Visit from former student inspires State High ahead of important clash with TSS
Another epic clash with premiership implications headlines this weekend’s GPS basketball competition as Brisbane State High School hosts fellow heavyweights TSS in the game of the week. SEE THE PREVIEWS HERE.
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Brisbane State High School are hoping a special visit from a former student, who went on to reach the world’s biggest sporting stage, will give them the inspiration needed to contend for a GPS basketball premiership.
Ahead of tomorrow’s big game with fellow powerhouse, The Southport School, State High alumni and basketball star Brock Motum spent a training session with his former team on Thursday.
The former Washington State University star and current EuroLeague player also shared stories with the youngsters from this year’s team that coach Kris Robinson believed would give them a huge boost.
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“Hopefully the boys get a lift after talking with Australian Boomer and as we found out, Klay Thompson’s college roommate, Brock Motum,” Robinson said.
“He graciously visited training to share his stories about winning some of the premierships on the wall in the State High gym and the team will go into Saturday with his words of encouragement helping them stay focused.”
But Gold Coast school, TSS, will be looking to spoil the party as they travel to Brisbane and look to bounce back from a close loss to Churchie last week, where they led for the first three quarters.
“It (last week) was a great process for a lot of our boys to go through to get to play in a game of that level of intensity for schoolboy basketball was impressive and foreign to some of them,” TSS coach, Anthony Petrie, said.
“Both sides competed hard and they understand key turnovers and passages of the game can be crucial in tight contests.”
With key players such as guard Tane Kirisome and athletic forward Haizyn Mellars to contain, Petrie said his side needed to match State High’s energy.
“They are a high energy team with some high level Queensland state players and individual’s that know how to play and compete at both ends of the floor,” he said.
“If you turn the ball over they will capitalise quickly in transition and put points up in a hurry.
“The challenge for us is we have some serious casualties due to injury from the weekends game and will be missing some huge pieces from our starting group.
“We are a group that makes no excuses and have a next man up mentality. It will great to see who wants to step up and take on the responsibility of those minutes.”
Petrie said keeping belief in their systems at both ends of the floor would be the key to success against State High.
“Obviously Tane Kirisome and Preston Le Gassick will be key pieces for both teams,” he said.
“Haizyn Mellars presents an interesting and unique dynamic for their group that will require multiple efforts from different bodies and I think BSHS have some underrated bigs in young Mason Amos and James Lewis.”
Robinson said State High respected TSS and knew with Petrie as coach they would come out fighting.
“But we’re healthy for the first time this season and are optimistically motivated to defend our home court,” he said.
“GPS is like eight grand finals in a row, so we’ll play our game and trust that the work we’ve put in pays off.”
Tip-off is at 1.45pm.
GPS BASKETBALL ROUND 4 MATCHES
– St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace v St Joseph’s Nudgee College, 1.30pm
Live-stream: https://bit.ly/2PsKUDt
– Brisbane State High School v TSS, 1.45pm
– Toowoomba Grammar School v Ipswich Grammar School, 2pm
– Brisbane Grammar School v Brisbane Boys’ College, 2.30pm