Live stream: The 20 stars of the future you need to watch at 2024 Basketball Australia Schools Championships
She has a surname synonymous with New Zealand basketball, but Brisbane State High’s Gia Vukona is carving out an impressive career of her own. See her LIVE at the Schools Champs from Monday.
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It’s the final swan song for some of Australia’s best school-age basketball talents, while for some others it is a chance to put their school on the national map.
While it might only be another step on a much bigger path to the top of the game, there is no doubting the Basketball Australia School’s Championships ability to showcase what the future of Aussie hoops has to offer.
The 2024 Championship class is no different featuring an already-minted Australian Boomer, a host of junior national representatives and the daughter of a Kiwi legend.
Find out which players you need to keep an eye on when KommunityTV exclusively live streams every Championship division showdown from the tournament from December 2-6.
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Jacob Furphy
Lake Ginninderra College, ACT
Position: Guard, Height: 194cm, Age: 18
The Tassie flamethrower has become one of the hottest commodities in Australian junior hoops after being named to make his Boomers debut in Asia Cup qualifiers this month. He only recently committed to NCAA D1 college UConn and is coming off a massive gold medal campaign at the U18 Asia Cup where the left-hander averaged 16.8 points and 4.2 assists per game. He is money from deep, really anywhere on the floor.
Bonnie Deas
Rowville Secondary College, VIC
Position: Guard, Height: 175cm, Age: 18
She has been earmarked as one of the best rising stars and Deas has proved it time and time again. While she has been named in a stacked Rowville line-up hunting for back-to-back titles, whether Deas takes the court amid her Sydney Flames WNBL commitments remains to be seen. Deas is as close to the full package as it comes, crashes the glass like a big twice her size, hits threes for fun and is an elite mover on the court.
Indy Cotton
The Southport School, QLD
Position: Guard, Height: 195cm, Age: 17
The livewire was a key part of The Southport School’s national title campaign last year, and has been a part of the NBA Global Academy program for a number of seasons. The young point guard has been making waves on the national championships scene for that long, it’s hard to believe he is still only 17. Cotton has silky handles, a great basketball IQ and the ability to make those around him better ballers.
Jessie-May Hall
Barker College, NSW
Position: Guard, Height: 172cm, Age: 17
Jessie-May is tougher than most. The power-packed guard has been on the radar of national scouts since she could dribble a ball. She will fight for every opportunity on the court, regularly stuffing the stat sheet with steals, blocks, assists and points. Lots of points. Played a full season of NBL1 with the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Spiders, averaging 20 points and 7.19 rebounds per game at only 17-years-old.
Deng Manyang
Trinity College, SA
Position: Forward, Height: 198cm, Age: 17
The South Australian big man has had a year to remember, helping guide Central District Lions to the inaugural Under-18 Club Championship title in Perth in September. A key part of the SA Metro set-up at the national level, the big-bodied teenager is a strong perimeter defender and protects the rim like his life depends on it. What he lacks in offensive production he makes up for by stopping oppositions.
Manuela Puoch
Rowville Secondary College, VIC
Position: Guard, Height: 187cm, Age: 18
One of the shining lights from the Schools Championships last year, Puoch returns to the scene of the crime to win a second-straight title for the Rowville juggernaut. The younger sister of WNBL star Nadiyew, who was a top 10 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, Puoch will be determined to follow in her sisters big footsteps. She’s started that journey after the powerful forward was picked up by WNBL outfit Southside as a rookie this season.
Ajak Nyuon
Lake Ginninderra College, ACT
Position: Centre, Height: 209cm, Age: 17
The 209cm ACT giant was incredible at this year’s Under-18 National Championships averaging 18.63 points and 9.75 rebounds. He is part of the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence program which has churned out top tier talent over the years and possesses an attribute you just can’t teach – incredible size.
Olivia Olechnowicz
John Paul College, QLD
Position: Guard, Height: 176cm, Age: 15
Talk about toughness. There are few better defenders in the junior ranks than the Queensland powerhouse. Olechnowicz has been turning heads for a number of years, and almost single-handedly took John Paul College to the gold medal match at last year’s championships. She regularly leads the way on both ends of the floor despite going toe-to-toe with girls two years older than her.
Emerson Juhasz
Brisbane Boys College, QLD
Position: Guard/forward, Height: 190cm, Age: 17
The Brisbane Boys College big man was a big part of their Queensland state title campaign tearing up the finals with back-to-back 25+ point games. He was also the MVP of the recent Basketball Queensland state championships dropping 35 points in a grand final victory for the Capitals. Has a powerful frame, but possesses a crafty jump shot and can find the ring from range.
Sienna Lehmann
Immanuel College, SA
Position: Forward, Height: 172cm, Age: 17
Lehmann form a dynamic duo with classmate Aspen Crase, with the dynamic guard/forward easily among the best talents for her age in the country. Lehmann was a gold medallist with the Australian Under-15 side last year, before backing it up with the Sapphires at the Under-17 World Championships this year. She is efficient and ruthless when she hits the floor.
