TEENAGE basketball prospect Wil Rantall will call on the advice from his junior coaches when he represents Vic Country for the first time.
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The Warrnambool teenager will compete at the Basketball Australia under 16 championships in Perth in July.
"I have had dad (Tim coach me) as a younger person and had (Big V mentor) Alex Gynes this year who was pretty good," Rantall said.
"I have had training ones like Rebel (Noter) and Lee Primmer too.
"They have helped me a lot. A lot of them have helped me with my shooting and my defence as well."
Rantall, 14, already stands at six-foot-two and wants use his frame to help Vic Country to a medal.
"I am probably fifth tallest but will play one of the taller roles," he said.
"It should be a good experience to go and play against some of the best players in Australia. I am pretty excited for it."
Rantall, who also plays football for Hampden league club South Warrnambool, wants to play sport professionally when he's older.
The Warrnambool College student doesn't have to look far for inspiration.
His older brother Jay, 20, is an AFL footballer for Collingwood.
Jay also represented Vic Country and then Australia in basketball as a junior.
"It is pretty cool (playing for Vic Country now) because I can remember going up and watching him play," Rantall said.
"He did a lot for me."
But the younger Rantall said the two brought different skills to the basketball court.
"He was a smaller player and shot it a lot more whereas I like to get to the basket as a bigger player," he said.
Rantall, a Sydney supporter with a soft spot for Collingwood now his brother plays there, watched Jay make his AFL debut in front 78,000 fans at the MCG on Anzac Day earlier this year.
"It was just an amazing experience as a younger person," he said.
"Hopefully I get there (as a professional sportsperson) one day as well."
Rantall, who thanked parents Tim and Lia for driving him across the state, is training once a week - bar during the seven-day coronavirus circuit-breaker lockdown - with Vic Country.
He believes the team assembled is in with a medal chance at the July 4-11 national championships.
"We look like a pretty good offensive team and can play some good defence when we need to as well," Rantall said.
"I need to improve on a little bit of shooting and some better defence but it will get there."
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