Queensland’s top young basketballers: Scorers ranked across u14 state titles
Almost 1000 young athletes hit the court in Basketball Queensland’s Under-14s state championships and we’ve sorted the stats across every division. SEE WHERE THEY RANK
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The season is over and the champions have been decided but after two weeks of heated competition, The Courier-Mail has revealed the top scorers across almost 1000 young athletes from the under-14 state titles.
After a long build up during their respective regular seasons, teams from across Queensland battled it out for a gold medal with the boys playing at Upper Mt Gravatt’s Hibiscus Sports Complex from June 26-29 and the girls at Cairns Basketball from July 1-4.
With some of Australia’s future stars on show, we have compiled a list ranking every player across the age group, both girls and boys, from divisions one to four.
The list is ranked from the player with the most total points from their tournament but also features each player’s points average, field goals made, two and three-pointers made, free throws made.
Hanna Schofield from the Southern Districts Trojans White takes top spot after recording 184 points in the Girls Division 3 tournament.
Schofield was dominant for the Trojans, who won the gold medal, averaging 23 points per game, including a high of 39 points against the Gladstone Power.
She also scored 33 points against the Cairns Corals the next day and 25 points in her team’s final game against the South West Metro Pirates.
Schofield’s total points is even more impressive, considering she made just one three-pointer for the week, doing most of her damage inside the paint with 81 made two-pointers.
Her coach, Matt Meehan, said the youngster was a humble talent who led by example.
“She’s lightning in a bottle, no one can keep up with her. she’s so dynamic and damaging on the fast break,” he said.
“Hanna had a great tournament but it was a culmination of the way she had played all year and the hard work she put in.
“At the start of the season she wouldn’t have dreamt about shooting a three but in the grand final she made one, which basically won us the game, it was awesome to see.”
Burdekin Wildcats star, Makayla Pirrone, comes in at second place after leading her team to the Girls Division 2 state championship.
Pirrone was just three points behind Schofield with 181 points for her tournament at an average of 25.86 per game.
Not only was she impressive throughout the week, she did it when it mattered most, scoring 31 points in the grand final against the Southern Districts Titans.
That would have been her highest scoring game of the tournament if it wasn’t for a 36-point masterpiece against the Logan Thunder Gold earlier in the week.
Wearing No. 24, inspired by late great NBA legend Kobe Bryant, Pirrone has used playing in the Division 1 competition in Townsville to develop her game.
“Makayla always trains hard and sets goals in everything she does,” her mum, Shannon Pirrone, said.
“Makayla loves playing with the Burdekin girls and they all train very hard.
“Burdekin Wildcats have been undefeated throughout the whole rep season winning 19 out of 19 games.
“They never gave up. Makayla and the team couldn’t have done this without their amazing coaches.”
Rounding out our top five is Moreton Bay Fire’s Flynn Penna, who scored 166 points in the Boys Division 3 tournament at the Hibiscus Sports Complex, hitting 11 three-pointers along the way.
Penna only started playing in 2020 but his mum said he already had developed a massive passion for the game.
“He absolutely loves it, he’s a bit of a freak of nature with any sports involving a ball and has an AFL background but he’s really loving his basketball,” Talisse Penna said.
“He had a really good tournament at state championships and with his team coming away with a silver medal, it made it even better.”
Gladstone Power’s Aleena Quadri also scored 166 points in the Girls Division 3 tournament at an average of 20.57 per game while Talan Podolak from the Emerald Charges takes fifth spot with 160 points in the Boys Division 4 competition at an average of 26.67 per game.
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Originally published as Queensland’s top young basketballers: Scorers ranked across u14 state titles
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