Bullets help young players NBL players pass on skills to region’s juniors
‘‘ ...GETTING TO LEARN FROM PLAYERS LIKE GIBSON IS BRILLIANT. JEREMY DAGG
BASKETBALL: Toowoomba basketballers had the chance to learn from some of the game’s best recently.
A nervous but excited Jeremy Dagg was among those learning from Brisbane Bullets players and coaches including former Boomer Adam Gibson.
St Joseph’s student Dagg was particularly keen for Gibson’s advice, given their shared position as guard for their respective teams.
“It’s such a good feeling to get advice from someone who is kind of in the same shoes as me,” he said.
“I wanted to work on my ball handling skills today and getting to learn from players like Gibson is brilliant.”
Gibson, along with Bullets assistant coaches CJ Bruton and Mick Downer and development player Tyrell Harrison, recently visited the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Toowoomba campus for a series of basketball community clinics.
USQ is the Brisbane Bullets’ Official Education Partner for the 2017/18 NBL season; a partnership which has opened up opportunities for USQ students to work with the team.
In addition to working with the USQ nationals basketball team, students from Joseph’s College, The Glennie School, Harristown State High School and Aussie Hoops also got a masterclass from the professionals.
Bruton, himself a dual Olympian, six-time NBL Champion and assistant coach to the Commonwealth Games gold medal winning Boomers, said bringing the team out into the community helped to make kids’ dreams come true.
“Us being here helps show these kids that the life skills they get every day from their parents, from their teachers, and from their sporting heroes, is so valuable for their future,” he said.
While in Toowoomba Bruton didn’t rule out head-hunting for local talent, which was great news for young basketballers like Dagg.
“I’ve loved this game since I was six. It’s all about that feeling you get when you’re out on that court,” Dagg said.
“I’d love to play with the Bullets someday.”