Basketball preseason for the 2023 season kicked off in Week 4 of Term 3, with the 1sts, 2nds and High-Performance players training on the court and gym, and participating in the Track & Field program. Players were a part of the Track & Field team until Week 7, after which they returned their primary focus to the court, preparing for Basketball.
Congratulations to Daniel Palacio and Harrison Lee for making the College’s CAS Athletics squad, where they participated in the CAS Championships at Sydney Olympic Park.
After the Track & Field season, Basketball preseason kicked off for our Junior A and B teams. Many hours were put in, on and off the court, to better the boys’ skills. During this time, the 1sts and 2nds played St Patrick’s, Sydney Grammar, Scots College and Moriah College. The 1sts were successful in beating all these teams, while the 2nds unfortunately could not get over the top of Scots College, in a close battle.
During the holidays, there was a Basketball camp for the players, with a two-day tournament, after which the teams played against a number of schools. 1sts, 2nds and High-Performance players were fortunate to have an overnight camp, which included sleeping at school. This was an enjoyable experience for all the boys, as they were able to run around with their mates. During the overnight stay, the boys were able to experience talks from past CAS Premiership winning players, as well as past 1st V players.
The Knox Invitational Tournament was a good experience for all teams. The 8As were successful, coming 6th out of 10 teams, winning two games and losing three. The Year 9 team fought hard to come 8th place, winning one game and losing four.
The 2nds were very successful, coming 4th in a head-to-head finals game against Trinity, with them winning three games and losing two. The 1sts had a slow start on the first day, but really picked it up on the second, coming 7th and winning two games and losing three.
A special thanks goes to all the coaches who mentored the boys throughout the preseason, including Mr Johnston, Mr Linden Smith-Hyde, Mr Garvey, Mr Spargo, Mr Kennedy, Mr Smith, Ms Turnbull, and Mr Thompson. A big thank you also goes to Mr Johnston and Mr Gibbs for organising the camp and tournament.
Tom Gleeson
Captain of 1st V Basketball
