13 minute read
Basketball
First V Basketball
The First V Basketball made history again this season with Camberwell’s most successful season ever. The team finished second, losing to Marcellin in the Grand Final for the second year in a row. The team worked incredibly hard, and it showed through our results. However, all of it wouldn’t have been possible without the coaching of Ms Katrina Massey and Mr Stephen Blackley. I would also like to thank Mr Lachlan Crawford and the Sport Department for their help throughout the season, as well as all the students and parents who came to support us. Over the course of the year, we became closer as a team, and I have made some friendships that I know will last for a long time. What made us so successful is that we were consistent with talent across the team. However, a special mention goes to Joshua Kohlman, who was our Vice Captain and was able to knock down several long-range shots, and Luke Fennell and Benny Grayson who stayed consistent the whole season and were able to put up huge numbers. Ryder Cheesman and Harrison Taylor also made great impacts on the team. Camberwell’s Basketball future is looking very promising with many up-and-comers ready to take over the reins in players such as Daniel Bullock, Jarvis Neal, Harry Clarke, and Charles Webb. Finally, this season will be one I will remember for the rest of my life, and I couldn’t have played with a better bunch of students.
Sam Veitch
Captain
Second Basketball
After starting the season with an unfortunate buzzer-beater loss in game 1 to Marcellin, as well as a hard-fought 5-point loss to Trinity, the Camberwell Second Blue team finally began to find success going into Round 3. Against Yarra Valley, the team managed to pull away with a 9-point victory, led by great offensive performances by Caleb Finlayson, Anupa Jayasuriya, and Sam Woods. Building on the first victory, an exceptional scoring performance from Anupa, with 26 points, as well as excellent defence from Jerry Lu and Michael Alexander, saw a shorthanded four-player Camberwell reach a 54-30 victory over Assumption. Unfortunately, Camberwell was unable to close out the season with a victory, losing to PEGS in a game where by Lewis Clarke and Caleb were outrebounded by the taller PEGS team. Meanwhile, the Second Gold team had a season where hard work wasn’t rewarded with wins. They had a few close games to start the season against PEGS and Yarra Valley that were decided within the last few minutes of play. In both games, Camberwell held the lead for the majority of the first half but was unable to finish out the games. Key performances throughout the season included Aydan Yim, who top-scored in most games, and Rhys Lee who displayed his impressive skills. Overall, despite the lack of wins for the season, the Second Gold team provided promise with a few students proving their worth for selection in the First V squad later in the year.
Michael Alexander and Owen Henderson
Third Basketball
The Third Blue team had another dominating season. The players looked to finish their basketball careers on a high with three straight undefeated seasons. We finished the season off with a scare, beating Yarra Valley by just four points. Ben Joy was the standout player for the game and played well the whole season, resulting in him taking home the MVP. Kai Charalambous and Charlie Chun held down the defence, gaining numerous blocks and steals. Oliver Thompson was able to score with ease, dropping multiple points in multiple games. Jonathan Le and Oliver Steinberg hit clutch shots, helping the team hold onto many leads in games. Harley Inglis was elite in the passing category, racking up multiple assists, and Liam Corr was fantastic, hitting shots from anywhere on the court. It was another fantastic season by the team and I hope they have enjoyed their Basketball careers.
The Third Gold team had a successful season, although the results didn’t show, and the team played well even with the disruption to the season preparation last year. The team had a nice spread of skills and used them well. We could always count on Max Vago getting to the ring no matter who stood in front of him. Alex Dai showed his best ‘Steph Curry’ impression every game, hitting deep shots, and Albert Guan hit his technical fadeaways whenever he got in the paint. Our offence was strong with Angus McNeill’s good hustle, helping progress the ball and getting hard-fought steals on defence. Oftentimes we would get important second chances with Hayden Bourke and Charles Mills working hard beneath the rim.
Nicholas Banjac and Marcus Hill
Fourth Basketball
The Fourth Basketball teams, consisting of Gold, Blue, Mitre, Crests and Bears, had a mixed season.
