Georgia Amoore prepares for the biggest day of her life in basketball
She’s the niece of AFL great Danny Frawley but Ballarat’s Georgia Amoore is continuing to defy the doubters and her size as she chases glory on one of basketball’s biggest stages.
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Inspired by her uncle, the late Danny Frawley, Ballarat’s Georgia Amoore is preparing for one of the biggest games of her life.
The talented 21-year-old basketballer will lead Virginia Tech, an American college basketball team, into the Final Four of the prestigious NCAA Championships against LSU in Dallas.
A win would give her a shot at the national title and put her in prime position to be drafted to the WNBA next year.
Here’s how she rose to being one of the brightest stars in women’s college basketball.
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The college basketball success of Ballarat’s Georgia Amoore has come as no surprise to those closest to her.
Her aunt, the wife of late St Kilda great Danny, Anita, sees a lot of the former AFL star in her niece.
Amoore has taken US college women’s basketball by storm in the past month, leading her team Virginia Tech to its best NCAA tournament run in school history.
The point guard guided her team to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) tournament title last month for the first time.
Amoore also made the ACC first team at the end of the competition while breaking the record for most threes in the tournament.
Now she’s guided the team to their first Final Four clash at the NCAA women’s tournament.
Amoore has averaged more than 20 points and has captivated the American audience with her performances despite being smaller than her rivals and teammates at 168cm.
In the Elite Eight game on Wednesday morning, she fought back from an early knock to the jaw to score 24 points in a 10-point win over Ohio State.
Her performances have put her firmly in the sights of WNBA scouts who will be looking at her next year after she completes her final year of college.
In the Final Four, Amoore will take on LSU, which features fellow Victorian Last Tear-Poa, and is the former college team of NBA player and Melbourne’s Ben Simmons.
Fellow Australian Charlise Dunn, from the ACT, is also involved with Virginia Tech.
But for Amoore her success has come down to one thing — her work ethic.
Mrs Frawley said it was a trait her late husband, who played 240 games for St Kilda, had in abundance.
“Her work ethic is incredible,” Frawley said.
“I kind of liken it to Danny a little bit. Danny always had this drive to get to where he wanted to go.
“She reminds me so much — his work ethic and desire to be the best she can be. He was very much an influence on her sporting career.
“She looked to him and his drive.”
The Frawley family have played a major part in helping Amoore get to the top.
Amoore played basketball with her cousin, Keeley, through her junior career.
Keeley was there when Amoore won the ACC Championship.
Keeley is a college player in her own right with the Portland Pirates and is now trying to get to Dallas herself to cheer on her cousin.
“She’s very close to Keeley,” Frawley said.
“We spent a lot of time together down at the beach, near my mum’s beach house in Portarlington.
“Keeley was at that stage a bit more keen than Georgia (at a younger age). Georgia always had exceptional skill level, her ball handling skills were elite even as a young girl.”
Danny used to take both girls to training while also helping Georgia to ride horses throughout her youth.
“He certainly had an impact on her life,” Frawley said.
“She loved Danny and got along well with her.”
Georgia has also had plenty of support from her parents, Kelly and Phil Amoore.
They made the mad dash to the US for their daughter’s biggest moment.
“If they get to the final four, NCAA help compensate your travel,” Kelly revealed.
“It was like well if they make the final four and some of the trip is compensated it could definitely be an option.
“If you are in the basketball world you realise how hard it is to make the final four.
“But you can’t miss these things, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Amoore’s sporting lineage is strong with Kelly a former country netballer in Ballarat and Phil a former under-19 St Kilda player.
A knee injury early in his career robbed him of playing more.
Her grandfather was also a Stawell Gift runner.
“There’s good genetics on both sides of the family but she’s a freak,” Kelly said,
“She’s one of a kind.”
There also have been tough times along the way.
Amoore’s height previously impacted her development — often missing out on state teams.
