NEWCASTLE Hunters teenager Kouat Noi has been named in a 20-man Australian squad to prepare for the 2014 FIBA under-17 world junior basketball championships.
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The 15-year-old centre, who stands an imposing 198centimetres tall, was included in the preliminary squad to start training for the FIBA Oceania championships qualifying tournament next year. They will spend the June long weekend at a training camp.
A San Clemente High School student, Noi was named in a 20-man Australian squad after representing NSW Country at the national under-16 championships in Tamworth last July. That squad has formed the nucleus of the group being assembled to represent Australia next year.
Noi plays for the Hunters under-18 division one Country Premier League team and helped NSW Country finish sixth at the national under-18 championships in Brisbane last month.
Averaging 13.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists a game, Noi was NSW Country’s second-highest scorer at nationals and 12th overall.
His older brother, Dhiu, is in his first year with Newcastle’s Waratah Basketball League men’s championship team, who have a 5-6 win-loss record midway through the season.
Meanwhile, the Australian Emus will play a series of pre-tournament games in the Czech Republic and Lithuania later this week so coach Damian Cotter can finalise his squad for the FIBA world under-19 championships in the Czech Republic from June 27 to July 7.
■ Knights Harold Matthews players Jack Cogger and Brock Lamb have been selected in the NSW under-16 team to play Queensland as a curtain-raiser to the first State of Origin game at ANZ Stadium on June 5.
Cogger hails from Central Coast club Toukley Hawks and Lamb is a West Maitland Red Dogs junior. The Knights finished fourth in the NSWRL Harold Matthews competition this year and were eliminated in the second week of the finals by eventual champions Parramatta.
■ West Maitland rugby league club had another reason to celebrate when they had the largest representation in the under-16 Newcastle Rebels side.
The Red Dogs have four players – Dylan Cornes, Bailey Bromage, Liam Leggett and Tom Hicks – in the 18-boy squad to compete in the country championships starting the June long weekend at Charlestown.
The club recently celebrated the promotion of Sam Anderson into the NRL ranks.
The Penrith prop followed in the footsteps of Titans, Test and NSW star Greg Bird to make the grade from West Maitland.
Former NSW Country players Steve Storrie and Sam Wooden are coaching the under 16-side, which is: 1. Karm Settree (Western Suburbs), 2. Kyle Smith (Kurri Kurri), 3. Luke Haworth (Central Charlestown), 4. Abdon Fidow (Kurri Kurri), 5. Tim Byrne (Port Stephens Sharks), 6. Dylan Cornes (West Maitland), 7. Zac Hosking (Central Charlestown), 8. Riley Sullivan (Central Charlestown), 9. Lee Fitzpatrick (Maitland Pickers), 10. Zac Keenan (Lakes United), 11. Isaiah Bower (Western Suburbs), 12. Luke Marks (Lakes United), 13. Bailey Bromage (West Maitland), 14. Viko Tuipulotu (Western Suburbs), 15. Liam Leggett (West Maitland), 16. Jed Cooper (Lakes United), 17. Tom Hicks (West Maitland), 18. Jonah Lisiua (Kurri Kurri).
■ Cessnock were the leading club when the Newcastle Rebels under-18 rugby league side was announced for the country championships.
The Goannas have five players – Jade Jones-Antcliffe, Eli Levido, Rob Tuliatu, Jordan Stratton and Ryley Thomas – selected in the 17-man squad for the first two rounds of their titles on June 8-9 at St John Oval, Charlestown. The side is: 1. Callen Edwards (Maitland), 2. Cameron Burns (Lakes United), 3. Jade Jones-Antcliffe (Cessnock), 4. Samuel Dodds (Western Suburbs), 5. Keelan Sharp (Lakes United), 6. Eli Levido (Cessnock), 7. Jack Kelly (Lakes United), 8. Rob Tuliatu (Cessnock), 9. Jarrod Smith (Maitland), 10. Michael Davies (Kurri Kurri), 11. Jordan Stratton (Cessnock), 12. Toby Marston (Maitland), 13. Ryley Thomas (Cessnock), 14. Dan Killen (Maitland), 15. Liam Guest (Lakes United), 16. Thomas Madden (Western Suburbs), 17. Zac Jones (Western Suburbs).