The Fourth Blue team saw a competitive second match of the season against Mentone Grammar – a highly competitive and evenly matched game in which the Blues looked headed for the win but ultimately lost by 1 point right on the buzzer – such an exciting match! The final match of the season saw all Blue teammates working together and contributing to the scoring, resulting in a convincing defeat of Ivanhoe Grammar. Special mention to MVP, Wyatt Brennan and Coach’s Award winner Max Farmer. In the second match of the season, the Fourth Gold team fought back with grit and determination from a 20-point deficit at halftime, to lose by just 3 points to Peninsula Grammar as a result of a lucky 3-pointer to the opposition. A valiant effort indeed! In their penultimate match, the team’s training and skills came together and they took the lead early against PEGS. From a 4-point advantage at half-time, the Gold team continued to dominate and, thanks to Fletcher von Arx’s skillful scoring and effective defensive play by all, they consolidated their lead and took the win! Congratulations to MVP Fletcher von Arx and Calum Sandie, the Coach’s Award recipient.
For the Mitre team, they initially let the second game get away from them but they regrouped at half-time and came back to outscore the opposition in the second half. Whilst not resulting in a win overall, they worked together as a team and gave their all on the day. In a hard-fought battle against Mentone Grammar, and short-on players, the team demonstrated great team plays (both offensive and defensive) which, while unable to secure a win, definitely highlighted Mitre’s progress throughout the season. Kevin Chen received the MVP Award and Tom Guo the Coach’s Award.
The Fourth Crest team had a great season overall, with everyone putting in hard work every week. During our opening game at PEGS, Oscar Smith took over the game and led the team to a convincing win, setting the tone for the rest of the season. The following week, when playing against their peers in Fourth Bears, the team once again showed how well they could play. In this game, Rick Kovos led the scoring with 4 three-pointers, and Jimmy Devine was a defensive powerhouse. There were some tight contests in the remaining rounds, and no matter the scoreboard, everyone on the team continued to put in the effort and have fun at the same time! Thanks so much for the season Ms Norris, and special mention to Coach’s Award winner James Dixon and MVP Oscar Smith.
Finally, the Fourth Bear team had some awesome shooting against Mentone from Charlie Reid-Pettett who couldn’t miss a shot. When playing against the other Fourth teams, Hayden Newman stood out in the second half. Congratulations to Coach’s Award recipient Thomas Yang, and MVP Leeshan Navaneetharaja.
Year 10 Basketball
The 10As were fighting an uphill battle this season, with key players away due to commitments with the Firsts and injuries holding us back, but the players held strong and played hard every week. Team attitude was always high, and training sessions were enjoyable. A key highlight, despite being a loss, was our game against Ivanhoe. With only five players against a team with many substitutes, the 10As played extremely well for the whole game only to lose by 1 point in the closing minutes. This showed their ability to adapt to new conditions and their perseverance through fatigue, which are skills any good player needs.
The 10B Basketball team was very well poised and a hardworking group of players. Having started the season off slow, the team picked up their pace and hit the ground running, winning some of their 7 games. Working hard in practice and improving their game, the team built great chemistry and communication because of their time and effort. Solid individual performances all season round, with Jamison Smith winning the MVP award, and Savith Jayasuriya taking home the Coach’s Award for his dedication and leadership.
The 10C Gold team played a well-fought game against an experienced Mentone. The team played a good brand of Basketball with plenty of promise for the rest of the season. With little bursts of great team play from the likes of Lachlan Young and Tobias Phillips, the team was able to score some needed points, whilst Justin Liu played a vital role in defence.
After a rather rough start to the season, the 10C Crest team pulled away in the second half of the game against Mentone, with a very consistent effort from Max Pringle. Towards the end of the match, JP Ma shot a nice three-pointer that banked in, adding to Camberwell’s lead, and giving the players a great start to the season.
Mr Jo Hutchinson, Mr William Zhou and
Miss Christelle Phanjoo
Coaches and Teacher in Charge
Year 9 Basketball
The 9A and 9B Basketball teams made an impressive start to the season with every team member turning up on the very first day back at Camberwell Grammar for training. Clearly, these students were keen! Their coaches, Michael Tilly (9A) and Jack Amling (9B), ensured training sessions were fast-paced and purposeful, and terrific attendance was sustained for the season. While this didn’t always equate to success in their games, what impressed me most about these teams was their support of one another and their efforts to play as a team. There are always stand-out players and for this year, the Coaches’ Awards went to Mitchell Graham (9A) and Matthew Barrett (9B). But in terms of determination, effort, and attitude, each student was deserving of recognition. Well done and thanks for a terrific season!