Being in regional Victoria meant more travel and other sacrifices along the way.
Kelly told Georgia she must stand out from the crowd and to find something which made her a guaranteed choice.
“I know her mum said to her at one stage, you’ve got all this ability it is up to you to harness,” Frawley said.
“She went bang and took the bull by the horns. Her improvement from 14, 15 onwards has been unbelievable.”
Mrs Frawley said she had to work twice as hard to be noticed, which is exactly what she did.
This included running on the hard sandy racing track the family own at Miners Rest, near Ballarat, as extra training.
Covid was also an issue with Amoore at college when the pandemic started.
She was unable to come back to Australia to visit family and friends.
After dealing with all the challenges she now gets to showcase her talents to Australia and the world on one of the biggest stages in basketball.
“She’s excited (about the game),” Kelly said.
“She’s just like a little kid in a candy shop. Overwhelmed, big eyed and knows how fortunate, how lucky she is.
“We watched training this morning (Friday morning Australian time), they are locked in and ready to go.
“You can see them out on the court and realise how and why they got here because the way they train and the way they are locked in.”
The city of Ballarat is also ready to cheer on their international star.
The Ballarat Miners women’s team will start their NBL1 South campaign on Saturday night against the Melbourne Tigers in Ballarat.
But they’ll change their usual ritual in order to watch Amoore’s game.
“We usually have a pre first game breakfast,” Miners coach Rob Baker said.
“But all the Ballarat girls are going to get together at one of the houses and have a pregame meal and watch her.
“I think it’s the plan.”
Baker coached Georgia when she was in the under-16s at the Miners.
He has no doubt she’ll get to the highest level.
“The main thing is there are a heap of kids who have great skills and all that stuff but she has that killer instinct and drive,” he said.
“You can see bits of her game at Virginia Tech now. She’s always had the ability to drive and shoot but the ability has just got stronger and quicker.
“Everything has become more elite. She’s always been great at getting to the basket and been great at shooting.
“She’s always found a way to never make that an issue.”
Her story is already inspiring the next Miners to follow in her footsteps with Baker confirming a couple of players in this year’s team are exploring college options.
City of Ballarat councillor Peter Eddy, who was previously the chairman of Ballarat Basketball, said Georgia’s journey reminded him of another Ballarat basketball great, Robyn Maher.
Maher is in the Hall of Fame of basketball for her performances for the Opals and in the WNBL.
Both Maher and Amoore came from the same junior domestic club – Exies Acmy.
“For a player who is five foot five she (Georgia) is just an astounding athlete,” Eddy said.
“Her commitment to working hard, making the most of her potential and developing her skills are a credit to any young athlete who wants to know the benefits of what you can do with hard work.
“The basic work she’s put in has delivered the results.
“Robyn from when she was a very young junior player, she had natural athletic skills set and it was her commitment to develop her skills, particularly defensively (that helped her rise).”
Georgia’s school Loreto College have also got into the spirit.
The school, which Georgia’s sister Jemma currently attends, took photos earlier this week to send their support to the former student.
Former teacher and close friend Suzie Fraser said she was a committed student when she attended.
“She’s always been a bright student, really engaging,” Fraser said.
“She’s dedicated in every facet, whether that’s in the classroom doing her studies or as an athlete as well.”
Fraser recalls a time when plenty of coaches in America were trying to secure her talents while she was at school but Georgia ignored the calls while she studied and tried to get results.
She said no matter what she applies herself in, she’ll be successful.
And other careers could beckon once she’s done with basketball.
“She’s a really good footballer as well,” Fraser said.
“She’d be easily playing AFLW if she wasn’t following this pathway.
“I could eventually see her not only playing for Australia but potentially WNBL and WNBA but down the track (being) a coach.
“She’s a smart basketballer.”
Georgia and Virginia Tech takes on LSU at 10am.
The game is live and exclusive on ESPN, which you can watch on Foxtel or Kayo.
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