Harrison Fitzgerald
Willetton Senior High, WA
Position: Guard, Height: 193cm, Age: 17
The long locks are unmistakeable on court, but Fitzgerald has proven this year he is much more than his Samson-style hair. The point guard balled out at the Under-18 National Championships for WA Metro, before backing up with a team-of-the-tournament nod at the inaugural Under-18 Club Championships in September. He is a walking bucket.
Prasayus Notoa
Brisbane State High, QLD
Position: Forward, Height: 183cm, Age: 17
The Brisbane State High young gun is one of the Sunshine State’s best prospects and appears destined for a stint in the US college system. Notoa was on fire for Logan in the NBL1 North this season and earned an opportunity to play for the Fire in the WNBL pre-season tournament at Hoops Fest in Perth. Notoa was part of the stacked Aussie Sapphires side that finished fifth at the U17 World Championships.
Charlie Hinson
Brisbane Boys College, QLD
Position: Guard, Height: –, Age: 17
The Brisbane Boys College rangefinder. Hinson owns the space just beyond the arc, hitting a match-high seven three-pointers for the school in their monster grand final victory at the CBSQ Open Championship earlier this year. If the young wing finds space in the corners, just know he will take the opportunity.
Josie Agnew
Caulfield Grammar, VIC
Position: Guard, Height: 175cm, Age: 17
The Victorian shooter has been lights out this year as her club side Melbourne Tigers took all before them. Agnew’s sharpshooting from all parts of the court was key for the Tigers taking out the National Junior Classic and inaugural Under-18 Club Championships. A consistent playmaker who can find her teammates, and puts in work on the defensive end.
Charlie McBeath
St Gregory’s College, NSW
Position: Guard, Height: 198cm, Age: 18
McBeath? More like McBoom. The 6’6 wing knows how to find his way to the rack, and has already produced a glut of highlight moments across a big year which started with a fifth-place finish in the NSW side at the Under-20 National Championships in January. The explosive bucket getter was a key cog in St Greg’s rise to the Championship division.
Aspen Crase
Immanuel College, SA
Position: Forward, Height: 189cm, Age: 16
The South Australian young gun will be bringing the boom to the BA Schools Championships. Crase has enjoyed a big year on the floor after winning a national title at Under-16s level last year, averaging 6.5 points and 6.5 rebounds as a bottom-ager at the Under-18 titles in July. Crase has impressive size and power at 183cm and has been a bona fide rim rattler in the past.
Marcus Krasnadamskis
Berwick College, VIC
Position: Centre/forward, Height: 200cm, Age: 17
The Berwick College big man is coming off a big year on the courts, after helping Victoria Metro to the gold medal at the Under-18 nationals and heading to Perth for the Under-18 Club Championships with Knox Raiders. Will be a big piece to the Berwick puzzle with his size down low helping to unlock flashy wings Cedric Rault and Phoenix Windsor. Also leads a double life as a full forward and ruckman for Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League.
Gia Vukona
Brisbane State High, QLD
Position: Forward, Height: 183cm, Age: 16
The Kiwi young gun is the daughter of Tall Blacks legend Mika Vukona and made her debut for the New Zealand Under-17 side at the World Championships in Mexico earlier this year. A young forward with plenty of upside, Vukona has come through the Southern District Spartans system and spent time in the club’s NBL1 North ranks this season. She has plenty of versatility on the court, and will defend multiple spots across the court.
Channing Olowoyo
Willetton Senior High, WA
Position: Guard, Height: –, Age: 16
The explosive guard isn’t afraid of taking a few hits, and despite being overlooked for the WA side at the National Junior Championships this year, Olowoyo has still managed to catch the eye of scouts this year. His ball handling is nice, his footwork is nice and his field goal shooting is … you guessed it.
Ashlin Ramsay
Willetton Senior High, WA
Position: Guard, Height: –, Age: 17
The Willetton guard has proven herself at national level, and when she finds her radar, she can match it with the best guards in her age group. Ramsay spent time in the Tigers victorious NBL1 West side this season, learning plenty in her few chances to get on the court.
Michael Herjok
Trinity College, SA
Position: Guard, Height: -, Age: 17
The Cairns product has made a home in the SA junior system, with the stretch guard playing a key foil to Manyang’s size and power with his sharp handles and accuracy from range. Herjok was a key part of the Lions win at the Under-18 Club Championships hitting four bombs from beyond the arc in a 20-point haul in the tournament final.
Malaya Au
Marsden State High, QLD
Position: Guard, Height: -, Age: 17
The crafty guard was a big part of Marsden State High’s run to the Championship bronze medal on the Gold Coast last year. The South West Metro pirates young gun has been part of the BQ performance program for a few years now
Originally published as Live stream: The 20 stars of the future you need to watch at 2024 Basketball Australia Schools Championships
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