GPS Basketball: Most underrated, hardest workers revealed
GPS First V Basketball: Every team’s most underrated and hardest working players revealed here.
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As the GPS First V Basketball season approaches the championship rounds of the season, we present part one in a two part season review aimed to highlight the high achievers of 2022.
The First V coach of all nine GPS schools have been asked for responses in four categories:
1. Most underrated player
2. The hardest working player
3. Hype man
4. The most surprising
Today we feature the most underrated and the hardest working players so far this season in a competition which sees State High (10pts), Toowoomba Grammar (12pts), Gregory Terrace (10pts) and The Southport School (10pts) still in contention.
MOST UNDERRATED
CJ Amos (Brisbane State High)
Year 10 CJ Amos is not out of place with the star studded Brisbane State High seniors.
He is the younger brother to dominant big man Mason Amos and is going to shine in the next two years. Just watch.
Mackenzie Jolly (Churchie)
Year 11 Mackenzie Jolly is a super defender and skillful playmaker.
The backup point guard has ended up starting several games this season, setting the pace in transition.
He is underrated in terms of never making the division one teams. He makes a big impact off the bench, despite being undersized.
An easy choice for coach Drew Summerfield.
Jacob Shaw (Terrace)
Year 11 Jacob Shaw played his junior basketball at Logan. Not the one to appear on opposition scouts but the one to give Terrace plenty of grit and tenacity, especially on the defensive end.
He is quick enough and strong enough to guard positions one through four and is an excellent rebounder at both ends.
Shaw’s appreciated by coach Mathew Hamilton-Smith, “playing his role perfectly,” doing the dirty work which allows his teammates to operate with more freedom.
Mikel Tokiyawa (Ipswich Grammar)
Tokiyawa is an incredible defender. On top of his clamps on defence, he is an ever improving shooter, finding the bottom of the net very efficiently as of late.
He’s earning that starting role.
Finn Carey (Nudgee)
Carey gives his all for Nudgee, doing a lot of the hard work behind the scenes. He is underrated in the fact that his impact doesn’t always show on the stat sheet. He’s a bucket getter despite the number in the points column.
Arok Arok (Toowoomba)
The definition of underrated.
The lengthy 198cm Year 11 is pure energy. He goes and goes, never quits on a possession and is more than happy to go for third and fourth efforts.
Arok moved from St Mary’s College this year to play better basketball and has taken everything in his stride since. He’s not overawed, completely empties the tank every week and is definitely underrated but not under appreciated in the Toowoomba camp.
He averages 18 minutes a game and close to five offensive rebounds a game.
Coach Kabe Cicolini said “to get those numbers in that amount of time is elite. It solidifies our offence and gives us high quality looks when we are struggling a bit.”
Sebastian Heyes (BBC)
Year 12 Sebastian Heyes works hard every single game. He just tries to be a part of the team and does what he can for the betterment of the group as opposed to focusing on getting his stats up.
That’s exactly what you want from your vice captain.
Nikos Karathanasopoulos (Southport)
The Year 10 has been terrific starting at the No.4 spot for Southport. He is one of Anthony Petrie’s biggest improvers this year, taking pride and pleasure in the things that matter. Things like offensive rebounds and effort plays that swing the game.
Ben Balthes and Alex Rowe (Brisbane Grammar)
First V captain Ben Balthes has an unrivalled work ethic, setting the standard for his teammates. It is a similar story for Brisbane Grammar’s starting centre. Rowe, an unsung hero.
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Most Hardworking
Samuel Geu (Toowoomba)
The Toowoomba coaches do load management and have to turn young Samuel Geu away from the gym sometimes.
The Year 10 border gets the shooting machine out whenever he can. Friday afternoons, he’s in.
Toowoomba Coach Kabe Cicolini said “there are times we have to say based on your load management numbers we can’t let you in the gym. It’s a good problem to have.”
“He’s just a young kid maximising his opportunities on campus. He’s been given a crack and taken it with both hands.”
Jackson McCabe (Southport)
McCabe works really hard. He had his first full game back in round 7 against Brisbane State High.
He’s a legitimate rebounder with proper size and proper athleticism. “He just vacuums the rebounds in,” said coach Anthony Petrie.
The 204cm Year 11 had upwards of 15 rebounds in his return from injury.
Paul Papacostas (Terrace)
This one was tough for Mathew Hamilton-Smith but stats don’t lie. Big man Papacostas is averaging 15.5 rebounds per game, seven of which are offensive rebounds.
He plays well above his size with at least half of his rebounding numbers attributed to nothing other than working harder than the opposition.
He is one of Terrace’s most important players and potentially one of the hardest workers in the competition.
Cooper Bell (BBC)
Bell is hardworking and has the potential to shine in his senior year, 2023.
He trains well and as such was given a run on the weekend. He came on in the second quarter, knocked down shots and had double digits in the scoring category.
He stays calm and is a strong combo guard. Although he hasn’t had too many chances, in round 7 he sparked the team from a deep first quarter—from 20 down, he helped BBC get within five.
Nicholas Yang (Brisbane Grammar)
Brisbane Grammar senior Nicholas Yang always empties the tank and tries his hardest.
Jimmy Ellis (Brisbane State High)
Ellis is usually the most reliable in terms of work ethic. Coach Kris Robinson said he’s had a growth spurt this year, which has been good for him.
Ellis hopes to take his hard work to College in America next year. His ball-handling and height advantage at the guard position helps his cause.
Jensen Taafe (Churchie)
Jensen Taafe comes off the bench and when he does he gives Churchie coach Drew Summerfield max effort.
The Year 11 is always putting in at training and it does not go unnoticed.
Lachlan Caldwell (Nudgee)
Caldwell is committed and consistent with his efforts both at training and on game day. He is a real team man, regardless of how much game time he is afforded.
Xaviah Bricknell-Lehmann (Ipswich Grammar)
Bricknell-Lehmann’s hard work isn’t talked about enough.
His rebounding for how undersized he is, constant effort and leadership all season long has him on this list. After missing the whole preseason with injury, he has well and truly made up for lost time.
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Originally published as GPS Basketball: Most underrated, hardest workers revealed
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