After 3 players sustained injuries that put them out of the Basketball NSW Regional Tournament earlier in the month, the Open Boys’ team made the most of their wildcard entry to the State Championships (in Penrith Tuesday 27 – Wednesday 28 May).

Playing in the Division 3 competition the boys had a tough opening loss to Matraville Sports High School, with a tying three-pointer by Caelan Green on the buzzer disallowed. A strong 15-point win over East Hills Boys High School kept the boys in the race for a semi-final spot. A three-point win against St Philips Christian College in the final round was needed to qualify. The boys led all game with some great shooting by Cailen Acland and Caelan Green, as well as drives by Nick Godwin and Reuben Marshall, though their double-digit lead dwindled quickly from some late pressure by Saints. With a two-point lead and three seconds on the clock Sam Wright stepped up to make the qualifying free-throw and put the team into the semis.

The team earnt a hard fought two-point victory against St Joseph’s College, Lochinvar in the semi-final to earn a birth in the Grand Final, with some impressive work around the hoop by Cooper Thomson and some good contributing minutes by Damien Tomarchio and Mitchell Thomson. They lost to a very good Killarney Heights High, whose intensity and State Representative player were a little too much. Well done to all the boys, and particularly to the Year 12s (including Ethan Jack) who have persevered and helped develop the team through some less successful tournaments the past few years.

Dr Samuel Jackson
Director of Studies 7-12