Anonymous
Years ago
I heard that Tom Wilson has picked up basketball over footy, but is there any other Victorians who are playing both VC u18's and TAC cup?
Anon
Years ago
None that are doing both TAC and VC u18 this season that I am aware of. There are a number who have given up basketball that would have been playing U18 VC. They are bottom age TAC in 2014.
Harley Balic and Dillon from Sandy.
Blake Hardwick and Darcy Crocker from Doncaster.
Harry Thompson from Hawtorn.
Jayden Depeace and Josh Hannon from Knox.
Kieran Malone from Diamond Valley.
There is probably more
There are heaps of top age TAC kids this year (2014) who were VC Basketballers
Chrstian Petracca, Luke Hannon, Reece McKenzie, Mark Pittonet, Fraser Pearce - were all Vic Metro sate players
Anonymous
Years ago
just to add to the above:
Petracca - fantastic junior basketballer played Vic Metro U16 in 2011, attended an Aus U19 BB Development Camp, I think, but chose footy, projected to go in the top 3 or 4 in 2014 AFL Draft. So probably made the right choice. Very talented at both sports.
Wilson was being touted as a top 10 AFL pick for 2015 & received an NAB/AIS/AFL Level 1 scholarship last year from the AFL U16 Championships. Has obviously chosen basketball at this stage. Like Petracca very talented at both sports.
Darcy Tucker - Vic Country U16 from 2012 now playing for Nth Ballarat Rebels and has just received an NAB/AIS/AFL Level 2 Scholarship. Could've made the Vic Country U18 BB team this year, but would struggle to make any Vic U20 team. Was a PG at U16 level, but had others in front of him (McDowell White brothers, Owies, DJ, Wilson, etc). By his results, has probably made the right choice.
Harley Balic - Vic Metro U16 from 2012 now playing for Sandringham Dragons and has just received an NAB/AIS/AFL Level 2 Scholarship. Injury probably stopped him from making the Vic Metro U18 basketball team earlier this year. But would've been playing off the bench. Probably wouldn't have made any Vic U20 BB team, so looks like he's decided to go to footy and made the right choice.
Only 30 Level 2 AFL Scholarships are given each year, which generally means they (Darcy & Harley) will be drafted next year.
Most of the others mentioned above were probably not going to make any U18/U20 Vic Basketball Teams with the exception of McKenzie & Pittonet and none, except for Petracca (maybe), would've made an Australian BB team.
All talented basketballers nontheless.
Just goes to show how BB compliments the skills of those that also play footy & I think the AFL clubs are well aware of this and have been for a long time. Current AFL lists are littered with players that have played high level basketball including State Teams as juniors.
Basically it's tough to make it to the elite level in either sport. We're talking about the extremely pointy end here and there ain't much room at the top.
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