Kayden Malseed, Aiden McKenney: The biggest stars of Darwin basketball in 2022

A Darwin Salties recruit has revealed the moment that inspired her to achieve a dream of representing the NT. We’ve ranked every player from the Darwin Basketball League.

Darwin Salties recruit and new mum Claire-Maree Hunt admits she had a tear in her eye when the squad hit the floor for the first time last season.

Pregnant with son Xavier as the lady Salties took on Red City Road last April at Marrara, the Lightning star had missed her chance to be part of the inaugural NBL1 North playing squad.

“I must admit the opening night ... (when) the crowd was cheering, there was a tear in my eye,” Hunt said.

“(Pregnancy) came at a pretty tricky time, it all happened very early on in the Salties recruiting process.

“I was so happy but at the same time I wanted to be a part of the playing group.

“I think it only motivated me more for this year.”

While Hunt is still searching for the endurance levels she had before giving birth on June 7, her form has definitely hit the heights required.

Claire-Maree Hunt will play for Lightning in the 2022-23 season. Picture: Darwin Basketball Association.

She comes into the Darwin Championship Season semi-final against the 14-1 Tracy Village Jets with a 47-point and 20-board game against Uni Rebels last round.

Hunt is also first in the competition for average points, and total match points and three points made, free throw and three point percentage.

And the Lightning are the only team to have beaten the Jets this year, with Hunt scoring 39 points that game.

Claire-Maree and Matty Hunt with baby Xavier. Picture: Matty Hunt.

“Obviously going into any finals you’ve very excited but we’re also a bit nervous because we know how strong the competition is,” Hunt said.

“Several Salties players are in the top four teams.”

Hunt is playing with the “pure excitement” of knowing she’s about to achieve a dream at the Croc Pot in just a few weeks.

Hunt has been training closely with Darwin Salties women's coach Rod Tremlett. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

“I’m so fortunate ... it’s something I wish I had as a junior. It’s just amazing to feel the community get behind us,” she said.

She would train regularly with Darwin Salties coach Rod Tremlett post-season.

“I didn’t really know what to expect coming back from having a baby,” she said.

“It was only two weeks after he was born I was back out on the court having some light shooting.

“I think that shows how much I love the game. It’s paid off.”

And she will hit the court with the added experience of helping Tremlett last season as an assistant, describing the sideline experience as a “massive learning curve”.

Hunt’s husband Matt (left) will be an assistant for the Darwin Salties women’s team. Picture: Darwin Basketball Association.

“Not knowing how much time goes into the preparation, all the scouting, the training programs ... it’s a massive undertaking and something that I can appreciate a lot more,” she said.

She said in-game decision making was sometimes a “bit overwhelming” with events unfolding “so quickly”.

“You have to know the scenario in your head and make a decision based on that,” she said.

“There were definitely a few times where I had to say to Rod, I’m sorry I didn’t give you that or I wasn’t able to provide any insight.”

However, Hunt is aware it will be tough to get court time with the Salties adding Catherine MacGregor (South West Metro Pirates), Sophie Johnston (Gold Coast Rollers), Skye Rees (Mackay Meteorites) and Abbey-Lee Wood (Knox Raiders): “We have such a talented group this year. Having a strong core is going to make everyone better.”

Over 3000 Darwin basketballers ranked

Darwin basketball has grown from strength to strength in the past year, and the performance of players, from Under 10 juniors through to Championship Season seniors, has reflected that growth.

From junior stars, a wheelchair basketballer who has scored more than 300 points to a number of up-and-comers on the radar of the Darwin Salties, the 2022-23 season has been massive for local hoops.

And after crunching the numbers, across all competitions, the best performing players of the local game can be revealed across five key statistical benchmarks: average points per game, total points and total free throw, two-point and three-points made.

See where you rank from more than 3000 Darwin basketballers:

Ansett star Matty Hunt has been playing wheelchair basketball at Marrara. Picture: Matty Hunt.

However, it should be known for the sake of comparison, that all Darwin Basketball Association competitions were completed in November apart from the top flight, the Championship Season, which concludes in March.

There were a few clear standouts, though, including Ansett 15-year-old Aiden McKenney who averaged 40 points a game and netted a stunning 606 points in the Under 16 competition.

In one incredible performance, he shot 65 points in a November match against Eagles Black.

Aiden McKenney had a standout season with Ansett in Darwin basketball. Picture: Bridgette McKenney.

“That’s my best scoring game I think … I was in the zone,” McKenney said, who was forced to play point guard after a teammate left for Razzle early in the season.

The Territory product now has his sights on higher honours.

“I want to be definitely on the NBL1 team for Darwin Salties,” he said.

“To be a development player, to train them, that would be one of my biggest goals.

“Basketball is the focus.”

