Will Tracy Village Jets benefit from Will Burton receiving a special Darwin Basketball Association exemption to play in the finals?

EXCLUSIVE: Tracy Village has been granted a special exemption to have a star guard play in the DBA finals. But the decision has caused a lot of debate.

ANSETT coaching director Paul Rowse wants to make one thing clear – he’s a big fan of elite Territory junior talent, such as Tracy Village’s Will Burton.

But he also wants another thing known – rules are rules.

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Ansett first made it known to the Darwin Basketball Association that star guard Burton had not played the required six (revised down from seven due to Covid-affected matches) regular-season games before being cleared to play for Jets in Friday night’s elimination final against Ellas.

Burton – who was a standout for Mildura in the Big V Division 2 competition – only got back to Darwin in time to play four games, with Victoria under Covid restrictions.

Due to these conditions, the talented 18-year-old was given a special exemption by the DBA to play in the 2021 finals.

“Will is a great player and great for Darwin basketball – but rules are rules,” Rowse said.

“I don’t have anything against Will or Tracy Village.

“I thought the matter was over with after I saw he wouldn’t play the required (six) games to qualify for finals.

“Now you have to question ‘where to from here?’ If this is allowed to happen, where does it stop?”

Burton was allowed to play in the finals series after the DBA voted in his favour for a special exemption, however it was not a unanimous decision.

Jets coach Dan East believes the issue has been dealt with appropriately.

Star guard Will Burton will play in the 2021 DBL finals for Tracy Village after being granted a special exemption. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“Will fell short, but these are special circumstances,” he said.

“He went to Melbourne to continue playing, and he couldn’t keep doing that, so he came back to Darwin.

“We followed a process and a decision was made.

“It’s exciting to have Will back for us.

“The boys were going well before he came back, but he’s brought a lot to our team.

“Will is one of the best shooters I’ve coached and he’s also very athletic. He’s very hard to stop.

“We lost six players from last year and it looked like this would be a rebuilding year.

“But the boys still believed they could play in the finals. I’ve really enjoyed coaching the team this year.”

East has been thrilled with the form of his side leading into the semi-finals.

Jets beat Friday night’s opponents the Titans 82-78 in a round 18 thriller.

“A lot came off for us that night. Alex Weetra had a blinder and Dante Ah Sam was very good,” East said.

“Defensively, Kelvin Williams was excellent.

“We were lucky Ellas missed a shot to take the game into overtime.

“Alex, Jayden Adams and Liam Maclachlan have won titles, so they know what needs to be done to be successful.”

In the other semi-final, Ansett beat Palmerston 75-62 on Thursday night, booking its spot in the 2021 Darwin Basketball League final on September 17.

Lachlan Shipway impressed for Ansett in its semi-final win over Palmerston on Thursday night. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

“The boys kept at it and they tied it up with four minutes remaining,” Rowse said.

“Matty Hunt (12 points) was very good – he controlled the game and came up with 11 assists.

“Lachie Shipway (16 points) was great inside, especially early on.

“And young Rowsey (Anthony) hit two late three-pointers for us.”

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FIRST, he was the face of an “epic” NBA pathway for young Darwin basketball players.

That was only in February for the man who runs the well-established and popular Hoops 4 Health clinics throughout the Territory.

Now, youth mentor Timmy Duggan has a direct avenue to who drove the Boomers to their historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Timmy Duggan (far right) with Palmerston assistant Steve McGugan, four-time Australian Olympian in water polo Bronwen Knox, Boomers coach Brian Goorjian and his assistant Matthew Nielsen.

Duggan, who was the Darwin regional co-ordinator for the Indigenous Community Basketball League at Marrara earlier this year, has created a special Top End link to the side which won Australia’s first basketball medal at an Olympics.

And he wants to pass on that knowledge to the next generation of aspiring Boomers and Opals stars in the Territory.

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The former NBL guard at Gold Coast and Cairns, and coach of Razzle’s 2019 championship-winning team, met Boomers coach Brian Goorjian and his assistant Matthew Nielsen in Darwin after they emerged from their two-week quarantine at Howard Springs.

And the main topic they discussed was the work Duggan has been doing to improve the basketball skills and lives of young Territorians.

“We spoke about how strong the team culture is at the Boomers and how – compared to some locker-rooms in the NBA where players can be focused on themselves and their contracts – the Boomers culture is about bringing everyone together,” Duggan said.

“And the Aussies who play in the NBA said they were keen to bring that culture back to their teams in America.

Boomers star guard Patty Mills celebrates with his bronze medal after Australia’s third v fourth playoff match against Slovenia at the Tokyo Olympics. Picture: Kevin C Cox/Getty Images

“The Boomers have given us all a great example of how important it is to put your team first ahead of yourself. It’s that sort of ethos which I will pass on to the kids I coach.

“That’s the same message I will teach them. And that was why so many people got behind the team with its underdog mentality.”

Back in February, Duggan described the NBA pathway opportunities which existed from his Indigenous Community Basketball League competition at Marrara, as “epic”.

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian’s bronze medal from the Tokyo Olympics, which Darwin basketball coach Timmy Duggan observed close up.

That is because the competition – played around the nation, and backed by Boomers and NBA superstar Patty Mills – offers its best players the chance to participate in the Junior NBA Global Championship Asia-Pacific athlete selection pathway camp (dependent on the Covid situation).

“Brian and Matt wanted to know about my association with Patty Mills, and they want to help me implement their team culture among our young players,” Duggan said.

“Patty is so proud of winning a medal for Australia that he still wears it around. I had good conversations with Brian and Matt, and we shared some good information.

“Matt has been coaching the San Antonio Spurs’ G-League team Austin, and (Spurs and USA head coach) Gregg Popovich is excited to work with him again next season.”