Basketball Australia Under-20 & Ivor Burge National Championships 2023 live blog day three (U20's & Ivor Burge National Championships)
By name and by nature, meet the Queensland wing reminscent of the US game and the tough as nails daughter of a legend. Also, it’s still hot. Here’s our top five take-aways from Day 3.
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The finals picture is finally clear after another thrilling day of action at the Under-20 and Ivor Burge National Championships.
One team’s undefeated streak came to a thrilling conclusion, while another cut short their tournament losing streak to finish on a high.
In the middle of it all, were News Corp’s basketball scribes Mick Randall and Brayden May, keeping a close eye over all the action.
Here are his five, well, six take-aways from rather hot day three at the Nationals.
THE SEARCH FOR PERFECTION
It’s always interesting to see the mannerisms of some coaches – especially during a blowout win.
Throughout this tournament, there have been several occasions where players have been yanked from games because of errors coaches simply won’t allow, even when they’re a long way in front.
That’s why many of these kids go on to reach the top. Discipline. They don’t like it at the time but, in the long run, it has its benefits.
YOUNG CELEBRITIES
The younger generation is certainly in touch with the who’s who of Aussie basketball – well the next line of superstars on show at this tournament, anyway.
It caught our eye on Thursday to see some of the local school students – who are providing great support around the place, running errands and wiping floors – posing for photos with NBA Global Academy stars Dash Daniels and Rocco Zikarsky.
I’m sure there will be plenty more attention for that pair to get used to in the future.
TOUGH AS THE OLD MAN
If you were wondering how much this tournament means to the players, look no further than Ruby Vlahov. Daughter of legendary Boomers strong man Andrew Vlahov, it was inspiring watching Ruby, who was injured in WA’s first game Tuesday, attempt to get right and get back on the floor.
She did a heap of testing on her injured foot on the sidelines as her teammates took on Vic Navy, before turning to dad in the stands and shaking her head. Post the win, Ruby was back out on the floor with head coach Andrew Stewart again, trying to get her body going.
It remains to be seen if we’ll see her at the pointy end, but the Perth Lynx WNBL development player has a bright future, combining sublime basketball talent with this kind of toughness.
VEGAS LIGHTS
There’s a bit of Las Vegas about wiry Queensland wing Nevarda Higgins’ game.
At 200cm, his long and lean frame is prototypical for today’s game. Shoots it nicely, can get to the rack and tries his guts out chasing boards and working on the defensive end for a Queensland team that is among the favourites to take the title.
Led his side with 15 points on 6-10 shooting with three triples in an 88-53 trouncing of SA Red. Turns 18 next week and has genuine NBL development player potential.
IVOR BURGE WOMEN UNDERWAY
After waiting more than two-and-a-half days, it was great to see the Ivor Burge Women get on the court in their 3-on-3 format. It was fast, it was exciting and the talent is outstanding. We’re told the states don’t love the format - the women want to play full court hoops - but it’s another example of the inclusiveness the sport is striving to achieve, giving elite opportunities to people of all abilities.
DID WE MENTION IT WAS HOT?
So hot, in fact, that the heat policy was invoked. The thermometer spiked to 37C and, once it gets to 35C, Basketball Australia officials added extra timeouts every five minutes of play if no timeouts were called beforehand.
It was no issue for teams playing on the show court, but courts one and three were like a furnace at times.
A telltale sign were the four empty fan boxes in the media room, the contents found at the end of each bench.
With forecasts in the 30s again on Friday, BA has been proactive, altering the schedule to play early and late on the back courts, avoiding the hottest part of the day. I’m going to Bunnings in the morning to get a fan (and a snag).
Bradtke name no burden for young gun
Carrying one of the most famous names in Australian basketball brings plenty of pressure.
But Jensen Bradtke is forging his own path to greatness.
The 18-year-old is the son of Melbourne Tigers and NBL great, Mark, and former elite tennis star, Nicole.
Bradtke is back in Big V colours at the Under-20 National Championships in Geelong and is turning heads with his performances.
There are similar traits to his father but he’s very much the modern day big man - a player who can quickly run the floor but also step out and hit shots from deep.
Bradtke, who is now at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Canberra, said he can understand the comparisons to his dad.
“He (Dad) was obviously a back to the basket type of big,” he said.
“But obviously the game has changed because of Steph Curry and all of those guys, the game has just got further and further out. So I’ve had to develop that game.
“He’s respected that. I’m always trying to learn as much as I can and will keep learning that back to the basket stuff he did. He was bloody successful with it so I’ve taken a lot of notes from what he did.
“But other coaches at the CoE, they’ve helped to develop my game. They know where it’s going, they know what’s required.
“They’ve been really good in helping me develop my outside game.”