The 9C Basketball teams had a very successful season. The season started off full of enthusiasm and team spirit. After two years of lockdowns, the players were very enthusiastic and looked forward to their training session each week as well as their games on the weekend. Throughout the season, all players worked extremely well together and improved in all aspects of the game. They tackled each game with a high level of sportsmanship as well as a deep desire to win. All 9C teams had some exciting wins and some disappointing losses but they all played with determination and passion. They were supportive of one another and passed the ball around so that everyone had a chance to play. On behalf of the 9C teams, I would like to thank our coaches who did an amazing job, and to all the parents who came and supported the players.
Ms Stephanie Bohni and Ms Suzanne Jack Teachers in Charge
Year 8 Basketball
The 8As got to taste a half-season of ups and downs in summer 2022. We were quick out the blocks, 2-0 record after a clean-up against Assumption and a narrow hard-fought victory over PEGS. Both games allowed us to tune our offensive and defensive identities, honing in on the strengths that gained us our wins. Unfortunately, some defeats against Peninsula and Ivanhoe followed. Rounding out the season with a 2-3 record, Marcellin showed us superiority in all aspects, leaving our players much to be desired and improved upon for seasons to come. Momentum and emotion lorded this season, leading us to our record rather than a possible 4-1. However, with maturity and commitment, our players can look forward to success and quality in the years ahead. Congratulations to Jarvis Neal and Daniel Bullock for featuring with the Firsts this season. Best of luck for grasping the many opportunities that lie ahead for all 8A.
Although the Summer Sport season was cut in half by Covid-19, the 8B team did not fail to capitalise on the games that remained. Each week was a hard-fought contest, including a draw against Ivanhoe, with Chester Tymms nailing a clutch layup in the final minute of the game to bring us back to level. Aside from a forgettable scrappy match against Marcellin, every game was close until the final siren, a testament to the team’s ability to continue to fight to keep themselves in the contest. The 8B team refused to give up and showed great resilience week in and week out, regardless of the opposition. 8C Blue demonstrated commitment and strong teamwork skills as they trained hard and worked with each other to improve over the season. Congratulations to Toby Miller and William Nethercote for receiving the Coach’s Award and Most Valuable Player Award respectively. The 8C Gold team proved to be a strong opponent all season with competitive performances at their matches and impressive technical skills. Well done to Lele Guo and Kevin Ch’ng for receiving the Coach’s Award and Most Valuable Player Award respectively. The 8C Mitre team trained and played with positive attitudes and developed their skills throughout the season. Congratulations to Richie Yang and Ryan Huang for receiving the Coach’s Award and Most Valuable Player Award respectively. 8C Crest was enthusiastic at training and worked each week to improve their teamwork skills to dominate in matches. Well done to Orlando Rofe and William Maclean for receiving the Coach’s Award and Most Valuable Player Award respectively.
Mr Cyrus Chan, Mr Charlie Amling and
Miss Maddi Voumard
Coaches and Teacher in Charge
Year 7 Basketball
The 7A and 7B Basketball teams had a great season, both teams winning all four of their games. A highlight for the 7A team was the match against Trinity, where we came from behind to win by 1 point, Chandler Siegle (awarded Most Valuable player for the 7A team) came on in the last five minutes and scored 9 points, despite having an injured wrist. Great teamwork and strong improvement through some excellent coaching from Flynn Chable and Lian Thomas were key factors in an impressive season.
The 7C Basketball teams started the season confidently with wins for all four teams, with a close game between 7C Crest and PEGS, which Camberwell won by one point. Only 7C Gold was able to follow up with a victory in the second round, with a nail-biting finish for the 7C Blue team, being defeated by Trinity by a single shot. All four teams dug deep and won convincingly in Round 4, thanks to the encouragement of coaches Ty Beechey, Luke Doblin, Ben Wardlaw, and Sam Rendell. The final round saw some tough opposition in Mentone and Ivanhoe, with 7C Blue completing the season with another win, and 7C Mitre putting in a strong fight, but ultimately relinquishing the lead in the final moments. Congratulations to all 7C basketballers for their hard work and dedication to their teams for the season.
Mr Scott Wyatt and Ms Kate Thornburn Teachers in Charge
