A four-time Olympian is expected to help two Warrnambool representatives thrive – on and off the court – at the Basketball Australia under 18 championships.
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Former NBL 500-gamer Ray Borner will coach Vic Country at the Adelaide-based titles in April.
Promising small forward Lukas Essenwanger will play under Borner, while Rebel Noter will work alongside him as an assistant coach.
Essenwanger, 16, was one of 10 players to make the final Vic Country roster.
Noter was selected as an assistant coach at under 18 level for a third straight year.
“Having a four-time Olympian to lead the boys is something we haven’t had before,” Noter said.
Essenwanger earned a call-up – his second at national level after donning Vic Country colours in the under 16s – after a string of strong performances at the Australian Junior Country Cup in Albury earlier this month.
Portland’s Dave Denboer was also selected, while Brock Carter was named as an emergency.
The 195-centimetre Essenwanger said he was rapt to make a second state team.
“It is a pretty good feeling to know all the hard work has paid off.” he said.
Essenwanger will juggle Vic Country training with football commitments.
The Warrnambool College student is eyeing a spot on North Ballarat Rebels’ 2016 TAC Cup list.
He played in back-to-back under 17 premierships with Warrnambool and District league club South Rovers.
