By JARROD POTTER
FAST-PACED basketball is apparently a south-east speciality as Berwick College recently brought home two state titles.
Berwick College excelled at the Basketball Victoria State All-Schools 3on3 Basketball Tournament, held recently at the State Basketball Centre, with the junior boys (under-15/Year 7-8) boys and intermediate girls (under-17/Year 9-10) girls winning gold in four-player teams.
Diverging from the traditional five-on-five basketball format, 3on3 tests the player’s stamina and ability to defend the half-court.
With two sides excelling at the tournament, Berwick College’s Basketball Academy assistant coach Gerard Leonard – a SEABL/BIG V basketball star in his own right – said the success at the small-side tournament bodes well for the academy’s future in upcoming events.
“It’s fantastic to do this well – the program has only been around for two years and this is only the second year of the program at the school,” Leonard said.
“They did well last year – great to see them improving and it’s pretty highly regarded in the schools.
“The junior boys won the state 3on3 – they played Monday a week ago, and the intermediate girls won the state 3on3 last Thursday.
“It’s really good – an all schools tournament which independent and private schools compete in… there are a lot of the top basketball schools – like Templestowe.
“Had a few of the other basketball academies there too.”
The girls’ side – led by Southern Peninsula Sharks’ 14-year-old dynamo Jaz Shelley – stormed past Templestowe College to take an 11-10 nail-biting victory.
The boys – with towering centre Josh Pettenuzzo – played earlier in the week and knocked off St Joseph’s College 13-7 to round out the state school’s success.
Leonard said the college program gives students a chance to study and play in tandem as part of their schoolwork.
“There are a lot of government schools – especially in our area – that have sports programs and we wanted to give students an opportunity, as basketball is a fairly big sport at the school… we wanted students to further that alongside their academics,” Leonard said.
“At the school we don’t take them out of school hours – the academy is run through the school curriculum.”
The next tournament on the horizon for the school is against Albert Park – a friendly tournament this month before the VCC tournament college championships in May-June.
Prospective students who want to try out for Berwick College’s 2016 academy – either year-7 or students of any age – need to apply to the school before 15 May with tryouts to follow.
Contact Gerard Leonard at Berwick College on 8768 1090 or leonard.gerard.p@edumail.vic.gov.au for more information.
