Players to watch at Basketball Australia Under-18 National Championships (U18 & Kevin Coombs Nationals)
The son of a basketball legend, brother of an NBA prodigy and a human highlight reel are all part of a class of exciting athletes set to take the Under-18s nationals by storm. See the full list!
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The brother of an Aussie NBA prodigy, niece of an Opals dual-silver medallist and son of a basketball legend are among the young future stars who will strut their stuff at the Basketball Australia Under-18 National Championships.
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They will be joined by a swag of Aussie Junior gold medallists and NBA Global Academy guns in Brisbane from April 9-16 with hopes of showing off their individual talents and claiming the ultimate prize.
Mick Randall looks at every state’s players to watch.
VICTORIA
VIC METRO BOYS
Luke Fennell
One of the best players at the tournament, period. Fennell can literally do anything on the basketball court. Among the newest members of the prestigious NBA Global Academy, the 197cm wing can play four positions and, while his size, strength, athleticism, playmaking and scoring are all elite, it is his willingness to do whatever the team requires to win.
Jack Whitbourn
A 210cm giant who will have the unenviable task of matching it with Queensland monster Rocco Zikarsky. Whitbourn can be described as a Nikola Jokic-type who combines a high basketball IQ with elite footwork and a soft touch around the rim. A leader of men, the towering big man relies on his smarts and razor sharp fundamentals, over athleticism — and that makes him a dangerous proposition for any opponent.
Harrison Beauchamp
Gold medallist with the U15 Australian team in Guam who is pivotal to Vic Metro’s chances. A versatile athlete who can play four positions, Beauchamp is an above-average rebounder for his size and has steadily improved his shooting. What sets him apart is his clutch gene. A big-game player who has proven to be a go-to guy with the ability to make big plays — and shots — when the chips are down. The key figure in Victoria’s U16 gold medal team in Perth.
VIC METRO GIRLS
Sarah Portlock
The tallest girl in the tournament at an incredible 202cm — with the talent to match it. Portlock has just taken part in the Opals camp ahead of the 2023 Asia Cup and is one of Australian basketball’s next generation of potential stars. A young star in the making. Remember the name, because you won’t forget the game.
VIC COUNTRY MEN
Dash Daniels
There’s not much that hasn’t been written about the Bendigo boy whose brother is already in the NBA. Dash is ahead of Dyson at the same age meaning there are huge things ahead. Don’t miss when this kid is on the floor. Get the popcorn out.
Mading Kuany
Recently named to the NBA Global Academy, the Longhorns Basketball Club product will dunk on everyone at the tournament. Of South Sudan descent, Kuany is a lean, but ultra-athletic 200cm wing who stands out with his dedication to improving his game.
Ned Renfree
Was best on ground for St Patrick’s College in last year’s Herald Sun Shield Intermediate Boys Grand Final and faces a choice between Aussie rules and basketball. Was part of the recent national performance camp led by the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence. A proud Bendigo product who is among the region’s most talented prospects. Watch for the swagger.
VIC COUNTRY WOMEN
Sienna Harvey
A dynamic 175cm talent who is a member of the AIS Basketball Centre of Excellence. The Wodonga product has jumped on every opportunity she has received throughout her development and grabbed it with both hands. High workrate impresses coaches but it is the character she has matched with her ability that will take her a long way in the sport.
NSW
NSW BOYS METRO
Lachlan Clague
A 211cm beast who wears an U15 national team gold medal and holds the hopes of NSW Metro in his enormous hands. A smooth leftie who is a commanding presence at both ends of the floor.
Emmett Adair
NBA Global Academy product who is long and lean with elite athleticism. Has the ability to score from outside and is a danger in the lane. An all-round player who seems to improve in one aspect or another every time he steps on the court. Played for the NBAGA team at the recent U20 nationals and looked at home against men several years his senior.
Steve Hall
Creative point guard with speed to burn. Runs a team like a well-oiled machine but has the ability to provide a scoring spark. Blink and you’ll miss him.
NSW GIRLS METRO
Jesse-May Hall
Bottom-age kid with an enormous game, Hall’s talent is only matched by her aggression on the floor. An unstoppable force who can drop a 30-piece without breaking a sweat.
Super-athletic and a scoring machine, talent runs deep in her family, with brother Steve in the boys team. Part of Australia’s gold medal-winning U15 team last year. A big problem for every team at the champs.
