Image: L-R: Rachel McKenzie (coach), Treyce Ciantar, Matthew Romal, Lincoln Grisan-Hodges, Cooper Currie, Joanne Ciantar (Team Manager); seated Usai Bickey, Braithen Vickers, Jack Hall, Archie Howell and Arthur Bandalan
Fielding one of its youngest-ever male line ups, Mercy College Mackay has risen to the challenge at the Champion Basketball School of Queensland tournament staged recently on the Gold Coast.
Spearheaded by boom 13-year-olds Treyce Ciantar, Cooper Currie and Usai Bickey, the Mercy hoopers turned in courageous and skillful performances against opponents three years their senior to finish a creditable seventh in the Junior Secondary Boys Division 3 championship.
Under the expert coaching of Rachel McKenzie, the College rookies chalked up impressive victories in the preliminary rounds to qualify for the finals phase.
It was a meritorious achievement by the fresh-faced hoopers who held their own against some of the finest 16-year-old basketball talent in the State to earn a top eight finish.
On the final day the Mercy colts defeated Redlands College to clinch the play-off for seventh spot.
Power forward Ciantar, point guard Currie and shooting guard Bickey helped the Mackay Meteors capture the North Queensland Under 14 championship title earlier this year and will represent the Emerging Queensland Under 15s at the 2023 National Under 16 Junior Basketball Championships in Melbourne next January.
By Chris Karas
