BASKETBALL

BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

ENTERING their most teams in more than half-a-decade, Lowanna College were rewarded with sensational results at the recent Australian Schools Championships.

The peak of their latest nationals trip to Gold Coast included securing the Newborough school’s first podium finish since 2019.

The under 15 girls team won a silver medal in Division 2, missing out on gold by a mere four points in the final to an undefeated Crest College.

After coming out on top in the semi-final over Varsity Vikings by two points, the local young guns showed great improvement over the week, having lost to the eventual gold medallists earlier on by 45 points during the pool rounds.

“The development and the growth throughout the week was outstanding,” Lowanna College Head Basketball Coach, Michael Santo told the Express.

“To make a 40-point turnaround in the matter of three days was remarkable really, and the growth of those girls throughout the week is exceptional.”

The squad, along with a number of other Lowanna teams that travelled over, featured a predominately underage side, meaning they have another year in their age group to set out for an even greater result.

“It’s exciting for their prospects for next year,” Santo said.

The silver medal-winning team was led by Gippsland United Director of Coaching and Development, Heath Johnson.

The regional school has been on an unbelievable run since arriving at the national competition back in 2015, having captured six medals over that period, beginning with a famed U15 boys Division 1 gold medal in their first venture, which was played in Canberra.

That squad was also coached by Santo and featured names such as former AFL-listed players and current Moe footballers, Brock Smith and Harry Pepper.

Despite recording just one medal in their latest run, Lowanna sent five teams up in total (most since 2019), a majority competing in Division 1, and had three of them finish top six in the country.

The U17 girls missed out on a bronze medal by the skin of their teeth, going down by a single point to JSR College, while the U17 boys finished fifth-best and the U15 boys sixth-best.

The U20 boys, who were coached by 2015 gold medallist Ben Van Dyk, were hit with injury and inconsistency, but still reached the quarterfinals.

All-in-all, Santo called the ninth nationals campaign another gratifying experience for the players and coaches.

“A lot of the teams, we didn’t know what to expect with a lot of them, but it just came together really well and the preparation we did really paid off,” he said.

“We’ve clearly overachieved when you look at the quality of talent we’re playing against.”

Lowanna’s previous medal was an U15 girls Division 2 gold medal in 2019.