Zoe Jackson
Another U15 Australian Oceania champion, a power player in the post whose offensive game is a work in progress, but is already a frightening presence at the defensive end. A 193cm game-changer who is immovable in the low block, alters and blocks shots and is an expert at covering for guards if their opponent gets by them.
Freya Bijkerk
Really strong athletic guard forward with the ability to knock down the outside shot. A coaches’ favourite who is physically gifted and a nightmare for opponents with her hard, tough effort on both ends of the floor. Plays her guts out for every minute.
NSW BOYS COUNTRY
Bradley Ballinger
A gifted athletic wing who can knock the outside shot down, Ballinger has been involved in Australian junior camps and will be among the leading scorers for NSW Country.
Jackson McCabe
Byron Bay boy who is a 200cm big man that loves to do the dirty work. A real blue collar player who crashes the glass like his life depends on it and is a tough inside presence in the key at each end. Doesn’t venture far from the basket and that’s a good thing, because he is so effective in the battles of the behemoths.
Dylan Tea
Forms a super one-two scoring punch with teammate Ballinger. Scoring wing who will take and make threes but loves to put it on the deck and slash to the basket.
NSW GIRLS COUNTRY
Jade Crook
Only turned 16 a month ago but is already 191cm — and growing. An Albury native, she’s trained under the GOAT Lauren Jackson, drawing natural comparisons. That’s a big wrap to put on a teenager, but Crook has the talent and ability to shoulder that load. An imposing figure on the court, Crook is following in the footsteps of fellow Blue and U20 National Championships MVP Isla Juffermans. Brought home a gold medal from the U15 Oceania Championships from Guam and, while she’s a huge inside presence, her unique skill set allows her to handle the ball in the open court and do things few at her size can.
Lara Dobbins
Eye-catching shooting guard who has the ability to knock it down from the outside but makes a huge impact as an athletic slasher who likes to put it on the floor and get to the rack.
QUEENSLAND
QLD NORTH BOYS
Riley Downes
One of the best three-point shooters in the country, Downes has shown the ability to be a great defender in the full court, using his speed to annoy opposition point guards. Averaged 7.5 points last year at the U18 nationals in Ballarat and was a silver medallist at the U16 tournament two years ago.
Tyson Crees
A versatile guard who can play several positions on the floor, Crees is a high-IQ player who can make reads on the offensive end, creating for himself and others. Has been a star at the junior level for Cairns Basketball for years.
Travis Drinnan
A strong and physical four man who has scouts from rugby league all over him, especially the North Queensland Cowboys. Drinnan uses his athleticism to finish above the rim, won silver in the 2021 U16 tournament and averaged just under eight points and three rebounds last year in Ballarat.
QLD NORTH GIRLS
Monique Bobongie
One of the top juniors in the country, Bobongie is a guard who can do it all. Forming a dynamic back-court pairing with Teyahna Bond, the Mackay player has the handles to attack the basket and finish at the rim, combined with unlimited range. The Australian junior representative will be one of the top talents to watch at this year’s nationals.
Teyahna Bond
An elite athlete, Bond is damaging in transition, using her speed to get out in the open court and attack the basket. The Cairns junior can shoot the three and will be hard to stop for opposing defences at the nationals, especially with Bobongie alongside her. Bond impressed in her rookie NBL1 season.
Andrianna Francis
A tough and versatile forward who can bring physical defence and give the North a boost offensively. The Cairns Dolphin can attack the basket but also hit the perimeter shot, giving the North space on the inside for others to do their work offensively.
QLD SOUTH BOYS
Roman Siulepa
One of the most promising juniors in the country, Roman Siulepa, along with Rocco Zikarsky and Lebron Brooks, will lead Queensland’s national title defence. Siulepa is dominant at the junior level with his imposing physicality and ability to play above the rim offensively.
Rocco Zikarsky
The towering 7’2” big man is already on NBA radars and will be looking to add to his long list of achievements with another national championship on his home court at the Northside Wizards. Zikarsky gives Queensland an imposing presence on both ends of the floor and will be key to the team’s gold medal hopes.
Indy Cotton
Another highly-touted junior from the Gold Coast, Cotton has already played on Australian junior teams and leads Queensland’s impressive guard line-up. Cotton is one of the best young guards in Australia with his work off screens and ability to create space among his best qualities.