Despite all the attention that has been on the family for their sporting success including brother Austin’s AFL stint with Melbourne, Mark and Nicole have never put any pressure on their kids.
According to Jensen, they’ve just wanted them to do whatever they love.
“It’s been good (his parents support) the whole time I’ve played because they know the balance between elite sport and normal life,” he said.
“They don’t push anything, they just let me be me. They obviously encourage me to play basketball or any sport I want, they’ve always been supportive.”
Bradtke features in a Victorian team littered with talent and says playing with his teammates is one of the things he enjoys most.
“It’s always a pleasure coming to play back for Victoria, there’s no complaints here,” he said.
“The boys are top notch, the best of the best. Just being around them 24/7 is pretty cool, just playing in this tournament is priviliege to play against the best of the best.”
When the championships do conclude, Bradtke is set to return to Canberra before travelling to America for college later in the year.
He has committed to St Mary’s, a school which has almost became a second home to Australians over the years.
“It’s honestly surreal, you live and breathe basketball every day,” he said of his time in Canberra.
“The coaches you are honestly the best you could ask for. You’re going up the best talent every single day, twice a day.
“There’s nothing more you could ask for in an environment that is one of a kind.
“Basically the next 12 months are going to be month-by-month for the next few for me. I’ll head over and do some college summer school for a bit before the season starts.”
YOUNG STARS RAVAGED BY INJURY
Injuries are the biggest curse in elite sport and the U20 National Championships have been ravaged.
The youngest player in the tournament, Dash Daniels, hyper-extended his knee on Wednesday and missed the NBA Global Academy’s Thursday morning clash with WA.
Coach Marty Clarke said Daniels – the brother of NBA lottery pick Dyson – was kept out as a precaution and could still take part in the tournament.
WA’s highly-rated Perth Lynx WNBL development player Ruby Vlahov suffered a foot injury and hasn’t played her state’s past two games.
The daughter of Boomers’ great Andrew Vlahov, Ruby is a star in her own right and key in WA’s title hopes.
ACT point guard Jordan Jonathan is unlikely to take part in the rest of the tournament due to a knee injury suffered inside the first two minutes of his team’s campaign. Boomer Alex Toohey is playing out of position running the point and Jonathan’s injury has hurt the ACT’s depth.
Queensland giant Ella Gordon – one of the few players who can match it with NSW superstar Isla Juffermans – was on crutches after a suspected meniscus injury she suffered on Wednesday.
Tasmanian men’s coach Sam Adams has confirmed his side will be without centre Luke Brown for the rest of the tournament.
Brown, who is making his way around Geelong on crutches, was injured just two minutes in on day one.
“In the first game we lost our centre in the first two minutes for the week. The boys have been fighting,” Adams said.
“Tassie was already a smaller state but you lose your centre so you dig deep and fight harder.”
In a boost for Western Australia, Riley Eves has made good progress in his attempt to return from injury after copping a knock earlier in the week.
Coach Andrew Cooper said it was “looking positive” he could feature on Thursday afternoon.
WA REACHING CONTENDER STATUS?
Western Australia’s depth has it right in contention for the under-20 men’s title.
The performances of Alex Condon, Alex Kovatchev and Ben Henshall have been well documented to start this tournament but they run much deeper.
On Thursday morning against the NBA Global Academy, it was Tomas Dobson’s turn.
The left-handed sniper lit it up from deep with 5-5 shooting to finish with 17 points in 15 minutes off the bench.
Hailing from Geraldton, Dobson showed it all – his stepback three and spot up shooting.
Not that his coach Andrew Cooper was surprised.
“We’ve spoken about it, someone is always going to get a moment in these tournaments and today he shot the ball really well,” he said.
“That’s his job, he’s been told that’s his role and he came in and did it today. It was really great for him.”
In arguably their biggest test of the tournament so far, WA prevailed 101-92 on the back of a second half comeback.
They won the third term 31 to 16 to overturn an eight-point deficit at half-time.
It was an important lesson to learn according to Cooper.
“They’re a quality outfit (the NBA Global Academy) and it was good for us to get a good hit out,” he said.
“It was a shock to the system in the first half, defensively we were poor. Again, the boys were challenged at half-time and they stepped up.
“For us, we’ve just got to keep doing what we do. We’ve got our game plan and when we go away from it, it hurts us especially against great players and great up and coming players.
“And when we go back to it, we look good. Obviously the learning part of it, is just a good testament to our group.”
Riley Eves didn’t take to the court on Wednesday morning but WA are hopeful he can return in the second game of the day.
“We’re hoping to get Riley up this afternoon,” he said.
“He got a knock earlier in the tournament but he’s looking positive.”
TASSIE TEEN CAN’T STOP SCORING
Tasmania’s Kye Savage is lighting up the national stage.
