Le Gassick, Donovan take home MVPs from Basketball Qld CBSQ tournament
Unsung heroes, dominant scorers and inspiring leaders – see our list of Courier Mail award winners from the Basketball Queensland CBSQ tournament.
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Unsung heroes, dominant scorers and inspiring leaders – the Basketball Queensland CBSQ tournament’s top performers has it all.
After livestreaming the tournament, which was held at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, we have decided to name our Courier Mail top performers almost a week after the champions in The Southport School and Hillcrest Christian College were crowned.
Our awards include an MVP for each Division 1 competition, an All-Star team featuring six players (players in teams outside the top four were not considered), as well as an unsung hero from each tournament.
See the list of Courier Mail award winners below.
GIRLS DIVISION 1 TOURNAMENT
Most Valuable Player: Katelyn Donovan
All Star Selections
Lilly Rotunno – Guard (Hillcrest Christian College)
Returning to the court after months off with a leg injury, Lilly Rotunno was back leading from the front, helping Hillcrest to another state championship. Forming an impressive back-court with Layla-J Cameron, Rotunno averaged just more than six points per game but made her presence felt by running the show, creating for her teammates and doing the job defensively.
Layla-J Cameron – Guard (Hillcrest Christian College)
Another young star returning to the court from an ACL injury, Layla-J Cameron show why she had been missed so much by her teammates and coaches over the past year. Cameron, the daughter of New Zealand basketball legend Pero Cameron, averaged 13 points per game on her to way to celebrating her return to the court with a gold medal.
Katelyn Donovan – Guard (Southport SHS)
The MVP of the tournament, which anyone who scores 53 points in a semi-final deserves, Katelyn Donovan had a tournament to remember. Finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer at more than 30 points per game, the talented guard helped Southport win another medal at CBSQ, building on the success of previous years. On top of her 53 points against State High, Donovan also had 32 points in two other games.
Jade Peacock – Forward (Hillcrest Christian College)
The top scorer for the eventual champions, Jade Peacock did it all for Hillcrest, impacting the game on the offensive end but also often taking the opposition’s best player on defence. Peacock averaged almost 18 points per game at the tournament, including highs of 23 points in two games during the week, to finish as the tournament’s fourth-leading scorer.
Summer Hanson – Forward (Brisbane SHS)
Helping lead a young State High team to the top four, Summah Hanson was one of the best player’s at CBSQ. Finishing with an average of almost 15 points per game, Hanson also had a significant on the boards and using her athleticism and mobility to contribute on the defensive end for State High.
Alice Dart – Guard/Forward (Moreton Bay College)
Averaging 22 points per game across the tournament, Alice Dart was a dominant force on the offensive end for the eventual bronze medal winners, Moreton Bay College. The Brisbane Capitals junior was the tournament’s third top scorer and had her best performance with 31 points against Brisbane State High School in the bronze medal game.
Unsung Hero: Estanoa Faitala – Forward (Moreton Bay College)
A hardworking and versatile player, Estanoa Faitala was an unsung hero for Moreton Bay College. Her stats don’t jump out at you but her ability to play and guard multiple positions on the floor was a major reason for MBC’s success at the tournament.
BOYS DIVISION 1 TOURNAMENT
Most Valuable Player: Preston Le Gassick
All Star Selections
Preston Le Gassick – Guard (TSS)
By far the best player at the tournament, Preston Le Gassick showed why he is considered one of the top young Queensland prospects by leading his side to a dominant state championship victory. Not only creating for his teammates or himself on the offensive end, with an average of more than 16 points per game, but also doing a job defensively. However his best attribute was just showing composure and maturity in tough moments as his experience in big games was on full display.
Xavier Chio – Guard (Brisbane SHS)
The guard with speed to burn who created havoc on both ends of the floor for most of the tournament and helped State High make a grand final appearance and leave the Gold Coast with a silver medal. Chio averaged more than 13 points per game but his ability to get downhill, get in the paint and create for his shooters was a significant reason for State High’s success across the tournament.
Akol Awan – Guard/Forward (St James College)
An athletic and dynamic scorer who led the way for the surprise packets of the CBSQ tournament. Akol Awan averaged more than 23 points per game as his St James College team exceeded expectations and bounced right back into the top-tier of basketball schools in Queensland by earning a semi-finals spot and ending up in fourth place. Awan’s tournament included highs of 30 points against PBC and 27 against Nudgee in the quarterfinal.
Lloyd McVeigh – Forward (TSS)
A big time scorer who showed again he can make the big plays when it matters the most. Was dominant in the first half of his team’s grand final victory over Brisbane State High, using his speed and athleticism to make plays from the perimeter and also using his size and strength to score from inside the paint as well. Averaged almost 19 points per game but also made several significant defensive plays in the big games, including some giant blocks in the grand final.
Geordan Papacostas – Centre (St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace)
The engine room for Gregory Terrace, Geordan Papacostas once again showed his worth at the CBSQ tournament as his team finished with a bronze medal in the big man’s last year at the school. Papacostas was the main focus defensively for every one of Terrace’s opponents but still found a way to average almost 17 points per game but also dominated the boards and was a presence in the keyway on defence.
Mason Amos – Forward (Brisbane SHS)
A unique offensive talent for a big man, Mason Amos continued his impressive form from the GPS basketball season at CBSQ, averaging almost 13.5 points per game at the tournament. Despite a tough game against Terrace in the semi-final, Amos had his biggest games in the grand final against TSS and in State High’s important pool clash against fellow top four side, St James College, scoring 19 points on both occasions.
Unsung Hero: Tom Hancock – Forward (TSS)
A player who didn’t have the flashiest stats during the tournament but did all the hard work to play his role to the best of his ability, allowing his TSS team to take home a state title. Hancock had such an impressive performance in the grand final victory over State High, he almost took player of the game honours off the tournament’s MVP in Preston Le Gassick.
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