The best performing players of Darwin basketball

Average points per game

Men

1. Aiden McKenney (Ansett) 40.4 Under 16 Division One

2. Kayden Malseed (Razzle/Cannons) 38.1 Championship Season

3. Jerron Jamerson (Tracy Village Jets) 34.33 Championship Season

4. Elijah Sample (Ellas Titans) 28.33 Championship Season

5. Deba George (Ellas Titans) 28.1 Championship Season

6. Brian Ramsamy (Uni Rebels) 27.62 Under 18 Division Two

7. Josh Chery (Ansett) 25.92 Championship Season

8. Mixon Laurel (Uni Rebels) 25.78 Junior League Men Championship

9. Nicholas Mn (Ellas Titans Blue) 24.89 Under 14 Division Two

10. Jeremee Davis (PaRBA) 24.08 Championship Season

Kayden Malseed returned to the Territory from Western Australia in August, 2022, with an eye on making the Darwin Salties squad. Picture: Supplied.

Women

Taneesa Hampton has been a star for Uni Rebels in 2022 across three separate grades. Picture: Darwin Basketball Association.

1. Taneesa Hampton (Uni Rebels) 26.86 Under 16 Division One

2. Claire Maree O’Bryan Hunt (Lightning) 26 points Championship Season

3. Erin Bollmann (Ellas Titans) 24.71 points Championship Season

4. Amy List (Ellas Titans) 22.47 Under 18 Under 18s

5. Takiyah Wright (Uni Rebels Red) 22 Under 12 Division Two

6. Aaliyah Mukhlis (Uni Rebels) 21.75 Under 18

7. Shamah Gabriel-Yak (Tracy Village Jets) 21.71 Under 14 Division One

8. Zariah Chisholm (Ellas Titans White) 21.67 Under 12 Division One

9. Taneesa Hampton (Uni Rebels) 20.83 Championship Season

10. Taneesa Hampton (Uni Rebels 19.64 Division One

Erin Bollmann has returned from a wrist injury to dominate for the Ellas Titans, playing the first match one-handed. Picture: Darwin Salties.

Total match points for the season

Men

1. Aiden McKenney (Ansett) 606 Under 16 Division One

2. Kayden Malseed (Razzle/Cannons) 381 Championship Season

3. Brian Ramsamy 359 (Uni Rebels) Under 18 Division Two

4. Jacob Long (Darwin Dingoes) 337 Division One

5. Matt Hunt 322 (Darwin Dingoes Ochre) Wheelchair Competitive

Axello Regalta (Uni Rebels Red) 322 Under 16 Division Two

6. Jacob Doyle (Haileybury Rendall School) 316 Under 12 Division Three

7. Josh Chery (Ansett) 311 Championship Season

8. Jason Ramsamy (Uni Rebels) 307 Junior League Men Championship

9. Nathan Fraser (North Coast Kooks) 304 Division 5B

10. Jeremee Davis (289) PaRBA Championship Season

Ansett Matty Hunt has shot more than 300 points for the Darwin Dingoes in wheelchair basketball. Picture: Matty Hunt.

Women

Amy List is hoping to play college basketball in the US. Picture: Darwin Basketball Association.

1. Taneesa Hampton (Uni Rebels) 376 Under 16 Division One

2. Shamah Gabriel-Yak (Tracy Village Jets) 369 Under 14 Division One

3. Amy List (Ellas Titans) 337 Under 18

4. Zariah Chisholm (Ellas Titans White) 325 Under 12 Division One

5. Elsie Banson (Eagles) 311 Under 12 Division Two

6. Aaliyah Mukhlis (Uni Rebels) 271 Under 16 Division One

7. Aliyah Mukhlis (Uni Rebels) 261 Under 18

8. Jayla Thorne (Tracy Village Jets) 244 Under 16 Division One

9. Zali Streeter (Ellas Titans Blue) 231 Under 12 Division One

10. Heidi McConachy (Razzle/Storm) 228 Under 14 Division One

Amy List was in the Darwin Salties development team in 2022. Picture: Helen List.

Total free throws made

Men

Chris Elder has hit 41 free throws so far in Darwin Championship Season basketball. Picture: Supplied.

1. Kayden Malseed (Razzle/Storm) 98 Championship Season

2. Aiden McKenney (Ansett) 80 Under 16 Division One

3. Josh Chery (Ansett) 66 Championship Season

4. Jeremee Davis (PaRBA) 65 Championship Season

5. Elijah Sample (Ellas Titans) 60 Championship Season

6. Dan Babb (PaRBA) 54 Championship Season

7. Fabian Johnson (Uni Rebels) 47 Championship Season

8. Lafonzo Smith (Eagles) 43 Championship Season

9. Chris Elder (Eagles) 41 Championship Season

10. Darnell Pinner-Clark (Eagles) 39 Under 18 Division One

Jeremee Davis has been deadly from the charity stripe for PaRBA. Picture: Basketball NT.