QLD SOUTH GIRLS
Prasayus Notoa
After a knee injury sidelined here for two months, Notoa is expected to be fit for the nationals. It’s a huge bonus for Queensland South with her ability to run the team and have a big impact on both ends of the floor. Notoa will be looking for a big tournament after missing last year’s U16 nationals due to illness.
Hilary Fuller
A versatile and athletic forward, Fuller will be one of the main offensive weapons for the Queensland South women with her ability to shoot the ball from the outside giving her avenues to attack the basket. Fuller, a Brisbane Capitals product, was part of South’s silver medal-winning team in Ballarat last year.
Alice Dart
Another member of the 2022 silver medal-winning team, Dart will lead the way in the back court with Fuller after an impressive U18 representative season with the Southern Districts Spartans. The talented guard can score in bunches and is a tough, physical defender. Continues her family’s trend of representing Queensland after her older sister, Lil, played at the U20 nationals earlier in the year in Geelong.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
SA METRO BOYS
Alex Dodson
A mobile 203cm forward who can score in a variety of ways and defend multiple positions. The Norwood Flames product has developed into one of the most promising basketball talents in South Australia and is an elite rebounder.
James Mackenzie
Bottom ager who showed at last year’s U16 nationals he can really fill it up as one of the leading scorers in the tournament. Will be looking to make his name at the next level. A combo guard with the ability to play multiple positions, he’s at home handling the ball, but most dangerous off it.
Sam Hughes
Brought home a gold medal from Guam at the U15 Oceania Championships, his defence makes him a must-play talent. Loves to get after guards and, once they inevitably turn it over, his speed and sneaky athleticism make him a nightmare in transition.
SA METRO GIRLS
Lara Somfai
Impressed at January’s high performance camp, 192cm Somfai is one of the tallest players in the tournament, but possesses the skill set of a guard. On a steady trajectory to higher honours, Somfai is an exciting prospect who will be among the best scorers in the tournament.
Coco Hodges
Bottom ager who is an elite markswoman from deep — she shot 45 per cent from the three point line in last year’s U16 Nationals. Point guard Hodges is a great distributor and can defend multiple positions.
Georgina Salandra
Long-term potential is through the roof. Carved out a big role last year as a bottom ager in the U18s and will be one of the team’s leaders in her second campaign at the level.
SA COUNTRY BOYS
Jackson Bowden
An athletic wing whose ability to take it to the rack and drain them from deep makes him a nightmare for opposing swingmen. The Eastern Mavericks Jet, who is part of the Mt Gambier Pioneers NBL1 program, was invited to the recent National Performance Camp in Canberra.
Jack Haggett
Skilled forward who loves to mix it up with his length and crash the glass. Like Bowden, Haggett is a Millicent product, who joined his mate at the Canberra camp, run by the Centre of Excellence coaching panel. Can get going from deep.
Oscar Marr-Maguire
Combo guard, can handle the rock and is a lethal three-point shooter who can get his shot off in an instant. Coming off a big tournament in 2022 and will be a key scorer for SA Country.
SA COUNTRY GIRLS
Sienna Lehmann
One of the best players for her age in the country. Niece of Opals dual-Olympic silver medallist Rachel Sporn, Lehmann is a gun point guard who makes her teammates better and picks apart opposing defences with ruthless efficiency. A Guam gold medallist with the U15 national team, Lehmann’s most-striking trait is her unstoppable ability to finish through contact at the hoop.
Krystal Thompson
A rangy guard with elite quickness who is very crafty getting into the teeth of the defence. She can stretch out to the three-point line, where she shoots it at a high clip that forces the opposition to respect her.
Airlie Ramsey
Versatile West Adelaide swingwoman who can play four positions. So strong, shoots the hell out of it and makes smart decisions.
TASMANIA
TAS BOYS
Jacob Furphy
NBA Global Academy talent who can do it all. Furphy is a great rebounder, can get to the rim with ease, is a deadeye on his jumper, a nightmare in pick n roll scenarios and can really facilitate. Among the tournament’s brightest talents, Furphy’s penchant for putting the team before himself sets him apart. Owner of a winning mentality that drives him to do anything he possibly can to get the team over the line.
Nash Walker
Another Oceania gold medallist who will look to frank that national team success in the U18 tournament. Should change his name to ‘Silk’ Walker, owing to the effortless way he glides up and down the court. Won’t bully opponents out of it, but makes the game look easy. Talents make him very easy on the eye for basketball watchers.