The 17-year-old is currently the leading scorer at the Basketball Australia Under-20 National Championships and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
He dropped 28 in a narrow four-point loss to South Australia Blue and continued to catch the eye.
His off-ball movement caused plenty of headaches for opposition defenders and when he did have the ball he was often fouled.
Savage also attracted plenty of attention from deep, earning several trips to the free throw line after being fouled when shooting threes.
The rising star out of the Apple Isle said he put his free scoring ability down to growth in his game over the last 12 months.
“I’ve worked on it the last 12 months so it’s come along pretty well,” Savage said.
“I just want to keep progressing with that. Seeing where I’m at against the whole country really has been a great experience for me.
“I’ve been here before but I knew I could come here again and be better from playing against these sorts of guys.”
When Savage did get hot, SA Blue through different opponents at him – from guards to wing defenders.
But it’s nothing different to what he’s used to.
“I’m used to getting that every game now so I’ve just got to come prepared,” he said.
“I know it’s coming for me so I’ve got to work in with our offensive structure to try and get me my shots.
“But if I can’t get those, I’ll try and find my teammates to get their shots.”
Tasmanian coach Sam Adams was strong in his praise for Adams’ on and off court ability.
“First and foremost, he’s a wonderful person,” he said.
“He plays the game so hard, he’s so passionate about it. He never lets his size matter.
“He jumps high, goes in tough and finishes at the hoop. His stepback three is something to see.
“He’s a very, very strong player. I’ve got all the time in the world for Sav.”
Adams has been forced to reshuffle his rotation since the start of the opening two minutes after losing centre Luke Brown in the first game.
Brown won’t return this week but it’s a challenge the rest of the Tasmanian boys are living up to.
“We’re a young team and we’ve been fighting all week,” he said.
“In the first game we lost our centre in the first two minutes for the week. The boys have been fighting.
“They’ve made me proud with how they’ve kept fighting. You lose your centre, so you lose a bit of size and a bit around your game plan.
“Tassie was already a smaller state but you lose your centre so you dig deep and fight harder.
“But it’s been a good opportunity to deal with the challenges this sport throws at you.”
BASKETBALL BLOOD RUNS IN THE FAMILY FOR NSW GUN
A couple of highly-talented red heads have hit Geelong this week, with out-of-contract Illawarra Hawk Lachlan Dent in town to watch his younger brother orchestrate a perfect 3-0 start for NSW in the U20 National Championships.
And the feisty point guard loves what he sees, given he hasn’t had a chance to watch Josh play since the U14 nationals.
“He’s got a good frame on him, controls the game, gets everyone involved and he’s done a good job this week of just handling the pressure,” Lachlan, 23, said of his 17-year-old brother.
“I’m excited to be here to see him do his thing and use it as a bit of a holiday watching basketball.”
Lachlan caught the eye in Round 1 of NBL23 when he shot the lights out against the Sydney Kings, pouring in 19 points on a perfect 7-7 shooting, making all five of his three-point tries in just 15 minutes of playing time.
Microwave scoring is a trait passed on to Josh.
“He’s got an explosion in him so hopefully that comes soon,” Lachlan said.
“He just gets buckets, he’s got a bit of takeover about him.
‘He’s just a great basketball player – we’re positionless now – he’s a creator who makes good decisions.”
So could he produce a white-hot 19 points in 15 minutes?
“Yeah, I don’t know, he might if he gets hot – once he makes one or two, the rim gets bigger and bigger and he just lets it go,” Lachy said.
Brisbane Bullets coach Justin Schueller, who has seen many of the kids at the championships in his role as a junior national coach, said the brothers are similar, with Lachy possessing an “air of confidence”, while Josh “quietly goes about it”.
He says Josh has a chance to be a “special” player.
“Both were elite at running a team from an early age,” Schueller told News Corp.
“Josh is bigger than Lachy and has benefited from watching his brother do his thing from a young age.
“He is able to impact the game on the defensive end but his offensive ability to create for his teammate in the ball screen is special.”
Josh is fifth in the tournament with 4.33 assists per game Tasmania, South Australia Blue and the NBA Global Academy, setting up a 6pm Thursday blockbuster against fellow undefeated side WA.
As for Lachlan, who was born in Victoria but grew up in Wollongong, he knows free agency can take an eternity for a young development player.
But he’s not dwelling on it, signing with Brisbane Capitals in NBL1.
“I’m off contract (in the NBL) so I’m going into free agency,” he said.
“I love Wollongong, I love home, but I’m open to anything. I’m happy to go wherever.”
“I’m going to keep playing NBL1, hopefully have a good season up there working out with them and playing well and I’ll see what happens.”
Originally published as Basketball Australia Under-20 & Ivor Burge National Championships 2023 live blog day three (U20's & Ivor Burge National Championships)
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