Women

1. Shamah Gabriel-Yak (Tracy Village Jets) 57 Under 14 Division One

2. Zali Streeter (Ellas Titans Blue) 43 Under 12 Division One

3. Taneesa Hampton (Uni Rebels) 40 Under 16 Division One

Heidi McConachy (Razzle/Storm) 40 Under 14 Division One

4. Kayla Ilett (Uni Rebels) 39 Under 14 Division One

5. Ruby Preston (Razzle) 36 Under 16 Division Two

6. Daisha Daly (Tracy Village Jets) 31 Under 16 Division Two

7. Jamie-Lee Peris (Tracy Village Jets) 29 Championship Season

Sarah Clee Division (Lightning) 29 Division Two

8. Amelia Short (Ellas Titans) 28 Championship Season

9. Zara Pearson (Ansett) 27 Championship Season

10. Cecily Rankin (Ansett) 26 Championship Season

Total two points made

Men

1. Aiden McKenney (Ansett) 248 Under 16 Division One

2. Axello Regalta (Uni Rebels Red) 153 Under 16 Division Two

3. Jacob Doyle (Haileybury Rendall School) 151 Under 12 Division Three

4. Matt Hunt (Darwin Dingoes Ochre) 140 Wheelchair Competitive

5. Zachary Tepper (Uni Rebels Red) 131 Under 10 Division One

6. Jason Ramsamy (Uni Rebels) 128 Junior League Men Championship

7. Hudson Scott (Uni Rebels Red) 124 Under 10 Division One

8. Jaxx Lavers (Eagles) 120 Under 10 Division One

9. Reed Lomboy (Eagles High Flyers) 115 Under 14 Division Five

Austin Loughman (Lightning) 115 Under 10 Division Three

10. Levin Maher 113 (Eagles) Under 12 Division One

Ansett star Matty Hunt has been playing wheelchair basketball for the Darwin Dingoes. Picture: Darwin Basketball Association.

Women

1. Amy List (Ellas Titans) 164 Under 18

2. Zariah Chisholm (Ellas Titans White) 154 Under 12 Division One

3. Taneesa Hampton (Uni Rebels) 150 Under 16 Division One

4. Elsie Banson (Eagles) 149 Under 12 Division Two

5. Shamah Gabriel-Yak (Tracy Village Jets) 138 Under 14 Division One

6. Aaliyah Mukhlis (Uni Rebels) 123 Under 16 Division One

7. Aaliyah Mukhlis (Uni Rebels) 115 Under 18

8. Demi Reardon (Ansett) 107 Under 10 Division Two

9. Zariah Chisholm (Ellas Titans White) 98 Under 14 Division Two

10. Ocean Bonson (Lightning) 90 Under 10 Division Two

Total three points made

Men

1. Deba George (Ellas Titans) 55 Championship Season

2. Ben Streeter (Ellas Titans) 53 Division One

3. Brian Ramsamy (Uni Rebels) 47 Under 18 Division Two

4. Thomas Wood (Sharkz Squad) 46 Division 3B

Jacob Long (Darwin Dingoes) 46 Division One

William Burton (Tracy Village Jets) 46 Division One

5. Owen Mani (Tracy Village Jets) 44 Division 5A

6. Callum Lock (Palmerston Pumas) 42 Division 3B

Mitchell Northey (Lightning Strike) 42 Division 5B

Dylan Rizzotto (Acacia Hills Heat) 42 Division 4B

7. Jonathon Pace-Teunon (Lightning) 41 Division 5A

Kayden Malseed (Razzle/Cannons) 41 Championship Season

8. Callum Lock 40 (Palmerston Power) 40 Division Two

9. Dylan Rizzotto 35 (Acacia Hills Heat) Division 5B

Allen Trono 35 (Palmerston Power) Division 3B

10. Emanuel Siriotis 33 (Ellas Titans) Division 3B

Deba George drained 16 three-pointers to break a Darwin record. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Women

Claire Maree O’Bryan Hunt has been dynamic beyond the arc for Lightning. Picture: Darwin Basketball Association.

1. Tiayana Sing (Eagles) 38 Division One

2. Michelle Espinoza (Lightning) 36 Division Three

3. Claire Maree O’Bryan Hunt (Lightning) 31 Championship Season

4. Kaylani Duggan-Cole (Tracy Villaget Jets) 29 Under 16 Division One

5. Lucy Smyth (Ansett Blue) 28 Under 18

6. Kaylani Duggan-Cole (Tracy Village Jets) 27 Division One

7. Erin Bollmann (Ellas Titans) 25 Championship Season

8. Caroline Debusch (Darwin Dingoes Black) 23 Division Three

9. Zara Pearson (Ansett) 21 Championship Season Ansett

10. Talia Corrie (Darwin Dingoes Black) 20 Division Three

Kahlee Stanislaus (Lightning) 20 Division One

Mia Tuluauau (Uni Rebels Red) 20 Division 4A

Whitney Althouse (Eagles Orange) 20 Division 4A

Talia Corrie (Darwin Dingoes Black) 20 Division Division Three