Oliver Baldock
Can rip a game away in moments. Red hot shooter who commands respect. Give him an inch — or a millimetre — and he’ll take a mile. As soon as he catches the rock, you know it’s probably going up — and probably going in. When Baldock’s on the floor it opens things up for the likes of Furphy, Walker and his teammates to do their thing in the lane. A huge piece in for Tassie’s hopes.
TAS GIRLS
Lucy Aherne
A versatile wing who becomes a huge problem for big centres when Tassie opts to play small ball. Will occupy positions three through five, with the ability to rebound the ball and disrupt on defence when she takes on the centre role. Continually expanding an already impressive offensive repertoire.
Coco Erin
Feisty guard who isn’t afraid to get up and in on opposing guards. Simply refuses to back down from any challenge, which makes her a coaches’ favourite. This will be her third consecutive national tournament and she now steps into a leadership role as a top ager.
Ava McDonald
Attended the inaugural women’s NBA Global Academy tournament last year in Atlanta, Georgia. Experience at elite levels holds her in good stead to lead the charge for Tasmania. A superb athlete who plays primarily as a wing, but will spend time handling the ball at the point. A really capable cutter, slasher and driver, who is developing her ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter.
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
ACT BOYS
Dante Bruton
Son of NBL legend Cal Bruton, Dante has progressed through the ACT rep programs and is always one of the first selected. Development player with Ginninderra in ACT’s Premier League, who possesses the balance and poise of his famous father. Primarily a scoring guard who can handle the ball, Bruton oozes confidence and doesn’t fear anyone or any situation. Automatic from downtown.
Darcy O’Keeffe
Senior player who the team looks up to, was part of the Norths team that claimed last year’s U19 ACT Junior Premier League title and has stepped into the senior levels. A strong three-four who can mix it inside and hit from deep, O’Keeffe is a natural-born leader.
Arjun Rao
Selected in ACT national rep teams right through from U14s, Rao is a shooting guard who was known as “The Microwave” at his junior club due to his ability to light it up off the bench. For those of an older vintage, think Vinnie Johnson, Detroit Pistons (Google it).
ACT GIRLS
Zara Russell
Rare player who is a bottom ager, but has generated excitement from all her teammates, keen to suit up alongside an Australian junior gold medallist after she helped the national team win the FIBA U15 Oceania championship. An emergent young star in the national program who has the world at her feet with a versatile skill set that allows her to play inside-outside on both ends of the floor. Russell possesses leadership beyond her tender years.
Maddie Farrah
Long and lean, Farrah already stands 185cm with plenty of growing to do. Still figuring out her physical gifts Farrah is a raw talent with huge upside. Ability to play the four and the five and dominate the paint at both ends of the floor.
Sophie Brennan
A constant in the ACT rep ranks, one of the first picked throughout the U14, U16 and U18s, Brennan is a senior guard whose experience will be vital for the ACT squad.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
NT BOYS
Lachie O’Brien
A long and athletic 195cm wing who can put the ball on the floor, finish at the rim and stretch out and hit the three. O’Brien is NT’s most exciting — and best — player.
Davis Gabriel Yak
Defensive beast who causes havoc on the ball and will take the opposition’s best player. Finishes with aplomb around the rim.
Ricky Mentha
Lightning-quick kid from Alice Springs who will swipe the rock before you can blink. Loves playing tough, hard defence, creating turnovers and then sprinting for easy buckets on the break.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
WA METRO BOYS
Charles Dimmock
Charlie, as he is known, led the entire tournament in rebounding in 2022, which earned him an invitation to the national performance camp earlier in the year. Tough and hardworking, Dimmock is a natural-born leader.
Aaron Gashaw
Tall and multiskilled, Gashaw has shown enormous promise over the past two years. Although he was injured at the 2022 nationals, he was able to earn a spot in the U15 boys’ Australian team that won gold in Guam and will look to frank that winning effort into helping WA win a medal
WA METRO GIRLS
Susan Fahnbulleh
A quick and dynamic scorer, Fahnbulleh led the U14 club championships in scoring in 2019. A member of the Warwick Senators NBL1 team, Fahnbulleh will bring her leadership and playmaking to the group as one of its most experienced players.
WA COUNTRY GIRLS
Alira Fotu
Fotu was a member of the U16 WA country team at last year’s nationals and her efforts there were noticed by national selectors, who made her part of the U15 Oceania team selection camp. Fotu is a crafty player who possesses elite court vision and passing ability that sets her apart from her peers.
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