa
Week in, week out coach Jason Ralph praised the defensive deterrence of Tokiyawa. He’s an elite on ball defender, which often forced his rivals into hoisting up tough shots.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Justin Ventic
Bench firepower Justin Ventic will be missed dearly in 2023. That’s what Ralph said as he commended a superb season by his best impact player.
Ventic offered that punch off the bench and allowed the score to keep ticking over when the starters were given a rest.
SOUTHPORT
MVP: Ben Tweedy
The fiercest competitor of all takes this one out. He was jaw dropping all season, getting tough buckets, setting up his team and steering them to a premiership.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Indy Cotton
Cotton, Year 9, is freakishly talented. It’s hard to believe he has three more years in First V. Surely Southport’s dynasty begins now.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jaylen Pitman
Pitman is a super scorer, but his clamps made it hard for the opposition to keep up. He locks down his man, stays in front of them and is super quick in transition after forcing a tough shot.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Indy Cotton
Cotton was the best bench player for Southport. Coach Anthony Petrie started Ben Tweedy, Jaylen Pitman, Jack Foley, Nikos Karathanasopoulos and Jackson McCabe. Cotton came on, made an impact, played plenty of minutes and threw flashy dimes and slammed some home.
NUDGEE COLLEGE
MVP: Nate Scott
How good was Scott this year. Who remembers his 40 point bomb earlier in the season? That wasn’t a fluke, as he put up big numbers with ease each week.
He’s got so much confidence behind the arc and there’s little wonder why. He drains threes in his sleep.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Tyson Warren
Tyson Warren bolsters what is already a stacked Year 10 cohort across the GPS competition. Scott was simply incredible, but Warren was his partner in crime. He is going to step up nicely in Scott’s absence next year, as an athletic scorer, facilitator and lengthy forward.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Joaquin Tulloch
Tulloch led the charge on defence and for someone on the shorter side, it inspired his teammates. He’s a hard worker in transition and has a true passion for the game.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Rylan Carlisle
He was a regular game changer and an assassin off the bench for coach Mik Scott. He’s got a composure about his game which not many of his age possess.
CHURCHIE
MVP: Caleb Cronn and Ed Storen.
These two were the best all year for Churchie—great scorers and naturally athletic.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Kurt Siwek
Kurt Siwek was solid all season. He’s really young but as he gets older and more aggressive, the greater he will be. Coach Drew Summerfield has himself a good centre for the future.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Isaac Cordell
Cordell was put on a lot of the best players in terms of denial. He shut down sharpshooters throughout the season.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Mackenzie Jolly
Jolly brought tons of energy off the bench, ran backup point guard and pushed the pace. His defence was suffocating.
BBC
MVP: Jared Gluch
Jared Gluch without a doubt. Consistently rebounding, battling and making sure the team had a big man to work around. He played selflessly, but contributed with scores all season.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Emerson Juhasz
For a Year 10, Juhasz sure knew how to knock them down. He was a consistent double digit scorer throughout the season and was a constant standout for BBC director of basketball David Bennett.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Daniel Graham
Graham is an allrounder. A team facilitator and leader. In the state program he was seen as a great defensive player but for BBC he fills other jobs too. Defensively he was a big part of keeping Lebron Brooks quiet in round 9 and guarded the primary scorers each week.
He scores, passes and defensively he looks to lead the team. For Graham, it starts on the defensive end.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Sebastian Heyes
Heyes fits the mold as a senior who plays hard defensively and pushes the ball. He was one who was initially on the bench and progressed well to make it into the starting lineup. That’s because he is reliable, consistent and you know what you’re going to get.
BRISBANE GRAMMAR
MVP: Lachlan Curtin
Curtin must be a Weet-Bix kid, such are his energy levels in the paint. The Brisbane Grammar board eater was fearless with his drives, monstrous with his put back efforts and smart with his positional play.
He carried that never give up attitude.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: George Mercer
He didn’t play a lot but he was a very hard worker in practice. He has a bright future with two years left in the First V.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: James Eccleston
An easy pick for coach Dan George. He has a great motor., he’s not shy of bigger name players in the competition, works hard and does everything asked of him.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Alex Roe
Roe started a couple games when Lebron Brooks was injured and he proved how capable he is. It’s only his second year of basketball to the sport, but the newcomer always gives something when stepping foot on the floor.
He’s a glue guy, knocks down shots and gets rebounds.
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