By Marcus Uhe
The stocks of rising Pakenham basketball star Stella O’Loughlin have reached new heights on the back of acquiring some newly minted silverware last month.
The Warriors Youth League Women’s point guard was acknowledged for her brilliant season at the Warriors by being crowned the competition’s Most Valuable Player at the Big V Awards Gala last month.
In her first season at Youth League One level, O’Loughlin adapted to the grade with ease, scoring 14.5 points per game and shooting 47.4 per cent from the field, while also throwing 3.3 assists per game and grabbing 7.3 rebounds taking the Warriors to the competition’s grand final.
She played all 24 games and steered the offence with aplomb, leading her team in per game averages of points and steals, and shooting the highest field goal and two-point percentage on the team.
To go with her individual achievement, she was also named in the division’s All Star Five alongside four of the competition’s other brightest stars.
Pakenham’s 2024 Youth League Women’s coach Ben Gaze said her recognition was “definitely justified”.
“She did have some experience in the senior women’s team last year, but to have her first predominantly rookie season in the Youth League this year and make such an impact was fantastic,” Gaze said.
“Her tenacity attacking the rim, but also her ability to mop up some lose rebounds at the defensive end really accentuated her ability and made her a threat at both ends of the court.
“She had a great season but so did every other of the All Star Five that was up there.”
While borderline unstoppable in transition due to her lighting speed, Gaze said her ability to shift down the gears and make composed decisions under pressure stood out on the court this season as a major improvement and new string added to her bow.
A player with big ambitions and always striving for the extra edge, Gaze praised her continuous search for advice and insatiable desire to improve as factors that have elevated her above her competition.
“She would accelerate, stop, slow down and then go again, which definitely put defences on their heels, trying to guess what’s going to happen.
“She also, as the season progressed, started to read the game a bit better and look for opportunities to get her teammates involved.
“As a player she’s always looking for feedback and she always wants to get better in that aspect.
“You’re able to really pick her game apart and give her that feedback so that she can then go an adjust it.
“She works tirelessly off the court with (State Development Program) and different things like that to really improve her game, as do multiple games in our Youth League program.”
Pakenham was one of the strongest-performing clubs at the Awards Gala with a number of Warriors recognised for outstanding seasons.
Youth League Two Men’s player Aaron Small was crowned Defensive Player of the Year and teammate Kaleb Beveridge was named in the Youth League Two Men’s All Star Five, while their coach Braden Venning was crowned Coach of the Year.
The Club’s overall outstanding performance and excellence in Basketball Operations was also acknowledged through receiving the League’s Chairman’s Award.
